Category: Cultural

Humility.

Since the 1970’s, June has been known as “Pride Month” in the United States. Rainbow flags and other gay-pride paraphernalia are ubiquitous. Our culture now fully embraces the LGBTQIA2S lifestyle. The message: Be proud of your sexuality!

Social media encourages people to flaunt their wealth. You’re supposed to post pictures of the cool new toys you buy. Post pics of food from that fancy restaurant. Brag about your exotic vacations. The message: Be proud of your possessions!

Society encourages us to boast about our achievements. Go ahead and broadcast that you went to an Ivy League school. Make sure people know how successful you are. Brag about your intellect and business acumen. The message: Be proud of your accomplishments!

Notice the common thread. Pride is all about “me, me, me!” It is a form of self-worship, for it prizes the self above all else.

Not something to celebrate.

Pride is no virtue. In fact, it is chief among the cardinal sins.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis said this about pride:

“Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.“

Here’s a sample of what the Bible says about pride:

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

Proverbs 8:13

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Psalm 10:4

And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 

But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 

For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

James 3: 13-16

Opposite of pride.

Jesus taught humility.

Read Mathew 23:1-12 where Jesus condemns the pride of the Pharisees, and warns His followers not to be like them.

Read Luke 22: 24-27 where Jesus teaches His disciples that if they want to be truly great, they must humble themselves and serve others.

And Jesus didn’t just teach humility, He lived it. He demonstrated it when He healed the sick, when He ministered to the meek and lowly, when He washed the feet of His disciples.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

Finally, Jesus exemplified humility in the most profound way possible: He took on feeble, human flesh, and willingly went to the cross to die for sinful mankind.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8

Food for thought.

A proud man is a miserable man. He looks down on those he deems inferior, and he burns with envy at the mere thought of anyone being superior. He lives in constant fear of being knocked off the pedestal on which he has placed himself.

Our modern world is at odds with The Almighty on the issue of pride. You have a daily choice to make: Will you go with the flow, and celebrate what God detests? Or will you dare to follow the example of Jesus?

Mind Your Tongue.

Julian Treasure gave a Ted Talk called, “How to speak so that people want to listen.” In this talk, he gives a list of seven things you should avoid when speaking. They are:

  • Gossip
  • Judging
  • Negativity
  • Complaining
  • Excuses
  • Lying
  • Dogmatism

When I heard the list, I smiled and thought to myself, where have I heard this before? (spoiler: it’s in the Bible!)

James chapter 3 reminds us just how unruly our tongues can be, and that if we are not careful our words can do great harm.

Proverbs 15: 4 says, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”

Let’s look at the Biblical reasons that we ought to avoid the seven things on Julian Treasure’s list.

Gossip

Talking about people behind their backs is rarely a good idea. The one exception is when you have something positive to say. If you can’t say something nice, say nothing!

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

Proverbs 11:13

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 16:28

Judging

Romans 3:23 reminds us that we all fall short of God’s perfect standard. God alone is qualified to judge.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 

For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?”

Mathew 7: 1-3

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 

And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 

Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?

Romans 2:1-3

Negativity

A negative attitude is toxic. Negativity drags people down.

As Christians we always have a reason to be positive, because the trials of this life are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us (Romans 8:18)!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

Always be joyful. 

Never stop praying. 

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:16 – 18

Complaining

If you’re complaining, you’re probably focused on the wrong thing. You can complain that you’re stuck in traffic, or you can be grateful that you own a car. You can whine about needing to wear glasses, or you can appreciate the amazing gift of sight.

Shift your focus to the good things, and watch what happens. You’ll complain less, and smile more.

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Philippians 2:14-15

He comes to say that all are guilty for all the sin they have done and all the sinful things these sinners have spoken against God.

These men complain and are never happy with anything. They let their desires lead them into sin. When they talk about themselves, they make it sound as if they are great people. They show respect to people only to get something out of them.

Jude 1:15-16

Excuses

To make excuses is to abdicate responsibility. Never cast blame that you deserve onto someone or something else. Take responsibility for your actions.

[Adam] replied, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

So the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:12-13

Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

Proverbs 24:12

Lying

The Bible has a lot to say about lies and truth. God is Truth. He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19 , Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18). We can trust in His promises.

The Devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

We must strive to speak only truth.

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

Ephesians 4:25

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Proverbs 12:22

Dogmatism

Actually, sometimes, we should be dogmatic! When it comes to truth, we should stand firm, and never waver or compromise.

Where we should avoid dogmatism is in matters of opinion, or when we are uncertain about the truth. Dogmatism often stems from pride; from our need to be right. Be humble, and be open to the opinions of others.

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Colossians 4:6

Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don’t speak with such arrogance! For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions.

I Samuel 2:3

I don’t know how Julian Treasure came up with his list of seven things to avoid when speaking, but his advice is sound because it lines up with Biblical principles.

I challenge you to pick out at least a couple of things on the list, and make a commitment to eliminate them from your speech.

Peace.

It’s an understatement to say that over the last few days, my heart and mind have been troubled. A few days ago, terrorists marched into the neighborhoods of Israeli civilians, and committed unspeakable acts of violence. People were gunned down in their homes, women were raped, babies were beheaded, hostages were taken.

There is no justification for these atrocities. Period. I am appalled that there are people around the world, including here in the United States, that are not only justifying what happened, but gleefully celebrating these barbaric attacks. It is unconscionable. How deranged and depraved these people are!

Now, another war is upon us. More innocent people are going to die. I must confess that watching these things unfold has made me physically ill. My digestion is out of whack. I’m not sleeping well.

It’s time to recalibrate.

Focus.

My problem is easy to identify. My focus is on the wrong thing. Like Peter when he tried to walk on water, I have taken my eyes off of Jesus and begun to sink into fear and despair. Oh me of little faith.

It’s time to remind myself that God knows what He’s doing. I may not understand it, I may not like it, but that doesn’t matter. My role is to trust. Trust that He is good. Trust that truth and justice will prevail. Evil will not go unpunished… one day, the sheep will be separated from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), and the goats will burn. That day is fast approaching.

Until then, I must take my focus off of what’s happening, and instead focus on God and His Word.

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:

It will all happen as I have planned.
It will be as I have decided.

Isaiah 14:24

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Deuteronomy 31:8

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

John 14:27

Signs of the times.

When you look to the sky and see dark clouds, you know rain is coming. When the leaves start to fall and the temperature cools, you know that summer is ending and autumn is imminent.

The Bible tells us that one day Jesus will return, and the world as we know it will come to an end. It also tells us about the things that will take place as that time draws near. Many of those things are happening right now. Evil is rampant, persecution of Christians is on the rise, natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity, wars and rumors of wars are upon us, technology is pushing us closer and closer to a global system of trade and governance. And on, and on.

This is very good news for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ… and very bad news for those who have not. But if you’re reading this, it’s not too late! Today is the day of salvation, and God has made salvation simple, so that anyone can be saved. Pastor JD Farag constantly reminds people that the gospel is as simple as A.B.C.

Admit that you are a sinner in need of a savior.

Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sins.

Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

That’s it. There is nothing else you need to do to find forgiveness and salvation. Don’t put it off. Don’t wait. Life is short, and time is short. In these troubled times, trust in Him, and find peace.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3

Satanism Today.

Suppose I invite you to join an organization. We’re 700,000+ members and growing.

“What’s your organization stand for?”

“I’m glad you asked! Here’s what we’re all about:”

Our motto: “Empathy. Reason. Advocacy.”

Our mission: “To Encourage Benevolence And Empathy, Reject Tyrannical Authority, Advocate Practical Common Sense, Oppose Injustice, And Undertake Noble Pursuits.”

We have seven fundamental tenets:

I. One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.

II. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.

III. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.

IV. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.

V. Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.

VI. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.

VII. Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

What do you think? Sounds pretty good, right? I copied and pasted all of this directly from The Satanic Temple website. Surprised? Here’s why you shouldn’t be.

Satanism isn’t what most people think.

The word “Satanism” conjures up all kinds of dark images. Shadowy figures in black robes, performing ritual sacrifices. Candle-lit rooms with blood-stained walls and upside-down pentagrams scrawled on the floor. People summoning demons, worshipping the devil, and doing evil deeds for the dark lord.

Movies, books, and television shows have popularized this version of Satanism. There may be a small number of people who fit this description, but they are of little concern. That kind of blatant evil is easy to spot and condemned by virtually everyone. True Satanism is far more subtle, and infinitely more destructive.

A Biblical understanding of Satan.

Who is Satan, and what is his goal?

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 12: 7-9

Satan is a fallen angel who wants to usurp God. He is real, he is powerful, and he has great authority in this world… for now (Ephesians 2:2 ; I John 5:19 ; Luke 4: 5-6). But it’s a mistake to think of Satan as God’s opposite. Satan is nothing compared to God. He is a created being, and whatever power he has was granted to him by God. One day, in God’s time, Satan will face judgement.

Satan is a liar and a deceiver (Genesis 3 ; John 8:44). He hates God and he hates human beings because we are made in His image. Satan doesn’t really care if people worship him, he wants to destroy people (I Peter 5:8).

Satan’s goal is to lead people away from God any way that he can so that they will suffer the same fate as him (Mathew 25:41).

Master of deceit.

Let’s revisit the mission statement of The Satanic Temple:

“To Encourage Benevolence And Empathy, Reject Tyrannical Authority, Advocate Practical Common Sense, Oppose Injustice, And Undertake Noble Pursuits.”

All these things seem good. In fact, they are good. Moses and Jesus did these things! So what’s going on? To understand, you have to look closer at the actions of this Satanic group and the stances they take on the important issues of our day.

For example, when members gleefully rip up a Bible and toss its pages to the floor, it’s clear that by “Reject Tyrannical Authority” they mean: reject God and Christianity. When they tear a thin-blue-line flag in half, we can be sure that “Oppose Injustice” means: oppose the police. Visit their website and you will see that “Undertake Noble Pursuits” means: fund abortion clinics, and “Encourage Benevolence And Empathy” means: embrace all things LGBTQIA+.

Satan is a master at disguising evil. He takes what is good and twists it until it becomes corrupted. He can make sin look sweet; make it seem right. Beware! His counterfeits are well made, and easily fool those who aren’t grounded in Truth and on their guard.

Nothing new.

Satan’s been pushing the same garbage since the dawn of creation: He whispers to us, “God is a liar and a tyrant. He’s trying to keep you under his thumb and deny you what is good. Disobey! Rebel! and you can be like God.” It’s not a new lie, but it’s being packaged in new ways, and it seems to be gaining in popularity. We must equip ourselves with the Truth, and be ready to stand against it.

The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

II Corinthians 4:4

God, I pray for those around me who are being deceived by Satan’s lies. Let your light shine through me that they may see the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

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