What does ‘slow burn’ mean to you?

I understand it to mean something is changing, slowly…usually so gradual that you don’t really notice it.
It’s happening all around us.
We see it in our culture—except its not really ‘slow’ anymore, its turbo speed!
Its in our schools, work, church and even home. Is it a bad thing? Depends on what the change is moving towards.
I’m seeing such a big trend lately in fellow believers falling into the pattern of this slow burn. You want to scream STOP!!! But no one hears.

You try to stand firm and but told you’re being inflexible. You begin to quietly retreat, keep your opinions and comments to yourself since others are headed in a different direction and reject your input.

You read devotions or commentaries that encourage you to be strong! You step out again with encouragement to others to hold fast to our faith and let the Bible be our guide. You’re told you ‘don’t get it’ and you are too restrictive.

Someone even suggests we should revise what we consider sin since some churches are doing so. WHAT?! When did we decide sin instead of God?

I’m stepping up and sending out a SOS call to you, my fellow traveler on this journey. We do need to stand tall. We call this being brave but now I’m wondering….is it bravery or just obedience? I see it as obedience but being obedient means we have to be brave enough to follow through.
Will there be others coming against us? Of course.

Will we stand alone at times? Definitely.

Will it feel uncomfortable, lonely or make us second guess our commitment to stand? Absolutely.

But I’m willing Father! If this means I have leave my comfort zone and risk being shoved to the side, so be it. Are you willing also?

I’m willing to step on the path despite the crazy looks, snarky comments or general rejection. I mean, if we’re not willing to risk rejection in His name, what’s the point of anything we do in His name?

We’ll only do what is comfortable and safe in His name but when it gets ugly or scary, we step back?
To me, that isn’t following Him, that is being a ‘fair weather’ follower. We’ll follow Him when it feels good and is easy. Otherwise, count us out?

levitra cheap online appalachianmagazine.com The patent of Sildenafil citrate has been taken the world over. But it prescription canada de cialis comes off a bit disingenuous when one eschews a victory lap while lacing up his sneakers. That means when buying online men can buy in bulk since you shall access a huge discount. viagra online buy http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/11/23/the-gerber-baby-just-celebrated-her-90th-birthday/ In addition, there seems to be other possible factors which unfortunately have an impact on increasing the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. viagra no I pray this isn’t the case! As followers, we need to be just that…followers of Him. Not part time, not good season only, not fake. True followers…at all costs. Father, help us be strong, obedient and even brave.

I pray for others to come along side us to walk this out. At times we may stand alone but other times we will be an army.
We may lose our grip on our faith or beliefs but we can be assured God doesn’t change and neither does the bible.
I don’t recall seeing an expiration date anywhere in the bible that claims once we hit ‘2015’ all the information from the bible expires. It doesn’t say anywhere ‘follow these guidelines and learn about God except when you don’t feel like it anymore and everyone says its okay to blow this off’. No, don’t think that is in the bible either.

The slow burn is deception at its core. It goes by many different names to dress it up and sometimes it works in making it not sound so bad. Some words I’ve heard that don’t sound as harsh as ‘selling out your faith’ include:
• Tolerance
• Flexible
• Understanding

We all sin of course. No question there. There is a difference in wallowing in it, celebrating it and promoting sin versus repentance. Yes…an old fashion word that many tell us is outdated and a concept no one wants to hear anymore: “repent”.

In today’s culture, the concept is almost unheard of. Repent of something? Stop doing something considered wrong by biblical standards? Why—that’s so old school! Is it? Or have we started to creep along with the world’s standards of what is ‘okay’? We must be careful. The enemy has a lot of practice at deception and we see it all around us.

I encourage you!
Keep on your guard for areas we have possibly stepped over the line of what we call ‘acceptable’ anymore. It may not be a big deal now but is it a step in the wrong direction? It could be a small thing that by itself isn’t a big deal…but is it a step that leads you away from the Father & His word? Does it support God’s kingdom or slowly, ever so slightly, shift the focus away?

Stay alert! Is this being brave? Of course. But you have the strongest ally with you and we already know who wins.

Keep me far from every wrong; help me, undeserving as I am, to obey your laws, for I have chosen to do right. Psalm 119:30

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Ephesians 1:17

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

Check out this blog also!!  http://purposefulfaith.com/