Standing For What Is Right

The last thing most of us want to do is stand out in a crowd. Given the choice, the vast majority of people would simply like to "live and let live" and continue living a peaceful life of blending in. We don't like conflict so we do what we can to avoid it, even if it means agreeing with the disagreeable. Whatever it takes to maintain peace. Except, followers of Jesus can't do that. We can't blend, we can't remain anonymous, we can't agree with what is disagreeable for the sake of peace. We tend to stand out in a crowd.

We live by different rules, by a different standard, by a different definition of good and evil. We are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and, like him, we must speak the truth, even when people don't want to hear it. We don't force anybody to do anything, that isn't Father's way, but we do need to let people know they have a choice. I know we would rather not draw attention to ourselves but, we are here as examples of his grace. That doesn't mean demonstrating perfection, because it doesn't exist in us, but demonstrating his power made perfect in our weakness. Consider Lot for a moment.

Lot, the nephew of Abraham, chose an interesting place to live. Sodom was a city that had lost its moral compass and did whatever they felt like doing. We only get one glimpse of Lot in this context but consider what we are told. He had just housed the visiting angels when all the men of Sodom showed up to rape them:

Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. (Genesis 19:4)

Notice that it was all the men, of every age, of every social standing. Yes, an interesting place in which Lot had chosen to live. But these angels had come under Lot's hospitality and the desert law of hospitality meant that they were under his protection. He had to do everything he could to protect them. So Lot told these men that what they planned to do was wicked and he tried to reason with them, but a heart bent on sin cannot be reasoned with. It is here I want you to notice how these wicked men describe Lot:

“This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” (v. 9)

He keeps acting as a judge. Obviously this was not the first time Lot spoke out against their unrighteous living. Even at this early stage of the developing relationship with Yahweh, enough had been revealed that Lot knew the difference between good and evil, right and wrong, holy and common. Imagine the conviction that Lot must have felt in order to find the courage to speak out against a city.

I am not saying that we need to go on the rooftops and shout out the sins of this world. Such an approach rarely works, causing the sinful heart to become even harder. However, in our sphere of influence, in our Sodom, we must stand for the righteousness of Jesus. As far as it depends on us, we cannot allow good to be called evil and evil good. As much as we might fear it, we must be willing to stand out in a crowd, to allow the light of Christ to shine in and through us, as we set the example in word and deed. We cannot compromise the Kingdom for the sake of maintaining a false peace. Remember, Jesus did not come to bring peace, except to the heart of the forgiven sinner.

My brother, my sister, let us stand on the righteous ground of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

Open Your Eyes To The Tricks Of The Enemy

It is amazing how we move through our day without much thought to what is happening beyond what we see. We worship our awesome God but set our minds against any thought of the unseen. We very much live "what you see is what you get" which is a bit frightening considering the forces that are at play. We don't seem to appreciate how much the enemy hates us and plans to destroy us any way he can. It isn't even so much about us as it is about what hurt he can inflict on Yahweh by hurting us.

Now I am not talking about being fearful or looking for demons behind every rosebush but we do need to consider our words and our actions. We need to consider the things we watch and participate in. We need to recognize the motivation behind some of the things that will come against us today. We need to consider how the enemy twists things for his own evil purposes, especially to bring confusion to the mind of a believer. If we are not solid in our reading and studying of the Word of God then we are wide open to the enemy's attacks of influence.

The enemy will use anything he can get his hands on to destroy the things of Yahweh. He loves to steal symbols of love and covenant from Yahweh and distort them for his own purposes. Just consider one of the most prevalent symbols of our day:

I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (Genesis 9:13)

The rainbow is an ancient symbol of Yahweh`s covenant, with all living creatures, that he would never again send the flood waters to destroy:

It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (v. 14-15)

The thing about this covenant symbol is it is a symbol to remind Yahweh of this covenant:

The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. (v. 16)

And this covenant is not just for us but for all living flesh on the planet. Now we have taken this ancient symbol and have turned it into something that represents the common, the unholy, a manifestation of a rebellious heart. You don`t think this was prompted and orchestrated by the enemy of our soul? Of course it was. If we can't see the obvious what hope do we have of seeing the subtle?

The enemy is defeated but he is hard at work to bring as much pain as he can to Yahweh. Don't let him use you today. Set your heart and your mind on the things above, not on this world. Fix your eyes on Jesus and be determined to run the race with all you have, trusting Jesus to provide all that you need. It is true that we can't do it in our own strength, which is why our relationship with Jesus must be strong and growing stronger, because we do it in his strength.

Understand what you are engaged in today, stand your ground, pray without ceasing, and allow the joy of the Lord to be your strength and his peace to be your constant companion. Do not fall for the twists, turns and lies of the enemy. Live by the Word of God. Open your eyes!