My Thoughts About Society

I must confess, I am not much of a pulpit pounder anymore. I accept people where they are, even if where they are is far from where God wants them to be. I cannot hold a non-Christian accountable to God’s standard if they do not know God. I agree with Romans 1:16, “For I am not the least bit embarrassed about the gospel. I won’t shy away from it, because it is God’s power to save every person who believes: first the Jew, and then the non-Jew”(The Voice). But I also understand the words of Romans 2:12, “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;” and I would not try to excuse anyone’s sin.

Societies have always run in cycles. People would find a new land and establish a government, which started out with the desire to follow scriptural and moral principles. For a couple hundred years, the system works. But, during that period an undercurrent of ungodliness always brews. Sooner or later, those cultures give in to unbiblical thinking and ungodliness. The only exceptions seem to be those countries that mandate a value system through intimidation and the threat of violence. To understand how a society fails one only has to read Romans 1:17-30. It is the slippery slope that every “free” society has proven true.

America was established through scriptural principles. That did not make us God’s nation as many seem to believe. God has had only one nation to date, and that nation also failed to live up to its side of the covenant.  Let’s be honest, America is no longer a “Christian” nation. At best, we are a nation that has a lot of Christians. We have followed history and gone down the slope with other nations, who remain huddled at the bottom of the slide. Revisionists are attempting to erase all signs of faith from our heritage so they can try to make people believe that the bottom of the slide is the “real” normal. They would have us believe that the bottom of the slide is actually the top, and Christians have had it backwards all along.

There are no continents left to inhabit. We cannot go away and start over. We must stay right here and help our society to reestablish the desire to find the grace of God. So, where do we go from here? Well, we accept the conclusion the writer of Romans came to in Romans 3:23; “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (NLT). Then, we have to dig our way out of the muck, one soul at a time. We can not approve of where people are, but we must accept that they are there if we have any chance of enacting Biblical change.

We must continue to preach Romans 3:25, “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (NLT).

The good news of the Romans 1:17-30 passage is that God did not allow the progression of sin because he was giving up on us. Neither did allowing it signify approval of any behavior. He let it happen with one goal: That people would realize their unhappiness and turn back to their love for God. It is never too late.

I will let others do the fighting, and the pulpit pounding. I am committed to being a safety net, so that when people fall flat, and they will, I will be one of those who stand in the wings to help catch them. Many gift mixes are needed, I am certain of that. I know my own gifts, and I know what the Lord has called me to do. How about you? Do you know how you have been called to serve the Lord in this sin-drenched world? It takes every believer, not just a hand full, to impact a world that is headed in the wrong direction.

The easiest thing for believers to do is to find fault in me, and the words I have shared. I am sure that some might, and somehow feel spiritually superior in doing just that. But whether you agree with the way I explained it or not, we must all agree with the conclusion: The world is in trouble, and we need to do everything that is Biblically authorized in bringing it back to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Learning From the Birds

            There is an amazing event that takes place every June in the Denver area. The barn swallows come out by the thousands. They divide up into smaller groups, with each group locating themselves around major intersections. At each intersection, the birds swoop and dive, barely missing cars, sometimes touching the ground, and sometimes actually touching cars as they fly by. What they do is pure artistry, like a ballet that takes place all day long. 

            What is the point of the invasion of the birds? Well, there is another phenomenon that takes place at the same time. The month of June brings a brown moth that is harder to see, but present nonetheless.  They enter houses and irritate families when they swarm around lights and windows.

            What do the two events have to do with each other? The answer is fascinating. Cars driving on the roads collide with the flying moths, sometimes on the windshield, and others in the grill area. When the vehicles approach the intersection, they slow, and eventually stop for the light. This allows the moths to fall off of the vehicle and on to the ground. When that happens the birds take advantage of the vehicle’s work and enjoy a great meal.

            Birds know something that we should understand and apply to our own lives. They put themselves in the place of greatest opportunity. They swarm at the intersections with the most cars, because that is the place where the most bugs will be found.

            Are you putting yourself in the place of greatest opportunity? Are you gravitating to the location

where you receive the most blessings? The Bible identifies that intersection as the place of prayer. God wants us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It is like gathering at the biggest intersection knowing that all trials, needs, and decisions travel through that intersection. All blessings pass through the intersection of prayer. Are you in that place?

Learning to Swim

          For many years, I took students to Catalina Island for a week. The island, off the coast of California, has rich and amazing marine life. Many of the kids had never experienced a camping trip, bon fires, kayaking, snorkeling, or even being away from home.

            One year, as we prepared for our first snorkel, a female student nervously informed me that she did not want to go with us.  She gave me several excuses why she did not want to go, but none of her statements impressed me.  I was determined that she was going with us.

            She gave in to putting on a wetsuit, but the nervousness continued to rise. Finally the truth came out. “I can’t swim, and I am terrified of putting my face in the water. Please don’t make me go!” I assured her that I would be there with her. We could take a paddleboard, and I would not let go of her. “Please come with me.  You need to experience this.”

            The wetsuits kept us afloat. Without them both of us would likely have drowned.  She held on so tight that it was difficult swimming for both of us.  As we moved through the water, the student began to relax, but she maintained the resolve not to put her face in the water. 

            With constant reassurance, she finally agreed to place the glass portion of her mask into the water. When she did, my young student became giddy over the marine vegetation and the beautiful fish that were swimming just out of her grasp.  Orange, blue, and silver fish captured her attention until the once fearful student’s head was completely submerged in the ocean waters.  The beauty beneath the water was far better than the fear above the water. Discovery was more powerful than fear, so she let go of me, and began swimming around on her own.  After a while, reality set in and my young student discovered that she was swimming in the ocean, with her head under water, all on her own. She received a precious reward by exchanging fear and apprehension for discovery and joy.

            Evangelism is the process of helping people to move from fear to discovery. So many stand on the shore, waiting for someone to say, “Come with me. You will be safe. I promise that I will not let you go.” The fact is that people have no idea what lies just beneath the surface of faith because they refuse to put their face in the water. But once they are led into the waters of faith, a whole new world of discovery opens to them.  They are blessed, and are blessed to watch fear melt away so that faith can take its place. 

A Christian Book Per Month

            I have often wondered why so many great Christian writers struggle to get their work noticed. A few Christian authors sell well, but go to the used bookstores, thrift shops, and garage sales and invariably there will be several of their books with bindings unbroken.  Yet, in those same locations are hundreds of worn out novels with tattered pages. While reading the book John MacArthur, given to me by a friend, an answer came forward.

            "The role high-quality books play in our lives is absolutely critical. So why do so many Christians find it difficult to apply themselves to books? A.W. Tozer said that 'To enjoy a great religious book requires a degree of consecration to God and detachment from the world that few modern Christians have.' While it takes great determination to form new habits and cultivate our minds through books, even greater are the rewards you'll see in your thought and patterns and your spiritual growth." (John MacArthur)

            It seems that people use books as an escape, not as a tool for learning. But as Tozer reported, and MacArthur restated, believers need to make the decision that they want to cultivate their minds toward spiritual growth. The words that God has placed on the minds of so many writers were given to them for you. Those words explain the scripture, inform believers about discipleship and spiritual growth, give example about how others faced trials, and help believers to understand that we are in this journey together. Yet, if we are not reading, and growing, then all of great the words written are missing their intended mark. 

            There is nothing wrong with escaping from the harsh realities of this world. It can do our minds some good to withdraw and recharge. However, the enjoyment of one does not cancel out the need for the other. Grab a good book about serving the Lord.  I could recommend a few, in fact I have written a few myself. But this is not about me. It is about you, and the God who is calling you to gain a new perspective on his love, and a new desire to seek his face. Christian books are not a substitute for reading the Bible, but they are a great way to begin the process of seeking God.

            Here is a plan that every member of the body of Christ should embrace. Read all you want, but include one Christian book every month. Buy a book a month and suppprt Christian writers. Check out an author you have not read yet. Read a devotional, an inspirational book, or a teaching book.  There are Christian novels, Christ centered poetry books, and books that follow themes you will enjoy. The Christian book market is amazingly wide open. Every believer can find a book that will build him or her up in Christ. Grab a Christian book and get to know the God who has been seeking you all of your life.

Leaning In To Our Trials

            Kayaking is an amazing sport.  While it may look easy to do, it’s really not.  The kayak is long and narrow, and tipping is easy.  Experienced kayakers are able to tip their boat, and turn it back upright without any trouble.  Inexperienced kayakers, however, struggle when they tip. The natural tendency when tipping is to lean in the opposite direction in an attempt to straighten the kayak. Try this and you are guaranteed to end up drenched.  Leaning our upper body in the opposite direction forces our lower body into the tip.  Working against it, actually speeds up the process of tipping over.

           Experienced Kayakers know that leaning into the tip forces the lower body against the tipping kayak. This brings the kayak back toward center. The boater can even slap the face of the paddle onto the surface of the water, which will add force against the tipping boat. The principle to remember when trying to keep a kayak upright is to work with the tipping kayak, not against it.

            A spiritual trial is a lot like paddling a kayak.  Getting started is not that difficult, but when a cross current hits, we struggle.  When struggles come, we feel like we’re going to tip. The natural tendency is to lean away from the trial, to fight it, and stay as far away as possible.  However, God wants us to learn from our trials. He wants us to get stronger, and to learn to stay upright. The key to learning from a trial is to lean into it. Don’t fight it. Work with it. Though it seems counter intuitive, it is actually the only way to restore our spiritual journey.

            James wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).   Leaning in is what brings the perfect results. Don’t fight your trials.  Work with them and you will gain endurance, and ultimately you will become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.