We live in a culture and generation that celebrates pride. We see it in everything from politics to sports. News organizations give daily updates on the health and extramarital affairs of star athletes while rarely mentioning the sacrifice of the unsung heroes who work with the unfortunate and outcast of society. Even the unlearned and ignorant among Christian circles applaud and promote ministers that strut around like peacocks overflowing with pride.
God said that he “opposes the proud.” (1Pet. 5:5) This is a military term meaning that He sets himself in battle array against the proud. He still does! As Christians, we must never accommodate that which God hates. If we do, it will be to the peril of our own soul.
To illustrate the character of pride, I’m reminded of this story that I heard years ago about Continue reading “The Foolishness of Pride”
Most people prefer summer to winter. There are opportunities to get out and ‘break a sweat’ doing enjoyable things from yard work to outdoor sports. The warmer temperatures and delightful weather seems to scream, “get out and do something.” This is good. However, many times it comes with a sad element that makes me weep for summer.
In the mind of American Christians, the thought of modern missions usually consists of people dropping $2,000 or more to fly to an overseas mission field and teach kids how to comb their hair or kick a ball. However, it usually includes very little that reflects biblical missions. We leave the field with smiles and tears, but with very few conversions. We come home with the joy of having gone, but with the realization that a lot of money was spent for very little return of spiritual fruit. It seems it has become more about us…about appeasing our conscience over the lack of sacrifice we make for the gospel with our life of luxury. Instead of embracing the cross with all of our life, we offer one week out of the year to do ‘missions.’
Our culture hates absolute truth! It also hates and rejects men who are bold enough to proclaim it. That is why pastors should never seek to be popular or acceptable among the leaders of society. Jesus warned us to be concerned if “all men speak well of thee.” It is the sign of a false prophet. (Luke 6:26)
Every Valley in life has a road in and a road out…sometimes it’s the same road. These are the valleys in which the traveller can see the lowland slowing coming toward them. We get to prepare for the elevation change and experience the acclimation of our surroundings. Still, it is a valley nonetheless, and it brings a unique set of issues into our life.
Suffering and affliction are inevitable in this life. It proves the truth of the Bible that we live in a fallen world. Sooner or later suffering will land on our doorsteps; it will visit our life. As Christians, we are not exempt from the valley of affliction and tears. They are common to our life as we wait for the redemption of our body at the Lord’s return. Though our spirit is reborn and brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ, we travel through the same vale of trouble as every man. In fact, we may experience more than the average man because we are a threat to the kingdom of darkness and are targets for the enemy’s attacks.
Extreme Calvinists say “no” and extreme Arminians worship free will. As always, there is a great need for balance! There are pitfalls as a result of the logical conclusions we will arrive at if we embrace either extreme. The greatest pitfall is the damage to a clear presentation of the gospel. We must, in order to remain biblically balanced, hold to both the Sovereignty of God and the Free Will of man. If we allow either truth to crush out the other, it will lead us to various levels of misrepresentations of the gospel.
