Communication during conflict

5-14-17 sermon examining how Christians should communicate with others during conflict. #Christiancommunication #Christiansandconflict #biblicalpreaching

Perseverance in Philippians

My Review of the Ark Encounter

         Whenever I study the Word of God I always think, I wonder what it would have been like to see that. What would it be like to see the glories of Solomon's temple? What would it have been like to walk through the Red Sea? When I first heard about the Ark Encounter project, I was very excited. For the first time in my life I would get to see the size of Noah's ark. Last Saturday I saw it with my own eyes. It truly was an incredible sight.

         I would first like to state that I do not believe either Ken Ham or the individuals who work at Answers in Genesis to be infallible men. The work they did at the Ark Encounter was based off of years of research and planning. At the end of the day, it is their interpretation. There are aspects of the ark that may or may not be exactly like it was when Noah and his family entered into the ark. However, from what we are told from the Bible, it appears to be fairly accurate to the Scriptures. I was pleased with this aspect of the Ark.

         I will start with the actual size of the ark. In many ways it is hard to explain the actual size of the ark. The structure is huge. However, I am different from many people. Most people were in awe from looking at the outside. I was impressed, but I had read so much about the ark in my head I had imagined something even bigger. I was NOT disappointed, but years of study and imagination put an unrealistic idea in my head. Yet, when I stepped in side and looked up to the top, I was amazed. It was at this point that I saw how small I truly was to this creation. For everyone, I think that moment of the size of the ark will hit them at different points. When I looked up and saw how far I was from the top, I realized this boat was truly huge.

         If you go, and I do highly recommend it, be prepared to walk. We started our tour sometime around 9:30 and stopped around 1:00 to get something to eat. When we stopped, we did not go through the last display (we came back for that). We walked thousands of steps just going through the ark. If you go, plan on being there a while and walking a lot (there are plenty of places to stop and sit to take a break).

         Besides the size of the ark, the one thing that will catch people's attention is the professional displays. If you have been to the Creation Museum you know that the displays that Answers In Genesis make are not like some Christian attractions. The people at Answers In Genesis design their work to rival that of major attractions. Many of the displays look real. It is a first class attraction. Even if you do not like Answers In Genesis or the Ark Encounter's purpose, you will have to admit that they an amazing job on the people, animals, cages, living stations, and work stations. The videos in the Ark Encounter look as good as anything you will see at Disney.

         One of the things that really caught my eye throughout the Ark Encounter was the questions that Answers In Genesis were willing to answer. I talked to people that worked for Answers In Genesis. Before I arrived I knew that they expected more non-Christians to come to the ark than Christians. I believe this showed in what they addressed. Answers In Genesis addressed questions I never thought to ask such as what was the ventilation system, how did they get rid of the waste, and how did they make repairs in the ark (blacksmith and wood working rooms). I always believed the ark account in the Bible and the doubts never really entered my mind. However, for people who think that it is a "fairy tale" and doubt that the ark would have floated or sustained life, I could see how these questions would need to be answered. In my mind I always just thought of a boat with supplies and animals. I never thought about the technology of the ancient world. The possibilities of how they would have lived for that time were amazing to think about. One clear thing that Answers in Genesis highlighted, these people were not idiots. I left with a new vision and appreciation for what life was like in the ark.

         My favorite display of the entire ark had little to do with the ark. At the end of the tour, you enter into a display that showed how the Bible has traveled all over the world. They displayed ancient manuscripts, older copies of the Bible, and dozens of stories about the sacrifices men and women made to take the Bible to all the continents around the world. The Creation Museum has a much smaller display of the Bible. This one is more detailed and, in my opinion, much more interesting. In fact the entire upper floor was awesome. This is where Answers in Genesis attempted to deal with some skeptic issues on some of the stances that Answers in Genesis take. Again, it was well done with great presentations.

         We also went to the restaurant and the petting zoo. Both were nice. Petting zoos are not my thing, but for those who enjoy them I think you will like them. I did like the food that we ate and the restaurant is large so you should be able to find a place to eat if you attend there.

         I will also say that the people who work at the ark were helpful and easy to deal with. I do commend the efforts that Answers In Genesis made to find good workers who care about their job and care that you have the best possible experience.

         I knew that the day I went we had a large crowd. However, I had no idea how large it was until I came home and saw Ken Ham's facebook post. Apparently that day there was 6,000 people. There were certain stops and displays that were crowded and some isles that were crowded, but it never really felt like it was that large of a group. I think that speaks to the design of the ark and the workers who were there. Normally I hate being in large crowds (except during Christmas), but I did not mind it on that day. If you are worried about being in large crowds, I would tell you not to let that stop you. Visitors were friendly and there were no major issues that made me hate being in a large group of people.

         Some would want to know if a non-Christian will become a Christian from visiting the Ark Encounter. My simple answer would be it depends on why they are a non-believer. If they doubt that the events in the Bible actually happened as recorded, then this place will help. If they have a heart that is open to hearing and believing, then this is a good place to take them to have a biblical discussion. Otherwise, I do not know. I do not say that as an insult to the work done at the Ark Encounter, I believe they did an excellent job discussing the problem of sin and why we should repent. What I mean is it really depends on why a Christian is a non-believer or why they left the faith. People are not a "one-size fits all" category. Some people do not believe because they have never heard the Gospel preached. Others have had bad experiences with Christians/churches. Some have only been given reasons to doubt the Word of God instead of why they should believe the Word of God. I do not know how many people will be converted after visiting the Ark Encounter. What I do know is that this place will help. It will give churches the opportunity to have discussions with people about the Word of God. It will give people something else to think about instead of hearing just one side of the argument. If you are going to encourage a non-Christian to go, I encourage you to go with them in order to discuss what is said there and try to be a witness to them.

         Whether you are a Christian or non-Christian, I do highly recommend the Ark Encounter. It was a great visit and I plan on returning with my church as soon as possible.

What the Church Can Learn From The Force Awakens and Creed

         Over the past couple of years, Hollywood has revisited many of the great movies and television shows of the past. Last year both the Star Wars and Rocky franchises saw spin offs and continuations. Television shows such as Full House and Boy Meets World have also been revisited with new television shows. These new movies and television shows have seen success where other reboots, spin offs, and sequels have not. What has made these shows and movies successful? I believe the answers to these questions can help the church today.

         Both the Star Wars and Rocky movies contain some iconic characters that have been immortalized in American pop culture. Many reboots have attempted to find new actors to fill these roles. This is often where these reboots fail. Sylvester Stallone is Rocky. The way he talks and walks is unique and is hard to duplicate. The same could be said for Harrison Ford as Hans Solo. It is hard to recapture that magic successful. So the franchises did not attempt to do it (at least not yet). Instead, they let these actors play these roles, not as the main heroes but as mentors and supporting characters.

         I believe this is key to both successful movies. The new heroes were allowed to step forward and attempt to win our hearts. Our old heroes did not simply disappear, they were their teaching lessons, guiding their lives, and being true mentors that took an active interest in the lives of these new characters. Because the old characters cared, we began to care.

         This is necessary. Sylvester Stallone is too old to be a believable fighter in the ring. Someone new had to step up and make us believe that the fight was achievable and winnable. The old generation did not roll over and disappear. The new generation did not push them aside. The younger generation sought the advice and counsel of the older generation. The old generation was willing to give it. This was not easy. If you watch the movies closely, there were some struggles. The older generation was reluctant to help and, at times, the younger generation was resistant to listening. When both sides gave in and listened to each other, encouraged each other, and worked together, they found the answers they needed.

         How does this apply to the church? The church is designed to encourage the younger and older generation to work together, to encourage one another, and to motivate each other. This is seen clearly in the book of Titus.

         Titus 2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. ³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. ⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷ In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

         The old generation was designed to teach the younger. The faith was designed to be passed on from the older to the younger. The older generation has had more opportunities to study and practice God's Word. They have faced many of the same trails that the younger generation now faces. They know what worked and what did not work. The younger generation typically provides the energy and the hope for the future. They can be a motivation to the older generation to keep moving forward. They provide the chance for the older generation to over come their mistakes.

         I believe this is missing too much from our churches today. We have compartmentalized the church into groups instead of assimilating groups into the body. As a result, the older and younger generation rarely are together. Instead of motivating each other, they often view each other with suspension. Older and younger people often have different needs and the church has limited resources. Too often they view their needs in competition and see each other as hampering the needs of each other. The truth is each group has what the other needs and lacks. When we keep them separate, we are hurting more than we are helping.

         In our society today, many kids do not have a healthy relationship with a parent or grandparent. Also, many elderly people do not have the opportunity to see their children or grandchildren on a regular basis. There is something missing in their lives. The church has the opportunity to bring these groups together and allow them to minister to each other. This is a need in our society and the church needs to work at fulfilling this ministerial need.

         The other thing that these movies and television shows did well was keep the spirit of the franchises with an update. I grew up a huge Rocky fan, he was a hero of mine. I did not know what to expect with Creed. The movie is different from the original franchise. Creed is a different character, with different problems, and a different personality. Even though he was different from Rocky, he was the same. The movie still had that underdog feel, with a hero that would not give up even though he had reasons to. Even though I did not identify with Creed like I did with Rocky, I left the movie liking the direction of the franchise and feeling happy that Rocky would not just end but would have a chance to continue.

         The church faces some challenges today. It has been struggling with change for decades. In some ways, change is inevitable. There are aspects of the church that changes with our culture. That has been true since the beginning. Not all change is wrong or unhealthy. However, the mission, message, purpose, and atmosphere of the church should not change. We cannot change the message of the church because the church does not belong to us it belongs to Christ. When we come to worship service, there should be some changes that we see. Buildings will reflect the modern style. Music will reflect the modern style. Clothing will reflect our modern style. The message must reflect the teachings of the Word of God. The elements of worship must be the same as those found in the Word of God. The practice of the church needs to reflect the practice of the early church. If our church reflects a church that is totally unfamiliar then we must likely have gone too far.

         This is what often happens with the reboots that fail. They change so much we do not recognize the characters. The tone of the movie is completely different and it just does not feel the same. This was one of the mistakes of the Terminator reboot, the hero became a villain and it took away an element of hope. In Star Wars, hope remained because the original cast was there and provided hope. Change is necessary, but if change goes too far it can become destructive. When we make change in the church we should seriously pause and ask why. We should debate whether we are taking the heart out of Christ's body or if we helping the body of Christ to better minister to our society. Change is difficult to achieve.

         Our society is beginning to look to the past for something. Pop culture reflects what society is seeking. We want our heroes and fictional "friends" of the past to return. We want to go to familiar place for familiar lessons and familiar experiences. We want them to teach us the answers once again. The church should see this as an opportunity. The church can be that familiar place, with similar but new experiences for a generation that is returning and a generation that has not found what it is looking for. The church does not need a reboot; it needs a continuation. We can speak to a new generation if we learn how to do it.  The church needs to be wise in making changes. Change is a part of life and is often necessary. Change that goes too far can be destructive. Give people something familiar but something new that will minister to their hearts and win them to Christ again.

Understanding the Bible: Patriarchal Period

         The Bible is a wonderful book that God has given us. It teaches us who God is, what He desires, and how we can be saved. Everyone can understand the Bible. However, there are aspects of the Bible that causes people confusion. In this article, we will begin to examine the different divisions in the Bible.

         The Bible is written over a period of about 1,500 years. God used about 40 different men to give us the Bible. It contains 66 different and unique books. In order to better understand it, we need to break the Bible down into simpler and smaller parts. When we examine the smaller parts of the Bible in the larger context of God's purpose of the Bible, then we can gain a greater understanding of the Bible.

          Our Bible has two main divisions in it: The Old Testament and The New Testament. It may be easy to understand this division if we use different names: The Old Covenant and The New Covenant. A simple definition of the word covenant in the Bible is an agreement that God is making with mankind. In a covenant, God is promising to do something and man is promising to faithfully follow God. The covenants in the Bible have the understanding that God is the great king and the people are His servants.

         The Old Covenant was given to the Israelite people. The period of the Old Covenant is actually divided into two other divisions. The first division is sometimes called the Patriarchal Period. It is called this because God is mainly dealing with the heads of the household. The major people are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. This time period is recorded in the book of Genesis. Some believe that the book of Job took place during this period as well, but that is open for debate. This period is unique and different from the rest of the Bible.

          There is no known written word from God mentioned during this period. The first book of the Bible is Genesis, which is written by Moses. Moses lives about 400 years after the time of Abraham. Since there is no known religious writing, we do not have a written law during this time. For example, when God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He gave Moses a written law to explain what sin is, how to atone for sin, the design of the Jewish religion, and the every day behavior of the Jewish people. When we read the book of Genesis, we should keep this in mind. The Bible is recording how men behaved without a written Word. The accounts of Noah, the tower of Babel, and Sodom and Gomorrah teach us how wicked the world can be without the Word of God restraining evil. This time period also teaches us that man cannot save himself.

         Even without the written Word, God did implant into man an understanding of right and wrong. Throughout the book of Genesis there is an understanding that murder, rape, drunkenness, lying, stealing, and idol worship is wrong. However, the conscience of people during this time was warped and ignored what God had implanted in them. God made them accountable for breaking His moral code. While God overlooked some foolishness, He did not completely ignore sin. People were punished for their wickedness.

         The fathers, or head of the household, were seen as priests of the family. They made sacrifices and offered prayers to God during this time. It was something that was passed down from Adam to his children. Unfortunately, not everyone learned it. Even after the time of Noah, false worship arose and led many astray.

         During this time period, God is focused on beginning His plan to bring the Savior into the world. God makes a promise to Adam and Eve that through them would come a Savior. Genesis 3:¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This is the first prophecy about Jesus Christ.

         The book of Genesis shows how God was bringing this promise into the world. He continues this promise when He kept Noah and his family alive during the time of the flood. Without Noah and his family, the world would have died with no hope of salvation and all men/women who lived before the flood would have been lost in an eternity in hell. After Noah, God choose a man named Abraham to continue this promise. God gave Abraham this promise: Genesis 12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ² “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The rest of the book of Genesis shows how God fulfilled the promise to Abraham and how He protected that promise in a hostile world.

         When we study the Patriarchal Period (book of Genesis), there are some things that we need to remember that will help us understand the Bible clearer:

1. Read Genesis in its moral, religious, and ethical context. The rest of the Bible contains laws and commandments that these people did not appear to have access to. Therefore, the followers of God during this time period may do some things that we are forbidden to do. Their lives are not a complete example for us to follow. We must follow their example while examining the commandments given to us to day. For example, they did practice polygamy but that does not mean we should. God clearly forbid it in the commandments in the Bible. Follow the commandments of God.

2. Read Genesis with its purpose. The purpose of Genesis is to inform us how we go from Adam to the time of Moses. We see why the Jewish people are important. The purpose is to show us how God's plan came together. It also shows us how wicked man is without the written Word of God.

3. Read Genesis in its timeframe. Some want to make the Bible look hypocritical or point to inconsistencies by reading Genesis out of its timeframe. Genesis, and the Patriarchal Period, occurred before the law and before the commandments of the New Testament. These people did not live under those laws and requirements. We should not hold a standard against them that God did not.

4. God's moral standard is consistent. Even without a law, God's moral standards are consistent throughout the Bible. His stance on human life, human sexuality, and human behavior is the same. This shows us that God does not change. It also shows us that He requires us to follow that moral code no matter what. There is no excuse for us since we have access to that moral code.

         The Patriarchal Period is just one section of the Bible. Another section is the Mosaic section and we will examine that next.

Understanding the Bible: Mistakes People Make

         The Bible is still one of the most popular books in the entire world. It is God's gift to mankind. God gave us a book that we can read, understand, and follow. God would not be so cruel as to provide us a book, command us to read it, and then make it so difficult that people could not understand it.

         However, I believe that the church has done a poor job in teaching people how to read the Bible. It is important for the church to teach people what the Bible says. Yet, it is equally important for people to know how to read the Bible for themselves. The world is full of false teachers that abuse the Bible. In order to make sure that we do not follow false teachers we need to make sure that we are studying the Bible personally at home as well as collectively when we are at church.

         As with any activity, it is important to know what not to do as well as what to do in order to be productive. In this article, we will look at some mistakes people make when reading the Bible that causes confusion.

1. Understand the Divisions in the Bible. Your car engine is a complicated piece of machinery. In order to understand it properly, you need to understand how the individual parts work, their purpose in the engine, and the placement in the engine. The Bible is very similar. The Bible is made up of 66 different books. Each book takes place in 2 major divisions (Old and New Testament). Each division has smaller divisions (Books of Law, History, Prophecy, etc.). This means that different books of the Bible actually have a different purpose. For example, the book of Leviticus is written under the Old Testament. Its audience is to the Jewish people before the time of Jesus Christ. Leviticus is part of the books of the Law, which taught the Jews what God commanded concerning their morality, behavior, and religion. The book of Romans, on the other hand, was written after the time of Jesus Christ. It is written to Christians about their faith, religion, morality, and church conduct. The mistake that many make is assuming that each book serves the same function in the Bible. The ultimate purpose of all 66 books is to lead one to salvation in Jesus Christ. However, each book has its own function in the Bible. Many misunderstand the biblical text because they fail to understand the purpose and function of the book they are reading. I will be writing another article describing each section of the Bible and its overall purpose in the Bible.

2. Context. One of the biggest mistakes of the Bible is taking an individual verse out of context. Chapters and verses were not an original part of the Bible. Each verse was designed to be read as a part of the section it belonged to. The mistake that many make is to take an isolated text and determine its meaning without the passage before and after it. Two of the most famous quotes of the Bible is "an eye for an eye" and "judge not." Since these two verse were read without the context, most people do not properly understand their meaning. The "eye for an eye" passage was a judicial command for the Jewish people. The design was not for personal revenge but to protect both the innocent and the guilty in a trial. The "eye for an eye" was designed to give a fair punishment for the crime that was committed. It was not designed to give the Jews permission to seek revenge. Since it was a part of the Old Testament Law, it does not apply to a Christian. In fact, Jesus taught Christians to "turn the other check." The "judge not" passage does not forbid people from calling activities sinful or wrong. In fact, pointing out sin is essential to proclaiming the Gospel. Instead, its purpose was to make the person examine their own life, to be humble about their own sinfulness, and to make sure that they are not ignoring their own need for salvation. When we do not read the full context of a passage, we do not know what it truly means.

3. History is not permission. The Bible records the lives of individuals. Some of these individuals are good, godly people. Others were evil individuals. With the exception of Jesus Christ, none of the people in the Bible are perfect. God records the sins of Noah, Abraham, David, Peter, and Paul for a couple of reasons. First, God is showing the universal need of all men to be saved. Even godly people make mistakes and need to be saved. Second, God is showing us the price these men paid for their mistakes. God records both the sinful deed and the consequence of those actions. Some have incorrectly believed that if God recorded a behavior He approved of it. Truthfully, God recorded a lot of behavior that He called sinful. Some individuals have attempted to justify behaviors by citing the fact that the Bible recorded it. A modern example is the debate of the definition of biblical marriage. Some have correctly pointed out that the Bible records polygamous marriages and then falsely stated the Bible has multiple definitions marriages. The Bible defines marriage through the commands of God, not the examples in the Bible. Also, the record of polygamous marriages shows the pain that comes from such marriages.

4. Understanding the culture.  Some of the misunderstandings that people have of the Bible is a lack of knowledge of the culture in which the Bible was produced. The last book of the Bible was written about 2,000 years ago. The first book of the Bible was written, approximately, 1,500 years before that. Most of the Bible took place in the Middle East (Israel and the surrounding countries). This is a different culture than many who live in the Western world in 2015. Some of the commandments, accounts, and writings of the Bible dealt with the culture of that day. There is still a lesson for us to learn and the Bible is still relevant for us today. However, some twist what the Bible teaches because they misunderstand the context of the culture. One example that people often quote is the Old Testament commandment which says that if a man rapes a woman he must marry her. Our modern society cringes at this command but what we do not understand is how it is designed to protect women in that culture. First, men in that culture did not want to marry a woman that was raped. Since women had limited opportunities to make a living, they would either live in poverty or continued to be abused by becoming a prostitute. If a man made a woman undesirable for marriage by raping her, he had to be responsible for her the rest of her life. In other words, he had to provide food, shelter, clothing, and protection for the rest of her life. Second, the woman was not forced to marry the man. It was still her choice. Today, woman in the Western world have a different place and have different opportunities. They have different choices to make. Women in that time period had few opportunities and choices. When one examines that command in its cultural context, one begins to see how it is not cruel as our society believes. The same could be said about issues of slavery in the Bible. Once you understand the context, you see a greater lesson and you see what our righteous God intended for us to learn.

         Anyone can learn how to study, learn, and understand the Bible. God designed it so that we could. We will continue this theme by examining how the Bible is divided into the Old and New Testament.

A Christian's View of Gun Violence

         What is happening in our society? That is the question we have been asking too often today. Every time we read about another mass attack by an individual with a gun, we ask why is this happening. It seems that everyone is in agreement that the gun violence needs to stop. So why does it continue? As our society grows more secular, we cease to look for the spiritual causes of gun violence. Instead, many believe that the answer is simply take away guns. Many good people with good intentions believe that. However, as a student of the Bible, I understand that the problem of violence in our society is a deeper problem than simply taking away an object. If we want to fix the problem, then we have to examine our hearts. Jesus taught in Matthew 15:19, For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. If we do not fix the heart, then violence will continue whether or not guns exist. How did our hearts become so corrupt?

         Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. If we want to know what is happening to our society, we should pause to see what we are teaching our children. We live in a post-Christian society, which means that the Christian worldview is not the dominant worldview. What is the dominant worldview? The philosophies of secular humanism, post-modernism, and cultural relativism (among others) are the dominant worldviews. When these worldviews are combined they teach: that there is no God, we are evolved animals that exist by accident, there is no truth (or at least truth cannot be determined) or absolute morality, humans are the highest authority, and we are not accountable to a higher being. If we teach kids that they are just animals without any fixed morals and no accountability, then why are we surprised when they act like immoral animals who believe they are not accountable for their actions? If we want to change their minds, it begins with what we are putting in their minds.

         Matthew 6:22-23 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness. The Bible teaches us to guard our eyes. Why? Our hearts are shaped by what we see. Modern pop culture is filled with violence. Take a look at the video games, music, movies, television shows, and books. They are filled with death, murder, and violence. If that is what our society is putting into our minds then why are we surprised when we see it happening. If we want to change the violence in our culture, then we need to examine what we are subjecting ourselves to.

         Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. One of the amazing aspects of our current society is how we no longer know how to talk to each other. When we disagree, we end up calling each other names and accuse each other of evils. Our attitude is that if you disagree with me, then you must be an evil person who hates everything that is good and I will destroy you in arguments until you submit to my will. I will admit, I have even been guilty of this myself. We no longer patiently talk with one another about why we disagree. It is easier to call each other names than it is to bear with one another's differences. Sadly, Christians in the church are just as guilty as non-Christians. Some of the worst accusations I have heard come from Christians who disagree with each other on spiritual matters! We should be ashamed and repent of that sin. There is a danger in calling each other haters, bigots, and evil for disagreeing with each other. It generates true hate and disdain. Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, Christians and atheist are EQUALLY guilty of this accusation. This motivates some individuals to act on their anger. If we want the violence to end, quit using violent, hatefully rhetoric when discussing (not arguing) about our differences. If you insist on using such harsh language, then understand you are part of the problem of the culture that promotes violence.

         Acts 17:31: For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. The Bible is clear: we will be held accountable for our actions. We sin and we have a price to pay. Our society has stripped individuals of accountability. We have provided every excuse for people not to be held accountable for their actions. Our society blames parents, conditions, illnesses, communities, and objects as the problems. As long as people do not believe they are accountable for their actions then, they will not try to control themselves. The violence in our society will continue until people understand it is their choice to commit actions and they can prevent it.

         Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Our society is questioning everything that God called good. We believe we can change God's decree of righteous and wicked behavior and there is no consequences. This is not new. Our society has been doing this for generations. The Bible is clear, when we ignore God's Word we will fall further down the road of sin. We are reaping what we sow. In order to stop it, we have to understand that God's morality is fixed, does not change, and that we cannot rebel. The attitude of rebellion is destroying our culture. If we do not stop, things will get worse.

         We need to quit looking at the world through politics and begin to look at this world through the lens of the Scriptures. It seems that every time a shooting happens, we rush to our political view instead of the interest of human beings. Anti-gun people rush to say that if we did not have guns this would not happen. Pro-gun advocates rush to say if a good guy with a gun were there this would not happen. How about weeping for the loss of life before we make our political points? What about saying a prayer before making a post? The truth is our society has a hard heart about these shootings. We are more concerned with our political point of view than we are about those involved. This is sad, but true.

         2 Timothy 3:1-5 But 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 the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. The Bible reminds us that as a society moves away from God, it will grow wicked. Every generation of Christians believe they are living in the last days. I will join those of the past and say I believe the return of Christ is coming soon. However, I do not know when it will truly happen. I know that my culture is acting like the individuals that Paul described. If so, we will see more violence and not less. That makes my heart weep. If we want to stop the murder, then we need to repent of all wickedness. The truth is once we begin to accept any form of wickedness we will continue down road that leads to more immorality, not less.

         However you view the gun violence in our society, I encourage you to look deeper, beyond the surface, for answers to our problems. We have a problem in our society. It is not a gun problem; it is a heart problem. There are not enough laws that will change a heart; only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do that.