As long as the people of the United States continue to be pleasure seeking, selfish and prosperous, we can expect the downward spiral to progress exponentially.
How many of you see friends and relatives slowing their entertainment mentality, giving up their pleasures and seeking the Lord in prayer as would be expected in a culture that is repenting, confessing and turning from their sin?
We as a country are deeply committed to our freedom to live as we please no matter how wicked, this is not a nation that God is going to bless or endure. This is really what's behind the support of a conservative candidate. I don't see either candidate calling for repentance, only that God will bless with a win.
I have little interest in the borders, the finances and the freedom for pleasure, my focus is the gospel, will a sin sick nation repent, confess and turn from sin.
Repentance on every level is needed, a deep sorrow over sin while a turning to Christ is the only way that God will relent from His judgment of America.
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Family the Microcosm of the Culture
The family is a "microcosm" of the culture as a whole. What we see happening in our families is very likely what is going on all over the country and perhaps the world.
"Microcosm Definition: a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger."
So often we see thing in terms of what we think the rest of the world is doing, forgetting that the rest of the world only shows us their best side, pretending that there is no struggle or evil. All we have to do is watch what happens when we speak about Christ or challenge anyone to greater holiness.
People are no different world wide, they have the same struggles, the same heartaches, the same family dynamics as everyone else. These struggles may manifest themselves in varying ways based on culture, but nonetheless they are basically same everywhere.
1 Peter 4:12-19
"12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."
The passage in 1 Peter speaks to every believer all over the world all the time.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
I notice from the 2 Timothy 3 passage that the people described there have a "form of godliness", they believe their deeds and antics are good when in fact they are evil.
Romans 3:22-23 "…22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
When we know that everyone who loves Christ will encounter the same things, we don't have to take personally anything that comes against us. Answer transparently, honestly, while considering truth in terms of the Bible.
If we are embarrassed or offended let it be because we were wrong and in need of change, not because someone else controlled our feelings by their manipulation. False guilt keeps us in a continual state of insecurity, making us less bold for Christ.
If we have sinned and are guilty, then we must confess it and move on to do better. If discernment shows us that others are attempting to control us through false guilt, then we can shake it off and continue with Christ as though their tactics had no affect at all.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"Microcosm Definition: a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger."
So often we see thing in terms of what we think the rest of the world is doing, forgetting that the rest of the world only shows us their best side, pretending that there is no struggle or evil. All we have to do is watch what happens when we speak about Christ or challenge anyone to greater holiness.
People are no different world wide, they have the same struggles, the same heartaches, the same family dynamics as everyone else. These struggles may manifest themselves in varying ways based on culture, but nonetheless they are basically same everywhere.
1 Peter 4:12-19
"12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."
The passage in 1 Peter speaks to every believer all over the world all the time.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
I notice from the 2 Timothy 3 passage that the people described there have a "form of godliness", they believe their deeds and antics are good when in fact they are evil.
Romans 3:22-23 "…22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
When we know that everyone who loves Christ will encounter the same things, we don't have to take personally anything that comes against us. Answer transparently, honestly, while considering truth in terms of the Bible.
If we are embarrassed or offended let it be because we were wrong and in need of change, not because someone else controlled our feelings by their manipulation. False guilt keeps us in a continual state of insecurity, making us less bold for Christ.
If we have sinned and are guilty, then we must confess it and move on to do better. If discernment shows us that others are attempting to control us through false guilt, then we can shake it off and continue with Christ as though their tactics had no affect at all.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
The Medes and the Persians?
Daniel 5:25-28
25 “Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28 ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
The Medes: An Iranian people who lived in the area of "Media."
The Persians: Iranian ethnic group.
Does this seem almost apropo to our modern times?
25 “Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28 ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
The Medes: An Iranian people who lived in the area of "Media."
The Persians: Iranian ethnic group.
Does this seem almost apropo to our modern times?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)