A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
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Friday, August
30, 2019
Our
friend Joe and his family were at Kenwick Island on
the Delaware shore a couple weekends ago and he showed
us some of the photos he took. This photo stood out
with the setting sun beaming right through the beach
umbrella.
(Photo
by Joe Ulicny)
"Changed
Convictions"
Message
summary: Our
convictions are
our deeply held
beliefs. But is
changing our
convictions ever
virtuous?
Listen to our message on your audio player.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers" (Galatians 1:14).
Earlier
this summer a
prominent writer and
one time pastor
announced that he
had switched sides,
abandoning his faith
in Christ and
joining the forces
of the world. This
made the news due to
his prominence. This
causes distress to
some and it's always
sad to see this
happen. But people
have been abandoning
the faith ever since
Jesus walked on this
earth (John
6:66) and the
time of the apostles
(2
Timothy 4:10).
That's why
there are so many
calls to
faithfulness in the
Bible such as an
early message from
the apostolic church
planters summed up
as
"strengthening
the disciples and
encouraging them
to remain true to
the faith"
(Acts 14:22).
Hebrews 10:23
states, "Let us
hold fast the
confession of our
hope without
wavering".
In yesterday's message we shared concerning convictions and the need to hold firmly to what we believe. Our convictions are our deeply held beliefs. But is changing our convictions ever virtuous?
Certainly!
After all, when we
are converted we
change our
convictions!
Saul, in
his former way of
life, had a deep
conviction that he
was serving God. In
his testimony to the
Galatian believers
he speaks of his
zeal, "For you
have heard of my previous
way of life in
Judaism, how
intensely I
persecuted the
church of God and
tried to destroy
it. I was
advancing in
Judaism beyond
many Jews of my
own age and was
extremely zealous
for the traditions
of my fathers"
(Galatians 1:13,14).
At that time Saul
surely was
absolutely convinced
he was on the right
side.
But at his
conversion to Christ
on the Damascus Road
Saul became a
changed man. His
convictions had a
radical overhaul and
even his name
changed. We know him
not as Saul but as
the Apostle Paul. I
find it interesting
that a possible
basis for this name
change goes back to
the Greek word
"pauo", a verb
meaning to stop,
restrain, quit,
desist, come to an
end. (We get the
English word "pause"
from this word.) The
one who had been
extremely zealous
for the traditions
of his fathers had a
transformation in
his convictions.
Yes, our deepest convictions can change both for good and bad. The late Dr. Bernard Nathanson was co-founder of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, one of the most ardent pro-abortion organizations in the country. For many years he was both an abortionist and a national spokesman for the pro-abortion cause, convinced that he was on the right side.
Yes, our deepest convictions can change both for good and bad. The late Dr. Bernard Nathanson was co-founder of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, one of the most ardent pro-abortion organizations in the country. For many years he was both an abortionist and a national spokesman for the pro-abortion cause, convinced that he was on the right side.
However in
a widely reported
1974 article in The
New England Journal
of Medicine, "Deeper
into Abortion," Dr.
Nathanson described
his growing moral
and medical qualms
about abortion. "I
am deeply troubled
by my own increasing
certainty that I had
in fact presided
over 60,000 deaths."
He
eventually made an
about face and
shared of his change
of viewpoint in his
book "Aborting
America". He became
an articulate voice
for the pro-life
cause and went on to
produce a video
titled "The Silent
Scream", which
powerfully
demonstrates the
horror of an early
abortion. He states,
"the other side,
those who advocate
abortion, have never
successfully
challenged the
validity of the
film". Dr. Nathanson
could clearly
explain what led to
the change in his
convictions!
More
recently Abby
Johnson, the main
character behind the
movie "Unplanned",
made a similar
change. She was the
youngest clinic
director in the
history of Planned
Parenthood, then a
life-changing
experience turned
her into a pro-life
activist. She
eventually came to
see the utter evil
of abortion during
her time at Planned
Parenthood in Bryan,
Texas where 22,000
murders took place
over her eight year
involvement with
that clinic.
People's
convictions can
change, both from
the wrong side to
the right such as
Paul, Dr Nathanson
and Abby Johnson,
but also from the
right side to the
wrong such as the
man mentioned in our
lead paragraph. I
consider politicians
who once expressed a
very strong pro-life
stand but who have
changed to the
opposite side
primarily due to
political
expediency. The same
is true for other
moral issues such as
the constitution of
marriage. Many of us
can remember not
that long ago when
many politicians
expressed their
"deep personal
conviction" that
marriage was between
a man and a woman
only to make an
about face.
Here's
the point. What is
the underlying basis
for a change in a
conviction? Is there
a principled basis
for this change? Are
you holding true to
your convictions? If
you do at some point
change your view on
a deep personal
conviction can you
provide a sound,
principled,
Bible-based defense
on why you changed?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father,
we thank You for
biblical
convictions
essential to our
Christian faith,
that are
foundational to
our personal
convictions as we
live out our
spiritual walk.
Like Abraham who
was fully
convinced that
what God promised
He was able to do.
So indeed it was
credited to
Abraham as
righteousness.
Convictions have a
definite impact on
how one lives,
what he does, says
and where he goes.
May the personal
convictions we
hold close to our
hearts bring about
a fruitful walk
with You and
enable us to live
a life set apart
for Christ in
whose name we
pray. Amen.Romans
4:21,22
Yesterday morning
this scene was on
appropriately
named Farmersville
Road.
(Click
to enlarge)
Late
yesterday
afternoon on our
trail walk Stephen
climbed up in a
tree stand for a
better view.
Brooksyne
and Mollie down on
the trail from the
tree stand.
Heading
down the long
"corn canyon"
leading back to
our house we pass
this persevering
tree.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Statement
of Faith" Video
Legacy
Five and friends
Finally
today:
Yesterday I was in
a Lowes store and a man came
up to greet me. I haven't
seen Abel Lopez in probably
12 years when he came
occasionally to the church
we attended at that time. I
was blessed to hear that he
still reads our Daily
Encouragements and I had the
opportunity to remind him to
follow Jesus and remain true
to the faith.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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