“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 NLT Version)
God can aid you in escaping the influence of the caving-in culture in which you live, either physically, psychologically, or spiritually. I have some proof, and it goes beyond Daniel and the lions’ den and God proving that He is indeed able to bring you out in the case of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
My friend, you may be surrounded by sinful friends and sinning folks who you pass on the road of life. You may have witnessed how things once considered immoral have been redefined in a behavioral sense, as now being moral. We have even seen how countries have crumbled in terms of integrity and the negative consequences that come with the abandonment of godly principles on which they were founded.
Making it more personal, your home may be occupied by a majority of kinfolk who have strayed from the church, versus the number of family members who have stayed in the church. My advice to you, my friend, is to turn to God to bring you out of the influence of the culture that is caving-in around you. He can do it! You know He can! Yet, just in case your memory has lapsed, let me give you some examples from God’s word to validate what I have stated.
Consider Noah and his family. God brought his family out of a sinful culture on an ark. Recall how Abraham was called to leave Ur, a place where the culture included the belief and practice of polytheism. Revisit Lot who was led out of Sodom and Gomorrah. Joseph was brought out of a cultural mindset that would have had Him put Mary away because of her pregnancy. We need to really stop and praise God for that one! Still later, when Herod was killing the babies, Joseph was told to go to Africa for the safety of Jesus, the One who took on flesh and dwelt among us.
Do you need more proof? Okay! David was convicted by God’s messenger that he had sinned against the Lord and had to be brought out of the influence of a caving-in culture that caused people to cover up their sins as opposed to confessing their sins. Then, there is the Apostle Paul, where Jesus spoke to Him on the Damascus road. Yes, God delivered Him from a caving-inn culture that was filled with misbeliefs, and the Lord turned his life around so he could keep the faith and finish the course. Christians everywhere should be thankful that Paul, with the strength of the Lord, never went back into that caving- in culture’s beliefs, but rather preached Christ, remained steadfast, unmoveable and always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Some reader is still not convinced, so let me continue. Remember the captives who came back from Babylon captivity? God kept His promise to return them, and thus they escaped a caving-in culture. How about Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail? How about when Paul, in Damascus where those in the caving in-culture plotted to kill him, watching the gate both day and night. God was on Paul’s side, and he was let down in a basket and through a hole in the city wall. Consequently, amen, he was able to keep spreading the Gospel. God can help you escape the influence of a caving-in culture.
Let me give one more, especially addressing individuals who need to forsake the caving-in culture around them and come to Jesus and become a follower of Christ. Matthew, also known as Levi, was called by Jesus to be one of His disciples; called out of a caving-in culture that was cheating people in the collection of taxes.
I hope I have helped somebody today! I hope someone will turn to God, the One who can help people escape the influence of a caving-in culture. Love you, my friend. Be blessed!
“You are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:14 NLT)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King