Culture vs. Christian: You Decide

How many times in the recent past has your faith been challenged by contemporary culture? Once, twice, maybe more than that. It seems as if no matter where I turn, what paper I read, someone, someplace is attacking God and the Bible. Most of the attacks usually centered around this premise;

"the bible does not speak to our present culture, therefore it can be discredited, disregarded, or disproved."

This presents those of us who hold to the Christian faith a pondering decision, do we accept culture and reject the bible, or do we accept the bible and reject culture? You may think that this is a minor discussion, one that really doesn't make much of a difference. But can I tell you something; That decision is perhaps the second biggest one you will ever make, being 2nd behind your decision to accept Jesus as your Savior or not. So what is truly underneath the decision regarding how to respond to our culture?

Basically it boils down to this simple concept; Either the bible is absolutely perfect and without error, and as such whatever it says must be taken and obeyed. Or, you must decide what in the bible you will reject and what you will accept. In other words, what you will be doing is placing yourself above God if you choose the 2nd choice.

Now you might be saying hold on, how do we know the bible as we have it is still accurate as to what was written many thousands of years ago. Hasn't there been much discussion on this and hasn't it been shown that the bible contains many errors you say? To you I say, do you own research. Don't just accept what someone else says based upon their titles. Did not Jesus Himself reject the established religious scholars of His day. When you do you own research you will quickly discover that there are "0" real errors in the bible as we have it today. Yes, there are some grammars issues regarding punctuation and the like, but no place are there EVER any errors that effect what is being said.

So you must decide here and know; is the bible correct, or is culture correct. To you I say one last thing, look at cultures track record. How well has culture done in the past as it has dictated what we believe and do. Simply this, it has not done well. Yes culture has done some things to correct our paths, especially in the areas of racism and the degradation of females. But can I give you a clue, the bible spoke thousands of years on those same subjects. It denounced pure racism by color of skin and was it not Jesus Himself that promoted full acceptance of women into everyday life (just read the New Testament to answer this).

So I leave you with one final thought; Will you be dictated by, forced into, and coerced to accept what your faith and the very Words of God say are wrong. Or will you take a stand. Be of courage and do not fear the culture coercenist. Follow what God says, not matter who or what may come against you.

Social Media Rants: Why They Are Foolish

It seems that everyday I am reading another post on Facebook, Twitter, etc where somebody has gotten upset at somebody else and vents their frustrations in a post. What's bad is that many of these individual say they are professing Christians. You know the kind of post I'm talking about; posts that give vague allusions and seek to promote their view of the issue they are mad about. Oh, they try to appear in a way that seems to make it OK, not posting any names, etc. You get the sense that they feel they are entitled to post all their frustrations, all their anger, and all their opinions regarding said issue. But, I wonder if they would say the same thing or act the same way if the person (s) they are ranting about where in the same room with them. In other words, would this person express themselves the same way in the person was right there in front of them. For most I dare say they would not, although I realize that some would go ahead and do it no matter the cost. The very presence of the other person would deter moist people from "venting" their anger.

So why would a person NOT vent in public with the other person present, but feels obligated to VENT across social media. I feel the reason is that we feel safe expressing our views and opinions via social media outlets. It relates back to the change in how we relate to each other as human beings. 20+ years ago, to "vent" your feelings you actually had to encounter another person. It required face to face interaction. Yes I realize that some would say people used the telephone to do it, but even with that method there was instantaneous feedback and it was only with one person at a time. Today's culture has shifted where many people have lost the sense of what is right and wrong regarding social interactions. This is the unfortunate downside of our social media culture that we live in. I am reminded of the commercial a few years back where a car company made fun of a certain individual who thought their life consisted of having one gazillion friends on Facebook instead of getting out there and doing something together. The direct result is that that many have forgotten, or never ever learned, how to interact properly with a group of people.

We see this failure or lack of interaction skills most readily in social media posts. An individual posts a RANT against someone else (although they think they are smart by not including the name of the other person), then their "friends" join in an encourage the "venting" to continue, which in turn escalates the intense wording being posted until the entire pot has gotten out of control and all kinds of things are being said that would never be said in a face to face public environment.

WOW, hey I got a bit of advice for those that keep doing this. STOP IT! If you tried to talk to another person the same way you do across Facebook or other social media and they were there with you it would probably end up with the cops being called to break up the fight. Blood would be spilled, bones might be broken, and somebody would probably end up doing time in jail. If you call yourself a Christian then may I also remind you of what God has to say about such postings...God teaches us that if we allow our anger to control us, we have sinned. When you allow you temper to flow out into your posts, it is the say as actually saying the hateful words. God has much to say about hateful speech. He knows just how damaging it can be, both for the other person and yourself. A hateful word encourages anger, which in turn quickly escalates into deeper and darker actions of sin.

Many years ago I had to learn to stop myself before I said things. The reasons is that my mind, like yourself, is sinful and can easily cause me to create havoc with those around me. With that in mind, I ask God daily to stop up my mouth, to keep me from saying hateful and damaging things. Yes, I may feel that I "deserve to say what I feel, to speak the so-called truth, but just because it can be spoken does not mean it should be! If you call yourself a Christians, your words will cause others to draw toward Jesus or they will drive them away from Jesus. A Christian that regularly "blasts" others across social media proves to the unbelievers that being a Christian is no different that not being one. Friends, we are called to be transformed by God through the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 12:1-2). This is not something that you can do, only God in and through you will this happen. My tongue has not been controlled by biting my own lip, my own ignoring of the issue, or anything else I can do. NO, it is only done because I have God living within me. It is GOD that enables me to not say or post something, even when I know it would be truthful or proper to do it.

Remember, "A hateful word stirs up wrath, but a gentle word turns smooths tempers over."

My favorite question: How's That Working Out For You?

“How’s that working out for you?”

That is one probably my number one question I ask people who are leading lives that are focused on anything but God. Think about it for a moment...people who are into just about anything and everything this world has to offer, sex outside of marriage, drugs, alcohol, money, power, control, etc. all need to ask themselves this simple question. Is what you are doing bringing you “true” happiness?

When people first dive deep into such selfish desires (sins) they may answer “yes.” But, it doesn't take long before one discovers that such activities really do not provide true happiness, true satisfaction, or true contentment. We may start out with good intentions, just trying to make myself happy, but before long we discover that the very thing that we were seeking happiness in has know enslaved us in its grasp. The very thing we so longingly sought after, that thing which we just knew was right, proper, and justified has now turned on us. We no longer get the same satisfaction from it we once did.

That is exactly what sin is, pleasant at first. We enjoy how it makes us feel... powerful, in control, and satisfied. But, deep within sin lies another reality. A reality that seeks to destroy us. A reality that will end up with us being unhappy, unsatisfied, and unfulfilled.  This is exactly what Paul is speaking about in 

Gal 5:16-17...

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (NLT)

Every believer must come to realize that they are in a war. A war battling for their body, mind, and soul. The battle is not physical though. The true battle lies in the desire to willingly submit our desires, passions, wants, and anything else that places us in control of our lives. When we place what we want under the control of Jesus, we discover that something truly remarkable happens. Before we were seeking after all types of “things” that would make us happy. When we give up this search, when we remove our wants, desires, basically our pleasure from in front of us and place God at the center of our lives. When we realize that allowing God to truly be in control, to truly have full authority to

direct us, we quickly come to the point that we can joyfully answer that question, “how’s that working out for you” with a resounding and joyful response of, “wonderful!”

Many times people have come to me seeking counsel, only to walk away soon after, refusing to take the advice of God. They follow again after what they have done for so long. But, it doesn't take very long for them to discover that as they continue to do the same things, follow the same paths, and chase the same dead ends, that they hear that question resounding in their minds. They realize, NO, what I am doing IS NOT WORKING OUT! This is usually the time they return to me with a willingness to give it “all” to God. What they quickly discover when this is done, they now can answer the question much differently…

IT IS WORKING OUT GREAT!!!

Give God a chance, you won’t regret it.

Unity: What is it?

Unity, what comes to mind when you hear that word? Togetherness, working as one toward a single goal, or maybe harmony. Webster defines unity as ...

“a condition of harmony or the quality or state of being made one.”

Unity is in reality an extremely important part of a believer's life. Not only do we need unity in our homes, at work, but also unity is extremely important between fellow Christians. Nothing promotes happiness like being in unity with those in the faith around us. Likewise, nothing promotes disunity like being in conflict with one another.

Take a moment and look at what God thinks about unity between believers.

 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is. For brothers to dwell together in unity!”(Ps. 133:1)

“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 15:5-6)

“walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:1-3)

If there is one thing that is certain, God desires deeply that we all maintain a spirit of unity among each other. Our Lord knows all too well the pressures we as His children will face from the outside world. In addition to those pressures, life itself encourages disunity. All one has to do is turn on the news, watch any TV, see a movie, or even just walk through the local Wal-Mart and disunity rears its head convincingly.

So what are we, as Christians, supposed to do to see after, follow with, and encourage unity among ourselves. We could rack our brains looking for this answer, but fortunately God has already answered this question for us…

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Col. 3:14)

There it is. To have a God-given unity among believers, we all must focus on love. Specifically, the love of God. When we desire for our ENTIRE lives

to be consumed, surrounded by, and immersed with God’s love, that same love promotes peace. A peace that Paul tells us, “surpasses all understanding.” When we unite under the banner of godly love, there is NOTHING in this world that can stand against us. God desires unity among His children. That means that for it to happen, we must take our eyes on the differences and put them on what we have in common. You ask, “what do we have in common?” Let me give you just one...worshipping God and fulfilling His commands in this life.

Guess what?  When the church does this, great things happen. Don’t believe me … then I want you to look at Acts 2:41-47. This was a body of believers who had this unity we speak of.  And if you don’t think there will be any lasting impact, look at the end of v. 47 for yourselves. Now that is the type of unity I want, HOW ABOUT YOU?

Persecuted or Not?

This morning in Sunday School the topic of being persecuted for your belief in Jesus Christ came up. As we reflected upon Paul's life found in 2 Tim. 1 I began to wonder just how many Christians today are really being persecuted. After pondering over this thought a few moments I made the statement regarding today Western Culture Christianity and how if one is truly a Christians and makes any stand for Jesus and the Bible, persecution will come on that person. In other words we could say it like this...

"Have you been persecuted lately?"

Now we are not talking about a persecution that might lead to your death, or being driven out of your homes. Western Culture has taken persecution to a whole new level.  human beings deepest need is relationships. The last thing anyone truly desires is to be cast out from your friends or family. But that very thing will happen the moment you take a firm stand for Jesus and the Bible. Don't believe me, just go into a crowd and loudly declare that Jesus Christ is the "only way to salvation," that "the Bible is without error" or just repeat what the Bible says clearly says about homosexuality or sex outside of marriage. Guess what? YOU WILL GET PERSECUTED in short order. People will spew hatred toward you, they may even try to physically try to silence you. Either way you will be persecuted.

So my question boils down to this...If you call yourself a "believer" a "Christian" a "follower of Jesus Christ" then when is the last time you've been persecuted. Has it EVER happened to you. If you answered never or not lately, then maybe you might want to check just how devoted you really are. In today's culture of acceptance you will quickly discover that almost anything is tolerated except an absolute belief in Jesus Christ. All Christians are called to be Jesus' witnesses in this world. That means we must speak up and boldly declare right from wrong according to God's Word! We must never be the judge, we are only the messengers. Have you been God's messenger lately? If you have been facing persecution for your faith, then your answer is probably yes. If there is no persecution in your life then your answer is no.

So what are you going to do about it? Will you be like the thousands or even millions that will crouch down in fear? Or, will you take a firm stand, built upon the foundation of Jesus?

Christian Hypocrisy?

This was a post on Facebook by my Nephew earlier today. It speaks very clearly regarding how we as Christians are seen by unbelievers (especially those caught up in certain sins we feel deserve more attention).
Talk about coming from the "mouth of babes."

"I'm pretty sure that adultery, reality tv, porn, and celebrities are what is actually damaging the sanctity of marriage. Where are those protesters? Where is the petition to make those illegal? My marriage should have no affect on yours, unless you are married to me. That is all."

 His point is that when we focus too much on certain sins over others that are just as damaging to society are we Christian not being hypocrites? God calls us as His children to be the "salt AND light" in this world. Let us remind ourselves every day to speak God's truth in LOVE.

A Christian Response to Same-Sex Marriage

As I write this the Supreme Court of the US is presently hearing a case regarding the legality of California’s Proposition 8 which banned gay marriage. Much as the issue of abortion was in years past, the issue of gay marriage is the hot-topic of today. Just as a reminder, read what God has to say about marriage in Gen. 2:24…

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

Now you might think I am getting ready to go on regarding the biblical and/or conservative view of marriage, but I am not. The bible is very clear regarding this issue that marriage is to be between a man and a woman. It’s not really even open for debate in that regard. If you believe the bible is God’s Word, then you must accept God’s stance on marriage. But, I fear we may be losing the broader scope and implications of what is going on in the midst of this debate. Both sides are so caught up in arguing their viewpoints regarding proper marriage that it masks the deeper and more important issue. That issue is whether God is real and is the Bible His infallible and perfect Word. In other words, the real issue at stake is the acceptance or rejection of God.

When believers get so caught up in “arguing” their viewpoints, in making sure to defend God, and demanding that a pagan world adhere to God’s standards, all we do is alienate unbelievers and push them further “from” God.

Now, before you get too upset, hear me out. There is absolutely a time and a place for the above responses to take place. God does call Christians to be the “salt” in this world. We are to take a stand for what God says is right and oppose what God says is wrong. God indeed does call us to clearly announce His standards to a world that has lost their standards of right and wrong. I am not saying to cease stopping any of these actions. What I am really saying is we must take a careful look at “how” we go about being “salt.” If we expect to be heard, to be listened to by an unbelieving world that rejects God and His ways, then we must carefully plan out how we respond in such circumstances such as we have today. To just attack unbelievers by cramming our beliefs down their throats will “never” work, even if our beliefs are correct.

The real issue lies in the fact that these unbelievers are just that, they do not believe in God as their Lord and Savior. Therefore, they will absolutely reject God and His ways in favor of what they feel is the correct way, which is the way of the world. The world which God says is currently controlled by Satan. So what do we do?

Might I suggest a better way to interact with this group. Let us seek to spread more “Light” to them. Let’s carefully help them to first and foremost come to the realization that we are all sinners and are in need of a savior. We, as believers, must realize we are commanded by God first and foremost to “go and make disciples.” That means God is more concerned about their salvation then our correcting their present faulty belief system. It is no surprise that unbelievers are accepting the issue of gay marriage with open arms since they have no foundation built upon the true God. So let us, you and I join hands and seek first to spread the gospel among them. To seek to lead them to Jesus. Let us allow Jesus to correct their faulty belief system. Our jobs is just to help arrange the meeting between them and Jesus.