Like a Fire in My Heart

God’s Word has never been popular, not in the past nor in the present. 

 

When God gave Jeremiah some hard truths to proclaim, Jeremiah said:

“...the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” (Jeremiah 20:8,9)

God's people have always had hard truths to proclaim and today is no different....

Our culture believes that there are many ways to God, yet God's Word clearly teaches that the only way of salvation is through God's incredible gift of His Son Jesus (1 John 5:10-12). How can we possibly keep this news to ourselves?

However, when we share this truth, the majority of people will call us narrow-minded and intolerant. 

In a culture that believes there are very few rules for sexual behavior, the Bible teaches that God created sex exclusively for the marriage union of a man and a woman, a design that brings us safety, pleasure, and fulfillment. Living outside of God's design brings spiritual, emotional and physical damage, as well as eternal death (1 Cor. 6:9-10). How can we possibly keep this news to ourselves?

 

For more on the biblical teachings on sexual intimacy see Mark 10:6-9, Sex Outside of Marriage - What Scripture Teaches and Unashamed of God's Word. 

However, when we share God's loving truths, the majority of people will call us prudish, hateful, or homophobes. It’s more popular to affirm every type of sexual behavior or simply keep our mouths shut.

These are just two of many areas where the Bible comes into direct conflict with the popular views of our culture. We should not be surprised when we are criticized for sharing God's truth.
 

Sadly, many Christians are remaining silent. Even worse, some are compromising biblical values to "fit in."

 

We need to remember that how we say something is just as important as what we say, speaking the truth in love. But even when we speak the truth in love, we can expect to be persecuted (John 15:18-19)

Is this God’s Truth or My Opinion?

In the political arena, we need to identify issues which are sinful or evil according to Scripture, things such as abortion, promotion of LGBTQ lifestyles, racial prejudice, etc.

 

Opposing those sins isn't "optional" for Christians. But some issues are based on preference. We must be careful not to blur the lines. 

We also should be careful to have our facts straight. We don't want to pass along fake news. And we should share God's truths, at appropriate times and in appropriate ways.

 

Jeremiah said that God’s word was in his heart “like a fire” that he could not hold inside. He had to share God’s truth no matter how much rejection it brought him.

I pray that I will have this same passion for God’s truth. And I also pray that (like Jeremiah) I will share it in the ways God wants it shared—in the power of God’s Spirit, more concerned about the Lord's reputation than my own.