Living in A World of Inundated Change (137)

James R. Davis

One of the hallmarks of the 1900s is change--rapid, global, inevitable change. Aldous Huxley published a science fiction novel in 1932 that was entitled, "The Brave New World." This book was about how life would be 600 years in the future. He was not optimistic about the world's destiny. His book painted a scary picture of a society in which humans are cloned. The human race is controlled by technology. Individuals are created in a test tube, and he or she was created according to the needs of society. Religion has become obsolete. Sex is merely recreational and the society is obsessed with it. The concept of family or belonging to one another has been completely eliminated. Huxley's book portrayed a society increasingly controlled by technology and science.

Today the amazing thing is that Huxley's science fiction has become reality in only 66 years rather than 600. It is not just the fact, that our world is changing, but it is all happening so fast. You can buy a computer and before you get it home and set it up, it is already literally outdated. No century has experienced more profound change than our century. Our lifestyles have literally taken us from the outhouse to the penthouse; from Sears Roebuck catalog to home shopping network; from log cabins to living in space; from Penicillin to heart transplants, from stock market crashes to Wall Street buy outs. Futurists predict that even greater changes will occur in the decades ahead. In an article from Leadership magazine it was stated that the amount of information we have now is only 3% of what will be available in 2010. This is an indication of what our future holds.

We are no longer the society we once were, but neither are we the society we had hoped to be. We used to be guided more by facts and reason but today we more subjective and emotionally driven. We are led by our feelings.

This emotionally driven time machine has transported us from a time when character was everything to a time when character is nothing. Our time warp has taken us from a time when a person's word was their bond, to a day of broken prenuptial agreements; from a day when marriage was until death do we part, to a day when the vows are being rewritten to say "as long as our love shall last." We have been beamed from a time when a real man was one who worked hard for his family and was faithful to his wife, to a time when the macho man is one who is caught with his pants down to the shame of his family. We have gone from heterosexual marriages to same sex marriages. Sex has gone from two people expressing their oneness to one another in a relationship where they have vowed until death do us part, to merely a recreational past time with no responsible attachment, that is unless the woman conceives. We have gone from shotgun weddings to the morning after pill. We have gone from two parent homes to one or no parent homes. We have moved into a time that childhood, as a time of innocence, has all but disappeared. We have moved from the time that the F-word was unheard, until the present where it has to be dealt with in the pulpit along with condoms and sexually transmitted diseases. We have moved from a concern for our fellow man to corporate buyouts leaving the worker in the street without his pension fund. We are now making tremendous strides in mapping our DNA and insurance companies are using it to discover our weaknesses.

Considering the change in our values, it is little wonder that our world is becoming more and more impersonal. There was a brief news story that reminds us of how impersonal our world is becoming. There was an expert telling people how to cope in the work place, and her advice was to answer any question with only two or three words and never express your feelings. It is little wonder why people are going "postal." The result of these lifestyle changes is that the vast majority of people will end up devastated and all alone and worst of all alienated from God.

Is There Any Hope?

As we are hurled into this New World order we are asking ourselves, "Is there any hope for our survival?" "Where can we find permanence, stability, and an enduring foundation for our lives?" Speaking to ancient Israel, God answered that question. He said, "For I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi. 3:6) The Psalmist said, "But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children . . . " (Psalms 103:7) "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD." (Ps 106:48)

This world is constantly in a state of flux.  What is right today is wrong tomorrow; what is wrong today is right tomorrow. God reminds Israel, "For I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi 3:6) James says, ''Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17) God's unchanging nature gives us something to which we can anchor our lives. "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:17-19; see Numbers 23:19; Psalms 102:25-28)

God is from everlasting to everlasting. Time is actually a short span between the eternity past before the world was created and the eternity of the future which will begin at the end of time as the judgement of God takes place or it will begin for you when you die. Think about this, God is from everlasting to everlasting, that is, he stretches through eternity of the past through time and through the eternity of the future. Imagine if you would, a life line stretched from eternity to eternity and all you have to do to gain stability in our temporal world is to hook your anchor line to the everlasting life line of mercy and hope that is found in God.

The eternal God reigns from everlasting to everlasting and his kingdom is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:34) Earthly kingdoms and world empires rise and fall but God's kingdom continues from generation to generation regardless of the rise and fall of earth's kingdoms and empires. In this we find our stability; in this we find something to really sink our teeth into.

In Old Testament history God's faithful people stand out because they demonstrate the faith that we should have in the everlasting rule of God.  Daniel was just a young teenager when he was led out of Israel as national Israel collapsed to the Babylonians. He was led to Babylon to be brain washed by Nebuchadnezzar. But in his difficulty he had a determination to believe and obey God. He refused to be brain washed. Due to his faithfulness to God's rule, Daniel became a godly adviser to a heathen king, Nebuchadnezzar. God gave him the ability to interpret dreams and made him an asset to Nebuchadnezzar. As Daniel remained faithful to God he outlived Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar's son, Belshazzar, and became a counselor to Darius the king of the Medes who overthrew Babylon. Daniel walked with God through the upheaval of three kingdoms right through the conspiracy to kill him into the lion's den and right on through to the other side. All because his life was anchored to the everlasting God whose kingdom, power and glory extends through time into eternity.

The security that God's power gave Daniel through those crumpling empires is what God's everlasting kingdom offers each of us. God's rule and the destiny of those in his kingdom are not swayed by the rise and fall of the stock market or the rise and fall of world empires or even by the dissolving of this earth. (2 Peter 3:10-12) John was preparing Christians in the first century for the persecution of Roman Empire. John said, "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10) When God rules your heart you can be faithful to God right through death knowing that you are anchored to the everlasting God whose rule is from generation to generation and whose existence is from everlasting to everlasting.

How Do We Seek God's Everlasting Unchanging Kingdom?

To really come to know, to follow and count on Jesus Christ is to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. We must come to know how God operates. We must come to know what God values. In the midst of this world inundated with change we must ask, What does God require? What does God desire? How does God want us to live in relationship with one another?

You can receive these answers by studying God's word. Begin reading his word, get to know who Jesus is. The only way you can know with any surety is to observe how Jesus Christ lived and what he taught. You begin by studying the life of Christ revealed in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You must meet him! You must encounter Jesus! You must come to know his character, his words, his reactions, and his heartbeat toward men and women, including you.

It may seem like an ancient relic today, but not too many years ago people in all kind of trades and vocations found a slide rule to be indispensable. This ingenious instrument was used to make complex mathematical computations quickly.

Dr. Burt Nanus recalls that on his first day in engineering school in 1953, a professor advised the entering freshmen to buy the best slide rule they could afford. The professor told them, "You will be dependent on it all your professional life." Nanus dutifully went out and bought a slide rule. Yet after he graduated and went on to MIT, he never used it. The calculator had taken its place.

Things that we consider indispensable may today quickly become obsolete. Tomorrow they may be discarded as relics that cannot provide the help we need, but at least one thing from the ancient past will always be needed and never become obsolete. It is the Bible, God's holy Word. No matter how much technological change and progress we experience, that Book will always remain the one sure means for getting the right answers to the complicated questions of our origins, our purpose, our behavior, and our ultimate destination.

We Must Know What God Is Really Like?

Henry Wheeler Shaw said, "The trouble with people is not that they don't know but that they know so much that ain't so." Most books are read by title only. People, speaking with confidence, will claim a certain book as the authority for their viewpoint. But when you pin them down, you find that they have really only read the first few pages. A college professor, Paul Little, mentioned this in connection with conversations he had with college students who said they believe in evolution. When he would ask them for evidence, they would often smile knowingly and mention paleontology, anatomy, embryology, and other branches of science. Then Little would ask them if they had read any books that presented the evidence they just mentioned. They would often say, "Yes, sir," and invariably they would mention Charles Darwin's Origin of Species. "Have you read this book?" he would ask. "Well, not all of it," would come the reply. "How much?" he would ask. And usually the answer would be "The first 50 pages. (via InfoSearch Database)

In similar fashion many know about God and Jesus Christ. They have read Genesis 1 or the book of Matthew and have drawn premature conclusions. They know that Jesus walked on water, turned water to wine and resurrected from the dead. But  we must be willing to truly know God and Jesus Christ by delving into his word with a willingness to make the necessary adjustments in our lives.

The Bible tells us what God is really like . . . better than if you just listen to preachers. Some preachers give the impression that God is more concerned with saving whales than He is with saving souls. Others give the impression that God would rather punish our sins than forgive them. Others give the impression that God has a political agenda, not a spiritual agenda. If your concept of God is based solely upon what you've heard a preacher say, you have a limited idea of who He is. However, when you read the Bible, all the pieces of His character come together and present an accurate portrait.

The Bible Will Help You Find Solutions to Today's Problems

A dad became concerned because his relationship with his teenage son was deteriorating. He noticed a change in the boy's desire to spend time with his dad. It seemed like every time they were together the boy would "clam up" when his dad tried to carry on a conversation. One day the dad read a verse that said, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4) Another version says, "Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful." (Ephesians 6:4, TLB) He said, "It hit me like a ton of bricks. That's what I had been doing to my son: 'Don't slouch. Tuck in your shirt. Why don't you do something sensible with your money? Why do you listen to that awful music? If you want to get into college, you better buckle down.' The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my son hadn't built the wall between us-I had. I was trying to do my job as a father, but everything that came out of my mouth was critical. I decided to not say anything negative to him for 10 days. It worked so well I made a habit of it. We get along great, and now he even listens when I correct him."

The Bible Helps Us Find Out What We Are Doing Wrong

Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Some people hear that verse and think, "Oh great. That's all I need. I feel guilty enough as it is! Why would I want to be read all about the sins that I've committed?" There's a good reason. The Bible doesn't just beat you up and make you feel guilty about sin. It shows you the way out....

You will eventually discover that God is your ally. He doesn't march into you life like a stern demanding judge waiting to pounce on your every error. He loves you, and he desires that you always grow in your relationship with him as you seek to do his will. God desires that you grow in your relationship with others and he makes it possible for you to live in the "Brave New world."

The Bible Will Help You Discover God's Grace

The first step in facing this world is to make sure you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our world vacillates from day to day but "Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus can give us that stability because he is eternal. Our biggest problem in coming to God through Jesus Christ is our sin. In dealing with our sin all we have to do is to accept what God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Paul says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) We accept this gift of God, which is forgiveness, through committing our lives to Jesus Christ as we follow him.

Yes, the Bible reveals our sin to us, but it also shows us how to be forgiven. It doesn't make you relive your guilt, it helps you relieve your guilt. It tells us how to find forgiveness, peace, joy, happiness, contentment-all of the things that we are looking for.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Upon Whom Can We Depend?

The more you focus on Jesus and what he is like, the more your attitude and thinking will begin to change. Then your life can begin to line up with the eternal truth of God's Word. Then you will be able to begin to feel, think and act the way God feels, thinks, and acts.

As you begin to understand and experience things from God's eternal point of view, your fears and doubts are replaced with confidence and assurance. As this happens you will find yourself relying upon and trusting God.

The first key to obedience is belief. You must first take God at his word. You must remind yourself initially that what the everlasting God has done for people like Daniel, David, Abraham and Noah is proof to what he is willing to do for you. Initially you must step out on faith taking God at his word. He cannot lie; you can depend on his oath to you. You can count on him!

To deal with our sin we must turn from the world's fluctuating subjective standards. You need something solid enough, sure enough and trustworthy enough to anchor your life to so that no matter what happens, you want be blown off course. The way you do this is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ promises us that if we commit our lives to him that he will never abandon us or forsake us. (Matthew 28:18-20; Hebrews 13:5) Even in difficult times when sin seeks to destroy us, Jesus' promises are true; it is especially at these times that we must remind ourselves of God's faithfulness to us.

A great encouragement to seeking God's kingdom is to study the lives of those who have preceded us in the Old Testament. As we see their hardships, their struggles, their feelings we can identify with them as we go through the same trials. It is at this point that you are not alone in what you are feeling. It is at this point that God can and will meet you where you are.

Conclusion:

Many are afraid to accept the challenge of Jesus Christ. I am afraid not too. God has helped me to make the necessary adjustments to live in a changing world by providing me with an eternal lifeline that sees me through the changes of time and circumstance.

Ed Cole tells this story: "One night a ship's captain saw what looked like the light of another ship heading toward him. He had the signalman blink to the other ship: 'Change your course ten degrees south.' The reply came back, 'Change your course ten degrees north.' "The ship's captain answered, 'I am a captain. Change your course south.' To which the reply was, 'I am a seaman first class. Change your course north.' "This infuriated the captain, so he signaled back, 'I say change your course south. I'm on a battleship!' The reply came back, 'And I say change your course north. 'Not to change is certain disaster.' I'm in a lighthouse." (Strong Men in Tough Times by Edwin Louis Cole, 1993, via InfoSearch Database.)

The Bible will help us find comfort in times of crisis. Paul wrote, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose . . . Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:28, 35-39)

To discover the confidence that hope and trust in God offers: you must accept life's trials and tragedies without bitterness or fear, you must commit yourself to hope and you must trust in Jesus' leading and follow him. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." (John 14:6-7)

God is willing to guide you through this "Brave New World." You can accept the challenges of this "Brave New World" as you place your trust in God, as you depend on God's unchanging nature, as you seek his everlasting kingdom.