Romans 12:1-2 (HCSB) 1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.[a] 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Proverbs 20:1 (NKJV) 1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 (HCSB) 1 Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler,
and whoever staggers because of them is not wise.
A few days ago I had to take a trip for work. While on this trip I went to a social with my colleagues. Attending socials is really not my thing but I have learned that you have to socialize with your colleagues and/or people in order to get to know them and them get to know you. Typically, once your colleagues and/or people get to know you and you get to know them a work-related partnership will develop. These partnerships are needed in order for work to be productive. Sometimes after developing these work-related partnerships, friendships and/or brotherhoods/sisterhoods are developed.
While sitting beside a particular colleague, he began to talk about his relationship with God and experiences that he has had with Him over his life. This colleague knows that I am a preacher as we have discussed our faith in the past. The conversation was spawned because everyone at our tables – except me – had ordered an alcoholic beverage or two or three. It was interesting to him that in the midst of an establishment for drinking and eating, I was disciplined enough to not do what all that were in attendance were doing – order a drink or order a few drinks. Many have come to understand that social drinking is a part of getting to know somebody. Social drinking lowers your guard and the ‘real you’ begins to appear and now colleagues and/or people see the ‘who’ that is inside of you.
My colleague tells me a particular experience where God had answered a question that he asked Him. God didn’t answer at the exact time that he asked Him but God did answer his question in time. God answering his question made him feel close to God. Now, he did let me know that there had been other times when he asked questions and never received answers to his questions. Here is where I come in. He said, “It’s impressive that you didn’t order a drink like me and the others. Is that root beer that I heard you order? I said yes.” He then began to talk about us changing for God. He said, “God wants us to change for Him but we don’t want to do change. We don’t want to give up things to show God how we appreciate Him. Look at me, I ordered a drink and you ordered root beer.” The next part of the dialogue is the wow moment…. He said, “If we give up things – drinking – or whatever it is that we like to do or just have to do, then we can hear more from God and really see what is going on.” Wow!!!
If you will notice in the above paragraph, I did NOT do the majority of the talking. The conversation was initiated and led by someone that is not a preacher nor has ever proclaimed to be a preacher. He has expressed a faith in God and acknowledges that there is a way that God would have us to live. My life – actions – in the presence of temptation is what sparked the conversation. I did NOT order an alcoholic beverage and I did NOT attempt to condemn nor convict any of the colleagues that were in attendance and were partaking of alcoholic festivities. Full disclosure – I do not recommend that anyone should drink alcoholic beverages as there are spiritual ramifications that come with frequent partaking in wine or strong drink (beer, hennessy, patrone, jack daniels, jim bean, etc.). The casual christian or maturing (maybe) believer would more than likely call me a wine bibber, beer bibber or strong drink bibber because I was in a place with those who like to drink alcoholic beverages. The casual drinker observing me not drinking alcoholic beverages would call me a ‘holier than though’ person, even though I said nothing derogatory to any of my colleagues or any other patrons in the establishment who were drinking.
Family, the apostle, empowered by The Father’s Spirit, told us to not be conformed to this world but to have a mind that is ever changing – not evolving -to be more and more like our Messiah (Christ). He wants us to understand that our flesh and ‘our desire to fit in’ will always lead us to do the things that The Father would not have us to do. He wants us to understand that we have to desire to change for The Father and then actually live changed lives everyday for the good pleasure of The Father. It does not matter how folk think about you, it does not matter how folk look at you, it does not matter how folk talk about you and it does not matter how folk attempt to hinder your spiritual maturation; all that matters IS that you are obedient to The Father, you are walking in The Way, you understand how to Worship The Father in Spirit & Truth, you actually Worship The Father in Spirit & Truth every day, and you are allowing your light to shine before men in such a manner that they can see your light and glorify our Father in heaven.
Family, Change is important to your righteous longevity. Change is critical in order to see the revelation that The Father wants you to see. Change is critical if others are going to get to know Who The Father IS. Change – within you – can only be accomplished by truly drawing close to The Father through The Son/The Word/The Messiah/The Christ. Change for the glory of The Only Living Ancient of Days!!!
Shalom (Peace)!
Scriptural References:
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