Dear Jesus-Followers,
Do you ever feel like the world is quickly spinning out of control and we are just along for the ride? I do. From the very beginning of time, people have been breaking God's rules--that has not changed today. But it seems like everywhere we look, people are not only breaking God's rules, they are encouraging it. They are pushing the world to be more "open-minded" and "accepting". More and more people are falling into the trap of this world. This world says that God's rules are archaic and anyone who follows them are old-fashioned or afraid or condescending...or hateful. In fact, Jesus-followers everywhere seem to be more and more hated each day.
Guess what?
John 15:19 says: "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (NIV, emphasis mine).
You know? Jesus wasn't understood. In fact, he was crucified because he was radical.
Let's be radical! Let's stop conforming to the pattern of this world and start living differently! It is an honor to be hated because we stand for God's ways. As the Newsboys say: "if it is against the law to speak the name of Jesus, then I WANT to be guilty".
We can't let the world tell us what to think or how to live. If you are Jesus-follower, "do NOT be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2 NIV, emphasis mine)
