“BEING THE DIFFERENCE, WITHOUT CONFORMING TO CULTURE..”

“BEING THE DIFFERENCE, WITHOUT CONFORMING TO CULTURE..”

TODAY, our culture is VERY LOUD!!

A lot of: political correctness, opinions, hostility, rawness, licentious behavior, rebellious attitudes, hyper sexuality, and finger-pointing judgments..

BLOG LINK:  https://www.askpastorwalter.com/2022/12/making-difference.html?m=1

COMMENTARY: “MAKING A DIFFERENCE”

To ALL of my co-laborers in the gospel, I want to affirm your call, encourage your faith, and support the unique work in the vineyard in which God has called YOU to serve!

Many times, the isolation and loneliness that's associated with being a true messenger of the Gospel of the Kingdom is just NOT easy to bare!

So, private struggles and internal battles become even more pervasive, and a point of satanic access in the "gates" and "armor" of the believer - is compromised, so we end up cycling in defeat for much of our Christian walk!

Noah was a real-life example of what "swimming up stream" looks like, in the realm of the spirit.

No one wants to really look foolish, while every one else simply wants to appear "hip" and "in touch" with life (relevant); but often at the high cost of being "in darkness", because we've adopted "cultural definitions" for significance, relevance and positive influence amongst our peer-groups, without truly seeing how distant we've become from HIS ways and HIS will!

The times demand: FOR BELIEVERS IN CHRIST

1. A heightened level of discernment
2. A humble and reverent attitude toward prayer, study and meditation on the Word of God
3. A consistent devotion that transcends church attendance, community, or volunteerism
4. A commitment to share the Gospel from every believer, no matter your lot or station in life

Scriptural Basis:

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:24, ASV)

COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 24

“The Very Elect being deceived”..

In what is often referred to as His Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Jesus speaks about events that will take place before His second coming. One of the warnings Christ gives is this: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (verse 24).

The Greek word translated “elect” is eklektós, which means “chosen ones.” It’s a term used a number of times in the New Testament to refer to true believers in Jesus (e.g., Luke 18:7; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12). Will the false miracles performed by the false messiahs and prophets in the end times be so convincing that even born-again believers will be led astray?

There are two reasons why the answer to this question is “no.” First, nearly all Bible commentators agree that the grammatical construction of the verse and its parenthetical statement “if possible” strongly point to such a thing being out of the question. The deception will be strong, the miracles will seem real, and the intent will be to mislead everyone, including the elect. But God’s grace will prevail. His chosen ones will not be drawn away into deception.

Second, the Bible firmly speaks to the fact that the elect are protected by God from deceptions that would result in eternal separation from Christ. Paul tells us that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4); Peter says that the chosen “are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5); and Jude says that the chosen are “beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). The elect will persevere in God’s strength.

With respect to following false Christs, Jesus says, “He who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10:2–5). The sheep know their Shepherd.

Being deceived is a mark of the unregenerate: “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures” (Titus 3:3). After salvation, we may stray from the truth at times, but the Bible makes it clear that the elect of God cannot be deceived to the extent of being finally lost. If God’s chosen ones could be deceived in such a way, God’s choice of them would be defeated, and that is not possible. All who are in Christ have been predestined, called, justified, and will eventually be glorified (Romans 8:30). They have been given to Christ; and of all those who have been given to Him, He will lose none (John 10:28).

DEVOTION TO CHRIST CAN’T BE INCONSISTENT “AND” POWERFUL

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice (a willing offering), holy (intentionally set apart), acceptable (choosing reality) to God, which is your spiritual (recover the original shape) service. And be not fashioned (popular/trendy) according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ASV‬‬

CONFORMITY = “group think” on steroids; go along to get along

“REAL SPIRIT” does not:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”  Romans‬ ‭8:1-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

PECULIAR = distinct and set apart 

“Holy Representation”:

It’s NOT A FEELING of:

• invincibility, but fearless confidence
• Haughtiness or high-mindedness, but sobering humility and grace
• Boldness coupled with arrogance, but righteousness partnered with truth

Is NOT in the PRACTICE of:

• Striving, but Pressing
• Stressing, but Discerning
• Struggling, but Consistently Pursuing
• Straining, but Standing/Sacrificing
• Sleeping, but Seeking

The LIFE of the Spirit has:

• Joy to never let trouble disturb you
• Peace to always give you a positive outlook while uncomfortable terrain makes it difficult to be confident
• Rest to give you a unmovable resignation trust possesses the reins of our heart that’s the life of the spirit our destinations and our destiny is always good if we’re ending in failure if we’re ending in defeat if we’re ending demoralized and depressed and in despair that is not the end the God his willed or purposed that’s us either stopping in the middle of a test in the trial and circumstance that us resigning instead of fighting him and warring to winto trust God no matter what
• Confidence to build with the future in mind, and never serve your flesh cause your weary, wavering or wandering/wondering in your soul
• Trust to move you forward when you don’t know where you’re going, but know the destination/destiny is good