Forged By Faith

Jude 10 NIV I read through the book of Jude last night, and man, it seems like about half of it talks about things that we're seeing around us right now! People mocking faith, blaspheming God's name, running stupid with sin and debauchery, celebrating everything that's wrong and immoral, and talking trash on anyone that has the guts to stand up and say that what people are doing isn't okay. We're passing through a world that truly loves everything that's wrong. Makes it pretty easy to see why they're not going to like anyone who lives for what's right. Yesterday we talked about how this world isn't going to like us because of our faith. And that's a very good thing! This world only likes those who it agrees with, only those who do what everyone else is doing. So we would have to go along with the sinfulness that is controlling so many, and that just ain't good enough! Our goal should never be to fit in with a place that has lowered itself so ...

1 Peter 4:16 NIV We live in a society where people thrive on praise. Everyone wants to be told they're doing a good job. Everyone wants approval of their choices and actions. Everyone wants to build themselves up so that they feel important and appreciated. Everyone seems to need that kind of external encouragement to justify who they are, how they live, and what they believe. But if we expect to be praised or celebrated by the masses for our choice to live by faith in Christ, well, we're going to be sadly mistaken. As we've discussed at length over the past couple of weeks, our world doesn't like this way of life that we live as Christians. Things like righteousness, decency, morality, and even honesty are not popular and odds are they may never be. And living in such a way that goes against what's common, what's popular, and what's widely accepted will cause us to feel like outcasts. It will lead us to doubt if it's really worth it. It will make us won...

1 Peter 5:6 NIV Humility is pretty far from popular in this world. Pride on the other hand is flourishing. We've been talking a bunch about the selfishness that sin causes and how so many don't want to turn away from that kind of life. They would rather seek out justification for their wickedness than to address the sins that they're not willing to admit. Sadly that's just easier nowadays. It's easier to find someone that will tell you that what you're doing is okay than it is to face the truth and be forced to change because of it. People would rather arrogantly do what they want to do than to even consider the fact that maybe God's right after all. As I said yesterday or the day before, there is no arguing with God. There's no debating His truth. There is no changing His commandments or altering His design. Yet so many try in vain to do so because their pride tells them that they can't be wrong so someone else must be. If their particular choice of...

Proverbs 16:18 NIV Most, if not all of us have this innate problem that we've developed. Maybe it's a result of living in a world that has nearly no concept of wrong. Maybe it's just a product of our deceitful minds wanting to do whatever we want without having to weigh the consequences. Whatever the reason, we've somehow gotten it in our minds that we're incapable of making mistakes. We've become conceited to the point that we actually believe that we never get anything wrong. And while that may make us feel good, there's no avoiding the truth that tells us otherwise! Each of us make the wrong choices. We jump to conclusions. We take things out of context. We rush through things. We assume that we know what someone else is talking about without making sure. We answer before we hear the full question. We hear things that someone else doesn't necessarily say. We let things slip out of our mouths that we may not really mean. We give in to selfishness witho...

1 John 3:20 NIV I love it when you read something in the Bible and wake up the next morning still thinking about it. This one got me last night, and it fits with everything we've been talking about lately. There is no arguing with God. There's no debating what's really right and what's really wrong. There is no wiggle room, no room for compromise, no middle ground. He has the final say, and nothing we do can ever change that. So many try in vain to ignore or avoid that truth, but as I've been saying, the truth is simply unavoidable. I know that we all like to think that we know best. We convince ourselves that our selfish wants and ideas are just fine because they bring us joy and excitement. We get it in our minds that we can do anything we want because the world tells us we can. And we look around and see millions of others doing as they wish and that adds to the evidence that convinces us that we're free to live carefree and not have to worry about responsibi...

1 John 1:8 NIV There's this miserable kind of feeling that comes with admitting that we've done wrong. It's this humbling sense of shame that forces us to accept the fact that we're not perfect and that we don't get everything right. Nobody wants to make mistakes because having to confess those mistakes takes a willingness to concede to the truth. But as we've been discussing, the truth isn't so highly thought of these days. Many people do anything they can to avoid it. But we can either live in fear of the truth and try to avoid it, or we can face it and allow it to change us. I think the problem is that nobody wants to look bad. We don't want our sins to come to light because then they'll be on full display. They will show the world that we're not perfect. All of our worst mistakes tell this story that goes against the lie that we often tell. We act like we have it all figured out. We pretend that we're okay. We live as if we are perfect an...

2 Peter 2:8 NIV We've been talking about how we are at war against sin in this world. It's not easy. Seeing so much depravity and wickedness is hard to take. That's why these last several posts have been a little longer, a little different. This has suddenly become something that I am seriously passionate about. When we choose to follow Christ and leave the sinful ways behind, God opens our eyes to see just how bad things really are. It's easy for some to ignore. It's easy for those lost in it to pretend everything is just fine. But for anyone trying to fight the good fight of faith, that's just not possible. Now I'm not a righteous man. I get things wrong every single day. Thankfully God has helped me learn to see those mistakes so that I can fix things and live a better life. But it's in having lived a sinful life that I know what it does to a person. I know the misery it causes. I understand the weight of guilt and shame that so many carry around beca...

Ephesians 6:12 NIV As we talked about yesterday, this is a war. It's serious. It's important. It's truly a matter of life and death. Sin ain't all fun and games like many in this world make it seem. These days wrong is celebrated as right. Darkness is made to seem enjoyable. Wickedness has become a competition with people trying to out-do one another. It's like the world is in a race to do as much evil as it can all while spreading this vile message that it's all okay. So it only stands to reason that when we share the truth that stands in opposition to those lies, it's probably going to be a fight! The hard part is that people take it personally. When we speak up against the lies that people have believed they think we're attacking them. What makes matters even worse is that we're living in a world that is so easily offended and ready to fight against anyone who disagrees with the popular opinions. Heaven help anyone who's bold enough to stand u...

Matthew 10:34 NIV Well, I think this one pretty much sums up the last 10 or so posts. A very good friend of mine shared this one with me yesterday and it's that perfect exclamation point to this topic of dealing with sin and not living in fear of those who don't like us for it. That's one of the biggest hurdles to sharing our faith these days. Some people just don't want to hear it. They don't want to be confronted with the truth. They don't want to face the discomfort of acknowledging their sins and shortcomings. Many just want to be left in peace to sin without restraint. You know, I think in many ways we've become far too soft. Yep, said it! We're too soft on sin. We're too appeasing of those who tell us to be quiet and go away. We're too conforming to what this world says is good enough. We're too willing to either say what people want to hear or just whisper the truth so we don't rock the boat. We're too willing to compromise wha...

1 Peter 2:12 NIV I've been stewing on it a bit since I came across it reading the other night. Think it goes right along with this lengthy topic we've been on for well over a week now. We are living among modern paganism. There are some around us who hate our faith. They don't like God's truth. They don't like us for sharing it. They fight against anyone who proclaims this idea of righteous living. As we've been discussing, sin has to fight against the truth because that's the only way that it can hope to stay comfortable in the lies. People want to hear that what they're doing is okay. The realization that we've messed up and done things wrong is hard to swallow. So the world is seeking out those who will tell them what they want to hear because they want to keep living in sin without being ashamed of it. But we have a different message to share! Sure, some will judge us, hate us, fight against us for speaking up against the filth in our world. But ...

1 Peter 4:4 NIV We often here "if you can't beat them, join them." That's an all too common mindset in our world today. People would just as soon go along with what others are doing because it's easier than standing up for something that the masses may not agree with. But what we're seeing more and more nowadays is the opposite of that little saying. If they don't join you, beat them. We're all being pressured to fall in line, to stop speaking against the wrongs we see, and to just allow everyone else to do as they please. Sure, all of that will bring the warm and fuzzy feelings that everyone craves, but it just doesn't work with our faith. As we've been talking about a lot recently, people want to stay comfortable in their sins. They don't want anyone to tell them that something they're doing isn't right. The sinful don't like those who live righteously because that makes them feel insecure. They know what they're doing is ...

Hebrews 12:11 NIV We've been on this series of sharing the truth of the Gospel and never worrying about those who fight against it. And there will be plenty who fight against it! As we've been discussing in depth over the last several posts, some don't like God's truth. They don't like having to confront the sins that they're comfortable with. They don't want to acknowledge and address their mistakes and weaknesses. We see a world around us overcome with evil and wickedness and those caught up in it don't want to be plucked from their cozy slumber. But that's our job as followers of Christ. It's to help people wake up to the reality of sin and the dangers that it holds. If that means making people angry then that's what we have to do. It's better to make people mad at us for sharing the truth with them than to make them comfortable in a lifestyle that leads to misery. The way I see it is that Christ loves us enough to point out the cost o...

James 5:20 NIV What a way to end a book! Finished up James last night and the very last chapter ended with this amazing message. Fits right in with everything we've been sharing for well over a week now. The point of the Gospel is to help turn people away from their wickedness back to the loving arms of their Savior. But that mission is handicapped by this modern fear of offending people and being judged for telling the truth. It's hard to fight the sin and evil in this world when we're scared of making people angry with God's truth! I completely understand that confrontation isn't comfortable. It isn't easy to call out the wrongs in this world because they're all extremely popular. But there is far too much on the line to be worried about ruffling a few feathers. We have to be more courageous than that. We have to understand that the truth is the only thing that can save people from the damnation that awaits those who choose to live under the control of sin...

James 4:5 NIV I read this one last night and I think it's a seriously powerful message that goes right along with what we've been talking about lately. Sin pulls us away from God and leaves us broken and lost. It lures people in by selling this façade of fake freedom that tells is we can do as we please. A life without responsibility, a conscience that doesn't have to worry about consequences, and the ability to only focus on ourselves is just what people want. And it's clear from looking around us that many are good with living that lie! But the problem is that our God is a jealous God. He created us to be His but we've chosen to be the world's. He put us here to live good lives but we've settled for living in shame. He calls us to love others and humbly put them before ourselves but we're more concerned about only looking after ourselves and our interests. No matter how widespread or popular sin may become in this place it will never win! If often seem...

Psalm 1:1 NIV It's commonplace to do as everyone else does. Why go through the effort of blazing a different trail when you can simply fall in line behind someone else and go where they're going? Well, that's all well and good, but you have to remember that if you follow someone else doing as they do then you're going to wind up at the same destination that they reach. These days we better be careful who and what we're following because so much of what's being done around us is leading to a place that nobody wants to visit. As we've been discussing for a while now, sin has overtaken the hearts and minds of so many around us. It has infiltrated nearly every aspect of our society and people are basking in the delusional sense of freedom and irresponsibility. We see sin being sold as this ultimate version of personal enjoyment and people are buying it up because they think that it's true. As humans, we easily fall for any lie that tells us what we want to h...

James 1:21 NIV Over the last week or so we've talked a lot about cutting through the nonsense, holding tight to the truth, and not living in fear of those who stand in opposition to that truth. There are so many lies, so much filth, so much darkness in our world today. As Christians we simply can't settle for that. Our faith calls us to stand up and proclaim the Gospel for those who are lost and looking for hope. As I said yesterday, if we let the fear of the sinful keep us from sharing the message of Christ then we're failing those who would have been saved and set free by hearing it. That's why we have to shed all the sins, all the evils, all the filth, all the darkness that we amassed before meeting Christ. We have to get rid of it all so that it no longer holds us down or keeps us living in shame. That's exactly what sin does. It blinds us to the truth that we're hurtling toward impending disaster. It blinds us to the reality of responsibility and consequenc...

2 Timothy 3:12-13 NIV Christians can't afford to live in fear of those who choose to do wrong. They want to keep living in sin because the reality of the consequences is too much for them to face. So they fight against the truth thinking that they can make it go away. They fight against those who choose to live differently than they do because it makes them uncomfortable. They fight against anyone who tells them that sin is wrong because that news causes cracks in their armor that makes them doubt themselves. All they can do is fight against the truth because that's the only hope they have! Our mission to share God's truth faces an uphill battle because we live in a post-truth society. People are more worried about what's offensive than they are about what is undeniably right. They prefer the comfort of a lie over the reality of the Gospel. They've been brainwashed by this idea that they can do anything and everything their deceitful hearts desire without ever facin...

Acts 4:19 NIV I've been on fire this past week or so. I'm not even sure what's happened or changed but I feel this fervor to cut through the nonsense and get back to what truly matters. We're constantly surrounded by so many opposing messages that it can be nearly impossible to sort through it all. But that's exactly what we have to do in our faith. We have to focus on what matters and not get distracted or tripped up by what doesn't. So much of what we've discussed recently can be summed up in this one question: Who are you going to listen to? Do we listen to those around us who tell us to go with the flow and fall in line so that we don't rock their boat? Do we listen to those who tell us that God's truth isn't welcome? Do we listen to the discourse from the sinful telling people that sin isn't bad? Do we listen to the selfishness that pulls us into prioritizing our personal desires? Do we listen to this foolish new version of "truth...

Hebrews 11:25 NIV Sin is tailor made for this world. It's no wonder that so many are enamored with it and consumed by it and willing to fight to convince themselves and everyone else that it isn't so bad. So many people want that rush of being able to do as they please. We crave instant satisfaction, and sin offers it. Sin gives us that quick spike of adrenaline that tells us we're in control. It offers that false sense of freedom by selling this lie that there are no consequences. That rush fades. The thrill ends. The surge of fun and excitement passes and we're left right where we started, looking for something to make us feel better. And so we turn to more sin thinking that it will do the trick this time. But all it does is bring this temporary pleasure that fades quicker and quicker. The underlying problem will always be the same: sin is empty. We're trying to make ourselves feel whole by filling ourselves with something that's empty. It's never going to...

John 3:19 NIV Well, well, well, if we don't have another spot-on assessment of our current society written down thousands of years ago! It's amazing with how advanced and progressive we consider ourselves to be in our modern world, not much has changed from the broken and twisted reality that existed back then. Darkness is still the preferred domain of those who apparently aren't "scared of damnation." At some point the time for laughing off our sins will come to an end because there is no way to avoid the truth forever! I actually saw a commercial with an atheist saying that he was "not afraid of burning in hell." That's what we're dealing with here folks! But that's something for another post. Back to the topic at hand. People living in sin love the dark because darkness makes it easier to hide. It's easier to do something without it being seen. It provides the opportunity to hang out in the shadows doing things, saying things, thinking...