Tuesday

In View of the World

Lately in the news, we have seen all kinds of changes, happenings, disasters, rumblings and catastrophes around the world.  Along with each of these comes a variety of opinions and responses in every type of assortment including political, social, culture, medical, financial and more.
 
Currently, our newspapers, television, and many forms of media have covered all kinds of everything, including; many political candidates, each one with different viewpoints on different matters, petitioning the America votes so they can become the next president of the United States.  We have seen and heard all kinds of choices offered to women in regards to her own specific body and health not to mention the specific body, health and life of the unborn baby inside her womb  We have observed the national deficit rise in astronomical figures affecting us all as we are practically effected by the tricking down effect. Crimes have increased worldwide, breakdowns of individuals’ emotional and mental state due to the magnitude of stress in their lives has increased.  Devastations of natural disasters including; floods, earthquakes volcanoes continue to wreak homes, countries, areas effecting devastating results on people and families.  People forces out of their home and countries fleeing violence and seeking protection for their families only to be rejected by the nearest countries they traveled to for safety.
 
Let’s face it, there are problems worldwide
The reality is enormous!   The list is endless!  The pain is raw!
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How do we filter all these world events, (not only current events but historical events) through reason, our thoughts, and our beliefs? The way each of us view the world has tremendous power and influence on the decisions and behaviors that we make in our personal lives. 
 
What’s a World View?
James Sire states “A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions that we hold about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.”– James Sire, The Universe Next Door.
 
A presupposition, are beliefs that are tacitly assumed beforehand at the beginning of a line of argument; to suppose or assume beforehand; take for granted in advance
 
What is your view of the world?  It depends on who you ask from around the world.  Everyone has a viewpoint, a philosophy, a set of assumptions whether you realize it or not.  We make assumptions based on how we our influence from the world around us.  These form our own thoughts and our own opinions leading us to decisions that influence our whole lives.
 
Christian World View
“Developing a Christian worldview is important for the Christian because it tempers the way we interact with and assess the fallen world in which we live.” - Gregory Alan
Our world is broken…there is only one help. God!  He is the creator of the world, He declared it, formed it and spoke it into being.  The Psalmist writes -"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork."
From the Christ follower’s perspective, our viewpoint is based on the creation, fall and redemption of mankind.  From the first words of the Old Testament  in Genesis 1:1 we can see that not only did God create the heavens and the earth but we continue to read, we see how He created mankind.  In Genesis chapter 3 we see how mankind feels and in Romans 5 we read how sin entered the world along with death.  Then the glorious redemption, a way out of each person who has missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God, we are all delivered from this mess through one Man Christ Jesus.  There is complete hope in Christ.
 
Your Turn
So I beg the question, what do you believe?  What is your view of the world?
 Where is that view coming from?  Is it coming from the media and culture of this day?  Or is your view point coming from the pages of the Bible?
 
I implore you to seek the knowledge of Christ through the pages of your Bible.
Receive all that He has to say, and follow Him.  He will bring salvation to a lost world,
hope to the hopeless, comfort for those in sorrow, love to the rejected
 
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”  Hosea tells us, one of the Old Testament prophets (whose name means Salvation) offers the possibility of salvation to a people and nation if only they will turn from idolatry back to God.   
 
Come and know the risen Savior, currently sitting on the right hand side of God.
Come and know the Redeemer of the world
Come and know the God and Creator of the world that who will call you His friend and heir to his kingdom
Come!
 
Resources:
- The Holy Bible: 
- Dr. John Mark Reynolds –Professor
-James Sire-The Universe Next Door.
-Mary Jo Sharp- Confident Christianity
-Gregory Alan Thornbury – Union University (SBC), School of Theology & Missions
 
Calendar:  go to www.simonelake.com  for more info
Women’s Bible Study- I & II Timothy and Titus-Church on Randall Place.
Apologetics and Christian Worldview- Payson Christian School
 
About the Author:
Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake, passionate pray-er and Bible teacher.   A graduate of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Simone holds a Master’s degree in Theology and Apologetics Certificate from BIOLA.  She writes this Firm Foundations article, published every first Wed. of the month. 
Visit her: www.deeprootsinchrist.com,  www.simonelake.com, FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Audios available at:  http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net
 
NOTE:  This devotional article is part of Simone's Apologetics Writings. She is a member, speaker, teacher of the International Society of Women in Apologetics (ISWA) http://womeninapologetics.com