After we had such an inspiring and joy-filled Feast of Tabernacles, it does not take Satan long to start creating problems for and among the brethren. After all, he is the accuser of the brethren, an agitator and a provocateur, and he is like a vicious roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He discourages and causes problems for us in the hope we will fall short of the mark.

Some, returning from the Feast, had difficulty with flight delays and some had to stay in a hotel overnight due to flight interruptions. One couple came home to a flooded basement due to a water-valve failure.

I came home to find only two of my nine chickens were alive. Some wild animal killed seven of them while we were away, due to the failure of those who were supposed to take care and feed them according to my instructions.

So we can expect more trials and tests as we settle into the coming winter months, with shorter days and inclement weather in various parts of the country.

Trials and tests are part and parcel for those who are seeking to obey God, and we only need to read what Paul, an apostle of Christ, went through. He outlined and summarized his experience in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, which included beatings and being stoned, as well as the added stress of care for the brethren and church congregations.

In spite of all this, he never took his eyes off the reward and his crown which he would receive from Christ at His coming and at the end of the race. This is such an encouragement and example for us. As he endured and remained faithful to the end, so can we, since it is unlikely that we will have to experience all the trials that he went through.

There will be several long months until the Spring Holy Days, so let us ensure we stay close to God by not neglecting our responsibilities in our efforts to further the Work of preaching the Gospel to the world as a witness and never taking our eyes off the great reward that lies ahead.

Having just returned from the last of the annual Fall Holy Days of God, reality is settling in. In much of Western Society, Halloween has been observed by tens of millions of utterly deceived people.

In my neighborhood there are the relevant displays. One in particular catches my attention when I leave the house. It is of macabre inflatable Halloween figures positioned in front of a nearby home. Due to the cold weather, these rather cheap displays often deflate and have to have more air pumped into them.

This is, in a sense, not so unlike the whole commercialization of this world’s maddening observance of customs and practices which have absolutely no godly or biblical basis. But there is a real source and unyielding support for these celebrations—it is Satan!

It is revealed by God that the whole world is not only deceived (Revelation 12:9), but that it lies under the powerful influence of Satan (1 John 5:19; 2 Corinthians 4:4).

And so it will go—with Christmas, Easter and Sunday observances—by those who read the Bible and little realize what they are really doing! Paul’s warning to the Church of God in Ephesus still holds true, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

As Christians, we have to contend with these things, and in our calling to the Truth of God, we often face serious trials—especially among our unconverted families. And yet, some who have known of the demonic influence in this world’s religious holidays (especially Halloween) have chosen to return to their observance and bondage to Satan:

“For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire’” (2 Peter 2:20-22).

God established the Sabbath—the seventh day of the week. Observance of the Sabbath is a sign between God and His people (Exodus 31:12-18). Likewise, the annual Sabbaths of God and their observance is commanded by God. Satan, on the other hand, promotes his own false days and seasons, and, indeed, what he inspires marks those who follow him.

As the darkness of deception blinds humanity, God has called us to be examples, and just as Jesus Christ came into the world to be its light, so let us, as true Christians, also shine to this, our generation.

Most of us live very busy lives with many activities taking up our time. And of course most of these activities are required as a part of living life. We strive after a great number of objectives. Early on it may be education. Later, employment to earn a living. Then we may seek a marriage and to start a family. Somewhere amongst all this we need a place to live, to either rent or buy. Later on we may look for a retirement accommodation.

All of these are usually necessary parts of life, but God gives us a direction in Matthew 6:31-33. “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ Or, ‘What shall we drink?’ Or, ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Verse 31 in other translations is rendered “Do not be anxious” or even “Do not be over-anxious”. Verse 32 reminds us that God is fully aware that we have certain needs. But the overall emphasis on this section of Scripture in Matthew 6 is on putting our first priority on God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. It is right to plan and prepare for our needs but these plans and preparations must come second to desiring the Kingdom of God.

This same emphasis and order is also stated in Matthew 6:10. After hallowing God’s name, we are told to pray for God’s Kingdom to come and His Will to be done on earth. And after this we are we to pray for our daily needs. We know that God’s Will is summed up in His commandments, statutes and judgements. If we want to know what righteousness is, we read in Psalm 119:172 that all of God’s commandments are righteousness.

Looking at the world today, none of its ways are in accordance with God’s Will. Considering the political system, some leaders are despots, others make promises to be elected that they do not intend, or that they are unable, to keep. Many cannot be trusted. Our education system does not like to acknowledge God’s revealed Truth. They mainly teach evolution without a Creator and that morality is relative, depending on the circumstances.

What about the medical system? In some highly developed countries, medicine can be extremely expensive and with poor outcomes. Many bankruptcies are the result of medical expenses. In the legal system, to receive some form of justice may depend on the wealth of the plaintiff or the accused. We could also look at business or agriculture. The pursuit of money is usually the most important factor. We often hear in the news of dubious business practices where some have been fined or jailed for their illegal actions.

Yes, at times, we can read of some good examples in all of these systems, but the fact that they are written about indicates they are not the usual cases, but rather rarities, otherwise they would not be reported.

But when the Kingdom of God is established and ruling over the earth, all of this will change. The leaders will not have to make promises in order to be voted into office. Neither will they lead coups or military takeovers. God will establish righteous government, so when an official says in that day, “I am from the government, I am here to help you,” this will be a true statement.

The education system will be based on God’s Word and obedience to Him. In Proverbs 1:7 we read, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Also Psalm 111:10 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.” Education will emphasise godly wisdom and understanding as well as knowledge.

Again, under the ruling Kingdom of God, there will be divine healing. Interestingly, we read in Ezekiel 47:12 that some medicines will grow on trees provided by God—the trees being watered by water flowing from the sanctuary of God.

In the legal system, God has instructed the judges to judge righteously and not to show partiality (Deuteronomy 1:16-17). Even in business and agriculture, God has given instructions not to cheat in measurements and to consider the land and the animals, to look after them. All of these instructions will be enforced in the Kingdom of God. It will be a time when people can trust and be trusted, a time of peace and security.

So it will be a whole new world, something to look forward to with our full being. And for us in the Church of God, if we endure to the end, there is the promise of joy and pleasures with God forevermore (Psalms 16:11).

The Good News Version sums up Matthew 6:33 very effectively, “Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.”

At this time of the year, the Feast of Tabernacles, which pictures the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth, is just over a week away. We should especially seek first and think about the Kingdom of God during this time. Doing so will make the Feast so much more meaningful for us all.

Recently, we had hail damage to an automobile totaling several thousand dollars.  Our insurer covered the cost of repairs.  Several years ago we filed an insurance claim for damage to our roof, also from hail, which insurance covered as well.  These kinds of unexpected natural occurrences are usually covered by insurance, to a point.  We know of someone who was dropped from their insurance company for filing too many claims for roof damage.

While it seems counterintuitive to lose insurance for using it, insurance companies are built on calculating risks.  One consumer advocate states, “Filing more than one claim per year could cause your insurance company to drop you. So, say your vehicle is vandalized a few times, or stolen, or your vehicle is carried away by a flood, you’ll make a claim with your insurer, and rightfully so, but making too many claims (of any type) can make you too expensive of a customer to keep around” (clark.com).

Most of the industrialized world relies on the insurance industry for protection of property and health issues.  But we know that reliance on these institutions is not lasting, nor will they stand for long with the nearing judgement upon mankind.  The prophet Daniel stated, “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Everyone who is found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1).  Reliance on anything that is of man will not deliver or protect oneself in the Day of the Lord. Any assurances we give ourselves, that aren’t focused on God, will be worthless.  As Ezekiel stated of this time, “…Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the LORD…” (Ezekiel 7:19).

God has based the growth of His family on risk as well.  But He stands by the choice to call each of us as long as we commit to relying upon Him for true salvation.  “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7 ESV).

Judgement for sin is an inevitable truth that the world ignores.  Our escape from this judgement is being built daily as each of us strives to overcome the sins that ensnare this world.  The meaningful acts of God are “…faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

God’s Holy and infallible Word is our best assurance for the future events that will unfold upon this earth.  It was decreed to His angels to conduct themselves soon in this way: “‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed…” (Revelation 7:3-4). Let’s be sure that each of us invests in our insurance plan with God—today—before calamities are at our door.

In the current state of world events, are we inured or are we in the process of becoming inured by the constant reports of widespread and worldwide problems which must surely be leading to the end of this age? Do we just accept more bad news without thinking too much about it? After all, bad news is a staple diet of modern reporting.

A good definition of inure is “to habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged subjection; accustom.” A synonym of inure is hardened. So, putting it another way, are we or have we become used to and hardened to all that is happening around the world? I think it is a good question to ask.

Yet again, I bring up the story of our old friend, the frog in boiling water, and how often he has been mentioned over the years in the Church of God – and with very good reason. If there are any reading this and don’t know the story, suffice to say that “the premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to or be aware of sinister threats that arise gradually rather than suddenly” (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). Whether the story is true or not is immaterial, but the lesson we can learn is invaluable.

It can be so easy to see details of the latest tragedy or calamity and just accept that this is the way society is. One such item, one of many, was in a “Money Marketing” e-mail that I saw in early August 2019. The piece read: “By volume, 90% of world trade goods are transported by sea. There are around 53,000 ships in the world’s merchant fleet, 5,000 of which are container ships, and the largest of those carries more than 20,000 containers. Without these ships, many countries could not participate in global trade, and consumers would have to absorb the increased costs, making the world poorer.” I thought about Revelation 8:8-9 where it states that “a third of the ships were destroyed!” A third of 53,000 is 17,667 ships and think of the number of containers that would be lost, plus cruise ships and others. It’s not just about the present but how that will play out during the time of trouble just ahead of us.

It can be pretty easy in these days of mass communication to read, hear or see the very latest events on the world scene, and we ought “to cry and sigh for all the (many) abominations” (compare Ezekiel 9:4) that surround us, but if we transpose this to the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, we may be able to see, in some part, just what a terrible time it really will be. We must remember the admonishment by Jesus Christ to “Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

The Feast of Trumpets is a central Holy Day in God’s plan and the people of God will be celebrating this Holy Day on Monday 30th September. This festival pictures that time that is just ahead of us—a time of terrible trouble that should Christ not return, no flesh would be saved alive (Matthew 24:22). Preceding that time, there will be so many problems—all created by man through the influence of Satan—that the troubles that we can currently “cry and sigh” about will pale by comparison.

Let us make sure that the “frog” doesn’t influence us, that we can really appreciate what is going on in the world today and extrapolate this to the time of terrible trouble just ahead, and we will, in no way, be inured to the terrible things that we now see on a daily basis.

Do we comprehend the power of God? God’s magnificent power and glory are revealed in Exodus 33:20 where Jesus Christ, the God of the Old Testament, says, “You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me, and live.” And no one has seen God the Father and His glory at any time either (John 1:18; 5:37). On the other hand, both God beings have revealed Their power and glory through visions to Ezekiel in chapter 1 verse 26-28 and to Daniel in Daniel 7:9-14. Also, God’s omnipotence was explained to Job in the book of Job, chapters 38 and 39. God reveals in Matthew 19:26 that for God, ALL things are possible, which shows us His unlimited power. It is further stated in Jeremiah 32:17 that there is nothing too difficult for Him.

There are no limits when it comes to God. He is infinite, All-knowing, ALL-capable, All-powerful and He is the Omega, the very Beginning of everything. He says: “I AM who I AM” (Exodus 3:14). There is no one else out there like God. There are no restrictions when it comes to His ability to do ANYTHING, and NOTHING happens against His Will.

And yet, many still have doubts. Many still don’t believe what He is capable of, and they limit His abilities in their minds. Look at the examples of the people of Israel who survived because of God’s unlimited power and the miracles that He had carried out (compare Jeremiah 32:18-23, 27). How quickly they forgot when they were faced with trials and tests which lead to disobedience

They limited God and His power, diminishing their expectations of their God. They didn’t remember His power—all those miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, in the wilderness when God provided food, at the Red Sea, and when He brought them to the Promised Land. They failed to remember.

Do we sometimes diminish our expectations of all He can do? We need to realize that God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what is best for us. And yet, we still may have many questions as to why. Why doesn’t He answer our prayers right away? Why won’t He give us what we desire immediately? God wants us to succeed. Distractions can become distracting and we may begin to lose our focus. God is full of blessings, but we may doubt at times His willingness to bless us because more often than not, we are in the “now” moment. We want things to happen right away. That may be good or bad. In certain respects, wanting to change our bad ways right away is good. But I’m referring more to our selfish motives. God says in Malachi 3:6: “For I am the LORD, I do not change.” He is forever the same, and He wants to bless us and desires that we become born-again members of His Family.

There are many miracles in the Bible that God performed, and God still does perform miracles for us today. There are miraculous healings at times—situations that we are in that only God can solve when we ask Him in prayer. Also through our commission in preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world, God does miraculously call people to the Truth which is nothing that man can do (Romans 8:28) because it is God who calls people through the Work that we are doing (compare John 14:12-14; Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19-20).

The power through the Holy Spirit is essential in our daily lives. When Christ was here on earth as a human being, He went through many temptations that we go through today, and God the Father gave Him strength through the power of the Holy Spirit to get through trials. We can today receive God’s Holy Spirit of power through baptism (compare Acts 1:5-8; Luke 24:44-49; Romans 8:1-17). The commission that God has given us to do cannot be done through our own power, and Christ could not have accomplished what He did by His own human power.

God provides protection and does the fighting for us, just as is stated in Exodus 23:27;14:14. Throughout the Bible, we read about the examples of God’s protection; for example in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and also of Daniel in the lion’s den. God also will continue to provide His protection to His people who are called worthy during the Great Tribulation which is destined to occur in the not-too-distant future. Placing our trust in God is crucial, and we must always be prepared by putting on the armor of God against Satan, as we read in Ephesians 6:10-13. Our full confidence should be in God, not in man, for God is the One Who will fight our battles (Jude 24-25).

The Bible, the Word of God, is powerful. God’s commandments and His law are powerful. His purpose for those is powerful who have been called out of this world at this time and have answered His calling, to have the first opportunity before the rest of mankind to be a part of His Family and receive everlasting life! We have power through all the tools and resources we have been given to understand God’s law. And we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit at the time of our baptism so that we can grow in wisdom and knowledge to be able to understand God’s law and share it with the whole world through the Work we are doing—the fulfillment of the commission that God has commanded us to do, to preach the gospel to the whole world as a witness; knowing that one day the world will experience what we have come to understand today. All the peoples of the earth will know that the “LORD is God” and “there is no other” (compare Isaiah 45:5, 14, 18). We must continue to let our hearts be loyal to Him, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments. Remember what God promises us and let us never forget it.

Peer pressure can cause someone to act or do things beyond the usual norms of acceptable behavior in order to just be accepted by others or to conform to their desires and wishes. People want to be accepted and don’t want to appear weird or radically different from those with whom they associate—either at work, in the community or at the church they attend, because they want to fit in.

The problem of caving in to peer pressure can lead to compromise and an erosion of one’s character. Exodus 32:1-4 provides a good example as to what happened when Aaron wanted to please the children of Israel. Exodus 32:1-4 says:

“Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And Aaron said to them, ‘Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’”

Aaron was the high priest and should have known better. What he and the people did was a complete affront to God who brought them out of Egypt by signs and wonders—not by some idol in the form of a golden calf. It appears Aaron did not resist the people’s desires nor offer a counter argument to show that what they were proposing was a sin and against the God who brought them out of Egypt by a powerful hand.

There were consequences for this sinful behavior. Exodus 32:28 reads: “… about three thousand men of the people fell that day.”

Furthermore, God was so angry that He would have destroyed them all and started over again with just Moses, but Moses talked Him out of it. Exodus 32:11-14 says: “Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: ‘LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.”’ So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.”

Aaron did not have the courage or fortitude to stand up to the people’s desires to make a golden calf. Instead, he caved in. He was overcome by peer pressure and thus compromised in what was clearly contrary to the second commandment in regards to not worshipping idols.

As we move forward and draw ever closer to the return of Christ and as this world gets more and more evil under the influence of Satan, we must not give in to peer pressure or to compromise with what we have been taught from the Bible. The Truth is: We will never fit into this world of sin and corruption because in reality, we are “misfits,” wanting to obey God rather than compromise to please others and this world. There are always negative consequences for peer pressure which leads to compromise; yet on the other side of the coin, there is a great reward for those who faithfully endure to the end.

We purchased a new kitchen nook this past week and on Sunday I put it together. There were a couple of times as I was building it that I didn’t read the instructions correctly and got to a certain point and realized something was wrong. So I had to take the project apart to the point where I misread or didn’t pay attention and then start again from that point. This also used to happen to me as a kid when building a Lego set. The instructions are always there but sometimes they just weren’t read correctly and then what was being built was incorrectly assembled.

God is very precise. His instruction manual (the Bible) is there for us to learn from and to lean on. When we start to lean on our own understanding and stop seeking Him in ALL of our ways, then we start to build in a way that is off center and when we reach a critical point, we hopefully realize that we have been building in a wrong way, and then we have to start to tear down those bad ways and get back to the point where we are once again focused on how to live God’s Way.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 states a big warning for us: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Our daily work in behaving as a Christian needs to be in our minds. It needs to be constantly built on. We do this by renewing our relationship with God through prayer and meditation and then find our answers and our strength by turning to the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

But if we are not actively studying, then we are not learning and seeking God. We will begin to lose our precision. Satan is all about trying to distract us from the Truth and cause us to fall away from God. When we do something over and over again, we reach the point where we can do something very well, maybe without even looking at an instruction manual. The Bible though is an interesting manual in that it is a living manual that requires constant study as new information is actively being released to God’s true servants and the knowledge of it. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God’s word is ALIVE and ACTIVE. If we believe this to be the case, then why would we NOT want to be reading from the Word of God?

One of the greatest gifts we have is that the Word of God is available to each of us. This has not always been the case throughout history. With this in mind, we see that God tells us in Joshua 1:8 that we need to be studying it: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” When we study, we put out other thoughts and focus on what matters. This is true in anything we do. When we study a lot about something, we start to not only think that way but to act on those things that we have studied.

Another warning to remain precisely in tune with God’s Word is found in Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

The time is drawing nearer as we continue to closely watch world events and line them up with biblical prophecy. We have the time now to become precise with God’s Word. Let us make sure we are putting in the effort that is needed. Romans 15:4 says: “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” We can have comfort from God’s Word if we are actually studying from it and learning, even in the most difficult of times. King David went through a lot of terrible times, yet his words in the book of Psalms always showed that he was precisely focused on God and dedicated in attempting to let God remain in control even in the most fearsome of circumstances.

We need to be precise when it comes to seeking God and reading His Word. We can have faith that the Word of God holds keys for us pertaining to our lives. Psalm 12:6 says that “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” That is precision. And it is the one thing that doesn’t change with time. It stays true for us and we can always rely on it. When we become precise in this Way, then we can have a proper relationship with the great Creator and Sustainer of our universe.

We all know people who, at some point in their lives, disappointed us. Because of this, relationships can become so broken that there is no longer any contact. It may be leaders who fail, friends who let us down, family members who cause great offence or mates who sin by departing from the marriage and God’s Church.

Sometimes there really is a somber and grim finality in which relationships end, without any hope of reconciliation or restoration. We understand that Satan and those angels who followed him in rebellion will be ultimately and absolutely cut off from God. Furthermore, people who refuse to repent, but who instead harden their heart, sear their conscience and completely reject God and His Way, will be destroyed.

Sometimes, however, relationships can be restored! God, against Whom all of mankind have sinned, gave His Son to reconcile us to Himself (Romans 3:21-26; 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; 1 John 2:2). Through Jesus Christ, we can now have access to the Father (John 14:6; 16:26-27). Our part in this reconciliation is to repent and obey God. (Acts 2:38; 3:19-21).

We are told, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). This must be our approach to others, but it takes real effort on our part. A first step in this is our willingness to forgive upon sincere and godly repentance of the other person, and this is a grave responsibility, as Jesus taught:

“‘Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, “I repent,” you shall forgive him’” (Luke 17:3-4).

Also…

“‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Take a moment and think about someone who sometime, somewhere or somehow offended you. Can you forgive them when they show through their conduct that they are truly repentant of what they did? When you sin against another person and repent, would you not want to obtain forgiveness so that a right relationship can be restored? Then, that same responsibility of forgiving others upon their repentance rests with you as well.

I have a memory from an elementary school recess when my classmates and I were picking teams for a game of basketball. One of my classmates looked me in the face, and plainly said, “You’re weird.” I didn’t get the impression that it was intended to hurt my feelings, or to express that there was something “wrong” with me. It was just a simple statement made in a non-judgmental kind of way, expressing that I was different. Even then, I remember having a feeling of mutual agreement.

I look back at that moment, now finding it quite humorous, because it wouldn’t be the last time my playful nature would be seen as being different and a little goofy. But there’s more to it than just a funny story. I look at that moment and find evidence of having confidence to think and act independently at an early age, not worrying if I didn’t fit into the compartments defined by society. I now see how early in my life God began working with me to develop a drive to search for the Truth and build the conviction to live by it, regardless of what others thought. Following in suit, I can recall several moments as I made decisions to draw closer and closer to God, while turning further and further from the ways of the world.

What a relief it is to see that the Bible provides support for not fitting into the world! In Romans 12:1-2, Paul provides guidance for us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” As Christians, we undoubtedly encounter pressure to conform to the world at the expense of following the Truth, but we are instructed not to do so. As soon as our desire to be judged as “normal” by the world exceeds our desire to follow God, we put ourselves in danger of compromising our relationship with God. Following the Truth is infinitely more important than fitting in, even if the world thinks it is “weird.”

While it is unhealthy to fall prey to the pressure to conform to the world, it is even worse to follow whims of what our carnal minds might justify if those ways are absent from the direction of God. As Paul wrote to the Romans, we are to be transformed by renewing our minds in seeking the Will of God. We are to conform to God, not the world. In being different from the world by turning away from those ways of living, we find strength by living our lives in obedience to God’s commandments. Independence from the way of the world is dangerous without following the Way of God.

In this age prior to the return of Jesus Christ, there is no way of removing ourselves entirely from living in the world. In fact, it is our assigned obligation to live our lives in this world as an example. But we cannot allow ourselves to be pulled in by its deceitful enticements. If we do, it will choke out the Truth, threatening to jeopardize our salvation (compare Matthew 13:22). Our confidence and conviction must be in living the Way of Life that God commands. If the world thinks we’re weird, but God thinks we’re right, we have nothing to worry about.