Changing Values

Dealing with Changing Values In Today's World"

2 Timothy 3:1-3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good..."

There are many issues that are relevant to the changing times in which we live.  How do we as Christians deal with the changing values that our

culture is going through?

It's time to focus on the importance of adhering to and remaining firm to Biblical values and convictions in a world whose values are constantly changing.  Because we live in a world whose values are constantly changing makes it a more difficult and complex world in which to live our lives in harmony with God’s plan and purpose.

Aside from all of these areas, we are also living in an era when evil is being called good and good is being called evil.  Sin is running rampant in our culture and society, which is why the values and morality of our culture are deteriorating before our eyes.

Isaiah 5:20 "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

As we can see, our cultural values have changed over the years.  They have been eroding steadily and will probably continue to do so.  The question is – How do we as Christians contend with these changing values?  How do we keep from becoming desensitized?  How do we keep our values simple and Biblical in today’s complex world? How do we overcome in a world that has gone awry?

-Is Christianity still the champion of purity and godly values or are we being swept along in the tide of cultural change as well?

Does Christianity still have the punch that it had twenty to twenty-five years ago in the realm of purity and values?  It’s not that Christianity has begun to lose its punch over the past 20-25 years; it’s that more and more Christians (it seems) are now either compromising or opting for lower standards when confronted with the choice of living in a moral purity as set forth in the Scriptures.

The battle of choices is not new. Two sections of the New Testament, written in the first century describe the internal warfare quite vividly.

Romans 6:6 "...knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

Romans 6:12, 13 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God."

Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."

Yes, Christianity is still the champion of purity and morality, but the challenges and attacks against purity and morality have never been greater, and this complicates the problem and makes it more complex for us.

How then do we make it as Christians in a world that is constantly changing its values?

-We must believe the values given in God’s Word are still relevant in today’s culture.

Psalms 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..."

There are those who say, “The Bible and its values and standards are outdated.  We live in a progressive culture, the Bible is no longer relevant to the society in which we live.”  The answer to that response is simple.  As the writer of Ecclesiastes said, “There is nothing new under the sun.”  There have been ancient cultures that have been just as corrupt as our culture.  It was in the midst of some of these cultures that God’s word came forth.

Don't Quit

Mark 5:25-34 "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."

This life doesn’t offer many free lunches or instant successes. Our journey on Planet Earth is mostly a series of trials, errors and hard work. Life is hard on this earth and living this life comes with many obstacles. Often success only comes on the heels of disappointment and failure. We live in a real world, with very few born into instant money, privilege and position.


For most of us, life is  a day-to-day ‘bump and grind’ existence, with only a minuscule chance of winning the Lottery and living the fantasy life projected on TV commercials. But hard work has never hurt anyone and a little strain, stress and sweat is really quite healthy. The old adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again”, is good advice indeed.


-As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, "I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth."


-Winston Churchill failed sixth grade. He was subsequently defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister at the age of 62. He later wrote, "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never, Never, Never, Never give up." (his capitals, mind you)


-Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."


-Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was "sub-normal," and one of his teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams." He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He did eventually learn to speak and read. Even to do a little math.


-Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he succeeded.


-R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York City caught on.


-Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.


-Charles Schultz had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Oh, and Walt Disney wouldn't hire him.


If we turn our mistakes and failures into stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks, the experiences we go through are reversed from negative to positive. We can learn from our mistakes and failures and not make those mistakes again. But if we take the low road of complaining, sulking and blaming people, it becomes a long-term aggravation that eats like a canker.


Matthew 12:34b "...for out of the abundance of the heart(soul/mind) the mouth speaketh." Listen to this poem and see where you stand:


ALL IN THE STATE OF MINDIf you think you’re beaten, you are; If you think you dare, you don’t.
If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t, It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost, For out in the world you find,
Success begins with a fellow’s thoughts, It’s all in the state of mind.
 If you think you’re outclassed, you are; You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man; But soon or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can.

-Paul stated emphatically in Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me."

-Jesus said in Mark 9:23 “All things are possible to him that believes.”.

-Mark 10:27 says, “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With me it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

-We must come to God, in simple faith, believing that Christ’s victory over Satan, death and Hell has purchased our freedom.

-The Bible says in Hebrews 2:14, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."

-Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, 8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”

Here are four things that most people are concerned about!

(1)  PEACE OF MIND:

This comes through the knowledge of salvation, with the forgiveness of sins and the removing of guilt. Jesus said: “My peace I give unto you."

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

(2)  PROTECTION OF ONE’S HOME & FAMILY:

Psalm 91:10 “There shall no evil befall you and no plague shall come nigh unto your dwelling."

The angels of God protect His people. Psalm 34:7 "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”

(3) SECURITY FOR ONE’S JOB - The Bible tells us not to be concerned about tomorrow for He shall bless us with abundance. If we put Him first, He has promised to prosper and bless the work of our hands.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Zechariah 8:12 "For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things."

Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."

(4) CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH - When Jesus died on the cross, He purchased our healing, for the Bible states:

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Matthew 8:16, 17 “When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His Word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

The key is in not giving up.

-We must ask in prayer for our need.

-Seek His Word for an answer.

-Keep knocking till we receive. That’s real faith!

You'll Never Be Good Enough To Earn Your Salvation

Isaiah 64:5-7 NKJV "You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned— in these ways we continue; and we need to be saved. But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities."

The Apostle Paul discovered that he wasn’t good enough even though, compared to others, his life and credentials were very impressive.

Philippians 3:4-7 NIV "If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ."

Take note of these facts:

(1) He was a Jews Jew. In other words, whatever was required of him to honor his heritage that's what he did.

(2) He was full of zeal as he proved by persecuting and seeking the destruction of the church.

(3) He also kept the law of legalism to the tee and would not cross over the line.

Yet he came to the conclusion that his righteousness was not enough and considered everything that he had done to be loss for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. He even wrote to the church at Rome and said:

Romans 3: 20 NIV "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."

Paul reminds us that we cannot earn our salvation through works or even be just observing the laws of God. We can never achieve enough goodness on our own to ever deserve God's mercy or His grace.

Today, people have their own Christian list of accomplishments:

(1) I was born into a Christian family.

(2) I was baptized when I was a child.

(3) I have been a church member for 40 years.

(4) I give ten percent of my income to the church.

(5) I have served on church boards and committees.

(6) I never miss a church service.

We can never be good enough to achieve our salvation, yet Jesus justified us so that by faith we could be free!

Paul said this about his salvation in Philippians 3:8, 9 NIV: "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

Again He also declared this to the church at Rome in Romans 3:21, 22 NIV: "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."

-Justification is God’s declaration that a sinner is righteous in His sight.
The word “justify” in the NT (Gk. dikaioo) has a range of meanings, but a very common sense is “to declare righteous.” For example, we read in Luke 7:29 that “even the tax collectors justified God.” The tax collectors did not make God to be righteous. Rather they declared God to be righteous.

The opposite of justification is condemnation. To “condemn” someone is to declare that person guilty. To justify someone is to declare that person not guilty. Paul writes in Romans 3:33, 34 NIV “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?”
God’s people cannot be condemned (declared to be guilty) because they have been justified (declared to be not guilty). “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

-Grace alone brings justification!Ephesians 2:8, 9 “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” God’s “grace” means His “unmerited favor.” Because we are completely unable to earn favor with God, the only way we can be declared righteous is if God freely provides salvation for us by grace, totally apart from our works. Grace is clearly put in contrast to works as the reason why God is willing to justify us.

-Faith alone confirms justification!
Romans 5:1 NIV “We have been justified through faith.”
Why did God choose faith as the means by which we receive justification? Why did God not decide to give justification to all those who show love? Or who show joy? Or humility?

It is apparently because faith is the one attitude of heart that is the exact opposite of depending on ourselves. When we come to Christ in faith we essentially say, “I give up! I will not depend on myself or my own good works any longer. I know that I can never make myself righteous before God. Therefore, Jesus, I trust You and depend on You completely to give me a righteous standing before God.”

-Christ’s righteousness credits our justification!
Romans 4:1-8 "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

Three times in Scripture we find the idea of God crediting guilt or righteousness to someone else:

• When Adam sinned, his guilt was credited to us. God saw Adam’s sin as belonging to us.
• When Christ suffered and died on the cross, our sin was credited to Him. God saw our sin as belonging to Christ.
• When we put our faith in Christ, His righteousness is credited to us. God sees Christ’s righteousness as belonging to the believer.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

“Hindering Others” (Part 1)

Galatians 5:7-10 “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.” (NKJV)

CEV “You were doing so well until someone made you turn from the truth. And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you. A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, but you belong to the Lord. That makes me certain that you will do what I say, instead of what someone else tells you to do. Whoever is causing trouble for you will be punished.”

The Message “You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn't come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don't toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.”

Paul expressed his concern about Christians being 'hindered' in their spiritual race. The word used here (anakopto) means “properly to beat or drive back”. It means to hinder, check, or retard advancement. This is "an Olympic expression, and properly signifies "coming across the course" while a person is running in it, in such a manner as to jostle, and throw him out of the way." 

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 that we are in a race to win and influence others-but that we must be careful not to loose out ourselves:

CEV “You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win! Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever. I don't run without a goal. And I don't box by beating my fists in the air. I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others.”

It takes a lot to run a race-

(1) Hard work-“for a crown that will last forever.”

(2) Determination-“I don’t run without a goal-I run to win!”

(3) Personal sacrifice-“I keep my body under control.”

It takes a lot to win a fight-

(1) You don’t box by beating your fists in the air.

(2) You have to be in command of your body.

(3) I don’t want to lose after teaching others to win

So, if that be the case while running our race, do we help or hinder others who run along with us? Are we a blessing or a cursing upon them in their journey?

There are two areas where we can really hinder people running in this race:

(1) Through False Teaching!

The problem addressed in Galatians 5 was the necessity of circumcision for salvation. Again the Judizers wanted the power of the grace to be coupled with the requirements of the law. In their minds God’s standard was more man determined that God founded.

Many religious teachers today-historically and fundamentally- teach there students that the Bible is a good book, filled with historical facts, and written by men. However they leave off the most important part:

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Peter said in 2 Peter 3:17 “My dear friends, you have been warned ahead of time! So don't let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance.” (CEV)

The plan of salvation is not coupled with Mosaic Law-

(1) God has a standard-holiness.

(2) God requires a lifestyle change.

(3) God’s Word stipulates what we can and cannot do.

(4) God has given us the choice to make our own destiny.

Evil people can and will lead people down the wrong path and knock things out of balance in their spiritual life.

(2) Through Sinful Conduct!

1 Corinthians 15:33, 34 “Don't fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you. Be sensible and stop sinning. You should be embarrassed that some people still don't know about God.”

-Immorality

-Being a bad influence on others

-Slothfulness.

-Lack of integrity.

Romans 6:12-14 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

CEV “Don't let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don't obey its desires or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God. Don't let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God's kindness and not by the Law.”
The example we set can have an adverse effect on others or a positive effect. Which will be said about you?

When You Feel Adrift

In today's topsy-turvy world many Christians feel like shipwreck survivors who are clinging to the wreckage of the ship. They keep hearing they're going to be raptured very soon, that things are going to get better, and they are doing everything they can to survive until Jesus comes. But many people fear they can't hold on much longer. They feel like a piece of wood set adrift on a raging river just hoping for a safe place to land.

I'm a naturally optimistic person. But seeing what I've been through in the last year sometimes I feel both the light and dark side of life. When I'm feeling the dark side, I can see why people might feel like they're holding on for dear life. I have dealt with some issues this past year that have had me fighting depression, doubt, frustration, and fear.

But when I'm feeling the light, I know it's so important to actively take steps to keep your spirits up. I realize that I cannot allow the dark side to destroy me, so my best path is to follow Biblical principles that will work to see me through.

Here's what I found works best for me:

-Talk to somebody you trust. Too many Christians try to shoulder their burdens alone. That "I can tough it out attitude" is just not sustainable, particularly when we live in such challenging times. The Bible instructs us to "bear one another's burdens" and to lift up one another in prayer. That's why it's so good to have a church family. You can create a support network of people that you can talk to and count on.  When you feel adrift there should be one or more in that group that you  can trust to listen to you and give you honest feedback and advice.

-Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Relying on one situation or prospect to change your circumstances has never been a smart strategy. In fact in this world it's spiritually suicidal. You need to diversify your efforts as much as possible to keep the stress and weariness of life from overtaking you. Don't just look or trust in things by surface value. Put your trust in the Lord. He knows what you need before you need it and is able to sustain you until you receive it. Even when some of the things you hoped will change inevitably don't pan out, God is still there to keep you attached to the body rather than floating away in unbelief.

-Take some time out for yourself. Time is the scarcest commodity today for believers, but sometimes it's what you need most to get back on track. If there is something good that will refresh your spirit, do it. The Bible  instructs us again to think on "good things". Maybe sometimes you just need to take a personal time out to reflect on all of God's blessings in your life.

Consider Julia Child's perseverance after her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking was rejected by several publishers, despite years of work and several rewrites. Child overcame so many obstacles to write her groundbreaking cookbook, but she never let them get to her. When problems set in, she just picked up the pieces and went on.

You don't have to feel adrift in today's world. You can make it as an overcomer through Jesus Christ the Lord. Believe this and live.

Baby It's Cold Outside

I can't remember a December or January as cold as these two months have been in my lifetime. It's funny when you think about the contrasts of seasons in your lifetime. I remember when I was 15 it was 75 degrees on Christmas Day and the next year it snowed on Christmas Day. But I can never remember it being this cold down south for such an extended amount of time. So here goes my list of you know it's cold jokes with a little snowy backgrounds. Have a great day!

You know it's cold when -

 you have to chisel the dog off a lamp-post

 pet stores sell hamsters, gerbils and penguins

 your shadow freezes to the sidewalk

 you have to break the smoke off your chimney

 you have to open the fridge to heat the house

 your false teeth chatter, and they are still in the glass

 the lawyers had their hands in their own pockets....

 the fire department advises you to set your house on fire

 the snowman begs you to take him inside at night

 Jokes told in December don't get laughed at until spring thaw in March

12 Things To Do When It Snows

-Fall Down.

-Make a snow angel while wearing very few clothes on and tell your friends you like the numb feeling.

-Feed snow to your dog, cat, or other pets.

-Insist on wearing all white in order to “Blend in” with the other “snow people”.

-Let snowflakes accumulate on your head, then run inside Wal-mart Screaming, “Give me the best dandruff shampoo you got, pronto!”

-Bury your sister or brother in it. Just put a marker there so you can find them again.

-Say the words, “Winter Wonderland” everytime you refer to the snow.

-Chain your dog to the grill of your truck/car and refer to your vehicle as a dogsled.

-Make whimsicle comments like, “I wish I had snowshovels for hands”.

-Make an enormous snowball, then gun it at one of your cows at point blank range. NOTE: if you do not have a cow, this will also work on other animals and some humans.

-Always yell “BONZAI” when sledding down a large hill.

-When trying to find your way home during a heavy snow, refer to home as Desert Command and your vehicle as Eagle 1, while refering to yourself as Snow Fox