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How to Recognize Cultural Lies

February 3, 2021 By Jennifer H. Yates

3 Feb
How to recognize cultural lies

Anybody can write a book, start a blog, or create a podcast–I am living proof of that fact. But it doesn’t mean they have truth for your life. Truth comes from God’s Word.

That said, lots of people can tell you what’s in God’s Word and be totally wrong, myself included. So if you get your theology from Facebook or Instagram, you might want to pay attention.

I want to talk to you today about what we as women really need and how to know if we are getting truth. But don’t take my word for it. Be like the Bereans and hold everything up to the Word (Acts 17:11).

How to Recognize Cultural Lies

I want to share some quotes that I took straight from the Amazon book descriptions of some best-selling Christian authors. I’m giving their names because I am quoting them, but my intent is to simply bring attention to the message not to criticize the messenger.

“…many women have been taught to define themselves through other people–whether as wife, mother, daughter, or employee–instead of learning how to own who they are and what they want. With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence, and believing in yourself.”

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

I hope you can already see that while this message sounds good (because as Christian women we shouldn’t define ourselves through others) the answer is not to look within ourselves and “own who we are” but to look to Jesus, who called us to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-26).

Subtle lies are still lies. How about this one:

“For many years, Glennon Doyle denied her own discontent. Then, while speaking at a conference, she looked at a woman across the room and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There She Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high. But she soon realized they had come to her from within. This was her own voice—the one she had buried beneath decades of numbing addictions, cultural conditioning, and institutional allegiances. This was the voice of the girl she had been before the world told her who to be. Glennon decided to quit abandoning herself and to instead abandon the world’s expectations of her. She quit being good so she could be free. She quit pleasing and started living.”

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Again, a “Christian self-help” book teaches that we should look within ourselves to define who we are and what is true, being willing to abandon the truth of God’s Word and listen to our own inner voice.

But Jesus teaches in the Word that His sheep listen to His voice.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27, NIV

Here’s another one:

“When you stop trying to force the Bible to be something it’s not–static, perspicacious, certain, absolute–then you’re free to revel in what it is: living, breathing, confounding, surprising, and yes, perhaps even magic.”

Inspired by Rachel Held Evans

I don’t know about you, but I had to look up perspicacious. It means “having a ready insight into and understanding of things.” Evans believed that the Bible is NOT certain, absolute, or able to give us insight and understanding.

Yes, it is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), but not in a way that means it changes. The Word of God is absolute and does gives us insight and understanding about God and about life.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16

These are Christian books listed in Christian categories, and these women have thousands of followers. All three of them believe(d) that the Bible has either been misinterpreted or misunderstood about biblical womanhood, and that we need to be true to ourselves, our feelings, and our desires instead of holding to the “cultural conditioning” and “institutional allegiances” that have been the foundation of the Church.

Progressive Christianity

These ideas are coming out of a popular movement known as Progressive Christianity. It’s easier to live a message that tells us to believe in ourselves and our feelings and desires than it is to live out a message of self-denial and sacrifice. And many are following the wide road.

(Here’s a series on Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers that I highly recommend.)

But if we want to follow Jesus, we must understand how to recognize a message that does not align with truth. We can only do that if we know truth, and that requires that we learn how to read and interpret the Bible, our source of truth.

Many women I talk to say that they know some Bible stories and verses, but they don’t really understand much of the Bible. They don’t share the Gospel because they are afraid they couldn’t answer people’s questions.

They know enough to be encouraged by the Word, but they don’t know how it all fits together or how to grow in their understanding.

And many don’t recognize when they are reading something that doesn’t align with truth. And that is dangerous.

Grow in the Word

I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, and I would never tell anyone to just listen to me. Always go to the Word for yourself. But I have studied the historical and cultural context of the Bible, and I have taken seminary courses on how to interpret Scripture.

One of the ways I help women grow is by teaching the chronological, historical, and cultural context of the Bible. In my FOCUSED 15 Bible Study Club, I take women on an interactive journey through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation.

We explore the big picture view of the Bible by following the plan of redemption and how all the Bible fits together to tell one story of salvation for all mankind.

I believe this series is so important in today’s culture, because women need to know what it truly means to follow Jesus. In a world that is increasingly anti-Christian and “redefining” what it means to be a woman, I hope and pray that this series will take us all back to the Word where biblical womanhood is defined.

Jesus broke all the cultural expectations of His day and treated women better than His contemporaries did. And He defined our worth in Him alone.

Join me on this journey, and come discover the timeless truth that doesn’t bend to the sways of culture. Learn how to read and understand the Bible and what it means for your life. And grow your confidence in God’s Word so you can grow your faith.

The FOCUSED 15 Bible Study Club
The FOCUSED 15 Bible Study Club

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Filed Under: Bible Study, Women Tagged With: How to Recognize Cultural Lies, how to study the Bible, Jennifer Hayes Yates, Progressive Christianity

« How to Make the Most of Your Time
Finding Time for God | Free Printable Devotion »

Hey there, my friend

Hey there, my friend

I want you to know that you don't have to be overwhelmed, confused, or too busy to be fruitful and productive. You can be grounded in the Word and growing in your faith.

Even if you have encountered chaos, hypocrisy, legalism, or suffering. God's Word is the truth we must be grounded in to thrive and bear fruit.

I'm Jen, and I want to encourage you with practical strategies and helpful resources to grow your relationship with Jesus one intentional moment at a time. Even if all you can give right now is 15 minutes, you CAN seek Jesus and grow your faith.

Come hang out with me in my Facebook community, download some free resources, or take the FOCUSED 15 Challenge to get started.

You can get God's Word into your heart so that you can be transformed to live a life that is fruitful for the Kingdom!

Jen

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jenniferhyates

jenniferhyates
I hear from women almost daily who struggle to hav I hear from women almost daily who struggle to have daily time in God's Word.

The biggest challenge is finding the time.
The second is being able to focus.
The third is knowing where to start.

But here's the thing: If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you.

The key to having consistent time in the Word is the desire to be changed by it.

If you KNOW you need God desperately, you will find the time, the focus, and the ability to study the Word. 

It really comes down to priorities.

And if you need a little encouragement and direction to get started, check out my FOCUSED 15 Challenge. #linktree in bio
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👉 Do you doubt your value and identity as a wom 👉 Do you doubt your value and identity as a woman?

👉 Do you long for clarity about your purpose in life?

👉 Do you wrestle to overcome fear, doubt, and insecurity?

You're not alone. In fact, the need for validation, acceptance, and approval dates all the way back to the Garden. In the Bible, we have examples of women who were just like us, who struggled with these very same issues.

Women such as Sarah, Hannah, Rahab, and the woman at the well also faced questions, doubts, and fears. But their stories teach us God's answers to the questions that nag our hearts and leave us restless.

In her new book, Just Like Us, best-selling author Jennifer Hayes Yates takes us on a guided tour through the pages of Scripture, stopping to visit each of these women and what the Lord longs to teach us through them.

In Just Like Us, you'll encounter our God's surpassing love for us. His Word overflows with the answers our hearts hunger for in this life.
Learn how to find your deepest contentment in God. 

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❤️ Know your purpose in a world of confusion.
❤️ Deepen your faith in God in a world of doubt.
❤️ Discern His truth in a world of lies.
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❤️ Embrace hope in a world of despair.

Join this biblical journey and find your place in the kingdom as a beloved woman of God. 

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Do you consider yourself a student of God’s Word Do you consider yourself a student of God’s Word?

The English word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes, meaning “disciple, student, follower; a committed learner and follower."

Sometimes we shy away from the word disciple (because it sounds too much like discipline) or the word student (because it sounds too much like school), but our hearts should be drawn to know and understand God’s Word.

“Do good to your servant according to your word, O LORD. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands" (Psalm 119:65-66, NIV).

Women in Jesus’ day were not allowed to go to school or learn under rabbis. They were considered unable to learn or understand the Torah, and so they were taught to take care of the home.

But Jesus countered their cultural traditions. He had many women followers (Luke 8:1-3), and He taught women, considering them capable of learning and understanding His truth (Luke 10:38-42).

Jesus affirmed women’s thirst for truth and encouraged their role as disciples.

Our roles as wives, mothers, and homemakers do not exclude our role as students of the Word. I love being a wife and mother. I love taking care of our home, providing meals (okay, I don’t really love cooking, but I do enjoy choosing healthy foods for our family), and I like decorating our space to make it cozy and inviting.

I also enjoyed many years of teaching and working outside the home. But I have really loved the opportunity to sit at Jesus’ feet as a student, to listen to His Word being preached, to study the Word for myself, to search out its meaning, and to seek to apply it in my life.

We don’t have to wait for others to spoon-feed us the Bible. And as influencers in our homes, we need to know and understand God’s truth so we can teach our children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

I’ll admit, there are areas of the Bible that are difficult to understand and that can cause confusion. But with a few principles to guide us, we can learn to be students of the Word.

Read the rest at jenniferhyates.com #linktree in bio.

#seekingtruth #bedeeplyrooted #growingyourfaith #groundedandgrowing #christianblogger #womenintheword #justlikeus
"But now a righteousness from God, apart from the "But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:21-24, NIV).
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#seekingtruth #bedeeplyrooted #growingyourfaith #groundedandgrowing #christianblogger #womenintheword #justlikeus #shareyourheart #faithwriter #womenencouragingwomen #wordoflife #seekgoddaily #wordbeforeworld #jesusandcoffee #daughteroftheking #fiercelyhis #womenlivingwell #girlfriendsintheworld #faithblogger #givemejesus #graceupongrace #faithoverfear #seekhimfirst #focused15challenge #womenoftheworld #intheword #jesusandwomen #shereadstruth #butfirstjesus #linktree
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a c Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

I am rewriting Let's Run, my very first book, a Bible study on Hebrews 11 and the faithful call to endure.

I'm so excited to go back through this study and add things I've learned since then. I pray it will encourage the faithful to endure to the end.
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#seekingtruth #bedeeplyrooted #growingyourfaith #groundedandgrowing #christianblogger #womenintheword #livewithintention #shareyourheart #faithwriter #womenencouragingwomen #wordoflife #seekgoddaily #wordbeforeworld #jesusandcoffee #daughteroftheking #fiercelyhis #womenlivingwell #girlfriendsintheworld #faithblogger #givemejesus #graceupongrace #faithoverfear #seekhimfirst #focused15challenge #womenoftheworld #intheword #jesusandwomen #shereadstruth #butfirstjesus #linktree
Competition has no place in the kingdom of God. J Competition has no place in the kingdom of God.

Just think how God's kingdom could grow if we rooted for each other and encouraged one another's faith?

Paul said if you want to outdo one another, try outdoing each other in love and honor.

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10, ESV).

When you encourage a sister in the Lord, both of your faiths grow. 

Let's root for each other and watch each other grow, 🌿
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#seekingtruth #bedeeplyrooted #growingyourfaith #groundedandgrowing #christianblogger #womenintheword #livewithintention #shareyourheart #faithwriter #womenencouragingwomen #wordoflife #seekgoddaily #wordbeforeworld #jesusandcoffee #daughteroftheking #fiercelyhis #womenlivingwell #girlfriendsintheworld #faithblogger #givemejesus #graceupongrace #faithoverfear #seekhimfirst #focused15challenge #womenoftheworld #intheword #jesusandwomen #shereadstruth #butfirstjesus #linktree
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