By Nathan Jones – www.lamblion.com
If you are asking this question, then you are most likely a devout follower of Jesus Christ who is alarmed at the state the world now seems to be in.
This question may have been invoked by an election season that has left you flabbergasted over so many people turning a blind eye to the lack of the candidates’ biblical values. Or, maybe your church has dived off the deep end doctrinally and you’re wondering when a sermon will finally quote a Bible verse. You see societies openly welcome Islamic subjugation of their nations. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about people being thrown into jail overseas or sued in the U.S. for simply praying in the name of Jesus in public. The Christian evangelical movement seems to you fractured and in disarray for want of central leadership with a strong biblical worldview. And finally, you ponder if you are a dying breed in a world that has become increasingly cold and more hostile towards one’s fellow man.
It is indeed a world gone mad. You know it. And, you wonder…
What can I do to change the world?
Well, according to Bible prophecy – very little. This may sound defeatist, but the Bible clearly indicates that in the last days before Jesus’ return a number of paradigm shifts will occur to remove the biblical worldview from the overall culture. These shifts are:
1. Mankind – Love for one’s family and fellow man will grow cold, replaced by a love only for oneself (Matt. 24:12, 2 Tim. 3:1-4).
2. The Church – In the last days the Church will primarily be defined by its apathy and falling away from sound doctrine (Rev. 3:15-18, 2 Tim. 4:3-4).
3. Society – Society will devolve morally back to the days of Noah (Luke 17:26; 2 Pet. 2:5).
Though these tragic signs of the time point to the very soon return of Jesus Christ, we still don’t know if that day will come in months or even years. In the meantime, we have to live on, continuing to be lights in the world (Matt. 5:13). We have to fight for what’s biblical, moral, and God-honoring until Jesus Himself victoriously sets up his earthly kingdom of peace and righteousness.
And so, in the time we have left, we must dutifully follow the Christian’s calling by attempting to reclaim a Christian culture by bringing about the next spiritual revival in our world.
Strategy
What would it take to reach the vision of a revived world reclaimed by Christian culture – a culture of worship of Jesus Christ alone, where the Bible is the foundation of morality and law, and where mankind loves others more than themselves?
Here’s the strategy:
1) Start With You
a. Commit to Christ
True revival begins by the Holy Spirit working in the human heart. Is Jesus Christ your Savior? Is He Lord of every area of your life, controlling the thoughts and intents of your heart? If not, get right with Jesus first by asking for forgiveness and a renewed relationship with Him.
b. Be the Example
The world is going to be looking at how you live your life as an example of the genuineness of the message you’re proclaiming. If it sees hypocrisy, your message will be ignored. Are you living a life moment by moment that Jesus would approve? Are you loving others more than yourself? Strive towards becoming Christ-like.
c. Share Christ
A Christian culture cannot exist if people don’t know who Jesus Christ is – the Son of God and Savior of our souls. Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ can be scary, but scarier still are people going to Hell while we sit on the sidelines and watch. Have you shared your faith in Christ with someone this week? This is the point where most people give up and because of their fear let the culture slip away. Use your God-given spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:7).
2) Secure Your Family For Christ
a. Invite Jesus to be a Family Member
A family where Jesus isn’t a member of the family is missing its most important member. Do you invite Him in for family prayer every day? Does your family study His Word – the Bible – together at least once a week? A family where Jesus is palpably present lays a rock-solid foundation that will influence one’s children long after they’ve left home.
b. Get Right With Your Spouse
Most of the evils in society today – fear of commitment, perpetually broken relationships, loneliness, sexual promiscuity, drugs and suicide – are rooted in Dad and Mom’s marriage. Christian parents must stop the divorce! They must put each other’s needs first before their own. They must reconcile and forgive. Are you and your spouse setting the pattern of a Christian marriage for your children? Today is the day to begin healing that relationship. Society will not heal unless the family heals first.
c. Throw Out the Trash
“Garbage in, garbage out” is a true old saying. Is your house filled with music with lewd and violent lyrics? Are pornographic materials entering the house? Is the computer properly safeguarded? What shows does your family watch? If any of these and materials like them are in your home, they are a cancer, rotting out your family’s morality and unity. Dispose of them permanently!
3) Revitalize the Local Church
a. Know Your Bible
You won’t know if the messages from the pulpit are doctrinally sound if you don’t know what the Bible teaches. Do you read and pray on the Word daily? Do you engage in Bible study materials? Equipping yourself in the “full armor of God” will help you detect heresy.
b. Go to Church
If you are not where the true Church – other believers – are, then you are disconnected from Jesus’ primary change-engine in this age. Do you gather with believers in a weekly setting? Do you make sure your family is with you? Whether it’s a large mega-church or a tiny home church, it’s where God wants you to be for Christian fellowship, accountability and worship (Heb. 10:25).
c. Engage Within
Keeping the congregation on the doctrinally sound track and revitalizing the Christian culture within your gathering of believers requires engagement within the church. Do you only come to service and then leave? Do you volunteer in a ministry program? Are you engaged in a leadership role? The pastor ultimately leads a congregation, but the pastor should be led by the Holy Spirit and wise counsel from engaged congregants. If you are directly involved in growing a church and encouraging outreach, then you’ve earned the right to have the pastor’s ear and help chart the church’s course in having a passion for Jesus Christ, keeping to doctrinal soundness, equipping believers, and reaching out to those who have yet to meet the Savior.
4) Reclaim the Culture
a. Take a Stand
A society that doesn’t know Christ has lost its ability to discern right from wrong. When was the last time you made a public stand for Christ against something that was blatantly evil? Have you voiced your opinion against a TV show, art display, movie, school function, newspaper article, label company, business sponsorship or rights movement that is unbiblical? Have you lovingly and in compassion let an organization know that what they are doing is wrong? One person can make a difference if they speak up and act.
b. Help Those in Need
Jesus’ ministry was spent helping those in need, both spiritually and physically, within and without. These actions by Christ gathered the crowds and made him infamous with his enemies, garnering the attention to have His message heard. Are you involved in helping those in need physically as well as spiritually? Do you support outreach ministries with more than just your finances and prayers? Have you earned the right to be heard? Claim that right by being involved in showing Christ’s compassion and love, and you will point lives towards the Cross.
c. Lead
Society goes where its leaders’ vision takes it. If you are the one setting the vision of a Christian culture, then assuming a leadership role in society will give you the opportunity to act on that vision. Whether you have the personality of a leader or a follower, are you involved in some way with the decision-making processes of your civic leadership? Do you vote? Do you attend council meetings? Do you run for office? Are you a leader in your career field? Are you equipping your children to hold the vital roles that shape society – teacher, journalist, media, lawyer and politician? Use your God-given resources and talents as a leader who directs society towards the vision of being a Christian culture.
In Summary
You say you want a cultural revolution? It can happen. But, not if Bible-believing Christians remain on the sideline. A culture will not change if we are not actively engaged in it. Nobody is going to do the work for us. Engaging society towards reclaiming its Christian culture is up to each and every one of us who call Christ “Savior.”
While we prayerfully wait upon the Lord to return and set up a perfect society, with the Lord Jesus’ power behind us, we can make a difference for Christ now in individual lives and in the culture at large!
Will you join in the fight to reclaim the culture for Christ?
Categories: Bible Prophecy, Breaking News
After reading all the above posts, I have come to the conclusion that Lyn is quite right. Lyn, thank you for speaking the truth and not being rude. God bless
Amen. I stand for truth always. The perversions of God’s Word today make me sick.
Great message, Lyn. Thanks for posting it. It is so right on for what we are facing now.
As for pjgracecommunity, I clicked on that link he listed but it went nowhere. We are in the age of grace. If we were not, God would have destroyed this whole world for the evil that his filled it. Instead, because of his grace, we are not consumed. However, that has nothing to do with God’s judgements nor does the bible say that it does. When Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Apostle Peter about what they got for the sale of property, they were immeditately judged and both of them died on the spot. God is patient with us but he is also just. He punishes evil. We need only to look around and see God’s judgement coming upon this world. Jesus warned the man he healed that he must stop sinning or something worse would happen. I thought we were in an age of grace? We are. Don’t confuse grace and mercy with God’s judgement on sin.
Amen Marianne. You’re right on the money with this one.
Yes my brother. I know what the dispensation of grace is about. What I was commenting about was your comment regarding the Old Testament and God’s judgment, which I feel I explained. If you correctly study the entire New Testament..Jesus tells us repetively to obey God and to speak truth. We, as the body of Christ, can’t take sections of scripture out of context. It must be viewed in whole becuase it is alive. God gave us the entire Bible, not just the New Testament. However, putting the Old aside…let’s have a look at the Book of Revelation..a book written about future events. It is filled with God’s wrath.
We must tell people the honest truth about our Lord and things to come because, as I believe I quoted the verse from Revelation about being lukewarm…God instructs us to. We are to do so with love.
What I find sad is that we are all doing the work God has told us to do. We all have different callings upon our lives. God has called me to do as I am doing…and who are we to rise above God and tell someone how they ought to minister? Unless a person is preaching false doctrine and heresy.
We must remember, that Jesus is God in the flesh. God can’t lie. God says He never changes…nor does He change to conform with our times or our lives. He’s the same God today as He was when He made man.
So yes, I never commented on that because this was not my issue. The problem I had was that you were referring to people who believe that God’s judgment is here as ‘ignorant,’ and I disagree. The people who are asleep and not looking are the ones who are being ignorant of the truth..and that is in the Bible. I’m saying nothing unbiblical here.
So let me ask you a question. What is your interpretation of the book of Revelation? A book of God’s coming humility? A book of his coming wrath upon sin? Or, just a book that was put there just because? And if God is no longer a God who brings judgment, then don’t we have to say that the book of Revelatin is a lie then? And what about the prophetic books of the Old Testament, such as Daniel and Ezekiel… are those no longer meaningful to us, except for history? They are prophetic books….
By the way, I apologize for always calling you sister. I have bad eyes without my reading glasses. I never looked at your pic close up before, and I knew a woman who went by PJ once..so I assumed you were a woman…my bad. SOrry about that. YOu don’t look like a woman…I just assumed wrong due to what I explained above. God bless you.
Hi lyn, it’s evening here in England and we are doing well as a family I hope your day is going well ~ in regards to our discussion about “ignorance” do you know what the dispensation of Grace means or about?
Which my post posed the question which you didn’t come close to answering ~ If you don’t know or never heard of it ~ here is a link my sister ~ let’s enjoying learning together as we can learn from each other
DISPENSATION OF GRACE
http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/…/ …CHAPTER 9. THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE. We are now ready to study the sixth dispensation which …
Basically, we’re not going to agree on this..so the point is mute..you believe we’re living during a time of peace and I believe we’re living in the end times. So we’re just going to continue butting heads on this subject sister. I’m doing God’s work as He would have me, and with love and respect I would let you know that I’m not ignorant. I’m doing what the Lord has clearly told me and confirmed countless times for me to do.. to preach repentance, to prophesy, and to warn people that He is coming soon..that there is not much time left.
What I find odd is that the people who are accusing people of judging are the ones doing the judging..for example, calling them ignorant. To call someone you do not know ignorant is to judge them. Ignorance is not rightly dividing God’s living Word, and not knowing the days in which we are living, by burying our heads in the sand to Prophecy and the things going on around us. That is true ignorance.
I agree with you on the legalistics…as Christians should not dwell on politics, but should always trust in God that He is in control. We should follow the Bible 100% of what it tells us to do..and if we all did that, then we would all be at peace. Unfortunately, there are many today watering down the truth and creating there own perverted doctrines by pulling scriptures out to make the Bible conform with their doctrine. Well, the Bible doesn’t conformm to us..we either conform to it, or in the end, we’re in trouble with God.
2 Timothy 4:1-5, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at[a] His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (Please note: convince, rebuke, exhort, longsuffering, teaching….do the work of an evangelist and fufill our ministry….. that is exactly what I’m doing, praise the Lord, and I’m obeying the Lord because it is Him I have to please..not people.)
Now, we fully understand where we are in this. I’m not going to convince you of my way because you are dead set that your way is the right way. I’m just doing it God’s way in my life, and that’s really all I can do..is what He wants me to do. If I don’t do what He wants me to do, then I will find myself going down all of the wrong paths…just like Jonah.
God bless you.
thanks lyn but please don’t burn out this is one of the marks of grace because if it is God working then its grace ,if your tired then it your own effort… thats why i asked you did you sleep well the other night God bless lyn & more psyical strength.. for your ministry.
pj
PJ..I’m not ‘burned out’…I enjoy ministering truth and have lot’s of energy. I find your comment somehwhat ‘eloquently’ rude. Please note, that I have not been rude to you..this is not the way of Jesus to be rude. And I’m sleeping just fine, thank you. It is your choice to spread false doctrine, and I don’t really care to discuss it further with you, to be honest. I did as I was supposed to and corrected you..you don’t want to accept it. It’s solely between you and God now. It’s one thing to believe something, but another thing to spread things that are not totally correct, thus, perverting His Word. What you are saying can’t be found in the Word of God..about the judgment. You have now had two different children of God correct you on this. God be with you…and thanks for the prayers. I’ll be praying for you too, and for the people hearing your misleading message. 😉