Delusion vs deluding others
(NRSV) John 14:5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
(NRSV) Rom 1:20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools;
I recently saw a discussion on Facebook regarding the Pope’s statement that there are many roads to God. All religions are paths to reach God,” Pope Francis told a gathering of young people in Singapore on September 13.
“They are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for everyone,” the Pontiff said, having set aside a prepared text to speak extemporaneously. “Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.”[i]
The Pope has been either praised or criticized for his latest excursion from God’s Word. Those praising the Pontiff do so because in their minds he is displaying unconditional love and not judgment. But was it judgmental for God to send His only Son to die that we might live or was it an unfathomable love that encompasses all who believe with their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord?
When we teach others to believe there is more than one way to God, we are ushering them from the light to the dark, from life to death. Initially it may seem to be a caring thing to do, but trading the truth for a lie is anything but caring.
May we who are Christ followers, intentional disciples, live not according to the ways of the world, but in alignment with the precepts found in God’s Word, sharing the name of Jesus with all we meet.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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[i] Catholic News Agency, 9/13/2024
If You Want to Hear God Laugh
(NIV) Prov 16:9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Today’s scripture reminds us of the importance of acknowledging God’s hand in the affairs of men. Most of us will put at least a modicum of planning into our lives, yet how often are we unaware of a shift in circumstances? I believe life sometimes gets ahead of us because we are not present in the moment. We become so preoccupied with the past, and fearful of the future, that we miss the opportunity of attending to God’s voice in the everyday.
There is an old joke that ends, “If you want to hear God laugh, then tell Him your plans.” Life is unpredictable at best, but God is our ever present help in times of need. May we today and every day seek God’s guidance through prayer, and through the Scriptures, and by listening to people God has placed in our lives.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Joy of the Lord
(NIV) Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
(NIV) Neh 8:5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 The Levites —Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Oh, how I love the book of Nehemiah. I preached a series on the unlikely heroes of the Bible, and Nehemiah was certainly one of those people.
Nehemiah was a cup bearer for the King of Babylon, which meant he drank from the King’s cup to ensure the contents were safe. In this capacity, Nehemiah became a trusted advisor to King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah heard of the plight of Jerusalem, and he began to grieve. People were returning to their homeland after living in exile, but life there was not good. Because there were no walls, the people lived in a state of anxiety, knowing they were not safe.
So Nehemiah, who had been responsible for one man’s safety, began to feel the burden for the safety of the Jewish people. With the approval of the king, Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem where, against incredible odds, he oversaw the building of the wall. We begin today with the wall rebuilt, and the people eager for revival.
When we read of the sermon delivered by Ezra, the priest, it is foreign to us. First, the words of the law were read aloud for six hours. Secondly, all of the people stood in reverence to the Word. For six hours. And then they wept. The people wept because they were convicted of their sin.
When we begin to understand the holiness of God, and how our sin separates us from God, we necessarily grieve. But the lesson here is that once we realize our sin, and mourn, and then repent, there is cause for joy.
May we today and every day take joy in what God has done in our lives, knowing that the joy of the Lord is the source of our strength.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Guard my Thoughts and Direct my Speech
(KJV) Prov 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath:
but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright:
but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
(NIV) Prov 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
This morning I have read assorted scriptures, which is somewhat unusual for me. Normally, I read and reread a specific scripture. I look at the scriptures before and after, trying to put the reading into context.
I settled on today’s scripture, and I immediately thought of my own speech. While I am not prone to anger, I do sometimes speak without thinking which is never a good thing.
But as I have grown older, I have seen the benefit of keeping my thoughts to myself. Doing so is easier than cleaning up the mess that occurs when I speak before thinking.
Today as I prepare for another week that is busier than it should be for two retired people, I pray that God will direct my thoughts and guide my responses. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to God and uplifting to His people.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us Draw Near
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Sometimes I think scripture becomes so familiar that we can miss some of the importance lying therein. And there is the lack of understanding caused by shifting cultures and way of life. The book of Hebrews accounts for a marked change from Old Testament Law to New Testament promise.
We are told in these brief verses that we are to
- draw near
- be sincere
- have faith
- have hope
- spur others on
Because we live on the resurrection side of history, it is easy to miss the full importance of what Jesus did when He became the sacrifice for sinners. Where the blood of animals was symbolic, the sacrifice of Jesus was anything but symbolic. Where Old Testament Law was never meant to save us, but to point us toward the Savior, the promises of the New Testament yield everlasting life to all who believe.
May we cherish the lessons from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and apply these truths to our hearts as we share with others in love and in action.
In the name of the Father , and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 