On the Move

It's important that we craft a spiritual filter for our lives, that is predicated on the teachings of the Word of God.  We can accept and incorporate the truth of the Bible and reject instruction that doesn't line up, so that we are not led astray. 1st Thessalonians 5 says:
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

How do we "test" the information to which we are exposed?  Well, we first of all seek to know what God teaches us; through study of and meditation in His Word, and incorporating solid Bible teaching from trusted sources.  We develop a strong foundation for our lives - and then we are able to consider accurately and Biblically what we are hearing.  This is so necessary in a time in which there is so much access to information.  It's great that we can hear and see so much teaching, but it should be filtered.

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There is a spiritual progression or regular cycle, that we can live out, a progression from exposure to truth, to properly incorporate it in our minds and spirits, and then to actually walk in that truth, applying God's principles. James 1 challenges us:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

I would hope that there is a thirst for God's Word that is being created all around the world, due to a sense of hopelessness that seems to have taken root in our culture.  People are looking for answers, and God's Word provides solutions that can impact their lives.

A rather well-known media player is now getting into the business of transmitting sermons through a new platform.  His name is Dan Abrams.  The website, The Hill, related this recently:

ABC chief legal analyst and Mediaite and Law & Crime TV founder Dan Abrams launched a streaming network on Monday “dedicated to broadcasting Christian sermons with an in-studio discussion.”

Abrams, who has seen great success with his media properties in recent years under Abrams Media, launched Ambo, named for a historic synonym for a pulpit, from a studio in New York.

Now, I don't know what Abrams' faith background is, but just judging from the circles in which he runs, I would be very cautious about embracing such an endeavor.  Still, it's indicative of what might be considered a thirst for truth in our culture today.  The rollout announcement stated:

"The live programming rollout is scheduled for November with simultaneous back-to-back live sermons airing Saturdays and Sundays and featuring a lineup of high-profile partners such as Victory Church of Tulsa, OK and the multi-site Fresh Life Church, led by pastor and best-selling author, Levi Lusko..."

The content will promote viewer interaction, with a "live-chat feature." Plans are to go daily with the programming.  Brooke Girley, who will run the network, has degrees from NYU, Duke University School of Law, and Yale Divinity.  She is quoted as saying: "An inspirational network for younger Christians is long overdue,” adding, “Ambo TV will allow viewers to watch compelling sermons, in real time, from pastors of my generation and discuss them with other viewers from around the world. This is the type of network many of us have been waiting for, and I’m thrilled to be a part of creating it."

Meanwhile, Netflix has announced a deal to bring content related to The Chronicles of Narnia to its streaming service.  Faithwire reports:

In an official statement, the entertainment powerhouse stated that they would be producing a variety of works off of The Chronicles of Narnia series, after reaching an agreement with The C.S. Lewis Company, who owns the rights to all the books.

The story quoted Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham, who stated, “It’s wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world,” Gresham said.  That is a quote from the Netflix website.

So, in processing this information, what can we glean?  Well, for one thing, it's important that we seek for and receive truth from trusted sources.  There is no such thing as "your truth" and "my truth" or "his truth" and "her truth."  There is one source for absolute truth, and that is through the Scriptures - so that is the measuring stick, the plumb line by which we determine what principles by which we build and live our lives.  And, I would say that Faith Radio is devoted to being a trusted source for quality, Biblically-faithful teaching.  Our teaching lineup, I believe, is second to none, comprised of people who have a solid track record for accurately and authoritatively relating the truth of the Bible.

And, let me say it again, we have to develop discernment - there is so much material available to us through a variety of means.  But, while it is wonderful to have the volume of teaching, preaching, and writing, it is vital that we discern truth related to the principles of God's Word.  We have to make the study of God's Word a priority - because that's where it starts: getting into the Bible and knowing what it says.

Once we seek truth with accuracy and study diligently, we also consider how it can be applied to our own lives.  Then, as James 1 says, we can be more than merely hearers of the Word, but also doers.