The Bible and Our Culture

"Make Known the wisdom of God to principalities and powers."

There is such value to your soul in trash-talking demonic forces.

Demonstrate the wisdom of God by your actions.

Like a professional athlete, when you struggle, go back to the fundamentals.

Perspective is everything!

Why did Paul go to the Jews first? He wanted the advantage of the Jewish people's background and worldview to help disciple new converts.

Riots, race and provoking the lost to jealousy.

Live an adventurous life for Jesus!  It will bring persecution.  

Make unbelievers jealous of the life you have in Christ.

Why did Paul go to the Jews first?  He didn't have a racial bias.  He had companions of all sorts of different ethnic backgrounds.  He wanted the advantage of the Jewish people's background and worldview to help disciple new converts.

Our civil duties are important, but not as important as converting people to Jesus.

Riots today are like riots in the book of Acts.

When the New Testament was written, Judaism was the main intimidating spirit, but today in Western Culture the main intimidating spirit is secularism.

Too many "Christians" don't want to show lost people they are lost; sadly, they want to be popular with them.

Because of intimidation; there is a tragic decline in the percentage of people who call themselves Christians today compared to a few years ago.  

Sadly, "Christians" don't want to show lost people they are lost; they want to be popular with them. They become easily intimidated.

Acts 18 - Divine Appointments and Divine Relationships.

Pastors have a right to earn a Salary as the serve in the Church, but it doesn't mean those who don't earn a salary are not as "spiritual" or impactful.  

Be a minister wherever your "secular" career might take you. 

Have a marriage like Aquila and Priscilla!

Have a career and ministry like Aquila and Priscilla!

Aquila and Priscilla have an amazing story the Bible hints at, but never really fills us in on the details.

Acts 19 shows how the church is called to be political speaking out on the controversies of the day.

Political groups ought to be involved in politics.  

A sense of community is great, but community-ism is often a trojan horse to surrender liberty.

Rioting is a tactic of the Left not the Right.  

Why did Jesus name His people after a political group, Ecclesia?

Acts 19 shows the true meaning of the biblical word "church".

Why Ephesus is so significant in the NT, and how does it relate to us today:

Keep your perspective, "keep looking down" because you are seated in the heavenlies.

God seated us in the heavenly places with Jesus. 

Ephesians 2 tells us who we are because of what Jesus has done.

There is nothing but vanity under the sun.

Judge 8 instructs us to tolerate those who will fight for God's people, but not those who are cowards.

Judges 8 highlights a distinction in how there's a place for tolerating even those who might have strong personalities, provided they are committed to standing firm for the values we believe in. Conversely, we should be wary of those who are unwilling to engage in the challenges we face.

 

Gideon's interactions with the Ephraimites offer a valuable lesson. Even though they leveled unfair criticisms against him, Gideon chose to accommodate them because they had demonstrated a willingness to fight alongside him. In contrast, his anger was rightly directed at those who refused to defend their nation.

 

Stand with those who are willing to fight for what is right and just, and to be cautious of those who shrink from that responsibility.

 

Don't tolerate "fellow believers" who would undermine the fight.

God's battleplan is to fight the enemy alongside others in God's army.

Though David v. Goliath is an amazing underdog story, it is still not as much of an underdog story as Gideon's army of 200.  

Beware of intimidation.

Gideon's army of 200.

Be active in your local church. 

God will help us build our faith. 

We can stand in faith and cause the enemy's plans.