Our Culture …
Often Contrary to God’s Standards!
January 12, 2017
Dale & Jeannie Daly
It was in 1964 that the surgeon general of the U.S. issued the first official warning that smoking is hazardous to one’s health if they are a “smoker.” There are few of us who do not remember the commercials back in the ‘50’s, 60’s and later years when cigarette smoking was ‘viewed’ by many as something that made you part of the “in crowd.” It was portrayed as having the appearance of attempting to demonstrate by way of a picture that a person holding a cigarette was part of the élite of society. It was considered cool! It was the man, or woman, holding a cigarette that was more able to snag a person of the opposite sex! Really? Please tell me what it is about cigarette breath, or clothes smelling like they’ve been too close to a wiener-roast in a fire pit that would ever help make a person attractive to another.
By the middle of the 20th Century a number of scientists had made enough studies to show clear and concrete evidence of the health threats associated with smoking, including lung cancer and heart disease. By the early ‘70’s the World Health Organization had declared tobacco smoking to be the world’s single most important preventable cause of premature death. In 1971 legislation went into effect banning cigarette ads on radio, and TV in the U.S. and how many are thankful that commercial airline flights no longer allow smoking while on board an airliner, or for that matter, even in airline terminals. These years later many have paid, or are paying dearly for their habit by suffering from life-threatening health issues.
Just because something is acceptable doesn’t make its right or wise! Every command in the Bible is written for our instruction! It is placed within the pages from Old to New for our protection! After all, God does care about our health! He cares about our well-being! He placed within the human mind degrees of knowing right from wrong; wise from un-wise and bottom line good from bad. Proverbs 14:12 reads, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”
However, we should not only limit our thinking to this one subject. There is much we ‘allow’ to be part of our daily lives, from our culture to other areas that are contrary to God’s standards. Consider just these as a few.
Lack of self-control. 2 Pet. 1:5-6 (NIV) “Make every effort to add to your faith…self control.”
Always tell the truth! Rev. 21:27, “But there shall by no means enter it (heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
This year listen to God’s instruction. Isa. 58:11 (NRS), “The Lord will guide you continually.”
This year practice staying calm! “Psa. 94:13 (AMP), “You…give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity.”
This year recognize your calling. “Phil. 2:13 (NIV), “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”
This year let God be God in your life! 2 Cor. 10:5, “Casting down imaginations…”
This year determine, according to I Tim. 4:15 (NIV), to “Give yourself wholly…so that everyone may see your progress.”
And finally for this CRA Moment’s thoughts;
This year determine to bring about a good affect on others. “Rom. 1:12 (NCV), “Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you!”
Anything opposite of the Word of God is of “Our culture”, and is often contrary to God’s standards!”
Blessings,
Psalm 20:7
Dale & Jeannie
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