THERMOSTAT OR THERMOMETER.........
When culture shifts, do you move with it? There is a simple test to show if you are moving. Think back on the tv shows that were available when you were a child. The shows started out with married couples sleeping in separate beds, then same beds, then unmarried, even strangers sleeping in the same bed, we moved to men and men...women and women sleeping in the same bed. What did we do?
Did we stay planted and cut off the tv OR did we tell ourselves....well, it is "just tv" and continue to watch. If so, we are shifting with the culture. Satan is very sly at how he traps us into following after him rather than doing the will of God. We must stay planted in what is right....not shift with everything that culture makes available to us.
When we live according to God's will for us, we can have positive influence on everyone from our neighbor to, if the opportunity presents itself, the world's most influential people. If we walk faithfully and walk step after step in God's ordained plan, when culture shifts....we will stay right where we are supposed to be, planted in God's word. God will give us the influence to make a difference.
Satan tells us that if we stand out, stand firm....we will be outcast. If we stand out for the wrong reasons, that might be true, but if we humbly...respectfully say that you are going to be a little bit different, then we can begin to make a big difference for the Gospel.
When culture shifts, what is going to happen? Will we change to world or will the world change us? Will we adjust to what is happening around us, will we fit in and begin to look like everyone else, or will we say....I'm not judging you, I'm not criticizing you, but this is the path I am walking. If you will watch long enough....if you will stay close, I really think you will want what I have.
This is an analogy that might be more clear about what I am trying to say: A thermostat is set and the environment around will adjust to what temperature the thermostat is set on. However, if you are a thermometer, the environment sets the thermometer....if it is hot, the thermometer will rise....if it is cold, the thermometer will go down.
Too many Christians are thermometers! A lot of Christians look the part as they will sing in the assembly, raise hands, clap....visually looking like they are worshiping and giving praise to God, but it is easy to be hot when everyone else is hot. But too many walk out the doors when the gathering ends and almost immediately start to cool down. When this happens, we are not a thermostat, we are a thermometer. And, every area we are in whether it is our marriage, our children, etc....we look one way when we are at home and other's aren't looking, but very different when we are out there where outsiders are looking. Where-ever we are, we adjust to it.
God is the God that honors and blesses those who past the test and walk in every environment and say I don't care what you think about me, I don't care what is going on....I'm going to set the temperature, I'm going to set the culture, I'm going to set here, leave it here, I'm going to love you....until you rise up and meet the culture and expectation that God expects.
Let's be that person! Let's be the one, the group, that changes the world! I'm not going to let culture, the world, change me. I'm only going to be changed by the blood of Jesus the Christ and nothing else. And from that place, when culture shifts....I won't. Because, I will know who I am and Whose I am in Jesus.
Did we stay planted and cut off the tv OR did we tell ourselves....well, it is "just tv" and continue to watch. If so, we are shifting with the culture. Satan is very sly at how he traps us into following after him rather than doing the will of God. We must stay planted in what is right....not shift with everything that culture makes available to us.
When we live according to God's will for us, we can have positive influence on everyone from our neighbor to, if the opportunity presents itself, the world's most influential people. If we walk faithfully and walk step after step in God's ordained plan, when culture shifts....we will stay right where we are supposed to be, planted in God's word. God will give us the influence to make a difference.
Satan tells us that if we stand out, stand firm....we will be outcast. If we stand out for the wrong reasons, that might be true, but if we humbly...respectfully say that you are going to be a little bit different, then we can begin to make a big difference for the Gospel.
When culture shifts, what is going to happen? Will we change to world or will the world change us? Will we adjust to what is happening around us, will we fit in and begin to look like everyone else, or will we say....I'm not judging you, I'm not criticizing you, but this is the path I am walking. If you will watch long enough....if you will stay close, I really think you will want what I have.
This is an analogy that might be more clear about what I am trying to say: A thermostat is set and the environment around will adjust to what temperature the thermostat is set on. However, if you are a thermometer, the environment sets the thermometer....if it is hot, the thermometer will rise....if it is cold, the thermometer will go down.
Too many Christians are thermometers! A lot of Christians look the part as they will sing in the assembly, raise hands, clap....visually looking like they are worshiping and giving praise to God, but it is easy to be hot when everyone else is hot. But too many walk out the doors when the gathering ends and almost immediately start to cool down. When this happens, we are not a thermostat, we are a thermometer. And, every area we are in whether it is our marriage, our children, etc....we look one way when we are at home and other's aren't looking, but very different when we are out there where outsiders are looking. Where-ever we are, we adjust to it.
God is the God that honors and blesses those who past the test and walk in every environment and say I don't care what you think about me, I don't care what is going on....I'm going to set the temperature, I'm going to set the culture, I'm going to set here, leave it here, I'm going to love you....until you rise up and meet the culture and expectation that God expects.
Let's be that person! Let's be the one, the group, that changes the world! I'm not going to let culture, the world, change me. I'm only going to be changed by the blood of Jesus the Christ and nothing else. And from that place, when culture shifts....I won't. Because, I will know who I am and Whose I am in Jesus.
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