Love Shines Brighter (#611)

Brad wants to know if Wayne has his bug-out bag ready. With darkness increasing around us, whether it be a growing nuclear threat from North Korea, or the sexual predator scandals exposed in the highest reaches of our culture. All that brings up the question whether the world is just going to grow darker and darker before the return of Christ, or whether the light will continue to shine in our world in a way that shapes society for the better? One thing is for sure, the trajectory of church history has not cooperated with the work of the Father that Jesus prayed for, that love and unity would speak a greater reality to our culture than any sermon or program ever could. How do Christ's followers respond in these troubled times?

Podcast Notes:

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6 Comments

  1. Wayne, I was struck by your comment near the beginning of the broadcast about letting the political prisoners out of jail in North Korea and allowing them to deal with Kim Jong Un, and I thought, there’s no guarantee that if freed they would do anything. Would some be so brainwashed or fearful that they would simply just return to their previous subservient existence? Or would some actually rise up? I think you can see this kind of behavior and thinking in every area of life–the church, business, government, etc. People come under the spell of a dictatorial or dishonestly charismatic leader and some are so beat down they don’t know how to break out of it. But there’s usually one or two that do. They are the braves ones, the unsung heroes who eventually pave the way for others. Their value though usually isn’t seen at the time and they often pay a heavy price for not following the status quo. I believe this ties in with the rest of the conversation on today’s podcast.

  2. Great podcast!
    I hope Mr Trump doesn’t neuk North Korea. We’re a couple of hundred miles north in China and we’d get some of the fallout.

    But so would most of China, Japan and this end of Russia.

    I think what Trump is banking on is that China will intervene.
    People certainly are alarmed here.

    As for an end-time revival. Why not? People are hungry for God and are sick of religion. So if it happens it’ll be amongst friends, in homes, families, communities, workplaces. Certainly in the UK there’s a hunger.
    If people don’t have to perform. If they can be themselves. If needs are met, prayers answered and love is seen to be genuine, and God breathes on it, I can imagine small pockets of communities catching fire all over Europe.
    It’ll never get in the media so we might never hear about it.
    The institutional church will try to crush it, but mostly it’ll be overlooked. It’s probably already happening now.
    Just because it’s small doesn’t mean it’s not revival. It means I’ve only seen a small part of it.

    Maybe I’m wrong, but if I am I don’t think it’s because God doesn’t want it.

  3. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, hear my voice and pray, seek my face and pray then I will hear from heaven , forgive their sins and heal their land. 11Corth. 7:14.
    The Lord in His mercy has exposed the corruption in the Government of America and has been so merciful to that country and has called them to stand up, they are the Lords representatives in this age for His person and righteousness
    .As He did for Assyrians in their call to repentance by Jonah He would show mercy and grant time for the next generation and show to the world a nation where God is loved, honoured, and revered.
    I believe that some of the Lords people through out the earth have been called to pray for America. The situation needs to be dwelt with for His name sake, so may it become a testimony to other nations. May God grant us peace and rest.
    Ray (NewZealand)

  4. Still listening. Must be about 5 years now. Maybe not every podcast but you guys are up there as one of my favourite ironing podcasts and ironing has become my favourite chore because of podcasts like yours. I love the friendship and respect you show one another and the grace you extend to each other when you disagree. It gives me hope and has contributed to a change in the way I relate to people. Somehow, whether folks intended it or not, my evangelical training gave me this idea I had to have an agenda with every conversation I entered into. And I had to win every argument. Now I realise that’s not a good way to love people or build/maintain friendships and it’s just plain exhausting. I don’t have to control people. I don’t have to let people control me. I don’t have to go into every conversation with a judgement barometer on high alert thinking “what are they missing, how can I set that right.” I can entertain mystery more – you know maybe I don’t know everything and maybe I’m wrong about some things. Sadly I don’t often see much of this softness growing in peers who have stayed inside the religious system, so it reassures me that walking with the spirit to the beat of my own drum may be not such a bad way to navigate life. Love the way you guys talk about real stuff, deep stuff, worldly stuff and faith. That’s refreshing. Thankyou for your podcasts. They have helped me through some difficult times. Hope you and your respective families have a wonderful Christmas.

  5. In hearing the conversation about big darkness and the light of His love shining through us, I was reminded of C.S.Lewis who spoke about the time-to-come as evil became more and more evil, but good becoming more and more good. Even as darnel, poison darnel, darnel ryegrass or cockle looks like wheat when it is immature, but as it ripens reveals its true nature.

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