David Kupelian in his book, 'The Marketing of Evil' shares this observation on trends in culture and education in America today.
It reads, 'If there is no awareness of God, truth becomes relative, socialism becomes attractive, immorality becomes acceptable, and philosophies become bizarre.'
I consider that an accurate and timely view of our nation today even though these words were written early in this century (2005).
I am not haughty or self-righteous in my views because like David, 'my sin is ever before me' Psalm 51:3.
But, also like David, when the Holy Spirit brought my sin and sinfulness before me, my plea became, 'Be gracious to me ,O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.' (Psalm 51:1,2)
immediately, because of Christ, God heard my plea, and forgave me, cleansed me, put His life in me and made me a new creation. (John 6:37; Isaiah 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5,6 * please take time to read the passages because they belong to you)
With that 'regeneration' came a (for me) renewed sense of God's Presence in my life which supports me, compels me, and sustains me as I guard that sense of His Presence by carefully following the Holy Spirit's direction, confirmed in my heart by the Word of the Living God.
The genuine Holy Spirit will never act outside the Word, and will always remind us of what Jesus said to give us light for the way before us. (John 14-16)
In John's gospel the sixth chapter there came a time when Jesus instructed His disciples to row across the Sea of Galilee and wait for Him on the other side (cf. Matthew 14:22; Mark 6:45).
They did exactly as they were commanded. But, on their way it became dark, and the winds rose to a gale. They were terrified!
We might ask ourselves why, if the disciples were being obedient, were they faced with this peril?
Everything Jesus did, or allowed, was intended to teach them, and by extension you and I, the dangers of 'losing the sense of His Presence' in difficult times and situations. Jesus stayed behind to pray but was always aware of the circumstance of those who acted in obedience to His commands (Mark 6:48).
The disciples were terrified because in their anxiety and fear they lost their sense of the Lord's Presence.
Their terror was only relieved when they recognized Him coming to them upon the water, and in that recognition came the invitation for Him to 'get in the boat with them'. and immediately the storm ceased and they arrived at their destination.