Enjoying the Journey
Posts Tagged ‘culture’
Big Picture Evangelism
In “Christian” America you would imagine that you could walk up to anyone and begin to talk about Jesus Christ and everyone would have some context. Perhaps at one time that was true. We are now living not only in what is “post modern” but in what has been referred to as a “post truth” culture. Divine absolutes are out and self-awareness is in. This is the world we have been called to evangelize. But this is not the first society to have such a spiritual landscape. When Paul spoke to the people of Athens at Mars Hill regarding “THE UNKNOWN GOD” he began this way: “God that made the worlds and all things therein…” (Acts 17:24). This most intelligent…
Read More5 Books To Read For Answers
Ours is an age of questions, skeptics, and debate. Paul described the last days well when he wrote, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). This is a day for believers to know what they believe, why they believe it, and how to express it to others. Apologetics is the defense of truth. I agree with Spurgeon that the gospel is like a caged lion – it does not need to be defended so much as we simply need to open the cage door and let it out! Or to use an athletic analogy, the best defense is a good offense. Truth faithfully preached and taught will convince and convict. The…
Read More4 Things We Must Not Do With The Truth
We live in a world of lies because people have rejected truth. The condition of Isaiah’s day is much like our own, “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14). God’s eternal truth is forever settled in heaven but it has fallen in the streets where we live! The problem is not that we don’t have the truth, but rather that it doesn’t have us. God warned about what He would do to such people: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” (Romans 1:18). Truth is to be the…
Read More“Living My Truth”
The highlight story in a major magazine carried this title: “Living My Truth.” It was the story of a transgender airline pilot who proudly boasted that he was now living his own truth. My heart broke as I read the words of a man who had believed a lie but had convinced himself that he was living in truth. This is a mark of an apostate age – people have turned from revealed truth (Romans 1:18-25; Jude 4-10). When sin comes out blatantly and boldly it is not an expression of truth, it is evidence of rebellion. The fear of God is gone. There is no such thing as “my truth” or “your truth.” There is only truth, and all…
Read MoreWhat Can We Do?
The bad news and news of bad people seems to keep piling up. Like many of you I am sickened this week by the blatant rebellion in our country against what is true and good and decent. Our beloved nation is quickly moving toward the judgment of God. We need a spiritual awakening! One of the dangers for God’s people in our culture is allowing conservatism to distract us from Christ. Too much talk radio and political commentary clouds the mind and steals the heart. Be informed. Stay active. Vote righteously. But keep your eyes on Jesus! Politicians change and what is accepted as both legal and moral changes with time. Only the Word of God never changes. Root yourself…
Read MoreHow To Keep the Next Generation
A fellow preacher and personal friend asked me recently how I believed we could do a better job of retaining young people in our churches. It is a problem of epidemic proportions. The vast majority of young people are exiting the local church by the time they are eighteen. For many years I said to prospective youth workers that we must get young people connected to more than the youth group. It is my conviction that, as early in life as possible, young people must find their place in the church. It must be their church. The pastor must be their pastor. And some work for the Lord must be their ministry. This cannot begin when they graduate from high…
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