Just reading an article explaining worldviews in some social-critical psuedo-hip terminology as "POST-modern"...it's the sense that the world is leaving the 'moorings' of modern thought, (as though 'modernity' was a splendid philosophy to build our lives on!) - the fragmentation of authority and so on...
WELL - here's the rub... it now creeps into the emerging church language as a worldview that we live in a "POST-Christian" culture... that our culture (viewed from my bias as a U.S. citizen) has lost the moorings of its God-based foundation - in a strange twist of reflection that pines the 'good old days' were really the "Godly days" - well sin has always been a corrupting agent, and ever deadly - whether it was the friend who drowned on a drug trip in '68, kids in a drunken wreck in '38 or a shooting in poly in '07...
So - let's agree that perhaps, it wasn't MORE Godly in '42 than it is now...just somewhat less uncovered...
NOW - stay with me... let's see if maybe, in the sovereignty of God - It's "PRE" not "POST"!
God always took His people 'out' in order to take them 'in' - out of Egypt to go in to the Promised Land...
He is always a God of the "future and a hope" - so he is forward thinking... it is not about your past, but about your future that He is busy about right now...it may be about healing of the past, but the healing is for your future...
Job is misquoted as saying "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" - he didnt say that... read first chap. again - but that's another time - there is in context though, a concept that was understood by Job and the ancient philosophers...in fact in the NT Hebrews, the writer states that 'God took away the first, to establish the second" - OK, here's the BIG DEAL - It is a circle - (eccl. the way of the righteous winds ever upward) God takes so He can give...He is ever after EXPANDING YOUR CAPACITY! And, it is always about leading you toward your future! ...circular - He gives, takes away, expands, gives, takes away, expands, gives...
God changed Abram's name to Abraham not reflecting what had already happened (though it had in the spiritual realm) but so he would be focused on HIS FUTURE... everytime Abraham said his name, he was speaking faith into his future!
SO - in the redemption of the Cross...YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY YOUR PAST, BUT YOUR FUTURE!
now, let's look at reality of our world...
are we really a 'Post-Christian' culture? Did we have so much in the past, that it could never be better, stronger, larger?
NO!! Listen... here it is...finally... just another second!! -
WE are living in a "Post-Religion" culture...a century full of traditions, myths and divisive doctrines... and we are headed FROM a religious/institutional era INTO the greatest days of the church... out of - into...
catch this...get the perspective...listen openly...
THIS is the "PRE-CHRISTIAN" ERA! Now, doesn't that get you pumped!? The greatest expansion of theKingdom is just ahead of us... not behind us... we are focusing on the future, defined by our dreams, fueled by hope and lifted by faith...it's just ahead of us... The Christian Revolution... and today is the "Pre-Christian" era, setting the foundations in order...
WE are on the cusp, looking forward, not back...moving forward, not static... cranking into a brilliant "PRE-CHRISTIAN" era of spectacular victories...C'mon brothers-let's do this thing!!
think.live.grow.
grace/peace-paul
4 comments:
Great point Paul. One of the biggest mistakes that a Christian can make is believing that Christianity is on the decline simply because main stream media is bias to a dominant world view. If we aren’t careful we will become discouraged by viewing Christianity in today’s world as non-influential and irrelevant. As believers, we cannot mix our ideas of where society and the church are headed with the truth of God's desire to draw us closer to Him and to each other. The anointing of God is more powerful today than it was 4000 years ago. Christ is more alive today than he was 2000 years ago. There are more believers in more countries today then there were 100 years ago. We serve a progressive God, the proof is in His patterns. James 1:2-4
This is most definitely the “Pre-Christian” Era. The best days are ahead for those who stand on the Rock. Let’s remember to not focus on what we’re going through, but what we’re going to. I’m happy to be 31-years young and on fire for God. I can only imagine everything that God is preparing to pour out on His people in my lifetime. Here’s to the best years of glory-to-glory being ahead of us!
Abel V.
MaxMan Houston – Victory Family Fellowship
We cannot expect the story of Christ to be accurately portrayed by media, historians or even theologians. Scripture says we overcome the devil by the word of our testimony. As the testimony of Christ is confirmed in us daily, the world will have to recognize. Paul, you are covered in our prayer as you inspire men globally. Let’s keep taking the land, men. There is still much land to be taken.
Awesome point Paul.
God is a generational God. There is no way He will leave a generation behind.
We are are in this together pal.
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