Changing Times
“The Times They Are A-Changing” was a popular Bob Dylan hit in 1964. Indeed they were. However, today the rate of change is on steroids. America is not the America of old and never will be. The times, they have changed dramatically.
1) 30% of adult Americans are not affiliated with any religion. 10% higher than a decade ago.
2) Protestants have the greatest decreases. Catholics held steady.
3) 29% of the adult Americans consider themselves atheists, agnostics, or nothing. Up 6% from 5 years ago.
4) 63% of our population claim to be Christian. Down from 75% a decade ago.
5) 40% of our population is Protestant. Christian, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Nazarene, etc.
6) 26% of adult Americans are Catholic.
7) Americans are praying less. 45% say they pray daily. That is down from 58% 5 years ago.
8) Only 24% of US adults claim to be “Born again or evangelical”. That is down 6% from 5 years ago.
9) 51% of Protestants attend church at least monthly. 35% of Catholics attend at least monthly.
10) Only 4 in 10 US adults consider religion important in their lives. That decreases every year.
Not one of those statistics is positive. Alone they are cause for concern. Compounded together they are highly disturbing.
The survey was conducted by the highly respected Pew Research Center. They shout an awakening call.
Additionally, there is no nationally respected voice calling us back. The church collective seems to be inept and unable to issue a clarion call to America.
There is some concern about our political climate and the way the government is trending. This is a legitimate cause for additional concern. Religious faith has been the sentinel in previous times, but that voice is not being heard, instead it is a whimper or a snivel. The flagging zeal and lagging faith within the churches indicate little desire to call the society back to the Lord. Judgment begins at the house of the Lord.
One day there will be a cleavage in the sky and a trumpet will sound. That will be a glorious day. However, between now and then the sky is growing more cloudy.
I have not lost faith, but I am a realist. Except we repent ….
This an appeal to pray daily for spiritual renewal.
Who Is Afraid Of…
“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56: 3,4)
David might be considered worthy of having fear. He was afraid of Achish, king of Gath. (I Samuel 21: 12)
Have you ever been afraid? Sure you have, me too. Once when under attack my emotions were so strong my body was involuntarily shaking. An encouraging friend asked how I was doing. I said, “I am fine, but my body isn’t doing so well.” Knowing and applying truth such as are in this text enabled my body to gain peaceful control. It was mind over matter.
I had a little self-talk. Some of my best talks have been with myself. I found it experientially true that trust and confidence in the Lord is the best antidote against fears. It can cause one to shake off fears by trusting in the Lord, and depending on His word.
Chances are we’ll all have occasions to deal with fear. The Bible cautions “In the world you will have tribulation. …” (John 16: 33) It counters:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. …” (Isaiah 41: 10) These should be our watchwords in our contest and conquest.
The word translated “dismayed” means “don’t give up, don’t quit.” There are times when you might be inclined to give up, fear is so formidable. That is when the antidote of fear must be applied. It is faith and trust. It is a mental thing with spiritual consequence.
An unknown poet gives a grim picture of a traveler on a lonesome road, who has caught a glimpse of a frightful figure close behind who resolves:
“And having once turned round walks on
And turns no more his head.”
The dread thing is still there, right on his heels. Though he does not see it he feels it breathing down his neck. Rightly he rigidly fixes his gaze ahead and remains inflexible. This is how many deal with their thoughts of God. There is not only the ominous thing following after him, but he fixes his awareness of the presence of his all powerful God. God becomes such a factual force His hand can almost be felt.
There is a wholesome fear. It is the fear of the Lord. There is a Hebrew word which means to fear and tremble as in pain and mental anguish. This is not used of the Lord. A different word is used for the fear of God meaning to reverence, to venerate, actually to worship. The second of these fears overcomes the first fear.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. Make it a point to have a little self-talk.
Treasures of Gold
Archaeologists were excavating the site of the former Giv ‘ati car park lot just outside the City of David, in Jerusalem, a site that has exposed 11 different periods of habitation. They were being aided by a young woman volunteer when coworkers heard her screaming. Thinking she might have been stung by a scorpion or suffered some other injury, they rushed to her aid. They found her transfixed, staring down on her discovery of 264 gold coins bearing the likeness of Byzantine emperor Herclius minted between 610-613 AD. It was a cache of gold of inestimable value and has aided archaeologists in dating their dig.
Unknown treasures are believed to be buried all around Jerusalem waiting to be discovered. What might yet be awaiting discovery are valuable treasures including the Ark of the Covenant.
We are in effect all treasure hunters at heart. Most treasures available to us are unidentified.“ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6: 21)
The passage relates to spiritual treasure, things of value to us. This brings to mind the question of what do you value most? What we have our heart set on is what we value.
There is nothing wrong with having wealth and material goods. However, how we value them is what is most important. This poem by Lorrie Cline entitled
“Met the Master Face to Face” puts treasures in their proper perspective.
With station and rank and wealth for my goal,
Much thought for my body but none for my soul,
I had entered to win in life’s mad race,
When I met the Master face to face.
I met Him and knew Him and blushed to see,
That His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me;
And I faltered and fell at His feet that day,
While my castles melted and vanished away.
Melted and vanished, and in their place,
Naught else did I see but the Master’s face.
And I cried aloud, ‘Oh, make me meek,
To follow the steps of Thy wounded feet.’
My thought is now for the souls of men,
I have lost my life to find it again,
E’er since one day in a quiet place,
I met te Master face to face.”
Let the Master enable you to evaluate and align what you treasure.
There are treasures at your disposal more valuable than those gold coins.
They are of eternal value. Lay up treasures in heaven for yourself.
Love Transforms
Jesus said the greatest of all commandments is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22: 37)
All who heard Him identify what He declared to be the most important commandment were very familiar with it. It is a part of the Jewish creed known as the “Shema.” The word “Shema” means “to hear.”
It was the first Old Testament Scripture to be learned by a child. It is worthy to be learned and conformed to today.
The Coventry Cathedral in England was largely destroyed along with 700,00 homes was largely destroyed by German bombs during World War II. The new cathedral at Coventry has much art. None is more striking than the larger than life sculpture just outside the main entrance. It depicts Michael the archangel, spear in hand, poised triumphantly over a prostrated, manacled dragon. It depicts the ultimate victory of Christ over evil.
He, the triumphant, resurrected Christ, the one Who commanded us to love is the one who gives us the victory in love.
Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th Century preacher, asked a question and answered it himself. His question: “Why should we love God?”
His answer: “Because He is God.”
Jesus knew the commandment was worthy to – – –
Dominate our emotions
Direct our attitudes.
Determine our actions.
Get it? Got it. Good!
We, like they, in light of the resurrection should love the Lord our God with all of our personal resources.
This humorous account depicts our victory in Jesus. An electrician was called upon to make minor repairs in wiring that required him to go into the church attic over the pulpit. His wife accompanied him and decided to sit in the auditorium and wait for him. A group of visitors quietly entered the place of worship. Seeing the lady sitting alone they assumed she was worshiping. Her husband had been unduly long in the attic. The silent visitors were shocked when she turned her eyes heavenward and called out, “Sam, are you up there?” After a moment’s pause she continued, “Did you make it alright?”
After the resurrection the disciples knew Jesus was “Up there,” He had “made it alright.” As a result things were not all right down here, but they were alright. So are we.
Impulsive Peter heard those words of Jesus and was transformed by them. Peter later wrote revealing the change in his life.
“..love one another fervently with a pure heart.” (I Peter 1:22).
People hadn’t suddenly changed and become lovable, but Peter had changed and become loving. Agape love is a conscious and deliberate act of the will.
It means to seek God for His own sake,
to have pleasure in Him, and
to strive impulsively to please Him.
Heart, Soul, Mind
Matthew 22: 36 – 40
A group of skeptics asked Jesus a question hoping to impel Him on the horns of a dilemma.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Gotcha!
They had 631 commandments, 248 positive and 365 negative.
Schools of thought developed around most of the major ones and groups advocating their favorite as the greatest. It appeared that if Christ said any one of the laws was the greatest, advocates of all others would turn on Him.
Jesus reached back into the Scripture and quoted: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) That doesn’t leave out anything. There is no reserve in love.
Three facets of our nature are to be involved in loving the Lord.
First, is our heart, “kardia” is the word used. It is a reference to our entire inner nature. It is a term for our personality. Whole-hearted love is the meaning.
It is a reference to being enthusiastic about our love for the Lord. The measure of loving the Lord is to love Him without measure.
The next is our soul (psyche), a reference to the seat of our will. It means to willfully determine to love the Lord. It is a reference to being enthusiastic about our love for the Lord. The measure of loving the Lord is to love Him without measure. Agape love is a conscious and deliberate act of the will.
It means to seek God for His own sake,
to have pleasure in Him, and
to strive impulsively after Him.
Finally, is the mind (dianoia) which relates to our intellect. Love for the Lord is to be knowledgeable. That is what made the difference in the lives of the disciples. Albert Sweitzer was asked, “What is wrong with man today?” He replied, “He simply does not think.”
A classic example of a loving response to hate and brute force is seen in Coventry, England. On the night of November 14, 1940, nearly 500 German bombers attacked the English city of Coventry. Over 600 tons of explosives and thousands of incendiary bombs were dropped. 700,000 homes were destroyed and 400 people killed.
Amid the rubble stood the remains of the formerly beloved beautiful 14th Century Coventry Cathedral.
In love, the people of the city have now built a beautiful modern cathedral beside the ruins of the old one. The old walls of the ancient gothic cathedral that still stand are architecturally connected to the new modern structure. There is a large charred wooden cross that stands on the soot blackened stone where the altar once was located. The cross is made of charred beams of the old cathedral. On a table is another smaller cross. It was formed by two twisted spikes used by medieval craftsmen to construct the roof. The spikes had fallen forming a cross.
Since that night an inscription has been carved in the wall reading: “Father, forgive….” That is what it means to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th Century preacher, asked a question and answered it Himself. His question: “Why should we love God?”
His answer: “Because He is God.”