Self-Centered Society - A time for Change!

We are a self-centered society that typically considers the well being of our self before others. What would happen if we place others before our own self-interest? Certainly such word phrases as "please and thank you" should be heard often. Is that the only thing required to change our society...certainly not...but it is a good start.

Show genuine interest - I believe this is by far the most effective way of encouraging others, but it has to be genuine. To be genuine means...you place their self-interest over your own; please keep in mind...you expect nothing in return.

By acknowledging what’s important to them first, your allow them to talk about their needs, while you have a chance to formulate a response that offers them a positive solution. Don't talk when you can be thinking and certainly don't talk if you haven't thought though a concept.

Say “well done” and “thank you” is a great start to help people when they feel there is no one really out here who cares. Reciprocate the favour - if someone does something nice for you, a great way to show your appreciation is simply to reciprocate the favour.

Respond with something unexpected - another effective way to encourage others is to respond with something totally unexpected. Out of the blue. That’s when the maximum impact is delivered. Such acts can reach them at an emotional level and our brains are hard wired to respond to emotional things.

Ask for advice or confide in them - This is like flattery. Haven’t you felt like you were on top of the world when your peers asked you for advice or confided in you about something personal or important to them? Did’t that make you want to help and do everything you can to ensure their faith in you is well founded?

Waiting for someone to ask you for advise - be proactive by offering to lend a hand. If that person sees that you are willing to commit your own time and energy in their interests, they will be more committed to seeing it through and less likely to give up themselves.

It is time for a change..."We serve God by serving others. The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you've arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept."

Rick Warren

This is a 'fallen', broken world that isn't always what God wants it to be. Humans get damaged. We do hateful things, we distrust, we lie, we trick ourselves and each other, and we seek after our own interest. We don't grow, because we grow up twisted without God's direction; hence the need to reconcile. This is true within each person, between people, in marriages and families, at the level of small groups, of towns, of peoples and nations. It is also true of our relationship with God, but at least God did something about that, through Jesus. Through Jesus we also can find what's most needed to heal, but that takes some of our own efforts to do so. Change is an action word...it is time to get going and do something; something that will last the test of time.

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of god is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25)

Mankind is an unique creature! Sinful people can't mentally perceive the revealed truth of God, but they have chosen instead to suppress it. They are without excuse...and God's anger will be revealed against sin and the suppression of the truth one day.

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things; for you know that the judgement of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. (Romans 2:1-2)

We judge our neighbor (right or wrong), for their deeds, but commit the same deeds against others and receive praise (humanities double standard). We justify untruths and accept lies to suite some given political agenda. We convince ourselves that it is for the betterment of mankind that we act the way we do; then force that action on other countries. Most want you to believe this Scripture addresses homosexuality, but be careful...for those who throw stones will soon have stones thrown at them... "So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment" (Romans 2:3).

So, how do we change? Certainly if we allow mankind to right the rules, change will never come about. Only God can make the difference...our hearts need to be changed from the inside out.

Fighting for the mind of Man

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Colossians 2:8).

We live in a world of ideas and philosophies, and whoever wins the mind is part of the way to winning the heart; it is much more difficult for the world to win the heart if they cannot enter through the gateway of the mind. One of the great needs today is to have Christians who are able to defend the faith and refute those who oppose it: either publicly, by debate or in print via books, articles or the Internet.

The idea that we leave our mind behind when we become Christians is blatantly unbiblical. We are to be salt and light to the world; salt both preserves and prevents decay; it also adds flavor. Edmund Burke (1729-1797) once said 'The only necessity for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing' - passivity in the midst of evil is sin. Let us also remind ourselves that "All authority in heaven and on earth" has been given to Christ not to the devil (Mat 28:18). Think about that the next time you are asked to stop praying in your class room, to remove the Ten Commandments, or accept the Koran verses the Bible in a Court of Law.

It is the duty of every Christian to be prepared to "give an answer (apologia to defend or speak or plead for oneself before a tribunal or elsewhere) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Pet 3:15-16 see also Col 4:5-6). Apologetics (from the Greek apologia, 1 Peter 3:15) refers to the branch of Christian theology that seeks to provide rational justification for the truth claim of Christianity. Paul also uses apologia in the sense of a legal defense (Acts 22:1, 25:16, 1 Cor 9:3, 2 Cor 7:11, 2 Tim 4:16). One of the qualities required of an overseer or bishop is that he must be able to "encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:7-9).

Paul talks about 'deceptive philosophy' in the Scripture above - if we allow ourselves to be deceived, we are accepting the wrong message as fact. If we are to 'see to it' and see through it, then we need to use our mind (our heart may give us a gut feeling that it is wrong, but our mind will tell us why it is wrong). We should also use our mind to avoid false teaching - the current failure to use our mind leaves us wide open to false teaching. 1 Th 5:21 tells us to 'test (discern, examine) everything' and to 'Hold on to the good'.

While the mandate of the Great Commission is to make disciples, we are still to plunder the kingdom of Satan and 'open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light' (Acts 26:18). We can see from Paul that he debated, reasoned, persuaded, and defended the gospel in order to accomplish this purpose (Acts 9:29, 17:2, 17:17, 18:4, 18:19).

It is time for Christians to stand up and be counted for God’s Kingdom. Never before will it count more than now. Time is short…

Waking with a Limp

Did you ever feel that life is not fair? No matter what you do, say, or pray about, you always seem to be impaired; you walk through life as if you had a limp. Many of us feel that way when we really take time to sit and analyze our present situation. We question “why is this happening to me”; “what did I deserve to be on the wrong side of God”; “why is it, the more I try, the more I seem to regress backwards.

God never wanted us to walk with a limp; that is not how He designed us to live out our lives. Even when we’re committed to God and we’re doing what’s right, we will experience pain, injustice, and hardship. Some times it’s because of our Christian faith that we suffer. The world isn’t very user friend as a Christian. At times some of us can develop a negative attitude; we get angry with God or turn away from Him altogether. To them it all seems so unfair. God seems far away and His blessings seem unreachable. Yet others persevere through these hard times maintaining a positive attitude and trust in God. It is those who survive to play another day; to work through the situation by looking at it through God’s eyes.

Beth Moore suggests -- “We are to walk as people who have encountered God, and some of the most transforming encounters are wrestling matches. The lost do not wrestle with God nearly as much as we who belong to Him. The profane and ungodly don’t care enough to wrestle. We, who are His, often wrestle with Him most, and at times we also seem to hurt the most.

You probably know this. But we need to say it anyway: life isn’t easy. Most of us must struggle through life, believing that God’s blessings are but a prize to work for. Like Jacob of old, we expect to wrestle with God in the dark and to keep struggling until you prevail if you want to take a hold of the blessings you need. Our faith will be tested; for this there is no doubt. To grow in Him, we need to take risks. We have to think and act and relate in ways that are unappealing and unpopular for most to truly find what and how God wants us to live. Like Jacob we may end up walking with a limp, because we receive God’s blessings best when we’re wounded. (Genesis 32:22-32).

Is it worth it? For many it’s not. What some want most out of life are things like health, wealth, success, popularity, and pleasures. But the true blessings of God are all matters of the soul - emotional well-being, loving relationships, godly character, and, most of all, God Himself. These blessings bring eternal joy and meaning.

So we may feel we walk with a limp, but that may not be all that bad. He makes us strong through our weakness; we depend on Him more during times of struggle; during times that we can’t see clear sky ahead. It is at those times we question Him, but only through our questions can we receive answers that grow us stronger. A word of caution…there are times when the answer does come. It isn’t that He does care, it is that we need to learn something first before He can grant us the desires of our heart. We may have to limp a little while to run the race according to how He views our life.