Sunday, June 08, 2008
"Our Golden Calf"
First From Julie's Keyboard:
"...I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil." Romans 16:19
I once heard an interview clip with a precious Christian gentleman who had just suffered great loss in his family due to evil. Family members had been taken from this life in a horrible fashion. He was relating publicly his forgiveness to the individual who had caused such atrocity in his life. When asked by the interviewer why he did not see the need to become more aware of the evil about him, he simply replied; "That which we study, we risk becoming."
After this statement left such an indelible impression upon me, I decided to give it some more study. I began to find much scripture to support this approach to the ills of this world in which we live.
As I studied through the book of Romans again recently, I'm reminded once again of just how great is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. What awesome provision He has made for us in salvation. We're exhorted to abhor that which is evil and cling to that which is good. We've even been given instruction on what things we should think on in our minds. (and it's all about good things folks)
Maybe we do have folks in this generation of life that simply do not know some of the things they allow in their lives are simply evil. There's a great argument going on today, it seems, on just how much evil should be discussed (or preached upon) from our pulpits. Well, God's Word has it all covered. If it's in there, it can be pointed out. However, if one dares to speak about sin in such condeming ways and fails to give the GOOD NEWS of He who came to take sin away, he hasn't really preached the Gospel.
The whole purpose of the Bible is to tell the Gospel message. It's laced throughout the entire Book, from Genesis through Revelation. It's a clear revelation of Jesus Christ, past, present and future.
We're also told in the scripture to be "wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves." No. This is no oxy moron. It can be done and it must be done. We must develop ourselves in His Wisdom without being deceitful. We must study upon that which will benefit and avail to the building of His kingdom, only recognizing evil for what it is and turning. Again we are told to "overcome evil with good." So with these thoughts in mind, where should our focus be?
I submit to you that if we involve ourselves in His good, then evil has to take a hike. In the scripture verse that follow Romans 16:19, Paul says "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."
What will it be today? Will we choose that "Good" part?
Have a blessed week.
Julie
Scripture References:
Romans 16:19-20"For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
Romans 12:9 "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virture, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Matthew 10:16 "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
I once heard an interview clip with a precious Christian gentleman who had just suffered great loss in his family due to evil. Family members had been taken from this life in a horrible fashion. He was relating publicly his forgiveness to the individual who had caused such atrocity in his life. When asked by the interviewer why he did not see the need to become more aware of the evil about him, he simply replied; "That which we study, we risk becoming."
After this statement left such an indelible impression upon me, I decided to give it some more study. I began to find much scripture to support this approach to the ills of this world in which we live.
As I studied through the book of Romans again recently, I'm reminded once again of just how great is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. What awesome provision He has made for us in salvation. We're exhorted to abhor that which is evil and cling to that which is good. We've even been given instruction on what things we should think on in our minds. (and it's all about good things folks)
Maybe we do have folks in this generation of life that simply do not know some of the things they allow in their lives are simply evil. There's a great argument going on today, it seems, on just how much evil should be discussed (or preached upon) from our pulpits. Well, God's Word has it all covered. If it's in there, it can be pointed out. However, if one dares to speak about sin in such condeming ways and fails to give the GOOD NEWS of He who came to take sin away, he hasn't really preached the Gospel.
The whole purpose of the Bible is to tell the Gospel message. It's laced throughout the entire Book, from Genesis through Revelation. It's a clear revelation of Jesus Christ, past, present and future.
We're also told in the scripture to be "wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves." No. This is no oxy moron. It can be done and it must be done. We must develop ourselves in His Wisdom without being deceitful. We must study upon that which will benefit and avail to the building of His kingdom, only recognizing evil for what it is and turning. Again we are told to "overcome evil with good." So with these thoughts in mind, where should our focus be?
I submit to you that if we involve ourselves in His good, then evil has to take a hike. In the scripture verse that follow Romans 16:19, Paul says "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."
What will it be today? Will we choose that "Good" part?
Have a blessed week.
Julie
Scripture References:
Romans 16:19-20"For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
Romans 12:9 "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virture, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Matthew 10:16 "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
______________________________
"Our Golden Calf"
There was a commit made in last weeks blog that has provoked some thought in me. It was said concerning last weeks subject, “Surely, our ability to change our gender is a God given ability! Just because it did not exist when the Bible was written does not make it wrong? This is God's world and it is ever changing.”
This precious person I must assume has had a gender change by some medical procedure. I must also assume they believe in God as their statement would indicate. It seems we have a tendency to make the kind of God we want or one that fits our fancy. Christians I realized do this all the time, the God they serve is one that fits into their particular denomination. I have notice families in the same communities and even some in the same families leaving for church Sunday morning but all going to different churches. Just seems we are missing something here.
I’m not pointing fingers yet, I have my particular church as well. I’m just pointing out that we all have to be careful that the God we serve is not one of our own making. The people God brought out of Egypt under Moses was found making a God to serve after their own imagination. Moses was up on the Mountain finding out who God really was and they were making one like they imagined.
Looking at the Golden Calf they said, “This is the God that brought us out of Egypt” Well, God did bring them out of Egypt, but He was not like the one they imagined in their own mind. They wanted to belief in God, they wanted to worship Him, they just wanted one that fit their own fancy. But the God they formed was not able to save them, they all perished believeing in a God of their own imagination.
It’s the same argument I made last week concerning the laws of our land. Are we, being mere men, to be free to set our own boundaries? Can men be trusted to make such far reaching judgments? I believe just a brief view of history will tell us other wise.
No, there must be absolutes and those absolutes must be unchangeable. What is right must always be right and what is wrong must always be wrong. You see, men once in this land deemed human slavery right. Man made a law and made it legal, but he could never make it right.
Our own Declaration of
Independence declared this truth when it said, “We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These were unalienable
Rights, not unalienable wrongs.
Any human law that contradicts this divine law, though it be made legal, can never be made right.
If you believe in God, make sure you know in whom you believe. God may require something of you that you would rather not do, but that requirement will be right and as eternal as God Himself.
I had to correct my little boy this weekend, it required a whipping which he nor I like. As we talked about our problem he gave me all the reasons why what he did was right. In his own mind he was justified, but you see, the problem was he was wrong according to God’s unalienable rights. Nothing he could do or say could change that, but you see if we could place this authority in our own hands we would change that and our world would suffer.
As I talked with my little boy I found I said something that reached back at me and challenged my own soul. I told him that he should always do what is right, even if he didn’t feel like. I could tell he grabbed hold of that and realized the rest of my life would be measured in his eye’s by my own advice.
Let’s view the commit again, "Surely, our ability to change our gender is a God given ability! Just because it did not exist when the Bible was written does not make it wrong? This is God's world and it is ever changing."
God is not making stuff up as we go along, it was all settled before the foundation of the world. It’s not up to Him to fit our fancy. He fixed our fancy when Jesus gave his life on the cross, he now offers us that life in which we find our identity in Him and not ourselves. When we receive His life we gain the victory over all the things that plague us now. He places in us the ability to see Him as he is, to discern right and wrong, to be free from our fall.
May God bless each of you,
David
No comments:
Post a Comment