The Evil Around Us - Mark 5:9

And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” - Mark 5:9

    In something I read recently the question was asked, “Why do such terrible things happen in the world?” The respondent answered by saying that the first thing we need to remember before we ask such a question is that ‘we live in a fallen world.’ We have to remember that the entire universe suffers from the fall and seeks deliverance. “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” - Romans 8:22. As simple as that answer seems it is the truth and although it doesn’t assuage our feelings of sadness or hopelessness it does make the grasp of our plight in this fallen world a bit easier to understand but only on one condition. And that condition is our faith in God.
    We also need to remember that God has given this sinful world over to the devil as a kingdom and in his kingdom are his slaves and minions - “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” - 2 Corinthians 4:4. Is it any wonder that we see and experience such pain and suffering in this world?
    The daily anguish and misery we face here on this earth is indicative of the vast number of natural evils we are vulnerable to such as plagues, hurricanes, fires, and floods to mention but a few. Then we are subjected to the sinful thoughts, words, and deeds of Satan’s disciples. As we look about us - they are everywhere. Truly, they are ‘legion.’
    So it should come as no surprise to us that in this world we will have suffering but Christ has promised us that it will not always be so for His followers. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33. How? You ask. Through faith in the one triune God of the Bible.
    Knowing that we are constantly surrounded by sin - both our own and that of others - we must comes to terms with the fact that there is no worldly remedy for our circumstances. Because the devil rules the world there can be no relief through the methods of this world. Only our faith in God can pierce the darkness. Without faith we are certainly a pitiful lot. “We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men.” - Isaiah 59:10. This is one of the primary symptoms of sin in our lives. This is the mark of those who, without faith, are slaves to sin.
    It should not astound us when we see or experience evil in our lives. It is all around us. We should not be perplexed over the disasters and truly horrific events that threaten our world on a daily basis. Jesus even warned us that these things would ultimately happen but He also said that He prevails over it all. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33. Jesus promised that few would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” - Matthew 7:13-14.
    Truly, is there any doubt that Legion is many?

Simply Follow The Directions - Genesis 19:15-16

As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. - Genesis 19:15-16

    For me, the first question that arose in my mind was why? Why, after knowing it was angels who spoke to him, why did Lot linger? Perhaps a clearer understanding of the word ‘linger’ is due. One of the most common synonyms for linger is the word ‘remain; as in “he remained (lingered) seated.” So again - why would Lot linger when he knew that Sodom was about to be destroyed?
    If we profess to be Christians; if we claim to have faith in our Triune God, why would we ever hesitate to do what He asks and commands of us? A quick and faulty excuse on our part would be that we want to know such requests and commands are indeed from God Himself and not simply some trick of the devil.  There is always a sure sign of God’s genuine authority in our lives. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” - 1 John 4:1. The way to test the spirits is to refer to our Bibles. The Word of God never lies. And while we may not always understand why we are instructed as to a particular course of action, we must never pose questions to things the Scripture doesn’t address. To do so indicates our unwillingness to abide in God. And opposition to God is a sure sign of faithlessness. Such faithlessness is evidence that we don’t even believe we are salvageable in eternity. We are not at liberty to choose whether or not we will listen to the Lord. Even Judas did what Jesus told him to do - “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly.’” “So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.” John 13: 27, 29.
    God takes a very dim view of people not listening to Him. “. . . do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.’ Therefore I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” - Psalm 95:8-11.
    Truly, ignoring God’s commands or even lingering before following them can cost us dearly. Lot’s wife is evidence of God’s response to taking His commands lightly. “And as they brought them out, one said, ‘Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.’” - Genesis 19:17. What did Lot’s wife do? “And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:25-26.    
    No one is suggesting that disobedience toward God will turn us into pillars of salt but when we deliberately fail to obey God’s commands there is a reckoning awaiting us. We may learn from it or we may wish we had simply followed the directions.

Called To Boldness - Acts 4:26

 

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed.” - Acts 4:26

There’s probably not a better description of how the unbelievers and authorities in our present day treat Christians and our world view. They rage at us and are constantly plotting more ways to shut down our worship and the spreading of the Gospel. They take every opportunity to stop any public discourse about God, His laws, and His righteous judgment. In these difficult times of the ever-encroaching constraints on the free practice of our faith, we must remember that despite their best efforts God has it all under control. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” - Proverbs 16:9.
The ‘statists’ have mistakenly determined that the proper separation between church and state means the state must deny the very existence of God, rather than simply deny that the state supports one faith over all others. Predictively, much of the population has contorted the doctrine to say that God has no place in the public forum. God is not to be trifled with and denying Him results in catastrophic judgment - “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” - Romans 1:28. The result is the world we live in today. All the horror and sinfulness in our world can be traced back to our foolish denial of God. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” - Psalm 14:1.
What then is the recourse of the Christian in today’s world? Would it not be the same for us as in any other time in our history? Even the Apostles were faced with censure by the legal authorities of their time. “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” - Acts 5:27-29. And so this is what we Christians must ultimately do: preach Christ and preach Him boldly regardless of the opposition! To do so requires much prayer in a world where faith in the one true God is too often aligned with hate speech by those who would deny God and His Commandments. “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness . . .” - Acts 4:29.
We must never allow our fear of the opposition to pare down our witness to the Gospel. To do so would indicate that we fear man more than we do God. Jesus was very explicit on who we owe such fear. “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” - Luke 12:5.
Our true witness has been commanded of us by Christ Himself in no uncertain terms and we must never shirk from our duty to spread the Gospel in boldness as we were commissioned.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”- Matthew 28:19-20. We have the promise of Jesus Himself that He will be with us always.

Deliberately Choosing The Lie - 2 Kings 22:17-18

  Then Micaiah answered, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?’”- 2 Kings 22:17-18

    And with those words King Ahab decided not to listen to the truth that the prophet, Micaiah, was bound by God to tell. Four hundred of Ahab’s ‘yes men prophets’ had virtually assured Ahab’s victory against the Arameans but still he was not satisfied with their prophecies. Ahab wanted more; he wanted the assurance of the one true prophet, Micaiah to add his confidence to the four hundred’s false prediction. Micaiah, however, was bound by God’s truth in all his prophecies. “But Micaiah said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.’”- 2 Kings 22:14.
    Ahab, like so many of us today, had the distinct disadvantage of choosing only to believe what he wanted to hear. As a result of Ahab’s truth issues he was killed in battle at Ramoth Gilead. Even though he went into battle disguised as a common soldier, God’s providence and a random enemy arrow found its way between the sections of his armor and killed him.
    The question that begs for an answer then is ‘why would anyone deliberately choose a lie over the truth?’The answer may surprise us. Man seeks the lie rather than the truth because he is a product of this fallen world. Ever since Adam and Eve ventured forth from the pristine beauty and comfort of the Garden of Eden they have stumbled through the briars and thorns of the world created by sin. Now think about it for just a moment: which of us looks forward to bad news? It’s only natural in our sinful state to seek those things which appease and satisfy us. The fact that they are sinful doesn’t matter to us in ‘the moment.’ It is only after we have been made to feel the pain of attrition that we regret our choices and only then because we experience the burn and the torment of such poor choices.
    On the occasion when truth does rear it’s noble sword to vanquish a lie, the world despises it. Truth paralyzes the lie in the blinding light of ‘the facts.’ To deny it or try to twist it is the stuff of demons and God has given us all fair warning. “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.” - Proverbs 19:9.
    There are basically one reason a person lies: because it is our nature. All things being equal, humans will always attempt to skew, slant, misrepresent, or twist the reality rather than simply face it. Man will always try to declare the hill he is willing to die upon, even if it is a trash heap.
    Claiming a personal relationship with Jesus is no guarantee of salvation. “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him . . .”- 1 John 2:4. God is no fool nor will He be mocked. One cannot simply say he or she is ‘a Christian’ and reap heavenly rewards. One’s actions and words need to be the fruit of that change of heart. But it is His commandments that we must keep, not our own, ‘nor any proximity thereof.’ We dare not devise our own version of what we believe God would do. His very Words are as clear as a mountain brook. If our idea of proper Christian life doesn’t match God’s, ‘jott for jot and tittle for tittle,’we might as well be worshiping the devil. Our ‘gods of whole cloth’ will only bring destruction upon those of us who invoke them. The lies and the demons who inspire them will only draw the wrath of God. Have we not heard His words often enough? “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” - Exodus 20:2-3.
 

Toeing The Line In The Sand - Hebrews 12:14

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14

    It is true that God’s way for us precludes any notion of intentionally being contentious with others, and this includes the sworn enemies of the faithful. It is also true that we must not seek conflict or belligerent combat with such people. In fact, the Book of Titus is distinct in its message to us - “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” - Titus 3:1-2. To be clear: we are to pay heed as Paul speaks tersely and convincingly: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” - Romans 12:18. But what are we to do when it is no longer possible to live in peace with our antagonists?
    For the answer to this we must return to Hebrews 12 again: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.” - Hebrews 12:15-16.  Based upon this passage we are instructed to “see to it,” to make sure . . . as far as it is possible for us, to avoid engaging in hostilities simply for the sake of hostility. For a season we may be charged with correcting the actions or words of another. But we are to do so in a Christian manner. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:29.
    Nowhere in the Bible and in context are we ever instructed or commanded to break into open warfare for the simple sake of war. We are told in our titular passage that without holiness . . . “no one will see the Lord.” And holiness is not defined by a pugnacious attitude. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”- 1 Peter 1:14-16.
    Our previous lives (before God) were based upon hard worldly positions. Any affront was to be dealt with swiftly and without prejudice. Meaning that along with our primary target, collateral damage would not only be possible but almost guaranteed. Certainly, any sound- minded individual can see the error in this worldly way of thinking. We often confuse a victory of the Word of God with our own personal victory. The two are not the same. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”- Romans 8:6.
    So how then are we to conduct ourselves in holiness when confronted by the world, the flesh, and the devil? To begin with, we must seek to control our mouths when engaging with the opposition. Yes, the world hates the very notion of filtering our words or ‘reeling it in.’ But that is the way of the world. God’s way is different as we see from the Book of James. “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” - James 3:8-12. No matter how our opponents speak to us we cannot respond in kind. We must speak to them in a way that will allow them to soften their approach to us even if they choose not to. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” - Colossians 4:6.  It has been said that the shrill histrionics displayed in the opponent’s tantrum is evidence that they recognize the error in their way of thinking; that is why they react so belligerently. Let us be sure that we aren’t reacting that way. We must remember that we are constantly to be speaking  in a way that draws them to us rather than pitting them against us.  “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:31-32.
    Our words must be heard as a godly way to edify others, not get them to toe the line in the sand.

When God Says ‘No’ - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

 
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

    As we read the passage we see that despite Paul’s insistent prayers, God said “No” to his supplications for relief. How often have we prayed, seeking what we felt was an unanswered need ? How many homes, job promotions, passing grades, successful medical procedures? How many ‘yeses’ have we diligently sought, only to be denied? How does God’s answer ‘no’ impact our view of life?
    For many, the collapse of a need, want, or dream spells an immediate darkening in our moods and our lives. The sunshine of hope then turns into a storm cloud of despondency. We just need to know that despite our dreams and plans, God has a better answer. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” - Proverbs 19:21
Many of us experience great emotional loss through what we feel are the untimely deaths of those whom we love. ‘How could God do such a thing to me?’ Those who object strongest to such a seemingly untimely event see God only as a sugar bowl whose prime directive in our lives should be to sweeten them. So soon we forget the words of Job. “But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” - Job 2:10.
    Many an ostensibly reverent man and woman have succumbed to the human grief that most often accompanies great physical or emotional loss. But nowhere in the Bible will we see a God who divinely promises to feather our beds in this lifetime. He has never once assured us that our every wish will be His command. In fact, Jesus tells us what our lives will be like if we follow Him. “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” - Matthew 16:24. Even the greatest saints have experienced tribulation in their lives.
    My dear sister passed from this world when she was only 51 years old. She was a good woman and prayed to Jesus Christ every day of her life. Yet the cancer came and brought death with it. There was no instant heavenly cure. There was only sickness and death. God said ‘No’ to my prayers. And while she may have experienced her trauma as a result of her actions we cannot know for certain that this was the case. People who’ve never smoked get cancer and die from it. Sometimes, no matter the intensity or the need or desire behind the prayer . . . God just says ‘No.’
    So why do some basically decent and good human beings suffer by the will of God? Jesus answers this question best. “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” - Luke 13:4-5.
    Jesus was simply stating that just because a person suffers egregious loss or a prayer is not answered in the affirmative, that still doesn’t mean God wishes evil upon us. And how often in our lives have we been blessed by God? Can we even count them?
    Sometimes God uses our tribulations to make us stronger. No matter how many problems we face, God remains a force with us if we remain faithful. Sometimes His answer is ‘yes,’ sometimes it is ‘No.’ thou we cannot see them or understand them they are still for our own good. Even in our greatest tribulations, God works for the best. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28. We cannot know His reasons; we can only know His decision.

The Choice - Joshua 24:15

 

 “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:15

    As a Confessional Presbyterian, I avoid the cable channel TBN like spoiled meat. I know that is a harsh criticism of a religious channel that caters to thousands of  ‘professing Christians,’ but it is a critique that is well deserved. Preachers such as Joel Osteen, Crefalo Dollar, Jan Crouch, Joyce Meyer, Andy Stanley, T.D. Jakes, Pat Robertson, and a host of other fire-breathing ‘health & wealth preachers.’
    Not to be one-sided about my dismay over TBN, they also feature more dignified ministers and authors of the faith such as Eric Metaxas, Mike Huckabee, and Robert Jeffress. My overall disquiet comes not so much from the objectionable preachers but their confused and often downright false Christian doctrines. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions . . .” - 1 Timothy 6:3-4.
    The issues at hand involve the false teaching the a woman can be a preacher, the crazed Pentecostal ravings that claim new revelation, the belief that God wants us to be wealthy and healthy in spite of His given providence. Their preaching is tantamount to the ‘snake oil salesmen’ of the 19th Century. The fact that they bilk thousands of lost souls out of the savings is reprehensible. We are even warned of their scams and bunko games. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” - Colossians 2:8.
    How can one tell if a pastor or preacher is running a shell game? The Bible is clear beyond a shadow of doubt. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” - 1 John 4:1. There have been many a preacher who seemed possessed by the devil himself (Kenneth Copeland) while others presented false healings on stage (Benny Hinn). Sadly, these and other such vaudevillian ministers are presented by the modern media as representatives of true and correct Christians today. They are even portrayed as ‘Bible thumpers.’ These false teachers may be many things but they are certainly not men or women preaching the Word of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Light.
    How do these purveyors of lies manage to accomplish their nefarious goals? Many people are charmed by their satanic message; it’s what they want to hear, rather than the Holy Word of God. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” - 2 Timothy 4:3-4. People like being placated by happy thoughts and promises of health and prosperity. Open up your Bibles and I can assure you that you will not find such worldly promises from God. God only shares His truth with us. We must put away our wish lists and know the truth as Christ has presented it to us - “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” - Mark 8:34. Doesn’t sound like a picnic to me
    Joshua knew the heart of the Israelites. He had seen it displayed often enough during the forty years in the wilderness. That is why he offered them the choice - “choose this day whom you will serve.” That is the choice we are offered and it is the only choice.