Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada with a word about our culture.
Actually, it's a word for Christians in our culture. Because there is no believer I know who doesn't agree that, yes, American culture is so far removed from the Bible, liberal and morally way off center. Whether it's Dancing with the Stars or watching Barbara Walters and her friends on The View, the message is the same: feed your appetites, get what you want, and let it all hang out. When it comes to what you see on television these days, it's all about letting your passions prevail. Now, most Christians would say that we don't indulge in our culture, no. Things that are blatantly wrong, even wicked, we would never do. But it's not at the banquet of the wicked where we stuff ourselves on evil deeds; we've become instead voyeurs, sampling what (we're convinced) is a safe, nibbling-at-an-arms-length distance from the table of the wicked. It's not pagans who have a problem with the world, the flesh, and the devil; it's us believers.
I'm including myself here. My spiritual battleground is not over a torrid love affair or the x-rated shelves in the video store. My paralysis prevents me from reaching for common temptations. My fight of faith instead is played out on the field of my thoughts. What my body can't have, my mind will shift into overdrive to deliver. But I’ve learned that daydreams and fantasies only frustrate you, creating feelings of restlessness and dissatisfaction with the way things are. That’s not good; that’s not right. And you know when you’re nibbling at the delicacies our culture offers — you know it because you can hear the Holy Spirit whisper, “This is not what I want you to be doing with your time.” Am I right? Look, we keep playing with fire and sooner or later, it’ll burn us.
But, Dr. John Piper has good advice. He says, “The way you fight fire is with fire. To combat powerful passions, you need something far more powerful in your arsenal. The fire of enticing thoughts must be fought with the fire of the pleasures that God offers.” If you try to fight lust with a bunch of threats and warnings alone, you're going to fail. The fight of our faith against wrong thinking is the fight to stay satisfied with God. The Christian’s battle is not just against wrongdoing; it’s a battle to stay close to the Lord; it involves more than rejecting evil; it means pursuing God. It all comes down to knowing Jesus better; and once knowing him, finding Him more appealing and lovely and attractive than anything the world has to offer. When faith in Jesus has this sort of upper hand in your heart, you can’t help but be satisfied with Christ. You find that He's enough. He’s sufficient. You're not thirsty for the things of this world anymore. It's what Jesus means when He says, "He who believes in me shall never thirst."
If you satisfy your thirst for joy and passion by the promises of Jesus Christ, then the power of sin in your life is broken. Boy, that's real passion. And to help you, I have a 14-page, laminated pamphlet I'd like to send you called Bible Promises for Hope and Courage. Just go to my radio page today at joniandfriends.org and ask for your free copy of Bible Promises for Hope & Courage. When you and I satisfy ourselves on the promises of God — courageous promises — then the star-bright radiance of His life chases away every lesser desire. So let me hear from you today at joniandfriends.org. And one last word of warning, when it comes to our wayward culture, friend, quit nibbling. There’s no such thing as a safe arms-length distance.
© Joni and Friends, 2013
Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376