All throughout the bible we are warned not to fall into the trap of following the customs of those who don’t believe in the Lord, and not to worship their gods. It doesn’t turn out so well for you in the end if you succumb yourself to the ways of the world. It seems that every time I turn on the news today, so many are falling into the traps of the ungodly. For goodness sake, just take a look at what’s going on on many college campuses. These students probably have absolutely no clue why they are chanting what they are chanting and how wrong it is to go against Israel.
Y’all, we are to cling to, hold tightly to, and stand firm in Christ. How? Take a look at Deuteronomy 10:20, 11:22, and 13:4 when they remind us to fear (respect) the Lord, worship Him, obey God, love the Lord, listen to Him and walk in His ways.
You must fear the Lord your God and worship Him and cling to Him. Your oaths must be in His name alone. Deuteronomy 10:20
Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in His ways and holding tightly to Him. Deuteronomy 11:22
Serve only the Lord your God and fear Him alone. Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:4
Now may his curses return and cling to Him like clothing; may they be tied around him like a belt.” Psalms 109:19
Okay, so you may wonder how we can apply this now and not just read it in the Old Testament. Let’s look at some New Testament verses:
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Romans 12:9
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrew 10:23
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
Friend, God’s word, no matter what testament we read, applies to us daily. We can learn, and should learn, so much from it. It is the greatest history book ever!
Here are some key takeaways from the latter verses:
- Genuinely love others. This takes effort. Be intentional. Show God’s love to others. This love doesn’t come from you, it’s a God thing.
- Hate what is wrong. This is a godly hate. If God doesn’t like it, it should break our hearts as well.
- Hold tight to what is good.
- Don’t waver in your faith.
- Trust God. He has a way of keeping all of His promises.
- Embrace the freedom that comes from being a child of God. It is the ultimate feeling of freedom. You are rid of your old self. Jesus took your sins away and wiped the slate clean. Say “so long self” and “hello, Christ living”.
- Watch out! Satan is always waiting to pounce on you. You will be tempted in life, maybe even daily, but stand firm and don’t fall into the temptation. Remember, being tempted isn’t the sin, falling into it is.
- Be strong and courageous? How? Through prayer, relying in and on Him, and knowing that it is not your own strength and courage, yet His.
Friend, I love you! God loves you so much more! Stand firm in your faith.
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie
