In Touch Ministries

Dr. Charles Stanley: The culture is dominating our conversation, who this movie star is, who this ball player is, what he's wearing, what she's wearing. Because we live in that kind of a culture. The things that go on around us, the laws that are being passed, the attitudes that people have, and the way Christians oftentimes find themselves oftentimes too late, caught up in this culture with its vain philosophies, with its immoral attitudes and actions. And then we wonder why the church has such little influence and impact on our society.

Guest (Male): There was a time when the television sat in the corner of the room. Now the screen is carried in our hands. We don't just watch culture, we scroll it and we stream it. While technology isn't the enemy, the messages that it delivers shape how we think about truth, morality, and even God.

Today on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, we'll get a biblical frame of reference, one that if applied, will help us in surviving our present culture.

Dr. Charles Stanley: A culture like you and I live in is certainly not a big friend to Christians. And so what we have to ask is this: How do you and I live in a culture that is so opposed to what we believe, and whose lifestyle is so totally different from ours? How do we live in a culture like this without being captivated by it?

Overwhelmed by it, overcome by it, and most of all, without becoming like it. How do we live in this culture but live above it? That's what I want to talk about in this message and I want to talk about the key to living in the culture as we live in and yet not becoming a part of it.

So I want you to turn to the little book of Titus, and beginning in verse 5, he gives us a little reasoning here. He says, "For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you." Then he tells him what kind of people he should be looking for and so forth.

Then he comes to verse 9, and he talks about one of the key qualities that these people are to have, and that's this: "Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching so that he will be able to both exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict."

Now, here's the phrase I want you to notice. He says, "holding fast the faithful word." What does he mean when he talks about holding fast? Simply this, when you hold something, you hold it by your hand. When he says "holding fast the faithful word," the word means to cling to, to hold it tight, to hold it close, that is to apply it to your life.

So here's what Paul is saying. He says, teaching them to hold tightly to the Word of God. Cling to the truth of the Word of God. Apply it to your life because he knew that the Christians that live in that culture of Crete, they would be so highly influenced, very subtly influenced that before long, you couldn't tell the Christian from the non-Christian. What a message for our day and time.

Because we live in that kind of a culture. And we could use many other words to describe the things that go on around us, the laws that are being passed, the attitudes that people have, and the way Christians oftentimes find themselves oftentimes too late, caught up in this culture with its vain philosophies, with its immoral attitudes and actions, and then we wonder why the church has such little influence and impact on our society.

It does have a relationship with the fact that we have ceased to cling to, we have ceased, listen, hold tightly to the principles and the teachings of the Word of God.

Now, practically speaking, you said, practically speaking, then how do we cling to it? How do you cling to the Word of God? How, how do you keep this in your heart, in your mind, before your eyes and on your lips?

Well, there's seven short things I'm going to give you time to write them down. And the first one is this: read it carefully. Don't just read through it quickly, just let me read two, three verses right quick. Read it carefully. What does it say?

What does it say? Meditate upon it daily. Read it carefully, meditate upon it daily, that is, what is this really saying? And how, how am I to handle this? What is God saying about himself and about me?

Thirdly, study it seriously. This is not just another book. Listen, why do you, why do you suppose somebody had the idea of calling this holy Bible? Because it's from a holy God. That's the reason this is holy.

We read it carefully, we meditate upon it daily, and listen, not only that, but we study it seriously, and we believe it wholeheartedly. We believe it wholeheartedly. We obey it consistently. We apply it personally. And we share it confidently.

Now, what happens, how does the culture ultimately destroy us? I want you to jot these down. I'm going to give you a list. Number one, when you do not hold the Word of God closely, then the following things happen, the culture gets your attention. They get your attention. All kinds of ways they throw things at you to get your attention. It's number one.

Secondly, eventually, they begin to influence you. Because you keep listening, and you keep watching. So they get your attention by that, "Hm, that's appealing." Then they began to influence your thinking.

The third thing that happens is this: They win your affections. And what you first were not interested in, got your attention, you became very interested, and the next thing you know, won your affections. Once it wins your affections, the next thing that happens is, it redirects your focus.

Before you were focused on spiritual things. But now you find yourself more focused on the culture around you, what other people are thinking, what they're saying, so they redirect your focus.

Next thing is, before long you realize they're dominating your conversation. The culture is dominating your conversation, who this movie star is, who this ball player is, what he's wearing, what she's wearing. In other words, all of these things, what happens is, your interest level has been redirected and therefore it dominates your conversation.

What is your conversation primarily filled with today? The next thing that happens, you know what? It influences your dress. The way you dress. Oh, now that, you don't think so? Let me give an example.

Enough Christian young women have watched, got their attention, influenced their thinking, changed their focus, and you know what happens? Now they're cutting their blouses off, they're lowering whatever else they're wearing. Why?

I'll tell you why. They're doing it because that's what seems to be the thing to do. You know what they've done? They have allowed the culture to determine the way they dress. And I would say to any young lady, "Would you dress like that and walk into the presence of the Son of God?"

No, you wouldn't. Why do you let the culture around you influence you to dress in a way that is certainly far from being the best? Or even oftentimes just plain decency?

Let me ask you a question, for a Christian, what do you want people to look at? It is our eyes we want people to look at. Why? Because that's who we are.

Don't let the culture clog your mind with false ideas and patterns of belief and behavior that you become less than what God wants you to be. You know, if you have good self-esteem, you don't have to show off anything. The fact that you want to show off something says you have poor self-esteem and you're trying to do something to get somebody's attention.

If you live a godly life, you won't have to worry about getting anybody's attention. Listen to this, they will see it in your eyes, they will see it in your countenance, and they will feel it in your presence. You don't have to undress to get their attention. But the culture is working at it.

Listen, dominating your conversation, influencing your dress, and also influencing your choice of music. There's no doubt about it that music, the way we have it today, oftentimes, has been one of the key weapons of Satan to drag millions of young people away from godly ideas, the Word of God, truth, decency, morality, godliness.

And what do they do? You see, there's all kind of music, somebody says, well there's all, everybody has all, all kind of music. That's right. There's all kinds. What does it do to you? Does it cause you to worship God? No, there's lots of songs out there that are just pleasant, good songs and doesn't have any physical effect, can have you make you have an emotional feeling of feeling good because of it.

But if it so works in your body that you begin to feel sensual, what you have to ask is this: where did that come from? That's why you have to be careful what you listen to. How you dress. The world culture, the world culture has penetrated every facet of our society. One of the most powerful weapons is music.

You know what else will happen? Watch this, we're talking about the effect of the culture. The culture will steal God's tithe from God's work. Because they'll say, "You ought to have this." You get in debt. You, you got to buy, you have a new one of these or some of that and some of this over here. And after all, after all, you only have one life, you got to live it up.

Next thing you know, you're in debt. Next thing you know you're taking God's tithe to pay off debts because you've misused God's money because you let the world persuade you, indoctrinate you, cloud your mind, fog your whole belief system. And now what happens? They got you trapped.

Debt is a trap. I've never heard anybody in all of my years say, "I love being in debt." No, but I've heard many, many people say, "Oh, I wish to God I were not in debt." You know what else the secular society around us is gonna do? They alter your schedule.

You say, "Well, they can't alter my schedule." Oh, yes, they have, and yes, they do. You know how? Because you stop clinging to the Word of God and following its principles and the teachings of Jesus, here's what happened. Altered your schedule, so you don't read it much anymore. Time you spent reading the scriptures and filling your mind with the thoughts of God, now you fill it with the thoughts of the world.

You let them, listen, you know what you did? You allowed them to change your schedule. You know what else they'll do? They'll fill your mind with sensuality and immoral thoughts over and over and over and over and over again until finally, you know what's happening? You're committing the very things you see on TV. Or the lust pattern in your life has become so strong, you feel that you're in bondage.

Isn't it interesting that Satan offers these awesome promises only to find yourself in bondage of something now you hate because you cannot stop? You know why? You severed yourself from the anchor, the living Word of God. Then what happens? They want to ruin your witness. The culture wants to drag you away from God. He can't, listen, the culture can't get you away from God till they get you away from the book. Until they get you away from God's book, they can't get you away from God.

And once they do it, it ruins your witness. Then you're so much like them, it doesn't make any difference any longer. They love your company now because you're no longer a contradiction to the way they live. You're so much like them, you don't bother them anymore, so how are you doing? Glad to see you. Before because you were like salt and like light.

Now you're so much like them, it doesn't make any difference anymore. If you don't cling to the Word of God, listen carefully, you will not cling to God. He gave us this book, he gave us this truth for our, listen, not only for our salvation, but for our protection. And you know what'll happen? Eventually, the culture will make you useless for the Kingdom of God.

Because having altered your schedule, you have no time to serve him. Little to no time to read his word at all, and now that you're spending your money on things rather than giving God what ought to be given to him. You're not interested in people being saved any longer because you see now your life is so self-centered and so caught up in yourself. And you know what's happened? You haven't even realized that it's happened.

You are so far from where you used to be, when you read the scriptures every night, and you believed that somehow, the Word of God must be a vital part of your life. And then the culture got your attention. Began to affect your thinking. Won your emotions and got your focus off God.

And now what happens? It leads you into idolatry. You know what idolatry is? Idolatry is, listen carefully, idolatry takes place in your life when anything, any person, any practice is more important to you than your relationship to Jesus Christ. You let the culture get your attention, penetrate your thinking, win your emotions, and get your focus off of God and off of his Word.

Now, here is the tragedy of it all. Listen carefully. Here is the tragedy of it all. Right, if you listen, say amen.

Audience: Amen.

Dr. Charles Stanley: Eventually, if there's no genuine change in your life, here's what's gonna happen: one of these days, you're going to die. And somebody's going to come and look at your body in the casket. And here's what they're going to say. Saved soul, wasted life.

Because you let the culture get your attention, influence your thinking, win your emotions, turn your focus from God. And what I want you to see is this. He says, hold it tenaciously. Cling to it, he says.

You say, "All right, okay, I admit that I haven't, so what do I do?" Now listen very carefully so you won't misunderstand. I'm going to, I'm going to say, I'm going to give you a word. Don't jump to any conclusion until I define it.

The way you deal with drifting, handling it loosely, laying it aside, it's no longer in your heart, no longer really in your mind, no longer before your eyes, and therefore not on your lips. The word is repent. Now watch this carefully.

Repentance, while the word means change and turn in another direction, that will never work until the following thing is true: the motive must be right. If you repent, turn away from this action or this attitude because you're afraid of God's judgment, because you fear what may happen to you, it won't work. You know what? Before long you'll be right back at it.

The motive must be, "I want to turn, I want to repent of this sin because I'm grieved that my relationship to my God is not right." I'm grieved that I've grieved him, grieved in my heart that I've been trying to live and convince and persuade and argue and defend, and my relationship with him has been awesomely damaged. When that is your motive, repentance will be a reality.

I've just told you the truth. And we have one simple command: cling to it. Hold it tightly, apply it to your life, live by it, and you'll experience God's very best in your life.

If you're one of those persons who's never trusted Jesus Christ as your savior, what are you going to say when you stand before him and he says, "This is the standard by which I'm judging you. You've neglected it, you've denied his son, you've turned away, you let the culture determine your eternal destiny." What in this world are you going to say? You won't have anything to say.

And I want to encourage you to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and tell him today that you acknowledge your sinfulness. You're not coming to him because you deserve to be saved, you're coming asking for mercy. You want him to forgive you and to save you from your sins. You're committing yourself to him, you want to live a godly life. You want to walk in his ways.

And you know what'll happen? He'll change your life. And what you used to look at and think was so important, lose its importance, and the things you've neglected will become the most precious things in your life.

And now, Father, how grateful we are for this precious book. This indestructible, eternal, faithful word of yours. I pray that you'll sink this message into the heart of every single person. Let it cut deeply into the heart of one who has drifted, fallen away, living in sin, but knowing as they've listened, I've heard the truth.

Let there be genuine repentance and a fresh new love and devotion and clinging to the word is my prayer in Jesus' name.

Audience: Amen.

Guest (Male): Thank you for joining us on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. How much of God's word is hidden in your heart? As believers live out the truth of the Bible, God will deepen our faith and affection for him, helping us to grow in the image of Christ.

If you have questions about how to live a godly life in a hostile culture, please take advantage of our Bible-based resources at intouch.org, or go back through this lesson by clicking the link to today on radio. And for a copy of Dr. Stanley's complete message called "Surviving Our Present Culture," open the bookstore page and place your order. Again, log on to intouch.org, or call or text us, the number is simply 1-800-INTOUCH. And to write to us, address your letter to In Touch, Post Office Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia 30357.

When God tries to get your attention, it's not only for your benefit. Today's moment with Charles Stanley is coming up.

You don't need to be perfect to be a man of God. Kick it over this way. That's it. But with just a little encouragement. Well, you're a pro at this, aren't you? And some time in detention. You can be a patient example, a generous leader, a joyful provider. In his book, "Man of God," Dr. Charles Stanley looks at what it takes to grow into a man after God's own heart. Order your copy at intouch.org or 1-800-INTOUCH.

Dr. Stanley devoted his entire life to helping us. Get closer to Jesus as we all want to do. So, are you ready for the next step in your journey? It begins at the Charles Stanley Institute. You can learn how at charlesstanleyinstitute.org. You love your In Touch Daily Devotional. I love my In Touch Devotional. But you may have wondered if the print's getting smaller these days. Is the print smaller? It couldn't be my eyes. The In Touch Daily Devotional is now available in large print. While other print seems to be getting smaller, ours is getting larger. That's so much better. The In Touch Daily Devotional now available in easy-to-read large print. Order yours today at intouch.org/largeprint.

You're listening to In Touch. God uses several ways to get a believer's attention, and we need to respond well. Here's a moment with Charles Stanley.

Well, I think his primary method is the Word of God. And you'd be reading the Word of God and you'd say, "Oh my goodness, I hadn't thought about that." I need, I need to check up on that, Lord. Thank you for showing me that. Or sometimes he uses another person. And that person in a conversation may say something, you know, "Oh, you know what, that's the way I've been thinking."

So he uses people, he uses circumstances to get our attention to begin to think about how we are living and what are the habits of my life. So he uses people, his word, circumstances, many things I think, to draw us to the reality of what's really going on in our life. So I think all of us should be able to listen to someone and if we see something that's not right in their life, we should be able to help bring that person to a point of correction.

But not in a condemning way, in a very loving, sensitive way, and sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to the timing and what we ought to say and how we ought to say it. Especially if a person's down in their thinking, or going through a difficult time, or maybe something going on in their family. Condemnation is not what they need. They need to be loved and sometimes you have to take a person where they are down here and bring them and encourage them through all of this and then get them to the place where they can hear you and realize that, you know what, you're not condemning me, you're really loving me but telling me this. Thank you very much. And sometimes you have to bring them up through a path of gradual acceptance that what you really desire for them is the best.

Learn more about growing in Christ and helping others to do the same at intouch.org. And you can learn more about surrendering your life to Christ when you visit us there at intouch.org. How are you going to apply what you heard today? We'd love to hear from you today.

Ahead on In Touch, so many things compete for our attention that it's easy to feel saturated in decision-making. Here are caution to guard against allowing that fatigue to create complacency. I hope you'll join us again for In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley.

This program is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia, and remains on the station because of the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.