GOOD GRAPES AMONG A CLUSTER OF BAD ONES

8 “BUT I WILL NOT DESTROY THEM ALL,” SAYS THE LORD. “FOR JUST AS GOOD GRAPES ARE FOUND AMONG A CLUSTER OF BAD ONES (and someone will say, ‘Don’t throw them all away—some of those grapes are good!’), SO I WILL NOT DESTROY ALL ISRAEL. FOR I STILL HAVE TRUE SERVANTS THERE.
9 I WILL PRESERVE A REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND OF JUDAH TO POSSESS MY LAND. THOSE I CHOOSE WILL INHERIT IT, AND MY SERVANTS WILL LIVE THERE.
10 THE PLAIN OF SHARON WILL AGAIN BE FILLED WITH FLOCKS FOR MY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEARCHED FOR ME, AND THE VALLEY OF ACHOR WILL BE A PLACE TO PASTURE HERDS."
Isaiah 65:8-10 (NLT)

Choose to stand out among others.
The Scripture above says, there are good grapes among the cluster of bad ones. Thus, He, God, would not destroy all Israel, because He still has true servants among them (Isaiah 65:8).
The world might be full of wickedness—corruptions and sins—you can however choose to be different and stand out in the midst of the corrupt multitudes.
God promises to be good to those who have searched for Him, even in the midst of perverse generation (Isaiah 65:10).
God wanted to preserve the nation of Israel because of those who are faithful—He wanted to turn their captivity (Isaiah 65:8-10).

God can spare others around you through the good life you live. God promises to spare Sodom and Gomorrah If He could get or find at least ten righteous people there (Genesis 18:32). Unfortunately, God could not get up to that number, in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, but still spared Lot and his family (Genesis 19:15-22).
If you know better than the people around you, do not join them to do whatever evil they are doing or practicing (Ephesians 4:17-24).
The people of the world usually say, If you cannot beat them, you join them. Howbeit, you do not join others to do evil! Believers are to be the lights of the world, wherever they may find themselves:
14 “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY THAT IS SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN. 15 NOR DO THEY LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BASKET, BUT ON A LAMPSTAND, AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE HOUSE. 16 LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN" (Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV).

God has allowed you to find yourself among the people you are working with, and those you are living with, that you might be a light to them and influence them for Christ Jesus.
If you joined others, those who do not know what you know, to do evil; God would be severer in punishing you than He would do to them.
To whom much is given, much would be required: "BUT HE WHO DID NOT KNOW, YET COMMITTED THINGS DESERVING OF STRIPES, SHALL BE BEATEN WITH FEW. FOR EVERYONE TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, FROM HIM MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED; AND TO WHOM MUCH HAS BEEN COMMITTED, OF HIM THEY WILL ASK THE MORE" (Luke 12:48 NKJV).
Your life as a believer should be a light in the midst of the darkness of this world (Matthew 5:14).

When a group of people or a community of people are not living right, and you are among them, you should be among those who held the tenets of righteousness or faith that could be looked up to by God.
You should be an ambassador, a good representative, of God's Kingdom wherever you may find yourself (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Because of the life you live, the people in the place where you are should be able to receive the blessings of God and be preserved (Matthew 5:16; Acts 27:23-25).
You should be one of the good grapes among the cluster of the bad ones!

God counts on you.
God deliberately allowed His children, believers in Christ Jesus, to be strategically planted in different communities in the world; to be His representatives—to represent His Kingdom and interests.
If you joined others, the people where you work or live, to do evil, you have disappointed God and His Kingdom.
You are an ambassador of God's Kingdom, you are to present the good image of His Kingdom wherever you are—that those who do not know Him might be reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
You have a responsibility over the neighborhood where you live and work.
Your light should give light to others. You are to shine in the midst of darkness of the world (Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:11,12).
A Believer's light should not be hidden. Your light should shine that they, the people of the world, would see your good work and glorify your Father, God, in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
It is a sobering thought, a disheartening, that any number of Believers' lights, those who professed to know Christ, are hidden in the midst of this perverse generation.

You give light, as a Believer, to others through your character; the way and manner you live (1 Peter 2:11,12).
You give light through prayers, enforcing the Kingdom of God to be established where you are—the neighborhood where you live and where you work and wherever you find yourself.
You draw down the presence and the power of God, over the neighborhood or community you live and work.
If you failed in your assignment, as the representative of God's Kingdom, wherever you are, the devil's agents would want to take over the community.
The evil happenings in the communities—towns, cities, and nations of the world—are caused by the laxity of the Believers who lived a compromised life and failed to take over for God where they supposed to.
You are saved to occupy, take over, for Jesus Christ, till He comes (Luke 19:13).
You are not meant to be oppressed by the devil and his agents who are around you.
You are to subdue their powers, render them inoperative, because you have been given power, authority, to tread on them: "LISTEN CAREFULLY: I HAVE GIVEN YOU AUTHORITY [that you now possess] TO TREAD ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS, AND [the ability to exercise authority] OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY (Satan); AND NOTHING WILL [in any way] HARM YOU" (Luke 10:19 Amps).

All you need is to live right, keep away from sin, and shirk not, or evade not, from spiritual exercises which you have been doing.
You are God's representative, you cannot afford to live a carefree life.

You will not fail in Jesus' name.
• Whoever is reading this piece, having an ailment in his or her body, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.
Peace!