Culture or Christ

As we were preparing to go Stateside someone told me that I will not like America anymore.  The person was saying this because all of the change that has taken place since our last visit.  They went on to talk about what is on television, in media, the way people speak, dress, the way anything goes, and how selfishness rules.  I have heard things from many people and I do still live in this world so I am not totally naive.  In one sense nothing changes.  In reading history with my kids in school the sin, wickedness, anti-God, anger, lust, immortality, persecution...were all there in some form or another.  The devil and evil doesn't change.  It coats itself in different cultural ways but he still uses the same tools to kill, steal and destroy.  He is the deceiver and there is no truth in him or his ways.  I see all the evils and results of them around me here too.  On the other hand, it doesn't matter that evil has always been in our world.  It is simply sad to see our nation accepting these ways.  I grieve over it.  I hate sin and long for the holiness of our God.

After this person said this to me, I thought well I shouldn't be the only one who doesn't like what America is becoming.  All Christians should not like or accept the change.  God has told us His way, His will, and desire.  He has told us what is true.  This is what all of His children need to live by and stand for.

My response to the person was that I know that everywhere needs Jesus and so everywhere I go I see it as the mission field.  I don't go to America and think I am now home, all is fine and I can sit back and do my thing.  It is not just Africa that needs the Good News and truth.  No matter where I am I am God's representative.  I want Him to use me, flow out of me, and share His love through me.  My life's purpose is to share my Savior - no matter where I am.  It is every believer's mission.  Jesus told us to start at home and then go out from there to all.  The world is our mission from God.

The whole discussion made me think about a spiritual gifts test I took several years ago.  One gift that came up for me was prophet.  I didn't know exactly what that meant and looked it up.  Basically the gift of a prophet is one who speaks God's truth.  Then I understood why it came up on my test.  I love God's truth and feel called to share it.  This "gift" makes me very nervous though.  As I look at all of God's prophets, those who speak God's Word, most were hated, misunderstood, mocked, and even persecuted.  Speaking God's truth is not an easy job!  And you will not be popular.  I have often said that people either love me or hate me because of what I say.  This was really hard for me until I realized it was the same for all of God's people.  We all have been given God's Word and have His truth, so really we are all His messengers or prophets.  Are we willing to live it and share it when some will hate us?

I was reading in my devotions the introduction to I Corinthians and it speaks so clearly to today.  The followers of Jesus were a new creation with values and a life style that confronted and clashed with the world around them.  The Christians struggled with their environment.  They were surrounded by corruption, every sin thinkable, and felt pressure to adapt.  Paul wrote to them to help them know how to live in a sinful society.  He calls all Christians to be careful not to blend in with the world and accept its values and life style.  We must be different, set a part, for God.  Biblical truth needs to guild our actions.

I was also reading a book on praying the Psalms and the introduction to Psalm 2 spoke to me.  The Psalms teaches us to pray our intimidation.  Everyday we face a hostile world.  Each day is filled with noise, lies, scheming, violence...underlying this is the spirit of anti-Christ (anything opposed to Christ).  Jesus told his followers to be in the world but not of the world.  The world will have tribulation, but we must take heart as He has overcome the world (John 16:33, 17:14-16).  Prayer is our spiritual weapon.  Prayer works because God is at work.  God's answer to our intimidation, and to the world, is the Messiah.

2 Cor. 7:1 says, "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." 

So this all comes down to culture or Christ.  We talk about culture all the time here.  As missionaries we can see clearly the culture here and our cultural differences.  In our church here and in our teaching it is common to challenge is this from culture or Christ?   Are you following culture or Christ?  It can be difficult for people in their own culture to see what is from our culture and what is from Christ.  In other words how the culture has shaped our Christianity.  Have we mixed culture with Christianity?

Here are a few ways I check to see if I am following the culture or Christ:
1. What I view.
Many people have told me there is NOTHING worth watching on TV anymore.  I often ask then why do you watch it?  I know they are because I can see what they are watching on their big screens from the road.  I hear people say it is their let down, way to relax and unwind, and not have to think...an escape.  Have we followed the culture or Christ?  Does Jesus say not to be sexually immoral, lie, and murder BUT it is ok to watch it all and put it in your mind?  Jesus wants to be your escape, your place of rest and He wants us to unload on Him.
2. What I talk about.
From the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  What goes in comes out.  When I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength I can't help but talk about Him.  When I seek the Lord and He is first in my life, He overflows out of me.  When I know God's Word, it is in my heart and on my mouth.  When Jesus is my best friend and I spend time with Him, He is who I talk about.  And there isn't room for negativity, the lies (even little ones), the disrespect, mean and meaningless talk.
3. How I dress.
I am a temple of the Living God!  I want no part in causing a brother temptation or my daughter getting attention because of her body.  It is wrong.  When fathers let their daughters wear revealing clothes or mothers wear the same things we have followed the culture.  When our husbands, brothers and sons cannot sit in church without temptation because of what is worn it is a problem.  Why would we want to show our bodies to everyone - let alone our daughters being seen by everyone?  Do we understand the gift this is, that we are holy, God lives in us?  Are we following Christ or culture?
4. How I spend my time.
Everyone seems to say they are too busy - too busy to spend time with God.  Everyone seems to have time to keep up with everyone on social media but too busy for God and His work.  Too busy for prayer, worship, church, rest, family, marriage.  These are God's priorities and His desire for us.  Are we following the culture with our time or God's ways?
5. How I view and use our money.
We say it is all God's as Christians but how do we spend our money?  I am the first to tell people how generous Christians are in West MI, but I will also say we are wealthy and with that comes great responsibility.  Jesus did not praise the wealthy for giving big amounts, but the poor for giving sacrificially.  Do I give sacrificially?  Do we give instead of getting a bigger house, new furniture, going on vacation, playing sports, going out to eat...?  We are so very blessed and it is not for ourselves.  We are blessed to bless others.  God is the giver and owner of all we have.  He wants us to use it for His kingdom.  Don't believe the culture and want it all and spend it all.