Sunday, November 28, 2010

Going against the Flow.

I read this article on sheseeks.org and it was a big encouragement for me and the things I am going through so I wanted to share it...


If you are a 20-something member of society who is also a believer in Jesus Christ, you probably feel like you spend much of your time going against the flow.

I know it is an excruciatingly difficult place to live, as one 20-something friend recently shared with me. “In my community, it’s hard to stand for truth,” she said. “It’s even harder to know what is really true, to begin with.”

Absolute truth is not a popular topic. To some, it feels stifling. To others, it seems intolerant. Many would argue that it is far easier to live without the restrictions we sometimes see as imposing.

Jesus knew it would be this way for us. As He encouraged the Church in Thyatira to “hold tightly to what you have until I come” (Revelation 2:24b-25), He encourages us today. The reality is, regardless of your community, it’s getting noticeably tougher for all believers to make that upstream swim.

I dare say that if you believe in the way God defines marriage, in many circles, you go against the flow.

If you believe there is one way to heaven, people will stand in line to tell you different.

If you don’t take sex casually, you are in the minority.

But please know this: just because the world tells you different, that does not make you wrong. It just means that you are experiencing what Christ talked about in II Peter 2:3-4, the last day “scoffers.” This post is not a lesson in the end of the world. It’s simply a reminder that if people surround you who question your belief in God’s truth, you are right in line with what Jesus said would happen.

So, how do we stay strong when everything is pulling us away from truth? How do we know what to believe, anyway? I have a few thoughts about this that I hope will be helpful to you.

˜ Understand the difference between intolerance and a belief in personal holiness. I Peter 1:16 encourages us to, “…be holy, because I am holy.” It’s not our option to decide if we want to live with the character of Jesus — it is something all believers are called to do and should desire. While society deems things like monogamous male-female marriage, sexual purity and belief in one God as intolerant, those are things that align us with the character of Christ. He would never ask us to belittle, reject or ridicule those that believe differently than we do, just as He would never ask us to endorse their behaviors or accept their beliefs as our own. We have to understand the difference in order to know what we believe and why that belief guides our life. Love people and accept them as a person without taking on their beliefs, when they differ from the truth in the Word. No matter what others may say, there is a difference.

˜ Plant deep to stay grounded. It is more important than ever to know the Word, study the Word, and tuck it away in our heart. Our roots have to be completely embedded in the absolute truth of the Word in order to stay grounded when everything we know threatens to pull us away. Don’t dismiss the value of being in a church with like-minded believers or pursuing friendships with those who encourage you in your walk. Meet together, talk about God, and pray for each other, that your hearts will stay pure. Avoid circumstances that will lead you into compromise. Pray, and pray a lot. Use the Word as it was meant to be: your literal lifeline.

˜ Don’t become deceived. With Satan in full-time pursuit, it’s more than a little easy to become confused about what you know or at your core, believe. But remember that God’s Word is timeless, even when the world loses its moral compass. You are not dated or out of touch if you live with a belief in absolute truth. Don’t allow yourself to become deceived, becoming convinced that you are alone in your beliefs and must do what everyone else is doing. Satan’s job is to get you to think that way. With the help of the Holy Spirit, your job is to not let him convince you.

˜ Hang on tight. Jesus didn’t tell us to hang on tightly because it sounded good on paper. I believe He used that phrasing because living today requires a firm grip on what we know. I dare say with anything less than a strong grip, we won’t make it. Hang on, and keep hanging on. Your beliefs will stay intact only when you tether yourself to Him.

Friend, you may feel like you are going against the flow, and that may be more than a little difficult. But God’s Word is strong and sure, able to meet your every need and able to stand the test of thousands of years and each and every President, global crisis, and social trend. Trust in the absolute truth of Jesus. He will help you in your effort to swim in your resistant culture that chooses compromise at every turn.

Keep believing. The One you trust will never cease to be available to you, and He will never lead you into anything but truth. Absolutely.

by: Lisa White.


Hope that encouraged and helped you as much as it helped me.

HIS and yours


Cami

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