What in the world is going on? World View Matters Part 1

What in the WORLD is going on? A Weekly Study, livestreamed on our Facebook page at 10:30. https://www.facebook.com/valleychristianchurchmorenovalley
5-21-23

Pastor Martin Saine begins our new study, here at Valley Christian Church, in Moreno Valley, CA, addressing the question, "What in the world is going on?"

Luk 21:25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

OT Example for us today:
1Ch 12:32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;
3 points:
1) Having understanding of the times.
2) To know what Israel (God's people) ought to do.
3) Having all their brethren at their command (unity in mission).

The world is a mess, and people know it! There is an uncertainty, an edginess, a unsettling atmosphere pervading society.

The world is on edge, like one big giant nerve! The modern use of the word "triggered" is an indication of just that.

Triggered used be used to indicate a weapon has been discharged or an event set into motion. You can only trigger something already prepared, just waiting to go off! The trigger is not the event, it is the release of the event!

Recently it has been updated to indicate an event which sets off an emotional response- typically negative.

If someone says words to us that causes us to meltdown, guess what? That meltdown was just waiting in the wings, looking for an excuse to blow up and burn us down!

That's how society is acting today. Just a giant seething outrage looking for an outlet or excuse!

As hard as I look, I can't find the word "triggered" in my bible...

We're going to take a few weeks to talk about what's going on in the world, what it means, and how we are to respond (Biblically).

Before we get into specific details, we need to discuss the MANNER in which we look at world events.

The technical term for this is our World View; and we ALL have one! Panthism,
Ostrichism,
Ignorism,
Still world views!

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We all have to deal with the world around us, even if we don't want to! As Christians we are in a battle!

Everyone looks at world events through one or more of the three basic perspectives.

Secular, naturalist, humanist.
Religious - Non-Biblical
Biblical- Judeo-Christian

In some cases we will attempt to hold to several views at the same time, which leads to desperately trying to resolve conflicting issues.

1) Secular, non-religious, naturalist, humanistic.
This worldview seeks to resolve world events and issues based on what is seen, felt, experienced, emoted, and thought out; in other words, belief in only what can be seen.
Belief in only what is seen has many pitfalls.
Stage view example....

Simplistically, we can only see so much. If we believe in only what is seen, we have no choice but to believe in what others have seen (or at least what they tell us they have seen) to fill in the gaps for us.

This gives rise to reliance on "experts", the "highly educated", the better informed, the more experienced, etc., to populate our worldview for us. While there's nothing intrinsically wrong with experts, education, experience, etc., we must never forget that each expert, highly educated, more-informed person we use to fill in our perception gaps, has their own world view which pervades their thought process, and thus their report to us!

Example:
Sue and I go to the beach on a bright, still, cloudless 85 degree day and spend the entire day there.
Later asks Sue "How was the beach?"
Sue responds; "It was wonderful! I had the most relaxing peaceful day! I haven't had that much fun in months! The sound of the waves and rythm of the ocean was so soothing and the weather was perfect!"

Someone asks me the same question; "Holy Cow it was hot! I sat there baking in the sun like a lobster in a pot for hours. Even my sweat was sweating! Sure was nice to get in the car and turn the air conditioner on!"

PERSPECTIVE! The same event can be reported different ways depending on your perspective view.

Sue LOVES the beach and doesn't mind the heat. However, I am MISERABLE when it gets over 80 degrees and bright sunlight hurts my eyes!
If we went to the beach on a windy, overcast 65 degree day I'd be in heaven but Sue would be miserable.

If you ask someone what's happening in the world, that's exactly what you're likely to get; their view that's been filtered through their perspective and opinion.

Weather report on our fictitious Beach Day for example...
"Unprecedented Heat Wave sweeps through Newport Beach"
OR
"Gorgeous weather returns to the Beach Communities..."

Discuss reporting vs "commentating"...

Likewise, a worldview based on emotions and/or feelings is an even riskier proposition because everybody feels different and emotions can have an even greater control over our views than our intellect, if we allow it!
This leads to "Everyone did what was right in their own eyes"...

Worldview 2:
Religious, Non-Biblical, "moral".
Religious views (moral living) as found outside the Bible are far too numerous to list. These belief systems can be founded on one deity, or millions of deities. Each religious system will have its own view on world events which will color its interpretations and assumptions.
Religion in a nut shell, is mans attempt to relate to, appease, or satisfy the particular god or gods that we chose to believe in, on our terms and by our efforts.

Worldview 3:
Biblical Worldview.
This view states that everything we need to know in order to interpret the world around us is contained in the pages of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
2Pe 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Joh 5:39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

These three passages provide us with a path to know, understand, and properly react to ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS!

2Peter 1 tells us that all things pertaining to life and godliness are found in the knowledge of Him who called us (Jesus)

John 1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word- (who is Jesus) who was with God, and who was God.

John 5 Jesus said the Scriptures testify of Him.

So...we can safely say that all things pertaining to life and godliness are found in the knowledge of Him (Jesus) as revealed in the Scriptures- His Word.

This is the view we will concentrate on during this series because CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW!!!

By all appearances the world IS a mess and we need something to filter it through to show what is truly going on.
Scripture is that filter!
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Scripture reveals what is true, tells us how to interpret events in light of what is true, AND instructs us in how we respond to both God and our fellow man.

Jesus said in John 8:31-32
Joh 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
Joh 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Propaganda does not make us free, truth does!
Truth does not bow at the altar of propaganda or "narrative".

Isa 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
Christians need not check their brains at the door!

Because we will be discussing a number of "hot button" topics we need to prepare ourselves in advance to let truth and reason through the lens of Scripture be our guide, not emotion or culture, or popular ideas, or any other thing.

Most importantly, we MUST know that God is in control.
Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'
Isa 46:11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Genesis 1-11
Since God declares in Isaiah 46:10 "there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done...." Could we expect to see examples in Genesis, the book of beginnings?

Absolutely!

Genesis 1:
Creation of heavens, earth, and all that is in them up to Adam.
Concludes with;
Gen 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

No sin, no conflicting wills, no disobedience, no decay, no death, all was perfect and "very good"

Genesis 2:
Recount of creation, Garden of Eden, Adam placed in the garden, forbidden to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and names all the animals. Eve is created, marriage instituted, concludes with;
Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Everything is still "very good" as blessed in chapter 1. There is still no conflict or alternate agenda.

In Genesis 3 the enemy is introduced. The serpent comes to Eve, tempts and tricks her into disobeying God's command, thereby introducing CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES!

This is the origin of the root problem that will exist until Revelation 20:10 when conflicting ideologies will finally be done away with.

Keep in mind these conflicting ideologies are not separate but equal, right vs left, they are Truth vs everything else!

Truth is not merely a set of ideas or facts; Truth is a Person!
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus contrasts God's will and the enemies agenda:
Joh 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

What satan did in the garden was introduce his language into Gods' creation:
Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
Joh 8:43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
Joh 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
Joh 8:47 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."

The battle that began in the Garden of Eden was over who's voice would we heed, who's language would we accept, and ultimately, to whom do we belong?
Do we want the Truth, or do we want something, anything else but the truth?
And that much hasn't changed.

So man falls in Gen 3, sin is introduced into creation and death is the result, but God promises the "Seed of the woman" would crush satan's head.

Man's depravity (genetic purity) progressed so rapidly that by Genesis 6 God declared He would destroy everything on the earth that breathed!
God spared Noah and his family in the Ark while He destroyed every breathing creature on earth and started over with Noah, his three sons, and their wives.

In Genesis 9 God tells Noah and his sons to replenish the earth, and institutes government:
Gen 9:1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
Gen 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.
Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.
Gen 9:4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Gen 9:5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.
Gen 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.
Gen 9:7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it."

In Genesis 10 something interesting shows up in the lineage of Japheth:
Gen 10:8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.
Gen 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD."
Gen 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Nimrod, the first recorded world dictator, a mighty hunter "in the face of" or in defiance of, the Lord, founded a kingdom in Babylon with a particular goal in mind.

Gen 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.
Gen 11:2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
Gen 11:3 Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
Gen 11:4 And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
Gen 11:5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
Gen 11:7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."
Gen 11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
Gen 11:9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

This has been, and continues to be, the enemies agenda from the very beginning; Unite the world Against, and in the face of God!
His agenda does not require unity with each other, as long as they are unified AGAINST God and against the truth!

There is a battle raging for the hearts and souls of our children, our families, our friends, even our very existence as God's children.

We need to set our minds firmly that the current events we look at have this root, and we will NOT respond the way the enemy desires (no triggering!) but will instead search the scriptures daily to see what things be so!

I pose that the world is not a mess, but rather is ripe for harvest!