Part 3 – CULTURE
“HOLY BIBLE – believe it or not; this book is being played out right before our eyes…” God is no optical illusion that we strain to see or find. He is not in hiding.
In previous articles I noted that in CREATION He readily makes Himself known to us. “God made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.” (Jeremiah 10:12) Evidence of His personal traits is right before our eyes.
In addition, as Jesus touched the lives of people by His grace and truth, countless CHRIST-FOLLOWERS have exemplified these traits. As they love Him and serve Him, the Bible is being played out right before our eyes. God is making Himself known through His followers.
Let me conclude by explaining that God is known to us through:
CULTURE
The “Living God” originated world cultures. The Bible tells us that, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth…he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else…He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and find Him though he is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:24-28)
But humanity prioritizes the preservation of these distinctives, often at the expense of seeking the Creator. God “is not far from each of us”, but when we push Him away, we are left longing for love, peace, and hope. Just watch the evening news. As God predicted, right before our eyes the evil of our culture is progressing:
“Mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4).
God has spoken. Any faith, ideology, philosophy, or “every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:3)
To all humanity He bids, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)
I am so glad that God is near! He makes Himself known through CREATION, CHRIST-FOLLOWERS, and CULTURE; we are NOT in the dark. I have seen the Light! I believe Jesus!
“Are you with me?”
Pastor Bill Terris