Today we share with you a message from guest Voices Against the Grain devotional writer, Minister Bryan Williams of Charlotte, N.C. Thank you Minister Williams for presenting a word to encourage us in our faith walk.    -Nicole

Galatians 5:16 & 17- So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (flesh). For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Romans 7:21- When I would do good, evil is always present with me. (King James Bible)

Minister Bryan Williams, Guest Voices Against the Grain Devotional Writer 

You know, there was a time when right was right and wrong was wrong. But Lord, PLEASE HAVE MERCY…how times have changed! Don’t get me wrong: doing “the right thing” is still warranted and doing “the wrong thing” will get you into trouble. But with the times in which we live, these two have been switched. It seems as if people are living as if there are NO RULES, NO REMORSE, NO MERCY, NO HONOR, NO MORALS OR VALUES AND NO FORGIVENESS.  The situation is reminiscent of the movie The Purge, where you have 24 hours to do whatever you want to do—except our 24 hours hasn’t ended.

Not surprising, as 2 Timothy 3:2-5 told us these things were coming:

² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous,rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (New International Version)

Each and every morning right after I thank the good Lord for giving me one more day, I watch the local and world news. Without fail, there is always something that makes me shake my head. For instance:

• The attacks from ISIS abroad and local
• Transgender lifestyles on the rise
• Same-sex marriages steadily increasing
• Racism spreading like wildfire
• When those who are guilty (with video or phone proof) still walk free
• When “the church” which should be shining its light the brightest, is hiding in the shadows or blending in with non-believers because they’ve become complacent, believing it is not their fight

Well, I beg to differ. IT IS OUR FIGHT and I encourage you my brother and my sister to:

• FIGHT ON through what the WORLD says vs. what the WORD says
• FIGHT ON through the storm of racism
• FIGHT ON through the confusion of transgender and same-sex relationships
• FIGHT ON through the depression
• FIGHT ON through the worry
• FIGHT ON through the anxiety attacks
• FIGHT ON through fear and fear of failure
• FIGHT ON through thoughts of giving up
• FIGHT ON through the suicidal thoughts
• FIGHT ON through the thoughts that life ain’t worth living
• FIGHT ON through what your father said about you
• FIGHT ON through what happened to you when you were younger
• FIGHT ON through the loss of that job
• FIGHT ON through what you see THE WORLD doing

The fight that we’re in is NOT physical but spiritual and now more than ever, we need every Believer to:

• Kill our flesh daily
• Allow the Spirit of Christ to arise within us
• Love others as Christ asks us to and
• FIGHT ON!

And remember that in John 16:33, Jesus reassures us with these words:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (New International Version) 

Minister Bryan Williams recognized his gift to encourage at a young age. As he grew up in church and started hearing from the Lord (in a today generation voice), he recognized that he was set apart and in 2007, he accepted his call to the ministry. Not only did he recognize his call but he learned early that his passion was for the youth. Min. Williams volunteers in the community, is part of various teen girls’ organizations and mentors teen boys in the process. Min. Williams resides in Charlotte, N.C., and is the son of Walter and Helen Williams and has one brother, Walter Williams.