Faith on the Go: Ep 1: The Downward Spiral: Society's Rejection of God's Truth

0:00 Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman, where we dive deep into the Word of God to uncover the truths that shape our lives. I'm your host, Connie Morris, and today we're starting a powerful new series called The Downward Spiral, Understanding Humanity's Rejection of God. This series is about confronting the uncomfortable truths of how our society and sometimes we ourselves reject God's truth, leading us down a path of spiritual and moral decay. And so that's going to be the theme for the next couple of episodes or more.

0:45 I think I have about maybe 15 episodes. And we're just going to just walk this through bite by, I like to say episode by episode and just find out how do we end up in a world that so that's decaying right before our eyes. I love crime shows. I love to watch crime shows. But now I'm watching where 12 year olds are now committing murders. 12-year-olds, what would you imagine that a 12-year-old have the mental capacity to kill someone? And then you start thinking of the characteristics of the enemy.

1:25 The enemy kills, steal, and destroy. So he doesn't care who he uses. And so we want to be able to recognize and identify the downward spiral of humanity's rejection of God. And so in episode one, we're going to be going to scriptures of Romans 1, 18 to 32. So go ahead and find Romans 1, 18 to 32. I'll be reading from the New King James Version. And since this is our Faith on the Go series, these are not long episodes. So I'm going to jump in and I'm going to jump out, but it's going to be powerful.

2:10 And so I want you to understand, yeah, because this is something that, you know, I always have these episodes. That's something that gets me thinking about like what is going on around me. And then I just begin to study the word of God and boom, he began to reveal to me just the things. When we begin to reject just a little bit of truth, we allow a lot of lying. And so we're going to start to understand where we in our life have rejected God's truth and allow a lie to come in. And that's where the spiral begin And like I've mentioned before A copy of this devotional I won't be a devotional It'll be pretty much the podcast script Will be on the website So you can get a copy of it And so this series is about confronting The uncomfortable truths of how our society.

3:07 And sometimes how we reject God's truth, leading us on a downward path of spiritual and moral decay. Our first episode is titled Suppressing the Truth, the Beginning of the Downward Spiral. We're going to break down Romans 1, 18 to 32, verse by verse, to understand how rejecting God's truth initiates a downward spiral, both in our lives and in the world around us. Hopefully, by now, you found the verses. So let's start. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness.

3:54 Because what may be known of God is manifested in them. Let me grab some water already. Dang. Let's start over. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and the unrighteousness of man who suppress the truth and unrighteousness because of what may be known of God is manifest in them. For God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.

4:35 Even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creepy things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanliness and the lust of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worship and serve the creator rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

5:29 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burn in their lust for one another. Men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of error, which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting. Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness.

6:23 They are all whisperers, backbiting, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents. Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. Who, knowing the righteousness of God, Judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. Wow. God did not miss any words in that script, in those scriptures, Romans 1, 18 through 32.

7:08 The last one, verse 32, is really what really kind of brings it home. It says, who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. So God's saying like a lot in that verse. So let's break it down. Our first one, the wrath of God revealed, Romans 1, 18. It says, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, unrighteousness of men who suppress truth and unrighteousness. It says God's wrath is not arbitrary. It is a response to the willful suppression of his truth.

7:53 Humanity's unrighteousness is not just a matter of ignorance. It's an active choice to suppress what is known about God. Ask yourself, in what ways might you be suppressing the truth in your own life? Are there areas where you are choosing to ignore God's guidance? So we read the scripture. It's not missing any words about what we see around the world. What's the agenda for homosexuality? God gives it to us here. That is not his plan, it's not his agenda, and yet it's put before us.

8:37 And what does God say about that? It says God's wrath is not arbitrary. It is a response to the willful suppression of his truth. So when we suppress the truth. Humanity's unrighteousness is not just a matter of ignorance. It's an active choice to suppress what is known about God. So God says here, I have revealed myself to you and you have refused to acknowledge it. And this is the beginning of the spiral. Let's go to point two, God's revelation through creation, Romans 1, 19 to 20.

9:18 Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes have been clearly seen, understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. God has made himself known through creation. His attributes, his powers, his divinity are evident in the world around us, leaving humanity without excuse. Consider how the beauty and complexity of creation testifies to God's existence.

10:02 How does this understanding impact your responsibility to acknowledge and honor him? Point three, the consequences of ungratefulness. Romans 1, 21 to 23. Because although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but because became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creepy things.

10:46 Knowing God isn't enough if we don't glorify him and give thanks. When we fail to honor God, our thoughts become futile, our hearts darken, leading to foolishness and idolatry. We just don't acknowledge him. It says, knowing God isn't enough if we don't glorify him and give thanks. So when you ignore him, that starts a downward spiral. When we fail to honor him. Our thoughts become futile and our hearts darken, leading to foolishness and idolatry.

11:29 Gratitude and worship are essential in keeping our hearts aligned with God's truth. Are you regularly glorifying him for who he is? Or have you allowed other things to take his place? For God gives them over. Romans 1, 24 to 25. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanliness and the lust of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worship and serve the creator rather than the creator who is blessed forever. Amen.

12:09 When people persist in rejecting God's truth, he allows them to follow their sinful desires. This leads to the degradation of their bodies and minds as they exchange the truth for lies. What lies might you be believing or living by? How have these lies affected your relationship with God and your own being? God is truth and he creates us truth. And we know the truth because the truth is in us. We're created with truth. But when we are ignoring the truth and you know you're ignoring the truth, and how does that affect the way you live?

12:56 How does that affect the way you believe? How does that open you up for more lies? Then how do these lies affect your relationship with God and your own well-being? Well-being could be your health, your wealth, your well-being, right? Your wealth, your wealth, health, and your wealth, right? How does that affect you? I just know when I get out of line with God, God does so many things to get me back in line. So I know that when I get so far out of the way, I know things start to go downhill quick and you want to blame it on maybe your boyfriend or your girlfriend or the workplace, your boss, everything else.

13:38 But have you really checked your truth meter? Have you checked your honor meter? Have you checked like where you your relationship meter with God? Could it be that something is off? Could it be that God is trying to get your attention? Let's go to number five. The natural order rejected. Romans 1, 26 to 27. For this reason, God has given them up to vile passions. For even their women exchange the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise, also the men leaving the natural use of the woman. I like that. God says a natural use of a woman. God created male, for female and female for male. But he said, when you leave the natural use of a woman, burning their lust for one another, men with men, committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of error for which was due.

14:41 When God is rejected, even the natural order he created is overturned. This leads to unnatural and sinful behavior that goes against his design. So things are out of order. The farther you get from God, the more out of order things begin to be. It seems normal to you, but it's so out of order for God. So how does society today reflects this rejection of God's natural order. In what ways can we as believers uphold and honor God's design for life? So as we see, God has designed men for women and women for men.

15:29 And when that line is crossed, that shows a downward spiral of society. And we see here in Romans 1, 26 to 27, we see that the natural order is rejected. Where else can we see in society where the natural order is rejected? Have we seen an increase in bestiality where men and women are sleeping with their dogs and their cats and these animals, wildlife? The further humanity goes down this downward spiral, the further we get away from God, the more the natural order is overturned.

16:18 God did not create females to sleep with dogs and animals. He created the natural order of men to be with women and women to be with men, not men to go sleep with animals or women to sleep with animals. Bestiality has increased. So it gets more and more stranger. So how has society today reflect this rejection of God's natural order? In what way can we as believers uphold and honor God's design for our lives?

16:59 Number six, debased mind, Romans 1, 28 to 32. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. Whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, bolsters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning.

17:42 Undiscerning is dangerous. All this other stuff, But undiscerning will definitely get you killed. Untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. Who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death. Not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice it. That's a list of things. And if we look into the world today, you can probably break this down. You know, you go on YouTube, I think YouTube or any tube, any social media, you can actually pull, you can start to categorize what you see or what they allow to get through to the public into some of these categories.

18:31 They're showing you how the world is at a downward spiral, downward spiral, downward spiral, downward spiral, full of envy. People are, You just turn it on and you see this drama. I can go into all the drama I see because I don't want to mess up the anointing that God has put on my life for this particular podcast. But the things that we see is just so, so of a debased mind. The mind is just full of just darkness. So a debased mind is a result of consistently rejecting God. It leads to a life filled with all kinds of unrighteousness and ultimately brings about God's judgment.

19:17 It's a dark mind. It's a dark mind. So take a moment and reflect in the areas of your life where you need to retain God's knowledge. How can you actively resist the pull of a debased mind and stay rooted in righteousness? As you can see this list on Romans 28 to 32, It's not even the people that have this mind. It's the people who enjoy the entertainment. Because people get three millions of reviews when people are doing any of these things. If there's a church episode, you don't get, maybe I'll just give an example.

19:58 You don't get a million views. But if you're doing any of these other things, you are getting millions of views. So you got the people who approve of those people that practice them by observing them, giving them all that time and energy, right? Come on now, exposing yourself to that information as though that helps your Christian walk, just darkening your mind. And so being able to resist it, finding something else to do, read your Bible, but being pulled in by the darkness and the debased minds of others. So good.

20:40 We're going to wrap up. We're about to wrap up. We're going to wrap up episode one. But I just want to wrap it up on a positive note here. So I want to challenge you to reflect on where you might be suppressing God's truth in your life. Are there areas where you have allowed the world's wisdom to take precedence over God? Over God's. Are you holding on to lies because the truth is too uncomfortable? It's like when God says no, he means no. There's no way around it. He means no. Proverbs 3, 5 to 6 reminds us that trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.

21:25 In all your ways, acknowledge him and he shall direct your path. Today, let's make a commitment to trust in the Lord completely, to reject the lies we have been told and to embrace the truth in every area of your life. And if this has prickled your mind or prickled your heart, that means there's still time. They mean your mind is not so debased. If this has made you upset or angry, maybe your mind is not so debased. You know, if you're upset about it, maybe your mind is not so debased. I mean, there's still time for a change. There's still a time to repent and to get right with God.

22:06 It's still time to allow some truth and a little light, a little light, a little leaven. Leaven is a whole lump, right? But a little light can also shine bright into your light and change it around. This could be a warning. It could be your only warning. So I just want to encourage you to do this week. Spend some time in prayer and reflection. Just read over the scripture, asking God to reveal any areas where you've been suppressing the truth and to give you the strength to walk in his light. Consider how you can actively retain God in your knowledge and resist the pull of the debased mind.

22:53 Next week, we'll continue to journey through Romans 1 as we explore the more profound consequences of rejecting God's truth to know how it leads to a debased mind. I encourage you to spend time in prayer and reflection this week, asking God to reveal areas where you have been suppressing the truth and to give and to give you the strength to walk in this light. A lot of times when you ask so much dark in, like maybe you are on YouTube or whatever you pay attention to more than you read your Bible. Turn it off. Do a fast. Do prayer and fast. And then allow or change, you know, find.

23:37 And I think turning it off be the best. Go through that little withdrawal for a while and refocus your mind so that you let some light in so that God can do a work in you. So thank you for joining me on this journey. This is, I'm your host, Connie Morris with the Diary of Black Women. Stay blessed, stay vigilant, and keep moving forward and walking in the truth. Until next time. Amen. Amen.