"Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalm 24:3-5, KJV)
Today's Unreached People Group is the Uzbek of Southern Afghanistan. Among other prayer requests, the site asks us to pray that they would "put off falsehood and speak truthfully to one another."
Today's Unreached People Group is the Uzbek of Southern Afghanistan. Among other prayer requests, the site asks us to pray that they would "put off falsehood and speak truthfully to one another."
Our text came to mind when I remembered an experience I had while visiting one of our missionaries to Morocco in September of 1985. One day I met with one of his young Moroccan converts, Said; of course he was from a Muslim background. He shared with me the extreme difficulty of being a Follower of Jesus in his Arab culture. He said that even with the very few Christian friends he has, the cultural deception and "falsehood" in interpersonal relationships was a struggle for him in his walk in Christ. It was the age-old battle of acculturalization. I remember sharing our text with him, no preaching, teaching, just, "The Words of God." That was all it took; his countenance changed. The next day he brought one of his friends with him, Mustafa. Why? "The Words of God," had impacted Said and he wanted his friend to hear, "The Words of God." They challenged the Arab Islamic Culture straight on and encouraged Said, empowered him, gave him renewed hope. "The Way, the Truth, and The Life," Who is our Lord Jesus Christ, won the day.
The American church faces the similar challenge of acculturalization. I read an article this morning entitled, "Acculturalization: assimilation-integration-rejection-deculturalization." The article is quite short, and I have posted it on our News, Commentary Blog at: www.jerberwash.blogspot.com
The author defined aculturalization as, "when 2 autonomous cultures meet and one becomes the dominant while the other either assimilates to the new culture, integrates into the new culture while maintaining their identity, rejects the new culture, or deculturalizes all together (removes from both cultures)." The article posted on our Blog is a timely illustration of the acculturalization challenge which has faced the Church through the centuries. In my opinion, this is, and has been through the centuries, the number one nemesis of the Church.
Father, in Jesus' Name, please keep me from any acculturalization. Amen.
*******************
Very Timely Article, Plus Others at: www.jerberwash.blogspot.com
Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
