Popular Agenda?

Are right and wrong convertible terms, dependent upon popular opinion? (William Lloyd Garrison)

I came across this question today and wondered if you have ever pondered just how 'right' or 'wrong' our society is today. It seems that many are swayed by popular opinion - sometimes choosing to forsake previously held beliefs that had been foundational within their families for decades. As the 'tide' of popular opinion swells, it seems that there are many carried away with that tide. The clear distinctions between right and wrong get blurrier and blurrier with each movement of the tide. At some point, we might just realize that we need to do a complete RESET of our 'beliefs' because they are no longer based upon TRUTH, but upon opinion.

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? ...Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:11-12, 17)

The scripture is clear - if we know what is right, we are to do it. If we don't know - then it is time to get back to TRUTH so we can 'reset' the boundaries within which we will set our course once again. Truth is the only thing that matters - opinion is not important. Whenever we allow opinion to guide our thoughts, our actions are sure to fall below the standards laid out in God's Word. Keep his Words front and center in your life and your 'opinions' will no longer be swayed by the popular vote! 

A few weeks back, our pastor shared a brief two-week series on how to study the Bible. It was very practical, and I would like to challenge us to consider how much it could change our own lives if we were to embrace just one simple practice he presented. He challenged us to get into the Word - not by using one particular method, but by finding the one that works for us. Find a translation that makes sense to us - because if we don't understand it, we won't want to read it. Find a time to get into the Word - because if we aren't purposeful in making the time each day, we will squander it away.

One of the helpful tips he gave is this - use what helps you get into the Word daily. In other words, if it is a 'bible study' booklet, use it. If it is an online daily devotional, so be it. If you want to study a topic, set out to study it. If you are drawn to use a specific outline format, adopt it. The important thing is to just get the Word into your life. The more you do, the less you are deceived by 'popular opinion'. You will know the truth, it will guide your actions, and you will live free of the quandary of 'right' vs. 'wrong' that seems to be inherent in so much of the 'popular agenda' right now. Just sayin!

A lesson in division

Tough question this morning - what, if anything, acts as a 'barometer' in your life, judging both your thoughts and the purposes of your heart? If you say it is the scripture, that would be good, but I need to ask you another question - how does having this 'barometer' affect your choices? The recent couple of days have turned chilly here in Arizona, moving the thermometer down from the mid-90's into the mid-70's. That is a big change that moved us from capris wearing weather to needing a small cover-up over you while lounging in the chair! I should have adapted my wardrobe selection to adjust to the weather shift, but do you know what I am wearing as I sit here this morning? Capris and a t-shirt - my usual casual attire. Despite the barometer clearly showing we were in for a significant weather change, I didn't adapt to the change. There are times when I ignore the weather barometer completely, so what would make me think I will always pay attention to the 'barometer' God places over my mind and heart to help keep me prepared for what comes next? To be transparent here, I often have a little conflict between what the 'barometer' is telling me in my mind and what my heart chooses to pursue!

The word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate bones from joints. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Scripture is a great 'tool' in our lives, but just as I might ignore the weather barometer, it is probable that I may ignore the 'spiritual barometer' at times. Scripture is actually given to help us 'divide' - to help us sort out the right from the wrong, the good from the bad, the 'next' from the 'not now'. Soul and spirit aren't always in complete agreement. Soul demands some way that spirit says is not the right choice or perhaps not the 'right now' choice. Spirit desires to make the right choice and be in the right timing. The two stand opposed to each other more often than not. Soul (mind, will, and emotions) can turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the things God tells us in scripture - because it doesn't please us, isn't going to fulfill some desire we have, or isn't making us feel good. Spirit will challenge those responses, but oftentimes our spirit has a hard time being 'heard' above the demands of our soul.

The Word of God is ALIVE and ACTIVE. There is no stagnancy in scripture. Yes, it was written a long, long time ago. Yes, it was written in a time when things were 'different' and 'simpler' than they are now. Yet, if you look at scripture long enough, you'll see the 'conditions' of long ago really aren't all that different from those today. Governments still fight to make themselves the biggest and most powerful leaders in the world - just like back then. People still are lured into illicit relationships - just like back then. Kids still rebel against their parents - just like back then. If the 'conditions' of all those years are really not all that different than the conditions that exist today, then scripture is indeed applicable to us today - it is ALIVE and ACTIVE.

It separates (divides) better than any scalpel or knife. Why? God's word is what brought life into being, it is what sustains it, and it is also what can take it away in a single blink of an eye. It is powerful and it is purposeful. Our actions all begin within the venue of our minds - the 'locale' of our thoughts is important because it determines the ground upon which we will 'engage' our actions. This is why God reminds us to keep his Word central in our lives - to help us be on the right 'ground' for each action. Too many times we move away from things that act as a 'judge' in our lives. If we are in a relationship where we feel 'judged', we might leave it. If we leave it, do we escape the judgment? Not really. The one who judged us is still able to take that same action time and time again - we just aren't in the relationship any longer. It doesn't stop their judgment. 

God's word can be abandoned, but it doesn't stop it acting as a 'judge' in our lives. His word isn't going to leave us, despite our efforts to leave it behind! The Word of God is ALIVE and ACTIVE - it doesn't just 'go away' because we don't want to pay attention to it. It still points out where our thoughts and the purposes of our heart are not 'right on' or where they have drifted 'away from center'. This is why I try to start each day with even a small portion of scripture. It helps to sort out my thoughts and it points out where my heart isn't pay close attention to the instruction I have been given. It oftentimes reins me in, reorders my steps, and takes me down a different path than the one I had chosen to pursue. It is indeed ALIVE and ACTIVE - it cannot be dismissed. Just sayin!

A rudderless ship?

A ship without a rudder is kind of 'dead in the water' - it can propel in some direction, but without the rudder, the direction is haphazard and subject to drift by the most powerful current it faces. A "principled" life can stand up to the worst life throws at it. Principles acts as our "rudder" - giving us the guidance for right conduct. They give us the fundamental truths by which we make our decisions. A life that is governed by the right principles will withstand the toughest of life's conflicts and all those disappointments we can face in our lifetime. Moral character and integrity act as marching companions of "principles" - each bringing the balance we need to "stay the course" when the worst is upon us.

The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin. A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst. Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life. Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust. (Proverbs 11:3-6)

Over and over again, scripture has record of the importance of developing wisdom and understanding. In order for wisdom and understanding to fully develop, we need certain foundational principles to be built into the fiber of our being so that our choices are consistent and upright. In the pages of scripture, we have record of the struggle that man faces with overcoming pride and embracing humility - one leading to honor from our heavenly Father, the other man's own disgrace. Honesty must be our guiding action in our affairs of life - otherwise our end will be ruin. Some 'foundational truths or principles' we must 'add into' our lives as we will with Christ are outlined as follows:

Silence - learning when no answer is better than any other answer we can bring into a situation. There is much wisdom in learning when our mouths will betray us with words that sting or belittle. It is best to never utter a word than to allow words to be spoken that bring another down. To this, we have the reminder about the destructiveness of gossip - words best left unspoken and unheard.

Submission - learning to accept the wisdom of counsel (those who have gone before us in learning the lessons of life). There is safety in wise counsel - learning to trust in that counsel is quite another thing. It is a struggle of "will" to learn to seek out wise counsel instead of plunging ahead in our own self-will and self-determination.

Sensitivity - coming into an awareness of our surroundings, those we are with, or the impact our words and actions make on others. The principled man or woman has learned to use their beauty wisely and modestly. The needs of others are foremost in their thoughts. The example that is set is one of integrity.

Service - the freedom to extend oneself in an openness of heart that betters the life of another and provides a positive example of the heart of God to those around us. Sacrifice and service go hand-in-hand. The heart of a servant is moved by the needs of those around them - they need not look far to see where their service is best used.

A principled life is both continually refreshed and rewarded. There is an unending supply of all we need to live well, live consistently, and live outwardly. There is an "emotional energy" that is "spent" in living a life of integrity (principled life). Yet, we can look forward to the continual refreshing of our mind, spirit, and emotion as we walk in the principles of righteousness. There is much to be discovered in "living well"! Let the rudder of your life be solid and right principles and your course will be steady. Just sayin!