To him who overcomes…
—Revelation 2:7
{CHAMBERS} “Life without war is impossible in the natural or the
supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the
physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life. Health is the balance between the physical
parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. […] Jesus said,
“In the world you will have tribulation…” (John 16:33). This means that
anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say,
“…but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight
against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce
the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition. Holiness
is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus
Christ.”
{ELGIN} Most Christians don’t
struggle with those things that are blatantly “evil”, but with those that seem,
on the surface, to be “good”. Good as
defined by our culture and our traditions.
There is a movement in our culture, in particular, to redefine the
definition of “good” or what is not sin. Isaiah wrote … (Isaiah
5:20) “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for
light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” There is a consequence for that which will be
paid in full.
Centuries later men continued
to strive to be like God and define what is good and acceptable. Paul wrote in the beginning of his letter to
the Romans .. (Romans 18,20-22,28-32)
“For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their
unrighteousness suppress the truth. … they are without excuse. For although
they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they
became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming
to be wise, they became fools… And since they did not see fit to acknowledge
God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They
were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.
They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil,
disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they
know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die,
they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
And today .. the beat goes
on! Then the young man called Jesus “good
teacher”, Jesus responded (Matthew 19:17)
“Why do you ask me about what is good?
There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” In other words, “Only my Father in heaven is good” God is the source of goodness. However some cultures choose to define their
own morality and their own definition of what is good. Jesus accused the Church of Ephesus of being lukewarm in Revelation 2. They wanted to do both. Embrace God and embrace the world. When there is a clash of definitions, God is
abandoned in favor of the culture. God
is rejected and the culture is embraced.
Those Christians who do it feel justified. It is the temptation of “Everyone
is doing it” Before Jesus, everyone was
going to hell … today without Jesus .. they are still going to hell … that does
not make it good. God is the source of
what is good .. His Word tells us what is sin and what is not. His Spirit convicts us of sin unless we
quench the Spirit. (There is so much
running through my head right now, but I will not share it … else this might be
a book and not a devotion) Listen, if the consequence of standing on Truth and
the Word, even though it is contrary to the culture and the threat of reject
and criticism looms on the horizon .. why should you be any different than
Jesus … don’t you want to be like Him? Or
only with respect to the “good” parts.
(John 15:18-27) “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me
before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its
own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant
is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also
persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these
things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him
who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been
guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me
hates my Father also.”
We are in a spiritual battle
that manifests itself in the way people live and believe. My encouragement to you .. (Joshua 24:15) “Choose this day whom you will serve .. but
as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”
Make it more than a catch phrase or a plaque on your living room wall. Make it a commitment … everyday … and more
than that … do it!
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