DON'T GET SQUEEZED

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good – Romans 12:2 (PH)

I waded into a little uncharted water yesterday.  I was privileged to pray at our Ohio Statehouse as a part of a solemn assembly designed to motivate the CHURCH to prayer and action against the ever expanding and damaging liberal agenda.  And after 2+ hours of prayer and rally we were invited to a quick luncheon hosted by the CCV (Citizens for Community Values www.ccv.org) where the keynote was David Barton.  www.wallbuilders.com

It was there that Mr. Barton shared this familiar passage from a “not so familiar” translation, the Phillips translation.  I have to admit, I usually lean on the Message version of this passage that says,

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.  Yet whether from Phillips or Peterson, the message is the same.

We as Christians can’t allow ourselves to be molded by our ever degrading culture.  We must remember that Jesus said His believers, His followers are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15).

Therefore as believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to continuously transform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ.

That can be hard when the world commands so much attention.  

That can be hard when the world can be pretty convincing and swaying in its influence.  But Paul makes it crystal clear, don’t become so well adjusted to the nuttiness and sin around that without thinking you find yourself being squeezed into the mold of the world rather than the mold of Christ Jesus.

Tozer also warned us when he said, “Religion today (or the CHURCH – emphasis mine) is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society’s own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender.”

Ouch.

But true.

Like I said earlier yesterday was uncharted territory for me. I have never fancied myself as “political”. And I am NOT being political today.  But what Barton, Paul and most notably Jesus are simply reminding us today is that we have to be vigilant.  We have to stand in our faith or fall to the culture; we have to resist conforming to its standards and being molded by it moirés.

And Peter has a good word for us when culture is seeking to dictate or influence He says, “Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." 1Peter 1:14 (MSG)

We can do that can’t we; to make the choice as His children to day to be shaped and molded by GOD’S life? 

To be energized by His holiness?

“The world is still trying to put its stamp of conformity on every follower of Jesus Christ. Every possible pressure is being brought to bear upon Christians to make them conform to the standards of the present world. Instead be a committed follower of Jesus Christ.”

― Billy Graham

I love you all

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