Our Time to Fight Back

Culture Changers

 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12: 1-2

This verse, and this song, probably sound familiar, but I can't stress their importance. 

In our world today, we are pressed to be just like those around us, to fit into the culture. How often is it that you hear Christians swearing, complaining about there bad lot, insulting people, and just having a bad attitude that matches the ways of society? Too often. And the main culprits?

Teenagers.

Us. 

We are the one's who are most often dragged down into this trap, trying to fit in with the rest of our friends, and the world. For a while, I even convinced myself, that, if I stood out, I would push people away from me, and people wouldn't want to be a Christian.

But as it is, fitting into society means that you are not living the Christian life. 

As Christians, we should stand out. 

We should be able to alter the world by how we act, we should be able to show God's love and power. 

We are vessels of God.

We can do more than just ace that Maths test. 

A story of a Culture Changer that you may be familiar with, is the story of Noah. (Genesis 6) This was the time of the Nephilim, who were violent people who the people at the time looked up to and worshiped. Because of their evilness, God wiped out the Earth.

But hold up for a moment.

Is our society that different?

Who are the main people that we, as a society look up to? People who are rich, successful, powerful, violent. The few exceptions to these, are people who are now dead. People like Mandela, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King. 

Why is this?

Because that is what culture has told us is needed to live a happy life. To have wealth, power and success.  

So, the people in Noah's time were against God, and for these violent, wealthy leaders. God was heart-broken and decided that the best thing he could do was wipe them off the face of the earth.

But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:8)

Plot twist? Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord. 

Noah was our first ever Culture Changer.

While the rest of the world were idolising these Nephilim, Noah was described as "a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." Noah, despite the way all of the people around him acted, walked with the Lord.

Notice that it doesn't say that he preached on street corners.

Nor does it say that he acted like the rest, but actually only loved God.

No, all it says is that he walked with the Lord.

As Culture Changers, that is the main thing that we must do. We must walk, everyday, with Jesus. We must do our best to act the way that Jesus acted, and to live, delighting in His presence. 

There's lots of ways we can do that.

Most of the time, culture acts the way it does, because that's what it is told it does. Next time someone complains about work, challenge it. Point out the truth. Point out that, "Hey, remember how you used to work at Mcdonalds and you barely got paid? Working at the chemist isn't that bad."

It doesn't have to be much, just don't fit in with society.

Stand out.

J. A. Penrose

~Gunnedah- Australia

In my hometown of Gunnedah, I personally struggle as there are so few CHristians, and so few examples of Christian love. 

However, on Monday, there was a fire that burnt down a woman and her daughter's house, and they escaped with just the clothes on their backs and a phone.

Neither were Christian.

Before the hour was up, a neighbour offered them a house to stay in, some friends gave them new clothes, and others came around to encourage them and pray for them. Every person who came was a Christian, and I was blessed enough to see these two beautiful ladies come to our Church today and thank us, and God, for the provision dn love that they had been shown. 

They told us that even if they couldn't see any proof of God, they could find proof that there was some force of love that drove us as a Church and as Christians.

I pray, and hope that you'll pray too, that our love as a CHurch will continue to reach people's hearts.~