Society has placed more emphasis on secular education than on home training. Therefore, parents have left most of the training of their children to secular educators. The results are the opposite of what many educators have said it would be. They hoped that if people were educated this would solve society’s problems and that education would be the key to tomorrow. But education has not solved the problems of violence and immorality.

In times like these, we must have a deep spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. In times like these, Jesus would have us go apart to pray. In times like these, we need to study God’s Word, not in a hurried way, but taking time for meditation and prayer. We need to take time out to let God speak to us. If we do so, we may become misfits in our society, but we will be ready to fit in with Jesus Christ when He returns.

In times like these, is all well between you and God? If not, the Bible says, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

To fit in with Jesus, consider what the Bible says. We need to …

Recognize our need. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Recognize our only Source of help. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Let Christ control our lives. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Let Christ solve our problems. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

—by Allan Miller

The appalling thing about this war is that few are prepared to do anything about it. It would probably shock us all to know how many people don’t even know the conflict is raging.

Every war has its instigator or cause, and this one’s no exception. This war is being waged by none other than Satan himself. The battleground is your and my minds. The weapons? They’re so numerous, we could not begin to cover them in this short article.

As I pondered this war for man’s mind, I thought about one of Satan’s main weapons in our age. To be specific, I’m thinking about the mass media. These media include television, radio, newspapers, newsmagazines, and the Internet.

The thing that really set me thinking about how Satan can use the mass media was perhaps the most memorable event in 1974—the fall of President Nixon. I’m not about to pass judgment on Nixon’s guilt or all his reasons for resigning, but I am concerned about the effect the mass media had on the nation’s attitudes toward the man.

Recently I recalled how the reporters and commentators molded the nation’s opinions of President Nixon over 30 years ago. Even many of Nixon’s staunch supporters turned against him, so great was the furor. It seems to me the whole country was taught to hate the President. People were calling for everything from a trial to execution. Again the nation’s news service molded people’s minds.

I shuddered when I thought how people’s minds were molded by the things they saw, heard, and read. Though my only contact with the mass media was the daily newspaper, I found myself fighting to keep my attitudes right toward the man everyone seemed “out to get.”

“What other dangerous brainwashing could the same people do?” I pondered. The same mass media that helped oust a president can also provide helpful information and motivate people to conserve fuel or prepare for an emergency.

Sadly, the same media propagates violence, sexual vice, drug culture, rock music, and a host of other things that tear down society.

Television, radio, magazines, and the Internet in the hands of the wrong people, can subtly influence thousands to do things they never would have dreamed of doing. They are insidiously anti-Christian.

What will those who control the media do next? Will they advocate drug use, abortion, mercy killing, and persecution of those who don’t “conform” to the majority? It’s anybody’s guess!

In light of how Satan has taken possession of the mass media, where do I stand? What can I do? God made me with a free will and the ability to make choices. Will I let Satan, through what I see or hear, program my mind to blindly follow the voices and pictures that beckon me?

Satan’s drive to control our minds through the media and the Internet is nightmarish. If only we could wake up and find it was all an unpleasant dream. Unfortunately it isn’t a dream, it’s real, it’s facing us. The battle is on for the control of our minds.

Praise God there’s still hope in such a dismal, demon-controlled world. Deliverance from Satan’s power can be yours and mine if we turn our minds over to God.

Through His Word, God can insulate our minds from satanic controls, if we let Him. I’ve heard of Christians who, through the power of God, resisted even intensive Communist and Nazi brainwashing that would have broken the spirit of any ordinary person.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

What can Christians do to resist Satan’s subtle brainwashing through the media and other areas?

We must first let God control our minds through Bible reading and prayer. Then we need to avoid being brainwashed. This will mean different things for different people. Perhaps this will mean the giving up of a cherished TV or radio set, for some. For some, this will mean destroying books, CDs, or pornographic magazines. For all of us it will mean guarding our lives from Satan’s numerous avenues of pollution and holding ourselves accountable to God for what we see and listen to. We all need to carefully watch and guard ourselves from Satan’s subtle attacks. If he can’t get us one way, he will try another.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee,” could well be our theme verse as we allow Christ to control our minds.

-by Roger L. Berry

The land is flooded with pornography, often on publie display where anyone can pick it up to read. The flood of immorality has risen to incalculable heights with the advent of the Internet. No one knows for sure how much of what is available on the Internet is pornography but estimates have ranged as high as 80 to 89 percent. A couple generations ago people had to go somewhere away from home to find pornography, but now it is easily available in millions of homes around the world.

It has become obvious now to all but a few who are too blind or stubborn to admit it that pornography enflames the imaginations and passions of its devotees. Not only does pornography specialize in nudity but it dwells on violence, especially aimed at women and children. Governments have tried to hold back the tide of child and women abuse to little avail. Especially with the Internet, it is almost impossible to control.

Pornography is habit-forming, as many have testified. It captures the minds and bodies of its readers. Most of us know what it is like to have heard suggestive jokes or obscene words. Somehow these things register on our minds and are difficult to erase. Now multiply that a thousand times or more and you get a little idea of the bondage suffered by readers and viewers of pornography.

Pornography not only ruins the mind but also leads to open violence and immorality. Husbands, enchanted by violence and perversion, have abused their own wives trying to reenact what they have seen. Husbands bound by pornography find it difficult to enjoy normal relations with their wives. Youths who are caught up in pornography often ruin their hopes of a pure, joyful marriage later in life.

We need desperately to flee to God’s Word for help in avoiding this vile pollution. There is hope available from God for those who have been ensnared in pornography’s clutches.

The Bible has much to say about pornography. In the Old Testament we read of Canaanite groves. There images were carved on tree trunks, becoming the scene of immoral “worship” services.

The Bible was written in such a setting and does not mince words in its warnings concerning such immorality. Here are a number of directives from God’s Word which will rescue us from the pollution of pornography. We must recognize the following truths about pornography and God’s road to deliverance from it. . .

Pornography is sinful just as actual acts of immorality are sinful.

Jesus said, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Those who indulge in lustful looking as well as acting will be judged by God. The first step away from pornography is to confess it as sin.

God will surely judge those engaged in the production, sale, and use of pornography.

Consider how like modern America is the description found in Romans 1:26 ff.

“For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. . . . Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

The only way to victory over pornography is a clean break.

Even gazing lustfully at immodesty in catalogs, magazines, and on the screen feed lust and lead to pornography. The Bible warns us to flee fornication (porneia) and to flee youthful lusts. Rather we are to “follow righteousness” (2 Timothy 2:22).

It is natural to want to know about our sexuality and our feelings, but we wreck our lives if we seek information from the polluted world around us. When you have questions, ask your parents or a trusted spiritual leader.

Remember whose you are and dedicate your mind and body to Him.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19; 20).

Fill your mind with good so as to leave no room for evil.

“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

—RLE

However sincere, these modern teachings relieve the believer of the responsibility of personal righteous living. Thus the teaching of salvation as applied across modern Christendom is at odds with the Biblical demand for holiness of life, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” and “Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.” Modern teaching led to a false sense of what it means to be a Christian. As a result, Christianity is claimed, but all too rarely lived, by those who name the name of Christ. We are left with a mere empty shell of salvation,

“Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?” (Jeremiah 7:9, 10).

We are, in fact, not saved by faith only. Rather we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). This “grace” leading to salvation is a gift totally supplied by God. We have no means at our disposal to generate grace, anymore than we can sprout wings to fly. If we were to list salvation ingredients (as with packaged foods), according to content, the first and greatest ingredient would not be faith, nor repentance (both necessary), but grace.

Now, to illustrate God’s grace— I’ve done a little travel by air, but I cannot own or fly a jet aircraft. But what I can’t do, I don’t need to do. At any time I present a ticket valid for the occasion, I receive a boarding pass. The boarding pass is my right to fly in the plane. I don’t have a clue how to navigate the plane. I don’t own the plane. I don’t even bring my own seat. The boarding pass is my access. The airline takes it from there. I am flying and getting there as though I own the whole thing, even though I own nothing. That is the “grace” of the airline. And as flying is by aircraft, so is salvation by the Lord God.

But what about faith? Is faith the ticket that gets you on the plane? Close, but not quite! Faith is the boarding pass. The boarding pass doesn’t give me wings. It doesn’t make the plane fly. It doesn’t need to. The boarding pass does everything it needs to do, by giving access into the plane. The Bible says, “We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand” (Romans 5:2).

Let’s not forget though, that faith must be valid. The plane must be airworthy and the captain must know how to fly. To believe in a false religion, or to redefine Christian faith, will not get you to the intended destination. Multitudes have faith in faith. But unless they do the will of God, they will find that Jesus never knew them.

What about the ticket? The ticket has a price tag. Though salvation is free, it is not cheap.

Repentance is, in many respects, like buying the ticket (not with money). He who would gain access by faith into God’s grace must bring forth the fruit of repentance. Repentance comes out of the sense of dread and condemnation for sin. John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus, came preaching repentance. He baptized those who gave evidence of repentance and confessed their sins. Jesus began His ministry by preaching repentance. Peter the apostle preached repentance as the qualifier for conversion (Acts 3:19). In Revelation 2-3, Jesus Christ called for repentance among the churches in Asia. When one repents, he identifies and renounces sin. He makes restitution to those he has sinned against. Repentance finally aligns the sin-sick heart of men to the grace of the holy God. True conversion is marked by a revulsion and confession of past sin, and a desperate grasp for deliverance.

There are aspects of salvation that tickets and boarding passes cannot convey. We expect a time-lapse from ticket purchase to boarding. When it comes to repentance, faith, and grace, the time-lapse need not apply. When we meet the conditions, God forgives our past sins. The salvation is instantaneous.

Salvation incorporates the doctrine of imputed (attributed) righteousness. God does not count people righteous based on their record of accomplishment. Rather, God declares the sinner justified (or reckoned righteous). This is the direct result of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus. Because sin is forgiven, the court of heaven counts the believer righteous. This is based on the heart response and commitment. At the very moment when Abraham believed God (Romans 4:3), it was counted to him for righteousness. This was not a transfer of the good deeds of Jesus to Abraham’s account. Rather, it was an accurate assessment of the commitment of the life of Abraham to God, and of the life of faith that followed. Even as the farmer sows his seed and calls it his “wheat field” before the seed has sprouted, so God knows the righteous heart that will, by faith, yield the fruit of righteousness.

James 2:14-20 forever refutes the shallow concept of an empty faith. God’s promise of imputed righteousness was clearly validated when Abraham offered his beloved Isaac on the altar in response to the command of God. In response to “faith only,” James replies that even the devils believe and tremble. This implies that the demons may have a better grasp of God’s requirements than many “cheap grace” Christians do.

Now let’s come back for another glimpse of grace. We say that grace is unearned favor with God, and so it is. The grace of forgiveness is ours, only because Jesus paid the price of it. But the same grace package carries a twin aspect. It is the unearned power to live lives that are holy, righteous, and God-pleasing. When Jesus died for our forgiveness, He did it with the larger view of our transformation. He who “has the power on earth to forgive sins,” commands us to “go and sin no more.” The evidence of saving faith is the life that produces the fruit of righteousness. The Christian call is to abide in the Vine, which is Christ. Those branches that do not produce good fruit are cut off and cast into the fire.

Beware of the deception that God plays some kind of word games, and wears thick, rose-colored glasses, so that we may slip past Him into heaven. Grace is not so cheap as to justify sinners in their sins after Christ endured the cross to “save his people from their sins.”

-by Lester Troyer

The structure of the home and family is under attack. Satan knows that if he can wreck a marriage or distort the validity of the sacred union he will be able to crumble the rest of society. The fault lies with the professing Christian church, which has failed to teach and maintain Biblical teaching and practice.

Divine Wisdom

Beginning in Genesis 1, we learn that God in His wisdom created the entire universe by His almighty power. On the sixth day He created man and woman in His own image and likeness and saw that it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

Gen. 2:20-24 is a very descriptive account of the formation of Adam’s wife, Eve. God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone. Neither were any of the animals suitable for a companion.

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

Divine Wisdom cares for the need and welfare of mankind.

A man is incomplete in himself. He needs a spiritual, physical, and emotional counterpart to make life complete. God designed marriage for the happiness, fulfillment, and blessing of the human race. Adam and Eve in their sinless state could enjoy perfect bliss in their oneness with each other and their Creator.

When Adam and Eve sinned, their sin ruined that perfect bliss and oneness. Satan had entered into their lives. Now, instead of perfect trust there was mistrust. Instead of honest transparency and openness there were excuses, hiding, and accusations. Instead of mutual fellowship and sharing, mankind faced discord.

But man was still a man. And man still needed suitable companionship (a help meet). Sin did not disannul marriage or the marriage bond. Sin still brings untold misery into the marriage relationship. However, God provided redemption for sinful man and woman.

God sent His beloved Son who, unlike the first Adam, did not sin. Christ lived a sinless life in the flesh and gave His lifeblood as a perfect sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. In doing so, He provided a remedy so that sinful humanity could again experience victory, restoration, and a right relationship both with the Creator and with each other.

Only in Christ can marriage partners again experience the fullness of bliss that God designed for the marriage and the family unit.

Divine Wisdom established the order of headship.

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Genesis 3:16). “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). “Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement” (1 Peter 3:6). “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).

Order and leadership are essential for efficiency, harmony, and productivity. Man’s place as head of the woman does not make him superior or her inferior. It simply defines roles. Man is responsible to be the provider, protector, guardian, and spiritual leader in the home.

The woman by his side lends her support, encouragement, affection, and cooperation. The submissive wife complementing her husband’s role creates a powerful witness of divine wisdom and order.

Divine Wisdom ordained that children be raised within the home structure.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14).

“And all thy children shall be taught of the lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 54:13).

What a beautiful scene this is! A home with Jesus in the midst, blessing father and mother with children who are happily obeying their parents’ commands. It is a foretaste of heaven.

This comes with a price. The cost is a husband and wife’s denial of themselves, their self-will, self-esteem, self-assertiveness, and pride. It is a total surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It is a faith that trusts solely in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to enlighten and illuminate the heart and mind in the truth of God’s Word.

It means identifying and worshiping with other believers who embrace the same Gospel. Together as the family of God, we support, encourage, and submit to one another in the fear of God.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:33, 36).

-by J. Luke Martin