STANDING ALONE in a hostile world

I am reposting a ‘sermon’ by pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel, Leesburg, Virginia titled “STOP LISTENING TO THE MAJORITY” taken from the book of Acts 27:1-25. (click on the image above or the green text above here to view).

Here is an introduction taken from Pastor Hamrick’s and Cornerstone Chapel’s web page:

“There is a lot of cultural pressure today to conform to the latest majority opinion. Groupthink can be intimidating, and the “majority consensus” often causes people to either go silent in order to avoid ridicule, or to conform in order to fit in.

But Paul said in Galatians 1:10, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” In other words, we can’t be a God-pleaser and a man-pleaser at the same time. Godly men and women in the Bible have always been willing to stand alone when necessary. Join today’s Bible study as Pastor Gary encourages us to stop listening to the majority and to start honoring God”.

Dear Friends, if you have been following this website, Whitestone Fellowship 2020 for any time you have seen my pleas and warnings that we must Get Ready and Stay Ready, to be found doing what Jesus has directed us and commanded us upon His return.

Pastor Hamrick emphasizes that this can be costly but is the price of being a Christians and a disciple of Jesus – or as many churches like to say, ‘becoming a fully devoted follower of Jesus’.

The time has come and is upon us when we must pick up our banner and follow Jesus into the spiritual battle.

“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, HAVING TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage) AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart), and having [c]strapped on YOUR FEET THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN PREPARATION [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

“With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all [e]God’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, Amplified version).

Your Brother and Friend in Christ Jesus,

Mike Young