Tag: values

The Dangers Of Forgetting God In Prosperity (Deuteronomy 8:7-20)

Brent Pollard

“But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today” (Deuteronomy 8.11 NLT).

In today’s world, self-sufficiency and autonomy are highly valued. But Deuteronomy 8.7-20 reminds us of our reliance on a higher power. Moses used this passage to warn the Israelites before they entered Canaan, and it teaches a valuable lesson for individuals and nations: the dangers of forgetting God in times of prosperity.

Humans often overlook and take the natural world’s consistent and predictable patterns for granted. When we receive everything we require from the natural order, we may mistakenly believe our success and sustenance are solely due to our efforts or luck. We fail to recognize the divine orchestration underlying the natural order. This passage encourages us to look beyond the natural laws that govern our daily lives and recognize the divine hand that propels these laws forward.

Moving from direct divine provision in the wilderness to self-sustained agriculture in Canaan represents a spiritual journey. It depicts a shift from visible reliance on God toward a faith-based partnership. As we live, success may tempt us to forget that our progress results from working with divine will and instead take sole credit for our efforts. This forgetfulness can cause alienation from our spiritual source, arrogance, and a false sense of self-reliance.

Many civilizations rose to great heights throughout history but eventually collapsed when they abandoned divine principles. The text warns us that ignoring God’s role in our success leads to spiritual decay, which frequently precedes physical and societal decline. The Canaanites and Israelites serve as stark reminders of what awaits those who choose to live without acknowledging God’s authority.

In an increasingly atheistic society, where people prioritize “science” over spiritual beliefs, it is critical to acknowledge God’s presence in all aspects of our lives. Our achievements and the beauty and order we see in nature are not solely the result of human effort or natural laws but rather evidence of God’s grace.

As we navigate the complexities of modern life, Deuteronomy 8.7–20 reminds us of God’s omnipresence and benevolence. Remembering God during times of prosperity promotes humility, gratitude, and a sense of purpose. Let us strive to keep God at the forefront of our minds and recognize that every blessing, no matter how small or insignificant it appears, is a testament to God’s unfailing love and provision.

What’s the call to action? How can we apply the lessons from Deuteronomy 8.7–20? Take a moment to reflect on your own life. Are there any areas in which you may have overlooked God’s role? Try something as simple as keeping a gratitude journal to record God’s providence. Also, consider ways to work with God to bring about good in the world. Instead of waiting for adversity to remind you of your need for the divine, strive to live each day with a conscious recognition of God, who is the source of all your blessings (see James 1.17).

The principles outlined in Deuteronomy 8:7-20 hold significance for individuals and our communities, cities, and nations. In this secular and complex world, it is crucial to have a place where people can gather and celebrate their shared values, including faith. Coming together can cultivate wisdom, kindness, and cooperation in these spaces. Let us consider this timeless advice as a guide that reminds us that we cannot achieve true prosperity unless we are at peace with God, ourselves, and each other, not just in material terms.

The Root Of The Problem

Carl Pollard

In 1978, Thomas Hansen of Boulder, Colorado, sued his parents for $350,000 on grounds of “malpractice of parenting.” Mom and Dad had botched his upbringing so badly, he charged in his suit, that he would need years of costly psychiatric treatment.

I grew up in a family that was fully devoted to Christ. My parents created a home that in every way glorified God. The principles they taught us, the love my parents had for each other, the desire to love and serve God, were seen for as long as I can remember. They both helped create a God-fearing Home. Recently, my wife Emily and I had our first Child. He was born January 27th, and he is the cutest little chunk. I never thought babies were cute until Rich was born, and then everything changed. 

Having a child really makes you think about the future. It puts everything into perspective. 

I want to have a family that glorifies God. Mom and Dad both set the bar high, and I want to do the same for my own family. I want to glorify God through the way I love my spouse, the way I raise and teach my children, and through the influence we have on others. Glorifying God in the family is one of life’s greatest pursuits. Numerous verses teach us the importance of family, more specifically the importance of a family that glorifies our Father in heaven. 

The family was created by God. 

From the beginning Gods design has been one man and woman for life. Genesis 2:22-24, “The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.’ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

A family unit is established by the joining of a husband and wife, and this is God’s design!

The only way for a family to glorify God is to accept and follow HIS design. Since the family was created by God, we need to recognize that we exist for the glory and purpose of God. 

God is speaking to the nation of Israel when He says this in Deuteronomy 6:2-3: “So that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. “O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.” 

The Israelites had a purpose for their family, fear God and keep His commandments. 

Notice that they kept these commands for their own good. God is the Designer of the family, and His commands will not only glorify Him, but will benefit us as well. Obeying God’s commands will result in a peaceful and unified family. Everything created by God exists to glorify Him; therefore, since God is the creator of the family, the family exists for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). 

Christian families are now in submission to His Son. Each person in the family is given a role in Christ and we do so to the Glory of God. Glorifying God in the family is essential because the family was created by God. 

But the question is how? How do we glorify God in the family? Very simply, we glorify God by fulfilling our purpose. We can bring glory to God if we obey His commands. We don’t have to guess what or how to bring Honor to Him. We just need to fulfill our purpose. Sadly, the world today has twisted and perverted the home. Many struggle in their relationships with family members, and children grow up in a divided home. Now more than ever, we should be showing the world what a God fearing home can achieve. The Goal of the family is to be unified in submission to God. 

If we will return to fearing God in our homes, the world will become a better place.

How The Church Can Use Technology To Reach A Changing World

Friday’s Column: Brent’s Bent

You’ve probably seen the results of the recent WSJ-NORC poll showing how much Americans’ views on patriotism, religion, and community involvement have changed in the past 25 years. It is disheartening. On a lark, I decided to query ChatGPT about this issue, asking:

How should the Christian community respond to generate interest in religion while remaining ambivalent about ideas of patriotism?

Here is ChatGPT’s response:

Firstly, the Christian community could focus on promoting the core values and teachings of their faith that resonate with people on a personal level, such as compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love. This can be done through various means, such as community outreach programs, social media campaigns, and interfaith dialogues.

Additionally, the Christian community could leverage modern technologies to make their religious teachings more accessible to younger generations who are more inclined towards digital media. This could involve creating engaging and informative content, such as podcasts, videos, and blog posts, that can be shared on various online platforms.

It is also essential for the Christian community to remain open-minded and inclusive towards people of all backgrounds and beliefs. By fostering an environment of respect and understanding, the Christian community can demonstrate that religion is not about exclusion or superiority, but rather about embracing diversity and promoting universal values.

Lastly, the Christian community could work towards building meaningful connections with other faith-based communities and organizations to promote interfaith collaboration and mutual respect. By coming together with other groups and working towards common goals, the Christian community can demonstrate that religion is a unifying force that can transcend political ideologies and nationalistic sentiments.

You’ve probably noticed ChatGPT’s and all AI’s known leftist bias. But, again, this is something that the media has covered. These new technological marvels are known as LLMs (Learning Language Models). In other words, reading what humans have written makes them more intelligent. And many of these AIs got their samples from the internet. 

The internet is not exactly a haven for right-wing or Christian ideas. Values-oriented internet monitors have estimated that at least 80% of the non-dark web was pornography. Others argue that it is more likely to be around 30% pornography. Whatever the exact figures are, it should be evident that the ratio of non-Christian to Christian content on the internet is higher. Thus, we don’t expect AI to present God’s plan of salvation. That is why preachers exist (Romans 10.13–17).

That said, the insight of ChatGPT is fantastic, with a few caveats. Unfortunately, open-mindedness and inclusivity are typically buzzwords for turning a blind eye to sin, which we cannot do (Isaiah 5.20). Likewise, societal acceptance of abortion and sexual immorality doesn’t mean such things are acceptable to God (Acts 5.29). We also cannot fellowship with those who do not teach the truth, even if they call themselves “Christians” or are part of a monotheistic, Abrahamic faith (2 Corinthians 6.13–15; 1 Corinthians 10.21). Otherwise, this advice is surprisingly sound. 

As the gospel changes lives like nothing else can, why shouldn’t we preach God’s word to make it as accessible to others as possible? We should help people see how to apply the good news to their lives (Acts 8.30ff). To that end, we should go back to more expository-style preaching. 

There are so many broken homes that providing people with a sense of community and family is inviting. Who would not want to experience compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love? But this requires getting out of our buildings and going where the people are. 

And, while we should not change the “old Jerusalem Gospel,” there is no reason why we cannot use modern methods to reach out to a lost and dying world (Matthew 10.16, emphasis mine). Unfortunately, more conservative mindsets are slow to adopt the latest technology. By the time more conservative minds feel comfortable venturing into new areas, those with whom they disagree ideologically will have dominated them. 

That said, the number of podcasts and videos our brothers and sisters are beginning to make available inspires me, and I hope this pattern continues. Political pundits, gamers, and true crime fans bury our offerings with their content. So you have to know what you are looking for to find it. It requires advertising and sharing our content with others. 

Even though we don’t want to waste our Lord’s money by following trends, it is prudent to keep up with new technology and figure out how to use it to spread God’s message worldwide. It’s important to remember that technology is constantly evolving, and we must adapt to it and use it in ways that reflect our values. By doing so, we can reach a larger audience and share God’s message with those who might not have heard it otherwise. 

How would you have answered this question I put to ChatGPT? 

Brent Pollard

Do Brotherhood

Neal Pollard

Hayden Holland, who obeyed the gospel less than three years ago, taught his first Bible class last night at Teens in the Word. It was an excellent, hour-plus long study of the parallels between serving in the military and living the Christian life. In this very practical study, Hayden mentioned the Army’s concept of brotherhood. The fraternity and bond built by basic training and the structural philosophy of the armed forces creates this sense of brotherhood among soldiers.  Without fellowship, he said, disputes will pull soldiers apart. Throughout his lesson, Hayden urged us to “do brotherhood.” Brotherhood is a noun, meaning “the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of people or all people” (Dictionary, version 2.2.1, 2016). Peter uses the word in 1 Peter 2:17, a word, according to BDAG, meaning, “A group of fellow-believers, a fellowship” (19; cf. 1 Pet. 5:9—“brethren”). Hayden’s exhortation to us was to do what it takes to create that feeling and fellowship.  Saying we are brethren, even acknowledging and teaching what God says is necessary to become part of that brotherhood, is insufficient of itself.  There is something to be done!

He directed us to the seven values touted by the army—“loyalty, duty, respect, honor, integrity, courage, and selfless service”—as examples of how we can “do brotherhood” in the Lord’s Army (cf. Eph. 6:10ff). Doing brotherhood means taking time to listen to and help our brothers and sisters in Christ when they are struggling. It means spending time together, engaging in each others’ lives. It means being faithful to live out what we say we believe daily, in the world and in the absence of our church family, because we love them and don’t want to let them down. It means talking out our problems and disagreements. As we work to see ourselves as a part of something bigger than just ourselves, the effect is revolutionary. Non-Christians see the bond we have with our brethren and it draws them. Jesus told His disciples that this brotherly love would be their identifying mark to a searching world (John 13:34-35).

How often it has been observed that Christianity is more than a state of being; it requires a life of doing. The brotherhood consists of all those within the body of Christ. But, that “group” has to be maintained, sustained, and retained. Such requires action! My action and your action. Let’s be sure we are “doing” brotherhood!

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THE BEAUTY OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY

Neal Pollard

There is an old episode of Father Knows Best where Bud, the Andersons’ son, has a glowing write up in the local newspaper for his star performance as his High School’s placekicker.  Success goes to his head, leading Bud to break the team’s training rules and stay out past 9:00 P.M.  His father finds out and urges him to tell his coach.  Bud begrudgingly does so, and he becomes convinced that his doing the right thing and being honest would lead the coach to let him off with a warning or look the other way.  When he’s told he cannot play that week because of his violation, he sulks and even blames his dad for giving him bad advice.  Eventually, Bud takes ownership of his misdeed, has a more humble attitude toward his importance, and even appreciates the decisions of his dad and coach to help him excel as a person more than a player.

Perhaps personal ethics have eroded to the point that many find such advice and subsequent actions preposterous and wrongheaded. The lesson was that actions have consequences and that honesty should be practiced, not for reward but simply because it is right to do so.  Trustworthiness and responsibility are the fruits of integrity and uprightness.

These principles, though unstated in that old television show, are thoroughly biblical in nature.  Broadly, the Bible praises those of upright heart (Ps. 7:10; 64:10).  Psalm 15 says those who walk uprightly, work righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart (2). It is often more difficult to do the right thing than the easier thing, but the path of least resistance does not usually lead us in the right direction.  We made each of our boys read Alex Harris’ Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations.  An overarching principle is that your choices should not be made based on what’s most convenient or least demanding.  Character is built when we have the courage of God’s convictions and do what is right, whatever it may seem to cost us in the short-term.  Ultimately, we will be better for it and so will the people in our lives!

“Under The Sway Of The Wicked One”

Neal Pollard

In 1 John 5:19, John readies the close of this epistle by observing, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (NKJ). The Greek word translated “lies in the power of” (ESV, NAS) or “is under the sway of” is a word meaning “to be in the power of one” (Zodhiates) and “to lie in” (TDNT). Bauer adds, “As the believer abides in Christ, so that he is nourished and fruitfully sustained by Him, so the world lies in the devil, by whom it is controlled and rendered helpless and powerless, and finally killed” (ibid.).  This gives us a clear picture of not only what the saints in John’s day dealt with, but also what our current spiritual climate is.

There is a growing culture of unbelief in contemporary society, a skepticism toward a truly biblical worldview.  With that, there is an intolerance bred by ignorance, a bias against the objective truth of Scripture.  In its place, there is a glorification of and infatuation with people and things the Bible calls sin.  That is not novel to our age.  Yet, it is good for us to be reminded that such misplaced affection is the result of a culture that lies in the devil, controlled and subdued by his way of thinking.  Paul tells the would be soul-winner to approach that work this way, “gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses” (2 Tim. 2:24-26a). What’s their problem? They are in “the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:26b).

We encounter people every day whose choices are the result of having come under the sway of the devil.  They have shaped their lives, their goals, and their desires, by the way he says that fulfillment, satisfaction, and pleasure are derived. For many, they do not know another way much less the way God has laid out in His Word.  Perhaps if we remind ourselves how people got where they are, we can help them get where Christ wants them to go. So many are looking for a better way and they know they have not found it.  Let us invest ourselves in them and through that relationship show them “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).