“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.” (Psalm 32:1-5 NIV).
What a marvelous thing to know your sins are forgiven! On the other hand, what horrible consequences we face when we try to hide something from God. The Bible says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).
If a person is a believer, the eternal consequences of sin have been tempered–that is, the believer does not have to worry about eternal damnation (Hell). The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1 NIV). Unfortunately the enemy of our souls has convinced many that since heaven is our destiny we shouldn’t concern ourselves with sin; that all that really matters is that we are going to heaven and therefore we can live safely sinful lives–as long as they aren’t big sins. Such thinking is a lie. A little sin is like a little cancer, both will kill you.
But what do I mean when I state that the eternal consequences of sin have only been tempered? Believers will face the judgment seat of Christ and at that time unconfessed sins, inactivity for Christ, any failure to comply with the Biblical standard will be used to determine the rewards or lack thereof we will receive from Christ (See 2 Corinthians 5:10). So even there we are not off ‘scot-free.’ How we live our lives after accepting Christ matters. It matters to you but more importantly, it may be the difference between eternal life or eternal damnation to those watching us. Think about it.
Now if that doesn’t motivate you to godly living, consider the immediate consequences of hidden sin in the believers life. First, unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin and it is this unforgiven sin that will meet us at Christ’s judgment seat. Second, unconfessed sin weighs down the heart; it breaks the spirit and can even harm our health!
Here’s what I know (from experience), God knows what He is talking about (in His Word). When I follow His instructions (though it may seem to go against everything I think I know), I succeed. When I tamper with those instructions, I fail.
One more thing: confession in the Biblical sense is not mere acknowledgment. Confession means that I “agree with God” on the issue; that I see the sin from His point of view. Confession, therefore, by its very nature involves repentance. Repentance means a 1800 turn. I am going one way away from God now I turn and go the opposite way toward God. I have a change of mind about the sin or issue that results in a change of heart over that issue (I lose the desire for it), which results in a change of behavior. The Bible reminds us to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8 NIV).
If you really want the joy of salvation, live like one who has been saved.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Be Strong
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24 NIV).
The Bible is full of admonitions to “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Let’s look at a few of them.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV).
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7 NIV).
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:3 NIV).
Then, one of my personal favorites is 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (NIV).
Wow! Aren’t you ready to face the day now?
The Bible is full of admonitions to “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Let’s look at a few of them.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV).
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7 NIV).
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:3 NIV).
Then, one of my personal favorites is 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (NIV).
Wow! Aren’t you ready to face the day now?
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Needed: Salty Christians
“Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you. Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.” (1 Peter 2:11-12 CEV).
The old saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” That’s not entirely true. An old cowboy pointed out, “You can (make him drink) if you put salt in his oats!”
We live in an age where most seem to have little or no desire for God–despite what the Barna polls report. God is seen as an interruption on our time and in our lives–even among many professing Christians. In such a barren spiritual atmosphere, is there any hope for effective witnessing? I believe the answer is yes.
Now let me quickly state that I think many of the old tried-and-true methods that we keep trying to go back to are tired and mostly ineffective. Certainly there are those few who are still reached by cold contacts–door to door evangelism, a passed gospel tract, etc. Not that I am disparaging these methods, but the reason they are tired and ineffective for the most part is because they are leading satiated “horses” to the well of living water but the horses are not thirsty; they don’t recognize their need. The reason they don’t recognize their need is because the salt of the earth have been largely removed from society. Let me explain.
Barna polls report that a vast majority of Americans consider themselves “spiritual.” Yet, church attendance and baptisms are at an all-time low. Why? Most of these “spiritual” people, including many who consider themselves evangelical, believe that spirituality is a private thing. To use another common saying, most subscribe to the lie that we should “never discuss politics or religion.” (No wonder this country is going to hell in a handbasket as another saying goes.)
The concept of never discussing politics or religion is not biblical. In fact, when it comes to faith, the opposite is true! Look again at our text, this time from the New International Version: “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV--emphasis mine).
Jesus said of His followers, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” (Matthew 5:13 NIV). Now, herein (I believe) is the problem. The reason most people do not appear to be interested in the things of God is because the people of God have lost their saltiness. The only place we demonstrate our faith is in the confines of our places of worship. The rest of the time we live with the same ambitions, desires, fears, anxiety and unfortunately even vices as the world around us. Like Lot in Sodom, we have not only moved into the world but we have allowed the world to move into us! That has got to change! We who call ourselves believers must begin to live like believers! When we who call ourselves believers begin to live like believers (in action and word), a thirsty world will stand up and take notice, they will recognize their thirst and they will drink from the well of Living Water.
The old saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” That’s not entirely true. An old cowboy pointed out, “You can (make him drink) if you put salt in his oats!”
We live in an age where most seem to have little or no desire for God–despite what the Barna polls report. God is seen as an interruption on our time and in our lives–even among many professing Christians. In such a barren spiritual atmosphere, is there any hope for effective witnessing? I believe the answer is yes.
Now let me quickly state that I think many of the old tried-and-true methods that we keep trying to go back to are tired and mostly ineffective. Certainly there are those few who are still reached by cold contacts–door to door evangelism, a passed gospel tract, etc. Not that I am disparaging these methods, but the reason they are tired and ineffective for the most part is because they are leading satiated “horses” to the well of living water but the horses are not thirsty; they don’t recognize their need. The reason they don’t recognize their need is because the salt of the earth have been largely removed from society. Let me explain.
Barna polls report that a vast majority of Americans consider themselves “spiritual.” Yet, church attendance and baptisms are at an all-time low. Why? Most of these “spiritual” people, including many who consider themselves evangelical, believe that spirituality is a private thing. To use another common saying, most subscribe to the lie that we should “never discuss politics or religion.” (No wonder this country is going to hell in a handbasket as another saying goes.)
The concept of never discussing politics or religion is not biblical. In fact, when it comes to faith, the opposite is true! Look again at our text, this time from the New International Version: “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV--emphasis mine).
Jesus said of His followers, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” (Matthew 5:13 NIV). Now, herein (I believe) is the problem. The reason most people do not appear to be interested in the things of God is because the people of God have lost their saltiness. The only place we demonstrate our faith is in the confines of our places of worship. The rest of the time we live with the same ambitions, desires, fears, anxiety and unfortunately even vices as the world around us. Like Lot in Sodom, we have not only moved into the world but we have allowed the world to move into us! That has got to change! We who call ourselves believers must begin to live like believers! When we who call ourselves believers begin to live like believers (in action and word), a thirsty world will stand up and take notice, they will recognize their thirst and they will drink from the well of Living Water.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Prayer
"Never stop praying." (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)
The great Methodist theologian E.M. Bounds (1835-1913), stated, “Few Christians have anything but a vague idea of the power of prayer; fewer still have any experience of that power. The church seems almost wholly unaware of the power God puts into her hand; this spiritual carte blanche on the infinite resources of God’s wisdom and power is rarely, if ever, used — never used to the full measure of honoring God. It is astounding how poor the use, how little the benefits. Prayer is our most formidable weapon, but the one in which we are the least skilled, the most averse to its use.” Sad, but I fear all too true.
What do you face today? Will you try to tackle it alone, or will you seek God’s help? Even those who believe in prayer have the sinful tendency to utilize it only when all else has failed. We shouldn’t turn to prayer as a last recourse, prayer should be our first resort; that was what our Lord did. Everything He did He did only after first checking with the Father! (See John 8:28). We on the other hand tend to make our plans and then ask the Lord to bless them.
Let us neither forget nor squander the awesome power that God has made available to us, His children. May we not only know but experience the awesome power of prayer in our daily lives.
The great Methodist theologian E.M. Bounds (1835-1913), stated, “Few Christians have anything but a vague idea of the power of prayer; fewer still have any experience of that power. The church seems almost wholly unaware of the power God puts into her hand; this spiritual carte blanche on the infinite resources of God’s wisdom and power is rarely, if ever, used — never used to the full measure of honoring God. It is astounding how poor the use, how little the benefits. Prayer is our most formidable weapon, but the one in which we are the least skilled, the most averse to its use.” Sad, but I fear all too true.
What do you face today? Will you try to tackle it alone, or will you seek God’s help? Even those who believe in prayer have the sinful tendency to utilize it only when all else has failed. We shouldn’t turn to prayer as a last recourse, prayer should be our first resort; that was what our Lord did. Everything He did He did only after first checking with the Father! (See John 8:28). We on the other hand tend to make our plans and then ask the Lord to bless them.
Let us neither forget nor squander the awesome power that God has made available to us, His children. May we not only know but experience the awesome power of prayer in our daily lives.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Two Common Misconceptions
I would like to use this week’s column to dispel two misconceptions that prevail in Christianity.
Myth 1 is the misconception that the Bible is a fluid document that is subject to individual interpretation. You know the argument, “Well, that’s just how you interpret it! My interpretation is different!”
If it is true that the Bible is merely a book of subjective interpretation, no one can ever really be sure of what it has to say. The Bible says, "The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. And why? Because it’s not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word." (2 Peter 1:20-21, The Message).
While I understand that these words from Peter (recorded immediately above) is referring to how we got our Scripture, I do believe they have application in how we interpret Scripture. When all is said and done, there is only one correct interpretation for any given verse of Scripture. One correct interpretation, but many applications.
The reason we get different interpretations at times has to do with our own theological bent and the method we use in our interpretation. This does not mean that correct interpretation of a passage changes. It simply means that the reason we sometimes interpret things differently is because we are either forcing the interpretation through the lens of our particular tradition or we are using faulty interpretive methods to make the passage fit what we have already determined to be truth.
I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is his self-revelation to us. If that is the case, we must assume that it is objective truth not truth based upon one’s own interpretation. If the latter is the case, you might as well throw the whole thing out because it’s pretty useless. However, if the former is the case, it becomes imperative that we submit ourselves to its teachings. More importantly, that we submit ourselves to the person of Jesus Christ who claimed to be God in the flesh and who died for our sins and rose again so that we can have life. If the Bible is true, we have to deal with passages like Acts 4:12 with all seriousness. Acts 4:12 says, "Jesus is the only One who can save people. No one else in the world is able to save us.”" (Acts 4:12, NCV). You may not like that statement, but you have to deal with it someway. If the Bible is God’s truth, you have to make a decision about where you are going to place your faith. If the Bible is not God’s truth, you can simply dismiss the claim as absurd.
Myth 2 is the misconception that all Christians should look, act and think alike. Believing as I do that the Bible is the infallible and inerrant revelation of God, I am compelled to believe that in Jesus Christ there is true freedom (see John 8:36 and Galatians 5:1). Let me put this another way: there is no cookie-cutter Christian. God has created us all unique and different, that doesn’t change when we are born by faith into his forever family.
The hardest thing for Christians to do it seems is to recognize that we don’t have to act, look, or talk the same. Other than some essentials regarding faith, we don’t even all have to necessarily believe the same. (See Romans 14-15 for a discussion of that). We who are members of God’s forever family desperately need to learn how to respond to those who disagree with us graciously and not judgmentally. We need to remember the truth of Romans 14:4, "What right do you have to criticize someone else’s servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right." (Romans 14:4, CEV).
I understand that I write some difficult things from time to time in this column. I understand that people may not always agree with me. What I need you to understand is that is okay. I write these things for your consideration only, but be aware of the fact that no matter how strongly I may write on an issue, I am acutely aware that I am not the judge (thank goodness). Because of that those who choose to disagree with me, please be aware that while we may choose to disagree I will never stand in judgment against you; I will never “write you off” as the saying goes. That is not my place.
Myth 1 is the misconception that the Bible is a fluid document that is subject to individual interpretation. You know the argument, “Well, that’s just how you interpret it! My interpretation is different!”
If it is true that the Bible is merely a book of subjective interpretation, no one can ever really be sure of what it has to say. The Bible says, "The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. And why? Because it’s not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word." (2 Peter 1:20-21, The Message).
While I understand that these words from Peter (recorded immediately above) is referring to how we got our Scripture, I do believe they have application in how we interpret Scripture. When all is said and done, there is only one correct interpretation for any given verse of Scripture. One correct interpretation, but many applications.
The reason we get different interpretations at times has to do with our own theological bent and the method we use in our interpretation. This does not mean that correct interpretation of a passage changes. It simply means that the reason we sometimes interpret things differently is because we are either forcing the interpretation through the lens of our particular tradition or we are using faulty interpretive methods to make the passage fit what we have already determined to be truth.
I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is his self-revelation to us. If that is the case, we must assume that it is objective truth not truth based upon one’s own interpretation. If the latter is the case, you might as well throw the whole thing out because it’s pretty useless. However, if the former is the case, it becomes imperative that we submit ourselves to its teachings. More importantly, that we submit ourselves to the person of Jesus Christ who claimed to be God in the flesh and who died for our sins and rose again so that we can have life. If the Bible is true, we have to deal with passages like Acts 4:12 with all seriousness. Acts 4:12 says, "Jesus is the only One who can save people. No one else in the world is able to save us.”" (Acts 4:12, NCV). You may not like that statement, but you have to deal with it someway. If the Bible is God’s truth, you have to make a decision about where you are going to place your faith. If the Bible is not God’s truth, you can simply dismiss the claim as absurd.
Myth 2 is the misconception that all Christians should look, act and think alike. Believing as I do that the Bible is the infallible and inerrant revelation of God, I am compelled to believe that in Jesus Christ there is true freedom (see John 8:36 and Galatians 5:1). Let me put this another way: there is no cookie-cutter Christian. God has created us all unique and different, that doesn’t change when we are born by faith into his forever family.
The hardest thing for Christians to do it seems is to recognize that we don’t have to act, look, or talk the same. Other than some essentials regarding faith, we don’t even all have to necessarily believe the same. (See Romans 14-15 for a discussion of that). We who are members of God’s forever family desperately need to learn how to respond to those who disagree with us graciously and not judgmentally. We need to remember the truth of Romans 14:4, "What right do you have to criticize someone else’s servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right." (Romans 14:4, CEV).
I understand that I write some difficult things from time to time in this column. I understand that people may not always agree with me. What I need you to understand is that is okay. I write these things for your consideration only, but be aware of the fact that no matter how strongly I may write on an issue, I am acutely aware that I am not the judge (thank goodness). Because of that those who choose to disagree with me, please be aware that while we may choose to disagree I will never stand in judgment against you; I will never “write you off” as the saying goes. That is not my place.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Failure for God
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ He said, ‘Go and tell this people: ‘‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 1Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.’ 1Then I said, ‘For how long, O Lord?’ And he answered: ‘Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 1until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.” (Isaiah 6:8-12 NIV).
These may seem like strange verses to begin a daily devotional with, but we must never forget that the Bible contains hard messages as well as easy ones. Isaiah was not promised prosperity, popularity, or even great success when he was called. Now remember, most likely this man is being called from success (he was a royal scribe in the palace which would be akin to a White House reporter today) to failure for all intents and purposes.
Somehow we have gotten the idea that when a person becomes a true believer or moves into a closer walk with God, everything will be roses; he or she will experience great success and be wonderfully blessed wherever they turn. There are a lot of confused and discouraged Christians today because they are wondering what happened!
In Isaiah’s case, God told him in effect, “Look I going to send you with a message no one wants to hear and they’re not going to listen to you.” Isaiah is so thrilled with this prospect that he asks a legitimate question, “Lord, how long before things turn around for me?” His heart must of sunk when he received his answer, “Never (this side of eternity) Isaiah.” Whoa! Send me in coach! No I don’t think that would have been my response. The amazing thing is, Isaiah did it! Isaiah carried out a consistent, faithful ministry even though there was very little (if any) positive response. Actually there would have been some who responded, because God always has His remnant, but verse 13 of our passage lets us know that this was a minuscule group of people and even they found themselves in dire straits.
Two lessons to be learned here. First, the early part of this chapter reveals that no one can truly serve God until we know God; until we see Him as He is in all His glory, in all His splendor, in all His holiness. Second, from today’s verses we learn that no one can truly serve God until that one is willing and ready to be a failure for God.
We are at a crossroads. The question before us is this: will we let the hostility of this world scare us into becoming diplomats on good terms with the world, the flesh and the devil, instead of flaming witnesses in a head-on collision with a godless age?
These may seem like strange verses to begin a daily devotional with, but we must never forget that the Bible contains hard messages as well as easy ones. Isaiah was not promised prosperity, popularity, or even great success when he was called. Now remember, most likely this man is being called from success (he was a royal scribe in the palace which would be akin to a White House reporter today) to failure for all intents and purposes.
Somehow we have gotten the idea that when a person becomes a true believer or moves into a closer walk with God, everything will be roses; he or she will experience great success and be wonderfully blessed wherever they turn. There are a lot of confused and discouraged Christians today because they are wondering what happened!
In Isaiah’s case, God told him in effect, “Look I going to send you with a message no one wants to hear and they’re not going to listen to you.” Isaiah is so thrilled with this prospect that he asks a legitimate question, “Lord, how long before things turn around for me?” His heart must of sunk when he received his answer, “Never (this side of eternity) Isaiah.” Whoa! Send me in coach! No I don’t think that would have been my response. The amazing thing is, Isaiah did it! Isaiah carried out a consistent, faithful ministry even though there was very little (if any) positive response. Actually there would have been some who responded, because God always has His remnant, but verse 13 of our passage lets us know that this was a minuscule group of people and even they found themselves in dire straits.
Two lessons to be learned here. First, the early part of this chapter reveals that no one can truly serve God until we know God; until we see Him as He is in all His glory, in all His splendor, in all His holiness. Second, from today’s verses we learn that no one can truly serve God until that one is willing and ready to be a failure for God.
We are at a crossroads. The question before us is this: will we let the hostility of this world scare us into becoming diplomats on good terms with the world, the flesh and the devil, instead of flaming witnesses in a head-on collision with a godless age?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Instant Mashed Potatoes
John Pearrell
Psalm 19:7-11 reads, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11 NIV).
Our modern world is racked with uncertainty. Drunk drivers, road rage, terrorism, violent crimes, and the list goes on. Many are living in fear. This fear is fueled not only by the sinful acts of sinful men but also by the sinful philosophies of our sinful age. Post-modernism (the defining thought of Western thinking) has removed any sense of certainty. Truth is both relative and individual. The postmodernist theme is “Whatever.” So if you happen to be a moral person, that’s right for you but don’t force your morality on me. If you happen to be an immoral person, that’s alright also. Like Israel of old, each man does what is right in his own eyes. For the post-modernist that’s the way it should be.
In the midst of all this uncertainty and in stark contrast to it stands the certainty of the Word of God. Is your life spiraling out of control? “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.” Do you need direction in your life? Our opening verse in The Message translation reads, “The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.” Are you looking for happiness? Verse 8 in The Message says, “The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.” On and on the list goes.
You might say, “That’s easy to say, but my reality is different! I’ve tried it and it’s not been that way for me!” There is an interesting verse in Proverbs 19:3, in the Living Bible it goes like this: “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” I have found that the certainty of God’s Word is everything it claims to be. I have also found that millions of people who struggle with unfulfilled expectations in this area actually are not being entirely true when they proclaim “I’ve tried it. It doesn’t work!”
Years ago I decided to surprise my wife with a wonderful dinner. I’m your basic meat and potatoes guy, so that’s what I decided to make. Grilled steak, broccoli, instant mashed potatoes and brown gravy. I got everything started before I realized I had no milk! No problem, all I have to do is find a can of condensed milk and un-condense it. A trip to the pantry resulted in exactly what I needed (or so I thought). One can of Carnation’s Sweet and Condensed milk. I was in business!
Outwardly everything looked fine. But when we tasted the potatoes, the changed ingredient became immediately recognizable.
When I talk to people about the security of God’s Word and discover that they have not discovered that security, I know one thing: they have messed with the ingredients. Maybe they do 99% of things according to God’s Word, but it only takes 1% to mess up the whole mashed potatoes!
If you are looking for something certain in life, if you need direction, your life put back together again, wisdom, guidance, emotional healing, joy, etc., take God at His Word. You will discover a wonderful freedom and joy and peace.
Psalm 19:7-11 reads, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11 NIV).
Our modern world is racked with uncertainty. Drunk drivers, road rage, terrorism, violent crimes, and the list goes on. Many are living in fear. This fear is fueled not only by the sinful acts of sinful men but also by the sinful philosophies of our sinful age. Post-modernism (the defining thought of Western thinking) has removed any sense of certainty. Truth is both relative and individual. The postmodernist theme is “Whatever.” So if you happen to be a moral person, that’s right for you but don’t force your morality on me. If you happen to be an immoral person, that’s alright also. Like Israel of old, each man does what is right in his own eyes. For the post-modernist that’s the way it should be.
In the midst of all this uncertainty and in stark contrast to it stands the certainty of the Word of God. Is your life spiraling out of control? “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.” Do you need direction in your life? Our opening verse in The Message translation reads, “The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.” Are you looking for happiness? Verse 8 in The Message says, “The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.” On and on the list goes.
You might say, “That’s easy to say, but my reality is different! I’ve tried it and it’s not been that way for me!” There is an interesting verse in Proverbs 19:3, in the Living Bible it goes like this: “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” I have found that the certainty of God’s Word is everything it claims to be. I have also found that millions of people who struggle with unfulfilled expectations in this area actually are not being entirely true when they proclaim “I’ve tried it. It doesn’t work!”
Years ago I decided to surprise my wife with a wonderful dinner. I’m your basic meat and potatoes guy, so that’s what I decided to make. Grilled steak, broccoli, instant mashed potatoes and brown gravy. I got everything started before I realized I had no milk! No problem, all I have to do is find a can of condensed milk and un-condense it. A trip to the pantry resulted in exactly what I needed (or so I thought). One can of Carnation’s Sweet and Condensed milk. I was in business!
Outwardly everything looked fine. But when we tasted the potatoes, the changed ingredient became immediately recognizable.
When I talk to people about the security of God’s Word and discover that they have not discovered that security, I know one thing: they have messed with the ingredients. Maybe they do 99% of things according to God’s Word, but it only takes 1% to mess up the whole mashed potatoes!
If you are looking for something certain in life, if you need direction, your life put back together again, wisdom, guidance, emotional healing, joy, etc., take God at His Word. You will discover a wonderful freedom and joy and peace.
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