So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Do you take a stand for what you believe? Do you really live for the convictions you stand for?
It's been bothering me a lot lately how so many people don't stand for anything. Their beliefs and convictions have gone away, because society tells us to not have convictions on what is right and what is wrong because someone may be offended or someone might disagree with what we say. So many people have bought into this lie. There is right, there is wrong, there is truth.
I heard someone say that because of peer pressure they did some really wrong things. They didn't want to stand against what their friends thought or did, so they gave in, even though they knew it was wrong. The choices they made have caused life altering consequences. Other popular excuses are 'it felt good at the time,' or because of something a spouse or parent did, it CAUSED them to go out and fall into some type of wrong behavior. These are common excuses used for drug and alcohol abuse, sex sins, lies, and so many other things that are harmful and wrong. It bothers me that things can be justified so easily and made right, even if it's by the spouse, the parents, or the friends of the other person. They blame the way our society has become and just brush it off as something that can't be helped because of the way things are in the world we live in.
As a follower of Christ, I believe otherwise. I believe there are ways to stand against what is wrong. I believe that if I truly am living a life for Christ, then I know I have the power of him within me and I can overcome the pressures put on me by the world. I also believe that it's wrong to make excuses for others . I also believe it is wrong to say you can't help someone, they have to help themselves. If they are in a destructive behavior they need support, love, and they need someone to speak truth in their lives, even if they don't want to hear it at the time. They need help. I also believe it is wrong to take what they have done and say it's not so bad...like, she's only using pot, not a stronger drug/she had an affair because her husband works too much/he couldn't help his sex sin, his dad was into pornography and so his son is too, it's not a big deal/it was just a white lie, it doesn't hurt anyone.
One thing leads to another, which leads to another, and the wrong becomes acceptable until it starts to spiral out of control. Your young son may be looking at porn now, but in 10 years, he may be convicted of rape. Your daughter may be experimenting with alcohol now, but could end up addicted to meth in a couple years. Your innocent chatting with a person of the opposite sex at work could end up in an affair that rips your marriage apart.
I am not writing this in judgement of anyone. I am writing this in observation of a culture that seems to forget there is right and wrong, that has forgotten about convictions and moral standards. Believe me, I mess up, all the time, but I have strong beliefs and convictions that I stand by as well. I do my best to live by the truths in the Bible.
Are you willing to stand up for things that are right and wrong, for morals and convictions? Are you willing to teach the kids in your life, because you love them, that there is right and wrong, and there are consequences for behavior, and that while they might have messed up, they can start over and live life differently and make better choices?
We all have the opportunity to start over. We can all start fresh. Jesus died because he loves all of us. We can all be forgiven of our sins, our mistakes, if we ask. He forgives us and we can start all over, fresh and new. A life lived for Christ means we try to love him like he loves us, following the Bible as our guide. We are never perfect, we just have grace and forgiveness through a Savior who loves us. Are you willing to trust Him? He is waiting for you.
All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. Romans 3:23-24
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:6-9
2 comments:
Some good and powerful and Truth-filled words here today, friend.
Thank you for always standing strong.
Blessings.
I feel the same.
Vibram Five Fingers Shoes, which is a kind of special rubber shoes, is first produced by Vibrams corporation. Over the 70 years, it has achieved great success, the sales volume increased dramatically.
Post a Comment