Pursue Holiness
A genuine relationship with Jesus demands that we choose to pursue holiness despite cultural tides.
I recommend a short prayer to you…
Lord Jesus give me the strength to aggressively pursue holiness in the midst of a culture progressively abandoning it.
This morning I was divinely jolted out of a deep sleep with a sharp reminder from the Holy Spirit. The loving reminder from the Holy Spirit was a refresher on Matthew 10:32-36. Embedded within this clear reminder was a vision replaying the divine destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the salvation of Lot in the midst. After some research and a bit of question and answer, the intent was made clear; this is a warning son, YOU MUST CHOOSE! Choose what, I thought, then came the answer. You must choose to acknowledge and obey the revealed truth found in the Word of God rather than be tossed to and fro by cultural tides. The god of this world is purposefully backing as many believers as possible into a proverbial corner of decision. How you ask, by wearing out those who profess to be in relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through all manner of affliction. Daniel 7:25 makes it clear that this is a frequent warfare strategy of the enemy against God’s people. Here’s how Jesus framed this point of decision with His disciples. In essence Jesus is warning the disciples about the imminent confrontation that occurs when believers choose to acknowledge and obey the revealed Word of God instead of bowing to cultural norms.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Matthew 10:32-36 (NIV)
I can think of no better example than the radio talk show “In the Market”. The host of the show regularly, in a loving way, proclaims the revealed truth found in the Word of God concerning the LGBT movement. Inevitably the host always mentions the amount of hate mail and other threats received simply for proclaiming what the Word of God has to say on this topic. Many of us truly believe that we are not negatively impacted by the culture around us. However, the Word of God is crystal clear concerning this reality, we are being negatively impacted. This is precisely why the Lord decided to warn His disciples in the passage above. The pursuit of holiness has become a daily battle. What we choose to watch and listen to, what we choose to think about or meditate on, who we choose to spend our time with all contribute to our ability {the strength of God made available to us} in order to pursue holiness. Hebrews 12:14 As we intently choose to pursue holiness through purposefully reading and obeying the Word of God, God promises to keep us safe. The following passage of scripture is sobering.
False prophets were among God’s people {in the past}, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny the Lord, who has bought them, and they will bring themselves swift destruction. Many people will follow them in their sexual freedom and will cause others to dishonor the way of truth. In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep. God didn’t spare angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, where he has secured them with chains of darkness and is holding them for judgment. God didn’t spare the ancient world either. He brought the flood on the world of ungodly people, but he protected Noah and seven other people. Noah was his messenger who told people about the kind of life that has God’s approval. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them by burning them to ashes. He made those cities an example to ungodly people of what is going to happen to them. Yet, God rescued Lot, a man who had his approval. Lot was distressed by the lifestyle of people who had no principles and lived in sexual freedom. Although he was a man who had God’s approval, he lived among the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Each day was like torture to him as he saw and heard the immoral things that people did. Since the Lord did all this, he knows how to rescue godly people when they are tested. He also knows how to hold immoral people for punishment on the day of judgment. This is especially true of those who follow their corrupt nature along the path of impure desires and who despise the Lord’s authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant. They aren’t afraid to insult the {Lord’s} glory. 2 Peter 2:1-10 (GW)
I recommend a short prayer to you…
Lord Jesus give me the strength to aggressively pursue holiness in the midst of a culture progressively abandoning it.