Who's Who

While I was praying this morning, the phrase “it’s not fashionable” dropped in my spirit and it kept popping up all morning as I got ready for work and during my drive. Okay, God, what do you mean by that? What’s not fashionable? Well…I prayed and prayed asking for some revelation because I was completely blank. I sat down to write, still with nothing, when the title of a book that I just received from a friend, all of a sudden came into my memory. The book is called Not A Fan – Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. AAAHAAA! Okay, God!  I got it!! We’re not on this journey for the world’s fads; you want us to be classics!

We are living in a world today that focuses on how a person looks and lives, especially famous people. In order to be seen as successful you have to look a certain way, drive a certain car, etc. Children at school are often judged by how new and “in style” their clothes are. Unfortunately, we don’t seem to outgrow that because adults are still being judged similarly. The question is, however, what will God look for when He ultimately judges us? Will He care that you had the hottest new Coach bag or the baddest Brooks Brothers suit? No, He will be looking at your heart. 1 Corinthians 4:5 says, “…wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

And just as the world has judged how we look, it has tried and convicted holiness. It has made people think that if you are living for God that you’re doing something wrong and outside the normal. You’ve heard it before or maybe even said it about someone that you know - radical, holy rollers, “it doesn’t take all of that”. In other words, it’s not fashionable to be sold out for God. But God says in Leviticus 11 to be holy because He is holy.”  Doesn’t get much plainer than that, right?

Maybe this will help, since people sometimes look at going to church all the time in the same light as trying to live a holy life.  It may be hard for you to imagine why it’s necessary to go to church any other time besides Sunday. I mean, that’s the main day, right? As long as I give God those 2 hours, I am covered! Nope! God is an all knowing, loving and PRESENT God. He is always waiting to talk to us.  So why would He want you to limit your time with him to one 2 hour period on one day out of the week? What if your breakthrough is waiting for you on a Wednesday night? Do you want Him to hold on to it until you get there on Sunday? I’m not saying that you have to be at church every night to connect with God. But are you seeking Him at all outside of what tradition says? Are you chasing after Him, anxious to learn more and grow more? It all comes down to this: Who are you trying to please?

God doesn’t want us to base how we live our lives on the world. He is calling for us to step out of our fear and walk in power. 1 Peter 4:16 says “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” If you want to be fashionable to God, walk in love! Tell someone about how Jesus saved you, forgave you and cleaned you up and that He can and will do it for them!  Present your body has a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. He will replace all of your old habits with new experiences. He will give you the strength to put down those burdens that you have been carrying around like a suitcase. Let’s change the whole definition of style! Let’s show the world that being a Christian is not something that we put on when it’s convenient, like a jacket in the fall. I promise you that if you turn your focus from the world and towards God, you will be blessed!

I challenge you today to stop worrying about what the world has to say and seek out what God has to say! On that note, I will close with 1 John 2:15 -17 in The Message Bible.

 Don’t love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

Be blessed! AMEN