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DARE TO BE DIFFERENTFrom time to time, God’s people are called to make difficult, and at times costly, decisions in order to maintain their integrity. Throughout the Scriptures and indeed in these present days, we know that Christians are being asked to pay a high price in order to live a life pleasing to God. This should not come as a surprise when we recall the words of the Lord Jesus when He said, “Marvel not my brethren if the world hates you” (1 Jn. 3:13).The Christian life certainly involves making decisions which can be contrary to popular opinion. The Lord Jesus certainly had to make such decisions. This principle of taking a stand for what we feel will please the Lord, regardless of how others may feel, is taught in a brief phrase that we find several times in the Scriptures. The phrase is AS FOR ME…..We look first at Psalm 26:11 where the writer declares, “But AS FOR ME, I will walk in my integrity”. Here he declares his intention to live a godly life regardless of the lifestyle of those around him who have no desire to please the Lord. Throughout the Scriptures we read of men and women who shared the Psalmist’s conviction. We only need to think of Daniel who, at great personal risk, “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” (Daniel 1:8), or of Joseph, when faced with the temptation to be immoral said, “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:12). He fled from the temptation and maintained his purity.Another AS FOR ME is found in Psalm 5:7 where David declares, “But AS FOR ME I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy fear will I worship….” Here we find David’s healthy desire to meet with fellow believers in God’s house. Others may not share his conviction but this will not deter him. I read recently the amazing statistic that in London, where seven million people live, only about 2% of the population attend church regularly. How different this situation is from that of the early disciples of whom we read “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship….” (Acts 2:42). Similarly, we read of the Old Testament saints that “they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His name (Mal. 3:16). David also shared this conviction when he declared in Psalm 122:1“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord”.Finally, let us look at the worthwhile ambition expressed by Joshua in his final message to God’s people. Having reminded them of how God had dealt bountifully with them without any merit on their part, rather the reverse, he challenged them to forsake idolatry and to dedicate themselves to serve the Lord. He said “…choose you this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). May this be the ambition of us all in 2006.
This article was written by Pastor Geoffrey Davies. He is a frequent contributor to this column. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, where he pastored a church for over twenty-five years. Since 1983 he has travelled widely, continuing his ministry of encouragement and Bible teaching.
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