Findings of the biennial State of Theology survey from Ligonier Ministers conducted with Lifeway found more than half of American adults, including 30% of evangelicals, I believe that Jesus isn’t God but rather a great teacher. 52% of American adults believe that Jesus was a great teacher and nothing more, while 65% of evangelicals agreed with the statement, “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God,” not both God and man. An earlier Barna study showed that only 51% of Americans believed God to be “all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect and just creator of the universe who still rules the world today.” In 1991, 73% of Americans believed that to be true.
Stephen Nichols of Ligonier Ministers noted, “As the culture around us increasingly abandons it moral compass, professing evangelicals are sadly drifting away from God’s absolute standard in Scripture.” “The spiritual noise in our culture over the last few decades has confused and misled hundreds of millions of people,” according to Barna.” [We] can no longer assume that people have a solid grasp of even the most basic biblical principles.”
These findings come with a “trumpet alert” to men reading this blog. Our culture will descend into chaos without a moral compass. “I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!'” (Jeremiah 6:17). This blog from time to time will sound the trumpet, warning of danger ahead. Pay attention. “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet” (Is. 58:1). I raise my voice as a warning to all men who read this blog. Men, the enemy wants to take you out, intending to have you drift without direction in the coming chaos.
Joel was told to blow the trumpet because the day of the Lord is coming. “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming” ( Joel 2:1). God is warning his people. A flood is coming. But like Noah’s day, “people didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away.” The enemy would like for you to be spiritual asleep and completely unaware of the coming flood, allowing you to be swept along by the coming confusion.
Men, don’t let yourself be caught napping in the coming tide. You may be in danger of being swept away without a moral compass. Remembering these anchor points will help. First, Scripture is your sure moral compass. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away away” (Luke 21:33). The Psalmist declared, “Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heaven” (Ps 119:89).
This second suggestion may surprise you. I encourage you to have a passionate, loving relationship with Jesus. The Psalmists panted after God. Let your deepest passions be for God. Allow yourself to be a lover of God.
Thirdly, in your daily affairs, know that you are part of the kingdom of God. It is now, not by and by. Jesus’ resurrection power and life are available to you. “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).
Fourth, I plead with you to find a group of men who are building an ark. That is, they know what is coming and they are preparing to weather the storm, not just for their sake, but their families. “By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved” (Heb. 11:7 Message).
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