Diluted Faith: One of the Biggest Issues Facing Christians Today
This Week’s Quick Hits:
This Week’s Quote:
Most of you know that Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite writers. His latest book’ “Miracle and Wonder” is an incredible audio-only book. This five-hour book is gleaned from 30 hours of conversation between Malcolm Gladwell, co-author Bruce Headlam, and singer songwriter Paul Simon. The book is a deep look at Simon, his relationship with Art Garfunkel, the story and work behind hits such as ”The Boxer,” “The Sound of Silence,” “Graceland,” and more. There is great music and great conversations. If you like Gladwell, Simon, or music at all, I think you will love this audiobook.
Here are four of my favorite Paul Simon quotes!
There are two sorts of people in the world: Those who listen and those who are thinking about what they are going to say next.
You know, life is what you make of it- so beautiful or so what.
I was eating in a Chinese restaurant downtown. There was a dish called Mother and Child Reunion. It's chicken and eggs. And I said, I gotta use that one.
All God requires from us is to enjoy life and love. That's the whole point.
Pretty Easy Trivia:
What does a funambulist walk on?
Area 51 is located in which US state?
On a dartboard, what number is directly opposite No. 1?
Which American president appears on a one-dollar bill?
What geometric shape is generally used for stop signs?
Bonus Question:
Which buzzword did Apple Inc. use to describe their removal of the headphone jack?
Did You Know?:
Did you know the Statue of Liberty wears a size 879 shoe?
It’s no wonder that Lady Liberty in New York Harbor is a massive monument. The copper statue alone is 151 feet and one inch tall. However, if she needed a new pair of sandals it would take size 879 shoes to cover her ginormous feet.
Parenting Teenagers with Lindsay Few
Awesome Marriage This Week:
AM Podcast: Healthy Marriage: Q & A Episode 523
As we wrap up this series on Healthy Self / Healthy Marriage, Lindsay and I answer your questions. Join us!
AM YouTube Channel: How Often Do Most Married Couples Have Sex?
How often do married couples have sex? What is normal? Can you have too much sex? If you seldom have sex does this affect your marriage in a negative way? How does the quality versus quantity thing work in regards to sex? How often do you two have sex? Tune in this week!
AM YouVersion Plan: Sex How Often
In this six-day plan, let’s take a look inside your sex life in marriage. What is normal for you? What obstacles do you face? How do you talk about it together? How do you have the sex life in your marriage that God intends for you to have?
AM Resource: Elevate Your Communication Course Whether your communication is a mess or things are generally good with some mishaps here or there, I think your marriage could benefit from my new Elevate Your Marriage Communication Online Course. Just use the code COM20 at check out for 20% off!
Dr. Kim’s Insights:
As I take time off from writing during the month of August, I want to share some of my favorite Insights and Blogs from the past 12 years.
Join me next week as I return with all new Insights!
I write the Dispatch on Monday mornings. Usually I have a number of ideas floating around in my mind that I want to write about. This past Monday morning was different. I had nothing. So I went to Google! I searched for the “biggest issues facing Christians today in America and first world countries.”
Now I had a new problem, which of the top ten would I write on?
I chose “a diluted faith.” What does that even mean? To dilute means to weaken or to thin down. So, diluted faith is when I let worldviews collide with my faith beliefs in such a way that the worldviews win. It’s when I put more emphasis on what my culture says is okay than what God says is okay. It’s choosing man’s view of truth over God’s view of truth. It’s putting myself first all the time.
Here is an interesting quote from William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army in the late 1800s. As the year 1900 approached, marking the beginning of a new century, a reporter asked Booth, “What are the chief dangers we will encounter in this new century?” Booth responded, “I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be: Religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, politics without God, and Heaven without Hell.”
I have no idea how the people of Booth’s time took that prediction but looking back from today, he nailed it! Author Daniel Sweet, responding to that quote, says American Christianity is already there: “In a society in which there are no absolutes and every individual is a free agent, we are taught to be self-reliant and independent. Christianity is no longer the automatic, default faith of young adults.”
Diluted faith seems to be a big part of our lives today. So what does that mean for you and me? This is my take. It is like being in a small boat in the middle of the ocean and discovering that your boat has no rudder. If I have let myself become self-dependent instead of God-dependent, I am in trouble. I am helpless. Yet, if I am God-dependent, everything changes. I am not alone in the boat, for God is with me. I am not without hope because God always has answers. God was not surprised when I got into this predicament. God has resources to rescue me from sending some of His angels to sending a passing freighter. Now, the end result of this situation may be the same. I may die on the boat, but I believe there is a huge difference in dying on my own and dying with God at my side.
Your faith and mine do not have to be diluted. It is really our choice. Sure, we will continue to be bombarded with worldviews that challenge our faith, but we can keep our eyes on God. Do you realize how often the views from the world change? Compare that with the ways of God that have never changed. I’ve decided to keep up my fight against a diluted faith and to keep my eyes on God and who He is. What about you? Are you fighting? Where are your eyes focused today?
Next Steps:
What is one way you see that “diluted faith” has affected you?
Of the five predictions from William Booth, which one have you let dilute your faith?
Trivia Answers:
Tight Rope
Nevada
19
George Washington
Octagon
Bonus Question Answer:
Courage
*Some links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Every dollar made goes directly to the ministry of Awesome Marriage to help couples build awesome marriages. We only promote products we truly recommend.