Note: This is an open letter mainly to young men and women, but certainly applicable to people of all ages.
There is a dangerous pattern that we see in Abraham's nephew, Lot, and it's been seen for generations in our 'Christian' homes. The Bible says that Abraham departed, as the Lord had spoken to him, and lot went with him (see Gen. 12 & 13 for more context). Lot didn't have a relationship with God, Abraham did. He didn't obey Gods voice, Abraham did. He didn't sacrifice much of anything and he never built an altar. Abraham did. Lot just tagged along. Don't be like Lot. Second-hand Christianity will kill you. You need to know God personally. Read the Bible for yourself and pray to God that He will reveal Himself to you, today. Dig deep and learn what His Word says! Don't settle for anything less than what Jesus Christ died for you to have. Get your own faith. Build your own altar! Characteristics of people with second-hand faith: Every families definition of 'family time' is different. For some, it's a sacred event or tradition and violators are held accountable. For others, they only get to it when they get to it. It's unintentional. On one side of the camp, you have those who treat family time as strictly a spiritual event. No laughing, no smiling, no games, everyone must be properly aligned, Bible or hymnal in hand, and so on. On the other side are those who say family time needs to be all-encompassing and fun. It's all about games, outings, activities that awaken the mind and body, good food, the list goes on. Elsewhere, there are are those who try to find a healthy balance.
The Bible doesn't specifically address this concept of family time or movie night. But then again, the Bible doesn't specifically address a lot of things, like if Christians can drink wine/alcohol or if it's okay to smoke. In Psalm 119: 105, we see that God's Word is a lamp to our feet (the things that are close and within view) and a light to our path (the things that are in the future or not clearly seen). We live by faith and Godly principles. We don't walk around in life with a long checklist of things we can or can't do or things we should or shouldn't do. So, is movie night okay for Christians? For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. - 2 Timothy 1:7
In this verse, it's important to note how Paul draws a clear contrast between a spirit of fear and these three characteristics - power, love, self-control. This is like the litmus test of fear. If you can answer yes to the questions below, you have a spirit of fear. But there's hope. With God, there's always hope. His remedy for all sin and infirmity is still the same: His precious Son, Jesus Christ, and the power of His Word! This is a good reminder for us during this season of fear and hysteria. Whatever fear you're facing today, whether it's the COVID-19 disease or a lack-of-faith disease, the only way back is through the 'living and active' Word of God. On a similar note, I recently saved a good quote that I saw from a pastor I follow on Instagram. This might be helpful for someone, so here it is: Coronavirus can only cause the first death, which is physical death. But sin produces the second death, which is eternal death. Fear what is far greater (Steve Lawson). As we will see, the Holy Spirit produces all three of these characteristics in us (power, love, self-control). Connect with the verses and Biblical action steps below and pray through to deliverance! The video is for those who don't prefer to read =) This is a short, timely, message for Republicans.
And Democrats. And Libertarians. And the Green Party (especially the Green Party). And for anyone else who calls themselves whatever they call themselves, politically speaking. We have lost the art of debate and civil disagreement in this country. We don't know how to argue without hurting each other. When we don't agree on something, we simply revert to name-calling and lashing out with derogatory aggression. Intellectual debate seems to be a thing of the past, if it ever was a thing. |
ALTARPRENEURwith Danny & Daniela Kovacs
WHYNo family is an island. Join us as we share candid discussions, Biblical advice & resources to help keep God at the center of your faith, family and career. MICROBLOGS
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