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Monday, January 30, 2006

"Everybody's Not Doing It!"

"Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him"  (1 Kings 19:18).

In a meeting I had with the president and vice president of a large company I asked how I could pray for them. Without hesitation the president requested that I ask the Lord to help his company leadership to find other businesses of integrity in which they could work with. Then, in a sense of concession to current conditions, he asked for wisdom in dealing with companies that lacked integrity.

One of the most sinister traps advanced by our ancient foe in excusing and tolerating wickedness is the myth that "everybody's doing it".  This excuse is abundantly used to justify all manner of wickedness.  "Nobody's faithful to their marriage vows anymore."  "Everybody steals from their employer."  "Everybody cheats on tests."  Etc. Etc.

Elijah was one of God's faithful servants during a time of great apostasy.  He felt he was all alone in his standing up for God as he cried out, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too" (1 Kings 19:14).  

Certainly there's no denying that the Israelites had rejected God's covenant, that altars had been desecrated, prophets killed, and Elijah's life was threatened.  But the middle clause, "I am the only one left", was simply not true.  God had "reserved" seven thousand who had not bowed to the pagan deity Baal.

Today there are many who still seek to live their lives to please God.  There are many marriages where husband and wife are solemnly keeping the sacred covenant.  And, yes, there are honest, hardworking employees and kind, fair employers.  There are faithful ministers of the gospel who are taking seriously their vows of ordination. 

Today I encourage you to resist yet another sorry excuse many use to justify disobedience to God.  You are not alone in standing up for God and right.  In the book of Romans the apostle Paul refers to this experience by Elijah and concludes with this phrase, "So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace" (Romans 11:5).  That's still true!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's prayer: Lord, in the murky and irresponsible world I live in, would You be my vision.  As I meditate upon You and Your statutes would You be my all-consuming light.  When the lifestyles and ways of the world conflict with Your will for my life, may they be dimmed as the light of Your Word exposes them.  May I always be drawn to the spiritual light that comes from You and be repulsed by the sinister darkness that comes from Satan.  And I thank You for the strength  and courage I find as I recognize there are many, many others who've chosen to follow You and not bow down to the gods of this world.

Bible knowledge quiz: What is the very first instance of preaching in the Bible? Your answer


 

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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