The world has absolutely no lasting welcome ... for all that is in it is the wasteful desires of the flesh, the fleeting lusts of the eyes, and the deceitful pride that defends our foolish excuses for our rebellious decisions. Shine and glitter it may, and it does offer a wide gate ... but that gate opens to dwindling pleasures that end in destruction. The god of this world and his cohorts can't be bribed, know no loyalty and show no mercy when the welcome is gone. Those given to the ploys of this mirage will soon find themselves as slaves feeding off of the left over slop from the excretions left rotting of other pilgrims who have also wasted away in the lie. Love not the world.
A follower of Christ still has to live under this world's oppressive influence with its manifold beginnings, choices and voices for sin. We need to be careful and prayer full that the God Breathed Scripture is not run through the filters of understanding offered by the world, but that the world is judged by the rightly allocated Word of God. More to be desired are His words than much fine gold.
Waking up after a crazy night in drug la-la land. The seeker found himself resting next to an old bookshelf - and one book in particular caught his eye. Just the leather cover and gold edged binding was enough to capture his attention and state its Royal standing among the other books. Trying to find out what all the hubbub was concerning this Holy book, he did the only logical thing he could think of ... Flip to the end of the story. Just as the words started to spark his sluggish imagination, a religious voice of reason barged in and said "Don't waste your time with that book, the writer had sun stroke and just wrote about the crazy things he saw. Let it alone ... Just the verbs of a crazy man. The book went shut ... For years.
Another day on down the road of his journey, after a strange night tangled in the darkness of a drug induced delusion, his soul was crying for change... And there it possibly was; a man handing out pamphlets addressing those he met with " need peace and hope? Read this and you may find it!" ... he continued this line of encouragement until the man's eyes caught the seeker coming his direction. Immediately the man turned and began running and screaming. The seeker confused, chased the man for several blocks until finally almost in desperation, the man through a large handful of the "peace and hope" papers into the air. The seeker stopped his pursuit as he felt and watched the shower of pamphlets raining down around and on him. As one hit the ground in front of him, he saw that it's front cover had a picture of that book ... that holy book. Drawing a quick conclusion, that book is why the man through it away... Must be worthless dribble.
"We interrupt our worship for a special announcement...now let's enter back into worship where we left it." This statement in this mornings church service caused me to chortle a little....Truly we are a mixed up generation that has little or no understanding of the Kingdom ... "Interrupt" real worship? And Is there an announcement that is more important than worship (maybe "Jesus is here" but that would just heighten the experience) --? "Enter back where we left it"? Sorry if I get a little frustrated with the children of the Kingdom when they congregate and lodge their faith on clichés and half truths pasted together to get an AMEN -or "APERSON" (to not be gender biased...).
Lately I hear a lot of good People say that... "Jesus said and meant" things that are really pretty fuzzy and slightly bent and sometimes just way out there? Perhaps the point is to quickly Comfort or Challenge with the word, so it is taken through a "expertly educated" paper shedder of sorts and put back together in a momentary palatable fashion? We don't want to offend the listener do we?
Also, There seems to be a movement afoot to discredit and belittle those who believe that the Bible, in its entirety, is the inspired Word of God. Instead of seeking God's face for a fit, we would sooner whiteout the "mistakes". There are even versions of the Bible that annotate and leave out portions of scripture as "not in the original" -- today we ARE FAR TOO EDUCATED FOR OUR OWN GOOD and our true devotion is to self and not Him.
Why don't we all start creating our own versions of the word -- tools required: scissors, trashcan and glue... that would totally eliminate accountability to anyone but our selves... we could be gods of our own world. OKAY we still swallow the tempter's initial lure.
OK ... Now, I kind of understand why we start hacking and whacking away at scripture although not one "jot or tittle" can be removed until all is fulfilled. Let's take a peek at the author or originator of this comment - "jot or tittle" - and see why:
Matthew 5:18 - "For Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." --- Catch this chapter in its entirety - let the power of the pieces fall where they may. Do not leave your brain at the door and... throw away the scissors, trashcan and glue!
1. Don't ever discard what you disagree with or dislike about the Bible. The Law was meant to reveal the tragic disconnect and depravation of man ... With a broken and contrite heart, you will find yourself fallen and in need of a Savior -- right in the midst of the law. "The law of the LORD is perfect converting the soul."
2. Don't pick and choose what laws you now have the right to obey or to break. Jesus fulfilled the law by His death on the Cross -- not for you to have liberty to Sin, but for you to experience the Liberty of Grace. Grace does not break the Law, it lives in the fulfillment of the penalty and the Law of Love. "The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."
3. Don't negate accountability to God by assigning scripture to someone else, some other time, or some other place. Context is important but devotion is key. "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: "
4. Don't be afraid to not understand parts of the Bible. Many portions of scripture have a time for understanding ... and it may not be now. "the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."
5. Don't strive to be right, your righteousness... which is Jesus... already exceeds the righteousness to the Pharisees. Trust the Lord and His Word... without apology. Explaining away or making goofy excuses for "why God said" puts you in the category of the foolish and slow to believe. "The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether."
The clarity of our Identity in Christ is found in our daily devotion to His Word. A misplaced or distorted identity is the result of alienating ourselves from the Spirit by choosing our thoughts over His.
"More to be desired are they than gold, yea, much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover by them is Thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward." Psalm 19:7-11
Then one whose heart was full of love for the Word of God and others, caught the Seeker, and through the Word ... led him to a saving knowledge of the Lover of his Soul, Jesus. There... the Seeker found his Identity. May 1973.
HLFA,
Jeff
"It is not what I think that matters, it is what He has said that matters." - The Scarlet Sinner