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“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lusts thereof. ”
Romans 13:14

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ["The Emperor's New Clothes" is a short tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Plot -A vain Emperor who cares about nothing except wearing and displaying clothes hires two swindlers who promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or "hopelessly stupid". The Emperor's ministers cannot see the clothing themselves, but pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions and the Emperor does the same.

Finally the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him and the Emperor marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk play along with the pretense, not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid. Then a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession.]
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Have you ever walked in a sin [“to miss the mark” of God's standard of righteousness.] in the midst of everyone and acted like no one could see you and pretended as if you didn't really care? So much so you even began to believe your own lie. Romans 1:28 It's almost like wanting to “miss the mark” in the open and use the closed eyes of others to allow you to enjoy your sin to the fullest. John 3:20 Satan (the Swindler) has a way of helping you justify it too. He will tell you something like; people need to mind their own business, there is nothing wrong with me doing this or doing that. I'm not hurting anyone, the Lord knows my heart. Besides he/she is JUST a friend. Hmm… Proverbs 16:25

Now wait a minute before we throw the first stone, Jesus has a question for us John 8:7. If the truth be told we all have been the Emperor to some degree for the bible says we all have sinned and come short of God's glory. Romans 3:23 If we say we have no sin the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8 There is not a just man upon the earth who continually does good and sin not. Ecclesiastes 7:20 And like the Emperor we fall to the empty, deceitful lies of the Swindler (Satan) when we are tempted and led to fulfill our own desires. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15 His Plot: is to steal, kill, and destroy! John 10:10

As with the Emperor the Swindler (Satan) can deceive us if our focus and thoughts are only on ourselves and the things of this world. Colossians 3:1-3 Just like the Swindlers he knows how to make a fool of us. 2 Timothy 2:26 After he dresses us with the false lies of how good it is, how somehow it's going to work out, Galatians 6:8 we will get married someday, Hebrews 13:4 nothing wrong with going to the casino, Jeremiah 17:11, Proverbs 23:5 nothing wrong with getting drunk and having a good time. Proverbs 20:1 [Sin will always take us farther than we wanted to go, keep us longer than we wanted to stay, and cost us more than we wanted to pay.] We lose our homes, our families, our jobs, our dignity, and our reputations. Then the Swindler himself accuses us. Revelations 12:10 and the townspeople (suppose to be friends) and enemies gossips and laughs. Romans 6:21

"The wages of sin (“missing the mark” of God's standard of righteousness") is death!..." Romans 6:23 But “... He (Jesus) is able also to save us to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (us).” Hebrews 7:25 As Children of God the bible says , “… a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17 “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Then He says, "Now go and sin no more." John 8:10-11

God says, “________________ because you belong to the day, you must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." Romans 13:13-14

Isn't it funny how like the Emperor we parade around like no one sees us. But it's like living in one of those dollhouses' where the little girl stands over it and moves the furniture over here then over there. Since it is wide open she can always see inside. Well God is like the little girl and we tend to forget or ignore the very fact that He is omni-present and sees all. So if I was you, and I am, let us put on some clothes wherever we took Jesus off! (Selah) (Smile)

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