Penetrate the Culture

Devotionals by The Alternative

Dr. Tony Evans:

In His Presence: Colossians 3:17

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world . . . Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-14, 16).

When we look closely at a culture that is deteriorating, we will probably see the people of God withdrawn from that culture. For example, when Christians began abandoning inner city and urban neighborhoods, taking their skills, resources, and moral influence with them, those neighborhoods deteriorated. When Christians left the public school system, moral values were systematically erased until they became almost illegal to teach. When Christians vacated the media, a spiritual approach to defining everything we hold dear went with them. When Christians decided to get out of politics, righteous political decisions left with them.

God’s people have been called to penetrate society. Of course, evangelism is always first because without forgiveness of sins, anything else we give a person is temporary. We have been called first and foremost to win people to Christ. But after a person receives Christ for eternity, he must represent Christ in history. Christians must give out hope; no earthly institution offers real hope for the world.

One Minute Please

The absence of righteousness in our culture has everything to do with the absence of God’s people penetrating the culture. When there is no yeast, the bread stays flat.

Source:  Are Christians Destroying America? Pp. 31-34.

You Just Gotta Want It

Every man has been at this stage in life at some point.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

(Matthew 5:6; NIV 2011 Edition)

Ahhh... The bachelor life. It's filled with many things: ultimate schedule flexibility, the ability to spend or save money for selfish things, very few pressing commitments, the chance to be on a path of self-discovery and more. But ask any bachelor and they'll tell you, a fridge full of well-cooked, healthy meals is rarely on that list! Sometimes a three course meal can consist of cereal, a banana, and a Twinkie OR if you're really trying to do it big for dinner you'll stop by the nearest grocery store and get one of those instant-made, microwavable steamer bags that bring top of the line meals to your plastic plate in about 10 minutes or less (depending - of course - on microwave power).

Yep, the life of a bachelor can be filled with bouts of hunger and times where you'd rather sleep it off than make a meal. In the natural realm, being hungry in and of itself does not guarantee that you'll find food at the end of that thought. Christianity, however, works a bit differently.

Blessed are those who hunger...

In this passage, Jesus is sharing with us the Beatitudes (Bee-attitudes; not beat-it-dudes lol) found in Matthew 5: 3-12. The passage clearing suggests that in order to be filled with righteousness you just have to want it. Hunger puts you in a place where you are open to receive that which you crave - and you won't be satisfied until that craving is met. If you are craving righteousness then are you then satisfied with unrighteousness? I would hope not since they are both direct opposites. It would be like craving water and settling for vinegar. Yuck!

...for they shall be filled.

Think about the last time you were hungry or thirsty. Think about the emotional place it brings you to - a position of weakness. The unique thing about Christianity vs. natural food is that natural food cannot come to you and fill you simply because you want it, but the Holy Spirit can. You may not be filled instantly when you hunger and thirst after righteousness but you will be set on a path that leads to gradual fulfillment each step of the way. You'll never want anything else.

The next time you pray, pray for hunger and thirst for righteousness... and prayer for any bachelor that you know so that his fridge might become a little bit more full!