A Note from Hixon Frank
Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Like many of you, I’m an optimistic person. At least generally speaking. I tend to, for better or worse, see the glass as half full.
However, it doesn’t take a “rocket scientist” to see that our world is a mess. Simply turn on the news, scroll social media, or observe what our culture celebrates.
Individually many of us are riddled with anxiety and mental health issues ranging from clinical depression to narcissism. Addiction has taken an enormous toll on an entire generation of young adults. Be it drugs, porn, or attention, we have grown dependent.
Our culture serves up a constant barrage of deviant agendas demanding we bow and denounce what once was considered healthy and preferable. Anyone who dare stand up against these agendas is roundly dismissed, embarrassed, or cancelled.
You say, “Ok, Captain Obvious, but what is your point?”
What’s a Christian to do in the midst of a culture at war with our faith? Well, I can’t offer more than an opinion of how you should push back against the agendas, the attacks and the marginalizing. So, I’ll hold-off in this article.
But while I can’t offer a strategy of WHAT you should do to engage the culture … I can speak boldly into HOW you should do it!
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Do it PEACEFULLY!
In my estimation, Christians need to embrace two important perspectives…
- REMEMBER: Chaos is our world’s DEFAULT position. Meaning simply, without intervention humanity’s sin drives us to division, hatred, and fear.
- We know this to be true in our own hearts. We are sinners. No one taught us to be sinners…it’s how we came.
- We know this to be true in our own families. As parents we intervene and give instruction, discipline, and love to our kids. Without that intervention, our families would devolve into chaos.
- And we know this to be a true in our culture. We see it all around us. A world that bends away from Jesus will be chaotic and vile. It will be “easily entangled in sin” (Hebrews 12:1). Our hearts will deny God. The Book of Romans gives this insightful commentary on humanity without God.
Romans 1:22-25
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.
- PEACE is POWERFUL Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. He brings peace, not to the culture, but to the Christian in the midst of the culture. (Matthew 10:34-36).
Someone who is a PEACE in the midst of great challenge, loss, or disappointment is so contrary to our world that people stop and notice. It reminds others that God offers peace to us. Remember that …
- Peace is not apathy, it is intentional. We do not stumble into peace; we stumble into chaos.
- Peace is evidence of genuine faith! (Hebrews 11:6)
- Peace is from God. (John 14:27)
- Peace is proactive in faith. (Philippians 4:6-8)
- Peace often comes from prayer. (Philippians 4:7)
- Peace is a way we can worship. (Leviticus 19:5)
Practically speaking… PEACE is not a garment we wear on the outside to appear Peaceful. PEACE is a Fruit of the Spirit that wells up from within a heart yielded to God! It comes from walking in the Spirit, pursuing Jesus, and deepening our faith.
Galatians 5:22
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, PEACE, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.
Do you walk in PEACE, regardless of what swirls around you?
In your heart?
In your family?
At your work?
You CAN, ya’ know?
Blessings!
Hixon