As Bible-believing Christians we might talk a lot about how we don’t like what is happening in the world. Too often, however, we focus on the symptoms and fail to address the core problem. We zero in on specific behaviors and forget that they are merely symptomatic.\u00a0The reality is that we aren’t going to be able to affect change if all we do is express how unhappy we are about this issue or that issue.<\/p>\n
We need to start by understanding God’s viewpoint of why we are in this current state. Then we are ready to look at answers, the topic of the next post. (Subscribe to receive e-mail notice of new posts.<\/a>)<\/p>\n What we are seeing is the result of a belief system that does not view God as supreme, whose holy character guides us and whose power enables us. As a result, hearts are not turning to Him, trusting that His ways are right and best, trusting that change in aligning with Him is possible. Instead, what we see are hearts that are self-absorbed and self-determining of right from wrong.<\/p>\n For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. (Rom. 1:21-22)<\/em><\/p>\n To think that we know better than God is foolish. As we read in Proverbs 14:12<\/span>, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” When we become gods unto ourselves the result soon becomes evident in all sorts of dysfunctional and destructive behavior.<\/p>\n Until God has His rightful place, merely addressing the symptoms seems like little more than putting a band-aid on a life-threatening, cancerous tumor. The solution seems ridiculous because the basis for it isn’t there. Many people don’t even believe there is a problem, which happens when God isn’t the standard, so why would the answers we have to offer make sense or affect change?<\/p>\n Let’s get beyond the symptoms and address the core of the matter. Let’s peel off the bandage and deal with the cancer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As Bible-believing Christians we might talk a lot about how we don\u2019t like what is happening in the world. Too often, however, we focus on the symptoms and fail to address the core problem. We zero in on specific behaviors and forget that they are merely symptomatic.<\/p>\n The reality is that we aren\u2019t going to be able to affect change if all we do is . . . Continue reading What in the World is Happening?<\/span>At the Core of What’s Happening in the World:<\/h2>\n
Addressing the Symptoms Doesn’t Work<\/h2>\n