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"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Month: November 2016

“Your Accountable.” Lk. 19:26

November 27, 2016 /

boy-854401_960_720 Our Chapter begins with correction—a setting straight of the record…

The people are gathered around Jesus slacked jawed. He’s in the house of that sinner Zacchaeus! Worse than a sinner—he’s a tax collector! You see Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. About 17 more miles and they would end up at His last Passover celebration with His beloved friends. Golgotha was calling. But before His Bloody ascent up that final hill—He still had things of great importance to teach those He would soon be leaving behind—momentarily.

They thought—mistakenly, that Jesus was about to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, right there and right then. They were thinking short-term and Jesus needed them to see the bigger picture. So, He adjusts their misguided expectations—gently, with yet another parable. An oblique method of teaching He often used—somethings can’t be taken in by all.

Jesus says it this way: “In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them’(Matt.13:114-15).

There was nothing wrong with their expecting the Kingdom of God to come. It is, after all, the hope, the promise—the anchor to which Christians should affix their lives. The problem rests not in expectation—but rather, complacency.

We need only turn to today’s parable for confirmation. Of the servants referenced—only two, not only used their talents, but more, multiplied them. Proving to the King that they could be trusted with what He had given them. That from His one gift they would labor to bring Him an increase. And this pleased the King—after all, it’s why the talents were given them in the first place! From the one, many…

They were forward thinking. Reverent. Obedient. So unlike the servant who buried what was given him in fear that he could never satisfy this King. They, instead, looked forward to the day the King would return and they could give Him a pleasing report—a profit on His investment in them.

In addition to a right heart, integrity, etc, the act of serving should include using what you’ve been given wisely. Whether money, gifting’s, or your time—after all, you’re accountable to the King! That’s what Jesus was trying to get those gathered to understand… Don’t sit around making excuses waiting on a  Kingdom that will come. Serve where you are until it appears…increase! Take what has been given to you and use it up right up until the day the King returns for an accounting.

Let’s pause here for a moment to take in the wonder of God’s loving kindness. Notice, however, that though these servants were equally gifted, each receiving one mina, their return was not proportionate. Even so, the King was equally pleased with each because they had whole-heartedly, invested what was given them. Each gained the praise and reward of their King, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!” It was all about their using what they had been given obediently and to the best of their ability.

This particular parable is found in only two of the four Gospels, Luke, and Matthew. Matthew references talents, Luke, minas. Money each—about three month’s wages. This was no small investment on the part of the soon to be King!

Throughout the parable—this allegory, we see Jesus as that King whom the people rejected. Yet, to their vexation, He was made King nonetheless. And, this money the King handed out to be invested by his servants is, some say, representational of the spiritual gifts God bestows on His children. And to the gifts a command is attached: “Put this money to work, He said, until I get back” (vs.13)!

Be obedient. Invest wisely what I give you (Matt.13:1-9).

And as it was with these servants, so it is with us today—not all are equally gifted. Yet, we are each equally commanded to labor until the King arrives…God loves His children equally—nevertheless, some have been set apart for works that not all are called to do. “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use” (2 Tim.2:20, also, Eph. 4:11-12). Whether we possess a single gift or many, we are accountable to God to use our talent wisely—exponentially.

As commanded…

That is made copiously clear in this parable as we witness Jesus’ derision of the one who laid away his mina in a cloth—he didn’t take the King’s command seriously…Since he did nothing, he was judged according to his own heart—and its by-product—his words. Listen to the Kings rebuke: “He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’  And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas’ (Lk. 19:22-24).

Was this servant standing in judgement of this King? Was he truly fearful of Him? Did he, like the citizens, just not want to bother with this King and so gave a poor excuse to explain away his rebellion? What made him think he would not be accountable? It appears He suffered from the dangers of short-term thinking. The Word of God tells us: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk. 6:45).

The Kingdom will soon be here, I’ll just wait for the King…

At the beginning of this parable, Luke told us that Jesus was trying to get those gathered to stop looking for the kingdom to come immediately. A “short-term” mindset discourages “long-term” vision.

There is a very real tension in Christian living. We must hold two truths concurrently as we seek to apply them. On the one hand, we live in the light of Christ’s imminent return. He may come at any moment, and we should both be ready and watching for His return. But we must also live wisely, making good investments for His kingdom, knowing that His return may not be as soon as we think or hope. We have been command by the Lord to use wisely—invest smartly, what we have been freely given, His good and gracious gifts. The choice has been presented to us all.

Are you being accountable? If not, it’s not too late. Ask the King where He will have you invest your minas…

Obedience.

The Lord requires this above all else. Why? We find that answer in 1 Samuel, listen:“And Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.For rebellion is as the sin of divination and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry…”( 1 Sam. 15:22-23). Emphasis added.

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“There’s Nothing Wrong With My Sight!” Jn. 9:16

November 19, 2016 /

alone-971122_960_720  “Some of the Pharisees said, “The man who did this is not from God because he doesn’t follow the traditions for the day of worship.” Other Pharisees asked, “How can a man who is a sinner perform miracles like these?” So the Pharisees were divided in their opinions” (Jn. 9:16).

If only the Pharisees and the religious leaders of the day could have seen what it was this man—blind from birth, saw. Perhaps the whole of Chapter Nine would not have ended up reading like a tragic comedy. Tragic—because it glaringly illumines the out-and-out blindness of the Pharisees and religious leaders present in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day. And comedic in its irony. It was the man born blind that can see the Truth of who Jesus is.

And, it is the man blind from birth who confirms their teachings concerning Messiah in his reply to their scathing, dissection of his miraculous healing at the hand of Jesus… Listen to him:“We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.  Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind.  If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it”  (Jn. 9:31-33).

There is a familiar saying that goes as follows: “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” It’s believed to be taken from God’s conversation with the Prophet Jeremiah. (Jer. 5:21).  And it seems to rightly fit the mindset of the religious leadership of Jesus’ day.

It’s what Paul was teaching Timothy, his young son in the faith, to be on the lookout for—have nothing to do with them! Although Paul is talking to Timothy about the Godlessness that will permeate the last days, his list of reproachful descriptors certainly applies to those hard-hearted religious leaders who refused to acknowledge our blind friends miracle…Proud, boastful, lovers of self and of money—treacherous, and, rash—to name only a few. But,Perhaps, the most telling—the most revealing truth of their spiritual condition, is found in verse five. “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that” (2 Tim. 3:5)!

Once, when He was teaching his disciples, along with those gathered at the temple courts, Jesus aptly instructed them that they must obey the Pharisees and teachers of the law—“because of the office they held. They sat in Moses’ seat” (Matt. 23:2-3). Paul basically mirrored to Timothy the litany of rebukes Jesus used to point out the character— or the lack thereof, of the religious leaders of His day (Matt.23:1-34).

Yet, neither Jesus nor Paul were gentle in their choice of words. Jesus called them snakes, a brood of vipers! He referred to the religious leaders of the people as blind guides! And, throughout John’s Gospel we see evidence of just how blind these so-called, “seeing” spiritual leaders were. Their obvious inability to see who Jesus truly is wasn’t  limited to their sinful mishandling of our blind friend and his miracle…

No doubt the religious leaders of the day were present in the temple courts on the day of Passover preparation. Surely they witnessed Jesus making a whip out of cords. Chasing those who were changing money and selling all manner of things out of what He claimed to be His Father’s house! They’d conceivably gotten word of His changing six, thirty-gallon, stone jars of plain water into the best wine served at the wedding feast He attended at Cana in Galilee…

Or, further back still, they were certainly walking among those gathered around the edge of the Jordan river in Bethany where John was baptizing. Perhaps even at the very moment that he proclaimed Jesus to be, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:26;29)! It’s safe to say that from the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the religious leaders of the day knew of Him. That fact is evidenced throughout the four Gospels…

They knew of the transformative encounter He had with a woman—a Samaritan woman—at Jacob’s well. And, the effect that one encounter had on an entire town…

Yet, they could not relate to such an experience…

They knew of the royal officials’ son who, having been near death, was miraculously healed…

Yet, they knew nothing of True healing…

But that aside, it’s the healing done for an invalid of thirty-eight years that ushered in the proverbial last straw. It broke the backs of the Jewish religious leaders’ willingness to endure this one they labeled an interloper any longer…

Their protest? The source of their outrage? Jesus was healing people on the Sabbath…

Surely, if He was their long-awaited Messiah, He would have known better, the law is quite clear! And, doing anything outside of what the law states was after-all, is strictly forbidden! Besides, they were the ones in positions of great authority. And He, well, who was He?

Even when doing a thing was meant for good, still, it was forbidden… “One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?”  When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away.  Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son[b] or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” Again they could not answer” (Lk.14:1-6).

So, it wasn’t that they didn’t see—couldn’t see, who this Jesus is, unlike our friend blind from birth. Rather, they hard-heartedly determined they wouldn’t see! They chose to adhere to what they knew. Laws. Rules. Rituals. Ceremony…Leaving no room for growth, relationship—or vision.

I ask you today—rather, our text challenges you, to check your vision. To choose what it is you’ll allow yourself to see…

Will your sight be born from a heart willing to step out with whatever faith you’re able to muster and say, “Who is this Son of Man? Tell me so that I may believe in Him” (Vs. 36). Or, will it narrowly focus on the familiar? On the way you’ve always done it? “We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but for this fellow, we don’t even know where He comes from” (Vs.29)! Will it be the way of the Pharisee who allowed for the lure of worldly power, the seeking of public recognition to overtake them. Blinded, by the lusts of their flesh, and, thus, their hearts waxed hard and cold.

Ridged, they could no longer bend to serve those placed in their care…

Or, hopefully—prayerfully, you will choose the path of the man born blind? The one given a sight beyond that of those who’d been sighted since birth. One who cared little for man’s judgement. Who chose to believe for the impossible that he might see beyond the inside of his own darkened world view. One familiar with pain, rejection, humiliation, with living beneath God’s intended best for him…

Why? Because blindness had eaten up most of his life. Fault, or not. Yet his heart remained pure, willing—open. Unlike the Pharisees and rulers of the law, his heart had stayed malleable. Thus, God could use this man who held no station—had no religious standing, to upset rulers and challenge their dogmatic laws.

How? By the Truth of his testimony…

Reality can’t be argued away. The Word of God says it this way; “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great” (Pro. 18:16). God used the suppleness of our blind friends heart to bring him boldly—confidently, before the religious leaders of his day. Blessing him not only with what the Pharisees had possessed all along, their physical sight; but greater, Jesus opened the eyes of our blind friends understanding to the Truth of who He is!

A Truth that those who choose to sit in darkness, however sighted, will never see…

Our choices are simple and these…

To be—mimic, go after, live as, the Pharisees. Or, to be—choose, openness—malleability. To live as self-effacing as our once blind friend, that we too may gain our sight.

“Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (Jn.9:35-41).

 

 

 

 

 

“Assurance, He Is Sovereign” Prov. 8:27-29

November 12, 2016 /

sunrise-1756274_960_720 “When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth” ( Proverb   8:27-29).

One of the purposes of God’s creation is to showcase both His majesty and power—His wisdom. This is how David explains it: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps.19:1).

Job, found in the Old Testament, saw great value in witnessing God’s power displayed through His creation. Even during the time of his great loss, Job displayed great patients. But, he also expressed a desire to understand the why of what God had allowed to happen to him—he could not understand God’s actions—nor his own losses (Job 1:13-19).

And so, Job goes to God asking why …?

And even though Job didn’t get the answers he was looking for, he did walk away with a greater—a renewed, appreciation for God’s Sovereignty.

We must never forget that though God is loving, kind, merciful, slow to anger, and, full of patients—He is, and will eternally be, Sovereign over all creation. He is God—we are not.

And Job knew God. Trusted in Him. In His Sovereignty. We see evidence of Job’s great faith in Job 1:20-21. “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job understood nothing  is owed us…

Yet, in response to Job’s faith—in the last chapters of this book, God comes and speaks to Job. But, not in the way Job thought He would—nor wanted Him too.  Rather, God spoke at length concerning His power demonstrated through His Creation…

Creation? Why are you talking  about creation when all I want to know is why you did what you did? Why did you take all I held dear away from me? Why did you change everything up on me God, I don’t understand?

As with Job, many today, the day after what will surely go down in history as a conflict-ridden election, are asking why? Many are seeking answers to ease their confusion, anger, and disbelief. Many are grieving today, feeling a genuine sense of loss…

And, as with Job, they want to know the purpose of it all.

Yet, God does not always answer people in the way that they would like Him to—nor expect. That is where faith comes in. Why it is so very needed. Faith that the God who created us, along with everything seen, and, that which is unseen—has everything under control…

He has a purpose for the momentary pain—the seeming confusion. Listen: “You are fortunate when God corrects you. So, don’t complain when God All-Powerful punishes you. God might injure you, but he will bandage those wounds. He might hurt you, but his hands also heal” (Job 5:17-18).

When speaking to the Prophet Jeremiah concerning the false prophets the Lord says of Himself, “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away” (Jer. 23:23)? What is He saying?…

God is telling Jeremiah,  that He is right here with us in the thick of things. That nothing happens without His knowledge or permission. And, that as with the false prophets of old, many today are feeling that God is nowhere to be found. That He is unseeing, unknowing—unconcerned. I am certain Job must have felt this way for a moment or two himself…

Yet nothing is further from the Truth. And the creation spoken of in today’s proverb testifies to that. God is still in control, still on His Throne, still very involved and concerned with man and this world.

God’s Providence and Sovereignty—His ever-present Hand is clear daily in all His creation. And, as we witness it, we will find Him clearly evidenced throughout… If we are looking for the comfort and surety demonstrated in God’s consistency.

Creation is a gift to us—a declaration.

Job did in fact get answers to his questions, as we will get ours. But, we must first come to God as open vessels—tucking away our wants and ideas. Our limited notions of how it is we believe He will come to us—answer us. Remembering that our scope and knowledge are limited—finite…

He alone is infinite—Omnipresent, able to see the beginning and ending of all things…

Job says it this way, “I know you can do everything. You make plans, and nothing can change or stop them” (Job 42:2).

And, as with Job, when we are experiencing—witnessing, difficult times, we too can look to creation and take comfort—solace in, an ever-present God who indeed has all things in hand. We may not understand the reasons for the happenings going on about us—in the world, in our present sufferings or angst…

Why? Because of our limited knowledge—our finite minds cannot—will never be able, in their present state, to take in the thinking and plans that God has for us in their entirety…

But, we, like Job, can experience a renewed—refreshed, re-calibrated, relationship with God. If we choose to place and keep our focus—our trust, not on our circumstance, but rather on the greatness—the Providence of God.

Knowing the truth of creation and witnessing the demonstration of God’s powerful Sovereignty—His abilities displayed all around us, should strengthen our faith and encourage us to trust the One True God who is all-knowing and able…

And, it should guide us into trusting in each of His plans and promises for us—for our Nation, for our futures….

Yet,If you, like Job, find yourself questioning God. Asking where He is amid a world that seems to have temporarily been thrown into deep chaos, I suggest you listen to Job himself—follow his example…

Listen to his reply to God after He came to Job personally and revealed that He alone is God…

Additionally, that He alone created this world and all that’s in it… “I know you can do everything. You make plans, and nothing can change or stop them. You asked, ‘Who is this ignorant person saying these foolish things?’ I talked about things I did not understand. I talked about things too amazing for me to know. “You said to me, ‘Listen, and I will speak. I will ask you questions, and you will answer me.’ In the past I heard about you, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. And I am ashamed of myself. I am so sorry. As I sit in the dust and ashes, I promise to change my heart and my life” (Job 42:1-6).

Through God’s lesson Job figured out that God owed him nothing. No explanations. Yet, in His great love, He came and showed Himself. He explained Himself through His Sovereignty, His Omniscience, His Being the One True God all by Himself. Through His creation that surrounds us daily—for a season. That we might witness it and be reminded of His great nearness—His Omnipresence daily.

And through our witnessing— be assured and draw strength. Increase in faith, in relationship.

“The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what his hands have made. Each new day tells more of the story, and each night reveals more and more about God’s power. You cannot hear them say anything. They don’t make any sound we can hear.  But their message goes throughout the world. Their teaching reaches the ends of the earth. The sun’s tent is set up in the heavens” (Ps.19:1-4).

 

“Unbending” Dan. 3:16-18

November 5, 2016 /

fixing-94085_960_720 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Dan. 3:16;18).

Choices. We’re faced with them daily. From the mundane to the eternal, choices must be made. Even choosing not to choose—is making a choice!

What toothpaste shall I buy, use, try? Caffeinated or decaffeinated? Buy or rent? Stay single or marry? Obey or disobey?

You get the point…

To live a purposeful life, you must choose… or life will find a way of making your choices for you!

So, what do you do when you find yourself forced to make a decision that goes against all you stand for? Goes against your faith? When it spins your moral compass away from our due north?

What do you do?

To what will your faithfulness align itself?

Self-preservation—go along to get along?

Or will it be to do what’s right, and the cost be damned!

Let’s up the ante…

It’s your boss. And he says if you don’t do________, your job is on the line. You know it’s wrong…but what about your family, your responsibilities?

Or, what if it’s your best friend? You’ve been tight since the schoolyard, and they tell you they made a horrible mistake. Committed a sin! Now, they’re asking you to lie—cover for them, so their spouse doesn’t find out. I cheated, it was only once but now, if she finds out, man, my marriage is on the line.

Please! I’m sorry. You know I would never ask you, but…

Our three-main characters found in today’s verses, find themselves in such a place…

The place of choices.

That place, that fiery-furnace-of-a-place that tests not only our resolve to with-stand evil, but more, to defend—stand-up for, Truth. Our truth. That guiding light that lives in our hearts and directs  us towards right living, right choices.

And, as with my above examples, our friends are also being asked to compromise—walk out on, their Truth. Yet, straight away they said; Okay, death it is. Because we will never align ourselves with the likes of you, never vow allegiance to a counterfeit, a sin, a lie—when we know, have, The Original!”

Let that be our heart when asked to compromise!

But what was so important to them that they were willing to die rather than do what this King was demanding?

One word…God. Their God. This was personal!

Just as back in Chapter One, our three friends, along with Daniel, refused to defile themselves with the king’s food (Dan. 1:11-12). Now, once again, we find them each defying the king’s order to bow down and pay homage—show allegiance to, an image—an idol, he had made from gold (Dan.3:9-12).

They would not disown the One True God to worship an idol made of brass—by a mere man. King, or not! Job, or not! Friends, or not, life or not!

Let me ask you, is there anything in your life that you’d die for? Anything that is so precious to you, that as with our three young men, you’d choose death over losing it? Over betraying it? Over giving any other your fidelity?

Choices. We must make them. Or become swept away in their current. Slaves to their twisting and turnings…

Seldom is it popular to take a moral stand for what you know to be right. And in today’s culture, as with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, standing for God could very well get you killed…

Jesus certainly knew this to be true—so did the Apostles. John the Baptist quite literally lost his head because of his allegiance to God (Jn.12:27-28; Matt. 32-56; Acts. 7:59; Matt.14:10).

When it comes to our profession of faith, our relationship with Jesus—our witness to the Truth of who He is and what He stands for in our lives, we must follow the example of our three main characters.

Even, unto death…

We must be unbending—fixed, focused, on serving the One we love—honoring Him above all else. Come what may. Period.

Listen to how Jesus says it, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple” (Jn. 12:25; Lk.14:27).

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, along with their friend Daniel, had been violently removed from their country, their homes, and, their way of life in Jerusalem. They were taken captive by the pagan King of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar. Babel, the birth place—the very epicenter of confusion! (Gen. 11:9)…

Now, these captives, our three young friends, were no ordinary street boys—Scripture tells us that they were taken from the palace—from royal families, by this king (Dan. 1:3-4). He wanted the best, this King did…

If he was going to steal something and then invest his resources into indoctrinating it—them, into serving his purposes, it only made sense to steal the very best—the elite!

Sin is a master—not a servant…

That worth repeating! Sin is a master, not a servant…

It commands, and it directives are death. Though it’s bondage’s may be invisible for a time, be assured, it is an ever-present trap. It is set—fixed, on capturing and destroying the life it traps within its exacting grip… The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy… (Jn.10:10).

No one knew this better than Jesus, listen: “Once more the Devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, along with their splendor.  He told Jesus, “I will give you all these things if you will bow down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9).

King Nebuchadnezzar had, because of their friend Daniel’s proper interpretation of his dream, promoted our three friends to positions of authority. But, as with the promises made to Jesus by satan, conditions applied.

Sin always has a hidden agenda…

That is why we, like our three friends, must follow the example of our Lord—the command given by the Father. We must have no other God before Him. The One True God (Ex.20:3).

We mustn’t’ show our allegiance to—give our hearts, lives, thoughts or desires over to anyone other than the One True God!

We must be unbending…

We must be willing to walk away from—to lose, anything or anyone that asks us to compromise the Truth. That wants us—is asking us, to allow our moral compasses to be tampered with. To sell out our God for the things of this world—whatever, or whoever they might be—or mean to us!

Again, Let Scripture—more the very words Jesus used on satan, be our guide when someone or something tries to take us captive—to hold our faith hostage. Tests our friendships, our loyalties, our livelihoods’, or our allegiances… Test if what we profess to believe is mere religious propaganda or genuine, life-changing faith in the One True God…

For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, “They’re yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.’’ Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness” (Matt. 4:8-10).

Choices…we all face them. Who are you choosing to serve today? Yourself? the past? someone else? Or some way of living that has just sort of swept you up? How is that working for you? Remember, to not choose is to make a choice. And your eternity depends on the choices you make–now, today…

As with our three friends don’t hesitate when asked to compromise your beliefs, your Truth, your God. Stand firm, be unbending…Follow the pattern set by Jesus. The way chosen by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego… Because it alone leads to life—eternal!

“But if you are unwilling to obey the Lord, then decide today whom you will obey. Will it be the gods of your ancestors beyond the Euphrates (the gods of your past) or the gods of the Amorites here in this land (those things found here, in this world, now…)? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Quotations my own for emphasis.

 

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