Category: Shadows (Page 22 of 25)

Easter is coming April 4th. To the Christian community, it is a day celebrated with the full hope of life after death, a resurrection into God’s Kingdom and a future eternal world without evil. Jesus did not kill Himself, however. He died because His life conflicted with the world around Him. His death, a horrid crucifixion, was brought about by conflicts between God and the gods of this world. There were conflicts between God whom Jesus called His Father, the God of the Law, and how it was being defined by the self=proclaimed guardians of the laws, the Jewish religious leaders along with the political gods of the time, the Romans. To understand the death of Jesus, we need to understand His life and to understand His life, it is important to know who Jesus lived for, God His Father and the people He came to help, the sick and the poor. Yes, Jesus came for sinners, to forgive all sins but that was to be by exposing the necessity of repentance. Jesus did not come to give the evil people of the world a free pass to eternity. It would be a person’s faith in Him and a changed life that would lead to the eternal hope Easter represents.

(John 14:6-11)¹NIV New International Version Translations – Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.’”

Jesus was the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation and spoke to the world with full authority. His claim, however, was never about His own power, but the power He held through His Father.

(John 5:30) – “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Jesus was crucified because the earthly gods were evil. Wicked men conspired against Him, falsely accused Him, and then murdered Him. The leaders of Israel were envious of His following (Matthew 27:18). They were afraid that Jesus would gather a large a following which could cause the Roman authorities to crack down on the Jewish nation, resulting in the loss of even more of their authority (John 11:48). The Jewish leaders, the keepers of religious law, hated the fact that Jesus called out their sins publicly (Matthew 23). And, finally, He was accused of blasphemy when He claimed to be the Son of God (Luke 22:66–71).

The Jewish authorities lacked the power to execute someone. Rather than stoning, hanging, drowning, or some other brutal method, Jesus’ execution had to be carried out by the Romans. Crucifixion was the Roman method of execution to make an example of someone and to deter others from committing the same offense. It was normal to post the charges against the condemned on the cross. Pontius Pilate, Jesus’ judge, posted the charge “King of the Jews” on Jesus’ cross (Matthew 27:37).

The ministry of Jesus is found in our Gospels. It was to teach people God’s Truth about a real Kingdom, an eternal Kingdom, that will bring peace and hope of everlasting joy. When we look closely at who Jesus spent time with it was the tax collectors, the sick and the poor. His time with the powerful, the wealthy was spent drawing their attention to the hypocrisy of their lives. Rich did not get richer. The Gospel’s message is that to accept the miracle of Easter is to first accept being bound to the Cross.

What does it mean to be bound to the Cross?

• Jesus is the promised Savior of the world.
• Jesus will be returning for you.
• Jesus paid the full penalty for your sins as a perfect, spotless sacrifice.
• Jesus defeated the power of sin and death and purchased, for you who believe in Him, eternal life.
• The world the hates the truth and hate you if you expose their lies and hypocrisy.
• The gods of the world, power and wealth, place your well-being at risk because of your faith in Jesus.
• The world loves sin, and they love to define sin on their own terms, not God’s terms. The world’s definitions are filled with deceit that can trap you.
• God will not show favoritism. He will judge according to your obedience to Him not your obedience to the world.
• A claim of Christianity is not enough, you must be different than this world.

The costs of being a Christian on Easter can be summarized as follows:

• The denial of our own interests and needs is what we must do to our human nature every day of our lives.
• It is impossible to show love to any living being if you have no time for that person. The life of a Christian must reflect God’s love. It takes your time, talent, treasure and testimony.
• If we really wish to celebrate Easter, we need to be willing to detach from this world and move into His world.

(Luke 9: 61-62) – “Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family. Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”

(Matthew 6:24) – “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money., it is impossible to be a slave of two masters.”

To celebrate Easter means to ask Jesus to be the center of your life, to have Him walk with you all day, every day. Celebrating Easter means that your joy comes from His strength and His promise, not only on this Easter day but every day of your life. Christ’s death on the cross  was for us and His resurrection from the cross was before us! “Follow Me” says the living Lord, “I know the Way.”

Contemplations

• What have the costs, the hardships been for you as a Christian?
  • Ideas to Explore: Today, hardships are few, maybe some inconveniences, in some circles, a good social move – Is that the cost to you? What about the parts of the world that show hardships, even death? Are you willing to stand by Jesus even in death? 
• To you, what does it mean to Follow Jesus?
  • Ideas to Explore: How is your life, your family’s life, your co-worker’s lives, your neighbor’s lives, your community’s lives, your country’s lives better because you are a Christian who is celebrating Easter? How are you really different?
• How much pain would you be willing to take on to be/stay a visible Christian?
  • Ideas to Explore:  Who do you know who has suffered but demonstrated joy in the process? Will you share your personal testimony to others? Are you sharing your talents? Is generosity an attribute that your friends would include when describing who you are?
• How much of Easter in your life is tradition-base?
  • Ideas to Explore: What are your memories of Easter? Is Easter a time for baskets, chocolate rabbits, jelly beans, dinner at mom’s? Do you go to church/worship on Easter? Do you go to church/worship on every other Sunday?
• What do you do to keep from succumbing to the world’s deceptions?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do you have an accountability partner? Do you regularly pray? Do you spend time with the Bible?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Plenty of people believe in God. Not enough, unfortunately, follow God. Contained in the POETRY section of Lostpine’s website is an inscription found in the Lübeck Cathedral in Germany. In 1173 Henry the Lion founded this cathedral to serve the Diocese of Lübeck. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1230, but between 1266 and 1335 it was converted into a Gothic-style building with side-aisles raised to the same height as the main aisle. Today, the city of Lübeck is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Inside the cathedral is an inscription:

Ye call Me Master and obey Me not,
Ye call Me Light and see Me not,
Ye call Me Way and walk not,
Ye call Me Life and desire Me not,
Ye call Me wise and follow Me not,
Ye call Me fair and love Me not,
Ye call Me rich and ask Me not,
Ye call Me eternal and seek Me not,
Ye call Me gracious and trust Me not,
Ye call Me noble and serve Me not,
Ye call Me mighty and honor Me not,
Ye call Me just and fear Me not,
If I condemn you, blame Me not.

A simple poem but thought-provoking words.  The poem makes one wonder how could Germany, a country apparently filled with such a rich history of Christian faith, be responsible for two horrid world wars? How do seemingly godly people go so astray? Could such a thing happen again? Is such a thing happening again?

Much of our world is busy teaching, “Seek first man’s kingdom and the stuff of this world.” Jesus’ words are the antithesis of these, and it is one reason why we see a growing hatred for Christianity. The utopia that our world seeks to develop is earthly and man-made. Christians, instead, look to Jesus where they find a more perfect and lasting kingdom.  Since the time of the incarnation of our God back into our world, our world is no longer the same. All have a choice! For those who place their faith in Jesus, the “perfect and lasting kingdom” is already here but, unfortunately, it exists in our imperfect world. Only faith separates the two worlds from each other. The Bible is quick to point out that leadership, those given responsibility for our journey together through our co-mingled world, will be held accountable to God. Ezekiel tells us:

(Ezekiel 34:1-8) ¹NIV New International Version Translations – “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them. ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, ….’”

Ezekiel’s verses are directed at leaders of his time, any leaders with authority over people’s lives. The sheep in their care are clearly the people. The prophet is promising the removal of the false shepherds in preparation to the raising up of a Good Shepherd. Ezekiel is pointing out that the sheep were scattered, and carried captive, and became a prey to others, even though many of the leaders were of God’s own appointing. The persons with responsibility over the people did not do their duty; the “shepherds” fed themselves and did not feed or protect God’s flock.

In the case of Israel, this was further exacerbated because the people of Israel failed to observe the terms of God’s conditional promises to them. Israel exhibited again and again its refusal to obey God. As a result, they did not enter the peace, prosperity, and eternal possession of the land God had promised them. God had withheld His blessings, ultimately separating Himself from them by casting them out of the land He had promised. God punished the Israelites for their disobedience by deferring the fulfillment of His promises. This deferment did not make God unfaithful to the people because His promises to them were conditional, based on their obedience to His Laws. Jeremiah also used a similar statement!

(Jeremiah 23:1-4) – “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: ‘Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,’ declares the Lord. ‘I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,’ declares the Lord.”

To fully understand Jeremiah’s words, it first helps to determine who the shepherds of today might be. When we think of those in a shepherding role, pastors of churches as well as the governing bodies of our churches, elders and deacons come to mind. However, it goes further in that every husband is a shepherd to his wife and parents are shepherds to their children. Teachers are shepherds to their students. An employer is a shepherd their employees. An older child is a shepherd to younger brothers and sisters. Anyone who in anyway leads anyone is a shepherd who is responsible for the care of another. You sort of get the idea; the claim of godly leadership is conditional on the success of the journey and the responsibility of leading people runs deeper than just politics. Jeremiah says it is not just the leaders but everyone who is a shepherd is being held accountable.

We should understand that God is the ultimate good shepherd Jeremiah speaks of and that Jesus, because He is the incarnate God, is our ultimate head shepherd here on earth. (John 10:11 – 11) – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Yes, Jesus laid down His life for us and we are forgiven. But to claim that forgiveness, requires a few things of us.

(Mark 16:14) – “Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”

Jesus was not the type to rebuke His disciples over something small. In the next verse, (Mark 16:15), we get the commandment to go out into the world and share the Gospel, the Great Commission! Look closely, however, at verse 14. We rarely remember the verse preceding the Great Commission. Jesus’s rebuke is for two things, “their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe the witnesses.” This is good news for all Christians. It clearly shows that the responsibility for each of us is NOT whether someone believes us or lacks faith in the style or quality of our testimonies. Our duty is to be faithful to Jesus Christ and to share what our lives were like before and after we became part of Jesus’s family.  We are today’s witnesses and that my friends is the good news! For the others, those who do not believe, God has a plan. I like Jesus’s plan much better.

Contemplations

• What is your sphere of influence? Who do you lead with your ideas?
  • Ideas to Explore: Who are the people that would listen to your opinions and alter their actions? What is the basis for where you get your opinions, and have you overlaid them with Scripture? Are you the type of person that is easily influenced by others or the media in your opinions? Have you thought about how God would grade your advice and counsel?
• Are you a fan of history and do you search to find trends today that we have historical evidence on?
  • Ideas to Explore: Attitudes on drugs. Sexuality and our children. Educational standards. To your list of ideas and beliefs, how do you think God feels about them?
• How have evil people taken over a Christian country before?
  • Ideas to Explore: Loss of 1st Amendment rights. Censorship. Control of the press. Removal of a citizen’s ability to protect themselves from the government itself. Control of financial institutions. Marshal law. Over regulation of daily living. Have you ever done research to see what history teaches us about how a country like Germany and how they lost their Christian focus?
• When regulatory changes for any reason (environmental, COVID, safety, etc.) impact one specific group of “sheep,” any group really, causing hardships, what is the responsibility of the other groups? Is this what Ezekiel and Jeremiah were talking about?
  • Ideas to Explore:
    • The group proposing/making the change?
    • The government, federal/state/local?
    • The community in which the impacted “sheep” live?
    • The Church?
    • The parties benefiting from the change.
    • The impacted parties, the “sheep?”
• When people in power profit from their positions at the expense of the “sheep,” is that right, wrong?  What should the people do under those circumstances? Is this what Ezekiel and Jeremiah were talking about?
  • Ideas to Explore: What ethical standards should apply in government and business, God’s or the worlds? Does someone’s past history of “working the system” impact your opinion of them? When people promise they have changed, how do you personally validate their change?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The year 2021 is off with loads of controversies already. One huge one is the growing censorship of any descent concerning the policies coming from a new more liberal administration now in power. The Apostle Paul states:

(Romans 1:18-22)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

The apostle explains that the Wrath of God is brought forth because of the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth. This tragic aspect of our world today is caused by the attitude held by those in power and the subsequent actions that follow their directives. Notice the order, godlessness and then wickedness. Godlessness is not necessarily atheism, the belief that God does not exist. Godlessness is acting as though He does not exist. Our world today, including much of the Christian world, does not necessarily deny that there is a God, but it seems that they never take any account of Him. Why do people disregard God and expect no consequences? Paul says it is because the truth is suppressed. It is important to note here that while the truth described here includes God’s Truth, Paul is talking about all truth. What has taken the place of truth in our lives is the justification of what is ungodly and unrighteous.

• By ignoring what God has already revealed to us, the design and order of the universe.
• Implying that humankind’s intelligence is the same or greater that our Creator.
• Not being thankful, being ungrateful to God.

There are also consequences of not glorifying God. Modern humans have their own idols such as secular humanism (worshipping self), covetousness (worshipping money), worshiping creation (worshipping the environment) to name just a few. When humankind ceases to be thankful to God, and regard created things over Him, God gets angry! Ignoring His Laws is another good way to get on the wrong side of God. God is pleased when we love and care for each other, when we are faithful stewards of His gifts to us, including the very world and people who live in it.

Truth from God is breaking out all around us, but we are busy covering it up, hiding it, suppressing it, keeping it from being prominent and dominant in our thinking. Worse yet, some are perverting the truth for self-interests. The reason life has turned tragic in so many cases is because the world is deprived of the truth that is necessary for life and liberty and freedom and most importantly, godliness. Censorship of the truth that exposes the existence of a God of eternal power and majesty and the consequence of unrighteous behavior places all humanity at risk.

How has God made truth plain? The Scriptures clearly say that God has revealed himself to man. Truth is not a vague, invisible, or even a difficult thing to comprehend; it is clearly seen. God himself has insured that to be true. How? God can be seen in that which is made, through His creation. From the creation of the world, it was visible, and He has been present always and everywhere in our history. There is no one who is left out. All can see this revelation of God if they want to do so. This argument from creation’s design and order has never been rebutted. This is known to us because God is in our history, in the good history and in what some may call the bad history. To censor history destroys its value as moral compass for humanity.

Yet with all this discourse, there is one other overwhelming rational reason why censorship should not be tolerated. It is called the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. It states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

The ancient Greeks pioneered free speech as a democratic principle. The ancient Greek word “parrhesia” means “free speech,” or “to speak candidly.” The term first appeared in Greek literature around the end of the fifth century BC. During the classical period, parrhesia became a fundamental part of the democracy of Athens. Leaders, philosophers, playwrights, and everyday Athenians were free to openly discuss politics and religion and to criticize the government in some settings.

The First Amendment of our Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech. Freedom of speech gives every American the right to express themselves without having to worry about government interference. Most of the world does not have this right. It is the most basic component of freedom of expression. It is explicitly linked with the freedom of religion for a reason. Censorship, among other things, often attempts to mute the righteous. Included in the first amendment is also freedom of the press. This freedom is like freedom of speech, in that it allows people to express themselves through publication. There are certain limits to freedom of the press. False or defamatory statements, called libel, are not protected under the First Amendment. Libel is a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt or the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene writings or pictures.

The danger with libel is who sets the standards for harm. It should never be a secret group of fact-checkers who determine the merits of anyone’s statement based on their own bias. We can, with full protection of law, worship our God, orally and in writing. Every Christian should be reminded that Christ was sentenced to death as a blasphemer. It was nothing more than a select group of fact checkers that passed judgment on God Himself and had Him crucified.

The founders of the United States believed that mankind has certain “inalienable rights” including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Under that umbrella of liberty falls freedom of speech. Thomas Jefferson spoke of these rights as having been endowed to man by his Creator; he called the right to liberty “inherent” and postulated that governments are instituted to allow man (the governed) to secure those rights and to pursue his rights freely. The liberty and consent of the governed were, in Jefferson’s mind, imperative for governments to be efficient and beneficial.

The witness of censorship today is coming because of a divided populous. When one group of people expose the unrighteous actions of others, division occurs. Power corrupts and absolute power (and wealth) corrupts absolutely. Despite the unfairness of the actions, we see today, Godly people are being called to stand firm. World history has shown us that the loss of free speech and freedom of religion are precursors to losing all other freedoms. There is a reason why our founding fathers made it the “First Amendment.” Like Christ, the First Amendment is the cornerstone of the eternal universe.

(Ephesians 2:19-22) – “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Our ultimate freedom is found in belonging to Christ (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17). Sin brings bondage (Romans 7:14), but the one who belongs to Christ is spiritually free (Romans 8:2). Speaking the truth in love is a biblical mandate (Ephesians 4:15). Therefore, any government law that guarantees citizens the right to speak the truth aligns with godly principles. By the same token, any law that suppresses a person’s right to speak truth is working against God’s command. Freedom of speech does not guarantee that truth is told, but it does permit truth to be told.

Contemplations

• Why do people tolerate censorship on social media?
  • Ideas to Explore: It depends on which side’s opinions are being censored. Social Media is too convenient to give up. It is too much work to check multiple sources of information. Are the media and the Internet trustworthy platforms?
• How do you personally get to know the leaders of our country?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you politically active? Always do what your family does. Spend time doing research? Like to personally meet people., and see what they are about?
• Where do you think that the control of information has gone too far?
  • Ideas to Explore: Shutting down social media accounts. Demanding camps re-program the beliefs of those who disagree with one agenda or another. Spying on people via phones and emails. Shuttering media companies that have an alternative message?
• Is privacy—the control of your information at risk these days?
  • Ideas to Explore: Use of free email services and who can read what you write. Google, etc. tracking searches to develop profiles on you. Tracking your every movement by location data in your cell phone. Do you worry about what information is being collected on you and the conclusions that some unknown group is drawing?
• What should we do when pressed to act ungodly?
  • Ideas to Explore: The government forces people to support causes or regulations that conflict with their faith. Banning products or companies that believe differently. How does a person reconcile their oath to their country against their oath to God?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Wisdom and knowledge are of temporal value if we do not know God. Every day challenges require choices. The prophet Micah tells us in verse 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.” A simple statement, God has given us what we need to know and now the responsibility is up to each person to discover that knowledge and decide is it the Truth? A clear theme in the Bible is that discernment, knowing what to do next in each set of circumstances, requires a clear understanding of God’s Truth. To find this discernment takes a combination of three things:

1. A belief in and an understanding of God’s Word and His commands.
2. The faith that God, His Son, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are real.
3. An ability to observe the knowledge documented in our Bible at work in our world using Common Sense.

(Jeremiah 9:23-24)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.”

Because all things logical and scientific begin with the concept of observation, to become wise and to know God, requires us to know the difference between observing and just looking. Much of life is spent looking, without the intent of our minds ever using what we see again. But when we observe, our minds extract a greater meaning out of what we see and convert it into what we might call our beliefs.

The conversion process requires skills. A few tips on being a good observer might look like this:

1. Alertness – Quick to notice and process information, mental fitness. Life requires that we pay attention.
2. Being Present – Secondhand information is always be colored by the bias of someone else’s eyes and beliefs. To observe requires personal engagement.
3. To filter – Our world is filled with distractions, misrepresentations, even downright lies. To be a good filter, one must be willing to search for Truth.
4. Double Checking – In our times of biased media, social and otherwise, there is the added responsibility to double and triple check everything. Even the interpretation of God’s Word can be perverted.
5. God’s Truth – The ability of knowing good and bad, relevant, and irrelevant. Most have an intrinsic knowledge of right and wrong, but few really use that knowledge as a comparative tool.
6. Common Sense – The use of knowledge and the observation of the world to decide what to do requires reason combined with revelation (the Holy Spirit). God placed a great Counselor in our world to help and guide us.

When an observation is either flawed because we did not follow good practices or avoided because of laziness, we make mistakes, use poor judgment, and our conclusions can be wrong. Here are some examples that show how our world has drawn erroneous conclusions:

• Christians are asked to be obedient in faith to Christ and the Cross in a world that surrounds them with idols, demons, fetishes, and superstition. How have so many people for so many generations managed to remain loyal to their faith in our world with so many distractions? Our world even calls out to reprogram its faithful people. Is it really the faithful who are wrong and dangerous? How did that conclusion ever develop?
• History gives us an undisputed view of the witness of Christ’s presence through the stories of the martyrs who chose death rather than to give the leaders of this world their oath. Where does such spiritual power come? Are martyrs mad? Are they fools? Are only the power-driven oppressors of the world correct?
• We have a presence in our world of a love for the abandoned, despised, unborn, and betrayed human beings. Missionaries, prison ministries, shelters, food banks, all open their hearts to those in need. What drives this generosity and compassion? The survival of the fittest, our world’s motto it seems, surely is not the source of charity. Is government charged with providing charity or should it come from our own hearts?
• Finally, observations show an enslaved creation, a general sadness as we live in a godless world. There is war, slavery of every kind and diminishing human rights all pointing to the plight of our world today. What can free the earth of this destructive behavior? Governments seek to control the delivery of happiness but how is it that humankind can ever find the real prize, joy? Is not the prize eternal joy?

King David of the Old Testament writes:

(Psalm 19:1-30) – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

It is up to us to learn how to be better observers. Nature is just one of the ways in which God has revealed Himself to humanity. King David observes that God is EVERYWHERE! What exactly does nature, the universe around us, tell us about God? Can we find evidence of God’s existence from looking at the world in which we live? This would be called “Natural Theology.” The Truth is that only God Himself could give us knowledge of His own being. The Bible makes it clear that God’s revelation of Himself in nature is not sufficient knowledge for sinful humanity to ever know Him. Nature only provides basic truths to humanity but falls far short of giving any absolute truth. Nature tells us that there is a God who is majestic and powerful but nothing more. It is the Bible alone that tells human beings how to see God not only in nature, but everywhere else.

For me personally, the idea of nature unveiling God takes me back to Jimmie R’s home in Ohio. I was just a young teenager and Jimmie and I had decided to camp out in his back yard. He lived just down the street from me, and we were good friends. I still can walk you to the exact place where we camped out that night. With simple cardboard to insulate us from the cold ground, Jimmie and I laid down to spend the night. There were no lights, so the very significance of the universe was open before my eyes that evening. It would be that very moment, that very place, that I would understand my “insignificance” to the universe around me. I think it was that very moment of humility that I recognized a God existed. For that moment in my life, I am eternally grateful.

Faith is required to understand Scriptures. The Bible’s many stories, laws and commandments must be overlaid onto life, our personal experiences and then validated by our own observations. Here is where the responsibility of unbiased observations comes together with God’s Word to form our conclusions and then actions. God says He showed us the Truth! Are we acting like we found it?

The process of observation and faithfulness must always be rational and consistent. When our personal observations do not align with the Bible or the faith we claim, then it is time to do some more observing. Our world is busy telling God what sin is. God has already told the world what sin is. Our world is demeaning life, worshiping wealth, idolizing power, prioritizing self-interests, and removing personal freedoms. God has already told us to follow Him. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.”

Common Sense says that any person who claims Christ as a personal savior should not be a professional thief or murderer. Common Sense says a person who claims Christ as their personal savior should not even condone thievery or murder of any kind. God says there must not be any inconsistency between Himself, one’s observations, and their Faith. That is called Common Sense. God’s Truth does not have inconsistencies.

Contemplations

• Is it really OK to vote for someone who supports abortion?
  • Ideas to Explore:  What do you think God’s position would be on the termination of a life in the womb? When does life exist and what does our Bible say about it?
• Can humankind really tell God what is sinful?
  • Ideas to Explore: Where does humankind attempt to tell the world what is right and what is wrong? Is there any way people can justify behavior contrary to God’s directive? How do we determine what is sinful?
• What are the ways we  unknowingly support ungodly behavior?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do we pick leaders who make us feel good, say the right things or do we align ourselves with leaders that direct our behavior toward God? Are we happy with the leaders we support? If not, why? What are the ungodly actions that through common sense, we have determined and validated?
• How good are you at seeing the true motives of people around us?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do we pay attention and see the motives of those around us? Are their actions consistent with God’s Word? Would Jesus approve of our support?
• Are you willing to set yourself apart from the world and support Christ?
  • Ideas to Explore: Faith is only faith when under the challenges of the world. Can you stand against the world and set yourself aside from those who just want to be part of the norm? What motivates you – Success in this world or the idea of eternal joy with God?

Note: You may also be interested in a companion study on Common Sense and its dependency on being a good observer. You can find it by clicking Here.

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Most of us have been educated by “tradition.” That is, we have adopted what Christianity has ascribed to many of the writings in the Bible. The letter called 1 John (first John) is commonly believed to be written by the Apostle John, one of Jesus’ chosen twelve, the son of Zebedee, and “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Unfortunately, the text of 1 John (first John) or that of the other two letters so numbered do not bear John’s name or any other name. They are anonymous. This first letter was probably written in Ephesus between 95 and 110 AD. The writer advises Christians on how to discern true teachers: by their ethics, their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their love. This letter makes a bold statement about hate.

(1 John 4:20)¹NIV New International Version Translations – Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

The subject of hatred and its impact on the human heart are well supported in Scripture. Hate made its first appearance in Genesis 4:8 – “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” Abel was victim to one of the most common causes of hatred: envy. Today, envy over social status, wealth, resources, and other advantages continues to pit people against one another. Why is it important for us to look at the topic of hatred? We have just witnessed political hatred at its worst, and it does not look like it will get better any time soon. Our study verse clearly says that if we hate, we are nothing but liars and cannot love God. It was our God who established the “first principles” such as law, government, education, politics, and economics, all to be discovered by “common sense.” Because hatred seeks to censure and stop all free discussion, a prerequisite to “common sense, hatred is dangerous.

While envy is just one of the many causes of hatred, most oftentimes, hatred is fueled by fear based upon ignorance. As people who claim their salvation in Christ, there is an expectation that we will do all we can to discern God’s Truth and not become prejudiced individuals who twist, distort, misinterpret, or even ignore facts that conflict with our predetermined opinions. Fortunately, we find clarity right in 1 John again, right before the writer tells us about hatred:

(1 John 4:1) – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

How then, in a world filled with information, media, and biased and false news, does one discern truth? I have written on this before, but it is worth repeating. David Barton is a New York Times best-selling author. In his writings, he states that the world is quite creative in its deception and perversion of facts. These same perversions are being applied to our Bible too. Barton lists seven strategies that are being used to reprogram us against ourselves.

• Historical Negativism – An accurate presentation of history depends on the telling of the good with the bad, an honest, balanced presentation of events, people, or periods. Our history is not all bad! (2 Timothy 3:16) – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
• Relativism – This asserts that in history, religion, culture, and law are not absolute. Values are to be determined individually, and personal standards trump traditional ones, thus allowing subjectivity and feelings to prevail over objectivity. This attitude would claim that our Constitution is old and out of date and the Bible has no relevance to society today. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
• Anti-nationalism -This is the constant undermining of patriotism or the love of one’s country. Remember, we are the only country on earth that people risk their lives to get into. People are free to leave yet few ever do! The fact that people love God is a good thing, not a bad thing.
• Rejection of American Exceptionalism – This rejects the idea that America is blessed and enjoys unprecedented stability, prosperity, and liberty because of unique ideas such as God-given inalienable rights, individualism, limited government, and an educated, virtuous citizenry. I am still waiting to find a history book somewhere better than America!
• Modernism is the malpractice of examining past events and people as if they occurred and lived today rather than in the past. Modernists destroy monuments, deface historical sites, and protest everything good. Lose the past, and you will lose your purpose and direction! Lose the Bible and you will lose an eternity with God.
• Minimalism – The unreasonable insistence on oversimplification, on reducing all things to political rhetoric and one-line slogans, forgetting the complexities of history. Open and honest dialogue requires time for “both” sides to discuss their concerns after they first understand each other’s! Hate censors the truth.
• Rigid Secularism – The constant misrepresentation of the influences of religion in American History. Our history has recognized that all must have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Faith, the belief in a Creator, exists in every culture on earth. Who planted that belief in the hearts of men? World history tells us over and over that America is unique—believe it or not, what you believe in is totally up to you. Let us not lose that right to choose!

Discernment takes work. You can never believe one person, one channel, or one source. Proverbs tells us:

(Proverbs 26:24-26) – “Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts, they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.”

The “assembly” was the Temple, the place of leadership during Solomon’s time. It is insightful to see that charm and false statements are nothing new and that the way to discern is to look and not listen. It is easy to deceive with words. History has proven it. However, observation then needs to become the foundation of a discerning life. Is your world better or worse? Is your life safer, or are you more afraid for your family? Can you freely worship your God, share your faith, and raise your children as you wish? And are you leading a hope-filled life? Today, all of us live in a world that has accepted the concept of science. It has improved our lives immensely. What does it take to be proven by science? It must be observable and repeatable! Now apply these same principles to life itself. God is there, just waiting for you to see Him.

Hatred today is spawned from anxiety and a lack of hope. Anxiety is driven by the anticipation of terror; hope, however, can only come from God. God asks us to choose the things we do wisely and the leaders we pick based on our observations of their deeds, not their words. God’s instructions are not confusing.

(Galatians 5:19-21) – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

(Hebrews 12:14-15) – “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Contemplations

• Where do you get information from?
  • Ideas to Explore: How reliable is the Internet? When searching a topic for information, is there a bias in the results? Can the significance of events be altered by selective editing of a simple news story? Do you try to always get information from multiple sources on both sides of an issue? Do people use sources that agree with their own bias?
• Who do you hate?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is there hatred in your heart? How did it get there, by your observation or by the observations of others? Do you censure information just by remembering and discussing what agrees with your own opinion? What is the impact of parents on the hatred and biases of children?
• What do you think God’s Truth is?
  • Ideas to Explore: What basic tenets do you think God will never relinquish? How do you learn God’s Truth? What is your responsibility when you see God’s Truth being abused? Can humankind decide what God’s Truth should be?
• How is hate between two people or two countries broken down and replaced by love?
  • Ideas to Explore: God is clear: we must love our enemies. How does that work? Can we patiently listen to someone who does not agree with our point of view? Can two people agree to disagree and still respect each other? What does such respect look like?
• Has social media made it easier or harder for people to respect each other?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is it a requirement or a demand that people agree with? Are posts poison, or are posts opening the minds of both others and your own to all sides of issues? How is humor hurtful or damaging? 

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  NIV New International Version Translations

“Happiness depends on ourselves” says Aristotle, calling happiness as a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. Aristotle was convinced that a genuinely happy life required the fulfillment of a broad range of conditions, including physical as well as mental well-being. He would argue that virtue is achieved by maintaining the Mean, which is the balance between two excesses.  We can find further evidence of the importance of happiness because it would be enshrined in the United States Declaration of Independence where it is stated, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” are every persons rights. It is common to think of happiness as being dependent upon an experience or other external stimulus. When circumstances are positive, happiness results. When circumstances change, happiness disappears. We can be happy for many reasons. Society is most happy when the consequences for wrongdoings are overlooked and undeserved receive abundant generosity. The thief is happy not to be caught and the hungry person is happy to be given food and warm shelter. Happiness, therefore, can serve everyone and has very little to do with God Himself. Happiness is uniquely human and temporary as is humanity itself. 

There are several different Hebrew and Greek root words that can be translated as “happy,” “joy,” “rejoice,” and “glad.” In fact, the Hebrew esher can be translated as “happiness” or “blessedness.” This word is used in passages like Deuteronomy 33:29 where Moses tells the Israelites, “Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.”¹NIV New International Version Translations It is also used in Psalm 1:1: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,”.

Similarly, the Greek text,  makarios can be translated as “blessed” or “happy.” This is the Greek word used in the beatitudes. It is used in Luke 1:45 when Elizabeth tells Mary, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” and in Luke 12 , Jesus’ parable about being ready: “The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” (Luke 12:42–44).

It is easy to conclude that happiness is a good thing to have in your life. Happiness is worth pursuing and worth keeping. Happiness is associated with a circumstantially driven, fleeting, and somewhat shallow set of emotions. It is different from joy but attempting to make a clear and hard distinction between happiness and joy should not the point in life. Yes, joyful people express happiness. However, our pursuit should be in search of true and lasting joy, and that cannot be achieved without a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. As a quick example, Psalm 32 talks about the man whose sin is forgiven as being blessed (or happy). Psalm 84:12 says, “Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Referring to believers. First Peter 1:8 says, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,” Our joy is dependent upon the truth of Jesus Christ and His presence in our lives is a source of joy and that truth is certainly something worth pursuing.

Let us recap. Happiness is a reaction to something great. Joy is the product of someone great. Let us never forget that difference, or fail to pursue both happiness and joy as fully as we can on this earth. Merriam Webster defines happiness as “a state of well-being and contentment; a pleasurable or satisfying experience.” Whereas joy is specifically stated, even in the dictionary, as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires; the expression or exhibition of such emotion.”  Joy is rooted in who God is. Job 33:4 says, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”, Our God is fair, compassionate, and all-knowing. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Job possessed the wisdom to know God’s character, and a strong faith to hold onto what he knew to get him through difficult times.

Trials of any kind aren’t joyful themselves. However, all trials eventually end and they end more quickly when we understand who God is, and how He works for all things for good. We also understand who God is much better through Jesus Christ. The Apostle James tries to tell us that “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3-4). He then goes on to write about wisdom, and tells us to ask God for it when we are lacking. Wisdom allows us to wade through trials of many kinds, and find our God.  Wisdom may even help us avoid a few trials too.

Are you ready now to try to answer a really hard question, “What does joy look like to you?” Stop for a minute and think about that question. Can you describe joy? For me, I was drawn to the testimony of a man named Pat. He was a neighbor, a family man, a small business owner, a Christian. We had worked together on a small business venture where I got to know him as a person of faith. He was never shy about sharing his love for Jesus and his dependency on Him for hope. Then things suddenly changed. Pat was diagnosed with a terminal disease. There were many stays in the hospital and eventually all treatments proved futile. My memory of my last visit with Pat and his hug goodbye was full of the hope he had in the resurrection. His joy was so great that my hope was strengthened by his very presence. Yes, Pat died leaving a wonderful wife and children. They did not find much happiness in his passing. However, Pat’s strong faith and his testimony provided the strength for all who knew him to set their sadness aside. Everyone that Pat had encountered on his journey with death were changed for the better by his joy and love for God. Your answer may be different. Joy is always personal and deep.

Joy appears several hundred times in the English Bible.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians telling them to  “Rejoice always, pray continually,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  It will be remembering who God is and what He has done for us in the past, refocusing our thoughts to align with His truth, and choosing to be grateful and praise God , even in tough times, that ignites the Spirit of God living in every believer. Galatians 5:22-23 reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Our Savior Jesus defeated death so we can live in happiness and in joy.

Did Aristotle get happiness right? Is it really balancing two excesses? It seems to me that our Bible tells us that the root of happiness is really joy. Furthermore, joy is not a balance between two things but a full commitment to one person. Jesus did not come to help us get along, or teach us to take care of the poor, or to restore “social justice.”  Jesus did not come to make us happy. God had already sent many before with the kind of advice we need to hear, and there was no point in His personally coming down merely to repeat what had already been said. No, Jesus came for a different reason. Jesus came to show us the very nature of God and to remove your sin and guilt in life. Jesus came to point your journey toward the path of Truth. As the Apostle John wrote, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4). Yes, Jesus came to bring you Joy!  There can be no real joy without hope and no real hope without Jesus. 

Contemplations

• What makes you happy?
  • Ideas to Explore: Of the items to consider for your list, can people really control them themselves? Of the items chosen that make us happy, how lasting are they? Do any of the items on your list make someone else unhappy? Were any of them based on negative things like getting away with something? Does controlling the behavior of others bring you happiness?
• Would the list of what makes someone happy be different whether they were Christian or not?
  • Ideas to Explore: Should there be a difference, if not, why? Is happiness really universal among nations, peoples, religions? What are the commonalities among things that make people happy? Is there a minimum to what it takes to be happy? What are the non-material things on a happiness list? Did the Bill of Rights get the list right?
• What were the most joyful experiences you have ever had?
  • Ideas to Explore: Why did you call them Joyful instead of just happy moments? Were these life changing? In any of these joyful moments, were you drawn closer to God? Why? Are they still joyful in your memory?
• What are the risks of just pursuing happiness and not joy?
  • Ideas to Explore: Can we find lasting happiness without God? Why is it that Jesus can bring  joy to this world? What are the elements of your faith that make you happy versus bring you joy?
• Can you be joyful without being happy?
  • Ideas to Explore: Where have you seen examples of people without physical happiness but seemingly joyful? Is the pursuit of happiness really a human right or is it the pursuit of God that is our right? What should our response be when we encounter conditions where people cannot pursue their happiness? How can joy be passed on to others?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The Bible records two instances of Jesus cleansing the Temple of money changers and of those selling sacrificial animals. Jesus’ first encounter with money changers was at the beginning of His three-year ministry.

John 2:14–16¹NIV New International Version Translations – “In the Temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the Temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’”

Can you imagine that! Jesus making a whip of cords and driving them out. The second time He confronted the money changers was the week before His trial and crucifixion. Seeing that the money changers had come back, He again drove them out, saying:

Matthew 21:13 – “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

These two stories are in direct contrast to the peaceful Nazarian who came to our world to take upon His back the sins of the world. Jesus became violent, He had enough! Is there something to learn from these two experiences? Is it possible to create an outline of offences that so angered the Son of God, that a physical response was necessary?

Money changing was common in the Roman Kingdom, where there was a proliferation of currency systems and standards. In Palestine, as in Egypt, each district had its own royal bank. When visitors entered the Temple, they would be carrying foreign coins. Most coins at that time would have had the images of their foreign emperor on them. This would be a direct violation of God’s law against graven images within the Temple. To enter or provide offerings of either money or live animals, an exchange had to be made. Jewish law also required a Temple tax of a half-shekel (Exodus 30:11–16). Therefore, money changers, as they were called, were necessary for the operation of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

The money changers would use stalls inside the Court of the Gentiles in the Royal Stoa, an area considered separate from the holy area. Rather than providing the money-changing service as a business in another part of town, they exploited the religious zeal of the visitors coming to Jerusalem and did their business on Temple grounds. Each money changer determined their exchange rate and easily took advantage of the poor and the foreigners visiting Jerusalem for Passover. Some sold sacrificial animals, overcharging people who did not bring their own. Others oversaw examining the animals to be sacrificed, and it was a simple matter to declare an animal “unapproved” and force the worshiper to buy another animal, at an inflated price, from the Temple vendors. Such goings-on, exploiting the poor and the foreigners. It not only angered Jesus but was also strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law.

Exodus 22:21 – “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”

Leviticus 19:34 – “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

To add further to Jesus’s anger, the Temple priests were in on the action. Ancient historian Josephus calls Annas the high priest “a great hoarder up of money.” The sons of Annas were able to use their father’s Temple position as high priest to set up their own bazaars in the Court of the Gentiles for the purpose of money changing and the purchase of sacrificial animals. This was a lucrative “family business.” Furthermore, as the vast numbers of Jews streamed to the area of old Cannan and the city of Jerusalem “out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5), taking with them considerable sums of money in foreign currencies, the foreign currency was often handed over to the Temple authorities for safe deposit in the Temple itself. Thus Jerusalem’s Temple became a sort of central bank and exchange mart, and the Temple vaults served as “safe deposits” in which every type of coin was represented. This, of course, was, again, in direct violation of God’s laws, since the entire reason for the exchange was to keep the graven images out, but the priests were making money storing them in the Temple.

To add further to this issue, during the high holidays, such as Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, certain priests took advantage of their status by setting up stalls in the holy area, inside the sacred square precinct. When we try to understand Jesus, we can see that it was the combination of their greed—the fact that they brought in the foreign coins and that they carried out these activities in a sacred area—that angered Him. This background can help us better understand why Jesus drove out these money changers and why the priests, especially those of the high house of Annas, were so opposed to His teachings. The hatred of the priests of Jesus had much to do with His threat against their money-making schemes.

What these two stories tell us is that even Jesus had His limits to corruption from within. Priests were to be better than that. Their ethical standards were to be set high and they were to treat all people with honesty, fairness and respect. When He saw the flagrant violations, He was moved to act. This is not a call for us to just become violent when we see greed and corruption. It permeates our society, and we would spend all our time filled with anger and rage. It does, however, tell us that we are not to tolerate these things in our own lives. The demands of our government and our corporations must also include demands to follow the law and be ethical and fair with all people. What this lesson does not tell us is that violence is OK because Jesus was violent. On the contrary, this lesson says that Jesus has our back, your back. He will not tolerate the destruction of His Temple. Woe to the money changers of the world!

Contemplations

• The Temple was not the government, but it was acting as such in Jerusalem. Jesus was responding in anger to the breaking of God’s laws.
  • Ideas to Explore: Is God’s law still relevant in society? Is our government bound by God’s law? To what degree must society tolerate greed and corruption? Is there anything where violence is permissible? Exactly what is God’s law today?
• Is there such a thing in God’s eyes as “righteous anger?”
  • Ideas to Explore: How do you justify violence in the case of the money changers and Jesus? What was the difference between the corruption in the Temple and corruption anywhere else in society?
• When you hear similar stories to this story, what parts of society today does it remind you of?
  • Ideas to Explore: Nepotism in both business and government, unfair rules and regulations. Think about local codes, inspections, and permitting.
• While violence is not acceptable in our society, or it should not be, what mechanisms are still available that we can take advantage of?
  • Ideas to Explore: Choosing who we purchase our goods and services from. Making sure we research our political candidates and know their backgrounds. Use the references our trusted friends give us as a guide. 
• Being informed helps keep from becoming angry. How do we do that in a world of censorship?
  • Ideas to Explore: Where will you get your information knowing that both media and social media are biased? How will you fairly learn both sides of an issue? Should the Church be more involved in helping identify issues affecting our society?
• When do you consider “enough is enough?”
  • Ideas to Explore: What makes you angry? What are your limits? How will you make sure you remain a Godly person when angered?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The year 2020 is over. That is probably a good thing but there are still dark clouds in our skies, COVID-19 looms large, the political turmoil is just starting as conflicting views take center stage. What about the rest of the world? Countries posturing to seek dominance and force their beliefs upon all. This, however, is not new. Our world has a deep history and much of it is repetitive. One place to look for advice and counsel is always within the body of Scripture. Our Bible makes it plain that when men turn from God, there is virtually no limit to the depravity and ignorance to which they descend.

Romans 1:21-23¹NIV New International Version Translations – “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.”

The Apostle Paul is writing to the newly forming Christian Church in Rome. His letter is a condensed summary of our world and the issues it faces. Paul pours out his best advice on how to get through this world. Rome was pretty bad back then. We all know these verses, but the world is not better for its knowledge of them. The foundation of our very morality is still eroding. We even seem to tolerate a society that is in decay while we generally enjoy prosperity. Could it be that our relationship with God has been replaced with the relationship, the worship of “things?”

The Apostle Paul is talking about the replacement of God with inanimate items that are more favored than the advice from God. Crazy as it sounds, it is worth a discussion of what society holds in value today. An analysis from Georgetown University about five years ago, attempted to document the economic value of religion in U.S. society. They included the fair market value of goods and services provided by religious organizations and included contributions of businesses with religious roots. At that time, they found that the faith sector was worth approximately $1.2 trillion, about the same as the top 10 technology companies in the United States. In just those five years since the study was conducted, the combined revenue of the top three technology companies, Apple, Amazon, and Google has risen to four times that same amount, around $4 trillion. While people who claim religious affiliations has actually grown slightly, in dollars, the shift in value, seems to have shifted to technology and things. God has not changed, has mankind changed?

In 2019, the average person spent about 144 minutes on social media²https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/average-daily-time-on-social-media, twice the time of an average worship service. The value of the Apple Corporation today shows we spend more on our phones than we do to maintain our faith in America. Who then are the influencers? Why are pagan beliefs  on the rise within our own culture, in the media, and on the Internet? Still not convinced there is an issue, too much doom and gloom for you? Ponder these statistics (discerned from the Internet as of this publication date):

• Total number of abortions in the U.S. from 1973-2018: is 61.8 million+;³https://www.all.org/learn/abortion/abortion-statistics/
  • There are abortions per day: 2,362+ (over 82,000 annually)
  • These statistics include only surgical and medical abortions. Since 1965, an average of 11 million women have used abortifacient methods of birth control in the United States at any given time.
• More than fifteen States have fully legalized marijuana. (In the US, there is a movement to make this national)
• One State decriminalized possession of all illegal drugs.
• More than 70,000 Americans died from drug-involved overdoses in 2019, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids.
• Almost a quarter of U.S. children under the age of 18 live with one parent and no other adults (23%). US is the highest nation for that statistic.
• An estimated 95,000 people (approximately 68,000 men and 27,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually.
• Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 48,000 people.
• 600,000 to 800,000 women, children and men bought and sold across international borders every year and exploited for forced labor or commercial sex (U.S. Government). When internal trafficking victims are added to the estimates, the number of victims annually is in the range of 2 to 4 million, 50% of those victims are estimated to be children⁴https://arkofhopeforchildren.org/child-trafficking/child-trafficking-statistics
• Over 500,000 Americans are homeless, representing every region of the country, family status, gender category, and racial/ethnic group.

The above list is just a sample of society’s ills. When was the last time you heard a message telling you to make a difference in any of these statistics? The people who lead us, the people around us, yes, we the people of today need Jesus more than ever. Have you wondered why the Church isn’t making more of a difference? Is the effort, the work of the church , your fruitful work making a difference to those in need? 

History shows us that it takes many generations for godliness to permeate a culture and to reap its benefits. This can also be lost in only one or two generations too. Worship of the work of men’s hands extends beyond basic idols of wood, stone, and precious metals. It includes everything that man produces which is not in the service of God. Items as diverse as weapons of war, computer technology, bioengineering, and genetic tampering with the basic elements of life. It is not the items themselves that are so much the issue, but the way in which they are employed. Technology can be used for good or for evil, but inevitably the evil use winds up dominating society. Meanwhile, mankind persists in their refusal to recognize any depraved behavior in our culture. We are called “judgmental” or “politically incorrect ” or the “cancel culture” is quick to intercede.  All it takes is a select group of unknown overseers who  deems it so. If any inconsistencies between God and mankind are pointed out, you are immediately censored! Is it not reasonable to judge? They are quick to point out God’s own words:

Luke 6:37 – “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

The Grassy Hill

It is worth reflecting for a moment, that Jesus had no church, no buildings, He had no denomination. His best work was usually done on a simple grassy slope. The Sermon on the Mount is recorded in the Book of Matthew 5-7. Jesus delivered this message near the beginning of His ministry and it is the longest of Jesus’ sermons recorded in the New Testament. The last verse of chapter 5 (Matthew 5:48) is a focal point of the sermon that summarizes His teachings by advising the disciples, the people who were following Him, to seek perfection.

Matthew 5:48 – “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

The Greek word telios used to refer to perfection also implies an end, or destination, advising the disciples to seek the path towards perfection and the Kingdom of God. It was meant to teach our children to act like God, not humanity. It is a journey and as the above statistics show, we are not even close to God’s destination yet. Our concerns should be whether we are moving farther away from God or closer to the gate? Luke’s comments, consistent throughout Scripture, are quite specific about judging others.  However, Luke does not say to conform, he says to forgive. Jesus says “act differently,” act perfectly because you will be judged! – Just not by humanity, by God Himself. The teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are often referred to as the Ethics of the Kingdom. Jesus placed a high level of emphasis on “purity of the heart” and laid out the basic standards of Christian righteousness. Here are a few words from Jesus on that grassy hill long ago.

Mat 7:13-17 – “Enter in through the narrow gate; because wide is the gate, and broad is the way which leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in through it. How narrow the gate, and confined the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it! But beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grape clusters from thorns, or figs from thistles? Thus every good tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces evil fruit.

Life is about choices that we make along our journey. The one point most God-believing people agree with is they all want to make it to that gate! Jesus says, it is hard to find the gate and hard to go through the gate. Will the leaders we choose know the way and guide us to that glorious gate? Jesus gets right to the point, you will be misled by the slick speech writers, the media, the politically correct messages of this world. How will we know if what we hear is good?   Jesus simply says, “It will be all about the fruit.” What grade would you give us today? The narrow gate will not be found on social media, through a utopian society, or even in our churches. For sure, it will not come from our government. It will be found by those with repentant hearts that long for their God. It will be found in the statistics that our society leaves to history. You might want to read more about what was said on those grassy hills. It could just save your eternal life!

Revelations 9:20-21 – “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

Contemplations

• Look at the list of statistics in this study. Which ones do you think God cares about?
  • Ideas to Explore: How would God solve the issues noted in the statistics? Do you know how the leaders you support feel about each issue? Is it right or wrong to support people that don’t support God’s view of these problems?
• Where are your own priorities with regard to missions?
  • Ideas to Explore: There are 4 areas God expects us to be generous in, our time, our talents, our treasure and our testimony. Do you think the messages you hear from society support God’s expectations?  Are there areas that you can improve in? What can you do for those who seem hopeless?
• Drugs, alcohol are pervasive in society. While drugs help people and even the Bible doesn’t say alcohol is bad. What are the issues that we should be most sensitive to?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do gateway drugs make it harder or easier to find the Gate?  What are the issues driving families apart today? How can we help with the family issues in our world? How do you correct homelessness? What is the influence on children who see adults participate with drugs and alcohol? How does permissive behavior advance God’s Kingdom?
• What is your opinion of social media?
  • Ideas to Explore: Censorship is wrong but why do people tolerate it in social media? Are younger generations able to deal with the issues better or worse than the older generations and why? What are the dangers of no privacy? What is the impact of our social media on our youth?
• What do you expect from the pulpit messages?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is it OK to be political? What if society is doing something wrong, is it OK to hear warnings to change? Should we hear warnings to change? Who do we really get our advice from? What sources of information is reliable in today’s world? Can messages be too politically correct?

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Verbs and nouns play a huge role in understanding the meaning of any writing. It is common for the same word to be used either way. Furthermore, there is a tendency to focus on the nouns and pass over the verbs. Thus, to fully grasp the intent of the writer, one needs to know the difference between verbs and nouns. The simple difference is that a verb denotes action, whereas a noun denotes a name or an object. When we read the Bible, our intent should be to search for clarity from our God. While nouns, names, and objects may make us smarter, it will be the verbs that get us on our feet and change our lives. Let us look at a few examples:

A popular Bible verse is Micah 6:8

Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”¹NIV New International Version Translations

Our noun (He) tells us that the words are directly from God. Therefore, they are worth reading. God is answering the proverbial question, What does God expect of us? Who are the “us” in this statement? We are the mortals, those with finite lives on this earth, and that is a very important noun to always remember. This question is a search for significance and is part of the age-long pursuit of mankind. Here we also get the answers. Our nouns (justly, mercy, and humbly) tell us that God expects justice, mercy, and humility. All three are worthy attributes. However, the verbs tell us that the verbs are not necessarily God’s to act out but ours to take on, and we have the responsibility to “act,” love,” and “walk.”

To rephrase this, God is asking each of us to be active and involved in providing justice in our dealings with others. While it is OK to expect to be treated justly, God is calling us to set the bar high and show the world what a just and meaningful life looks like. Loving justice cannot be done in church alone but is done in our homes, businesses, and communities. This type of acting must always be visible for others to see through us. Acting changes other people because it is a comparative action. We are to follow God’s actions because God has shown us how to act.

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Mercy is something everyone wants and needs. A just God without mercy would be a heavy burden to deal with because we all fall short of God’s expectations. However, that is not what we are being asked to do. Instead, you and I are asked by God to love. To love mercy is something that benefits others, as we benefit from Christ’s love for us. God does not tell us how to be merciful. God tells us how to love. All forms of love are verbs, requiring action on our part.

Eros (pronounced AIR-ohs) is the Greek word for sensual or romantic love. It defines the proper relationship between husband and wife. A good marriage mirrors justice every day because it is truly the sharing of one’s very soul. A just relationship is pleasing to God based on fairness and equality.

Storge (pronounced: STOR-jay) is the Greek word that describes family love, the affectionate bond that develops naturally between parents and children and brothers and sisters. In a world where there are so many single-parented families or dysfunctional families, it reminds us that there is an expectation God places on how family relationships are to be maintained. God’s visitation requirements are 24 by 7.

Philia (pronounced: FILL-ee-uh) is the Greek term that describes the powerful emotional bond seen in deep friendships. Justice becomes much easier when friendship and respect are present. It was Aristotle who said that “friendship” is when two souls become one.”

Agape (pronounced Uh-GAH-pay) is the highest of the four types of love in the Bible. It describes God’s immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind. It is the divine love that comes from God. Agape love is perfect, unconditional, sacrificial, and pure.  It is the love that Christ calls us to when he says:

John 13:34 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

The verb “walk” comes with a condition: humility. This may be the hardest of all things for humans to do. The good news here is that God did not say, “Run and keep up with me!” We are only called to walk with God. I often imagine what a walk with God would be like—slowly through a beautiful world filled with the glory of His creations. When we walk with someone, there is time to talk to them. We can lean on them if we stumble, learn from them, and get to know them. It is not possible to love someone in a hurry, either. God expects us to get to know Him and know Him well, to love Him, and to love Him well. When two people walk together, they can become the deepest of friends. Two people running against each other are no more than competitors; one wins and the other loses. Why race with God? Do you think you can win? He only asks us to walk with Him, so enjoy yourself and walk slowly. There are no losers with God!

Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

There is one more verb that is worth noting, one that is often confused as a noun, and that is the verb “worship.” Yes, it is both a noun and a verb. Which one do you think God would like us to focus on? If we believe in one Creator, in God, we are called to the act of worshiping in “spirit and in truth.” That is, true worship takes place on the inside, in the heart or spirit of the worshiper. If we worship on the outside, worship is nothing more than a presentation, a show, or a theatrical performance. Worship is the verb of all verbs, kicking our heart and soul off the pews and into the world around us.

Psalm 45:1 – “My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.”

Psalm 103:1-2 – “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

Psalm 24:3-4 – “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”

Isaiah 66:2 – “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”

Worship “in truth” connects the heart or spirit of worship with the truth about God and His work of redemption as revealed in the person of Christ. David, our psalm writer, understood the importance of worshiping in truth and the necessary linkage between “truth” and the Word of God when he wrote, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11). The true worship of God is essentially internal, a matter of the heart. It is an action word, requiring a humble but active spirit rooted in the knowledge of and obedience to God. Worship is meant to change people into disciples of Christ.

Contemplations

• Do you know what your purpose is in your life?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you pleased with your existence and accomplishments? Are your treasures earthly or heavenly? What brings you the most joy, grace, or justice?
• What is the difference between justice and being just?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is it about laws or love? Does true justice bring true peace? Is being right a requirement in every disagreement?
• What is the difference between mercy and you being merciful?
  • Ideas to Explore: The Role of Forgiveness in Mercy. The recognition of repentance and its importance to knowing God.
• How does someone get to know God well?
  • Ideas to Explore: Church and Bible Study are the obvious ones. Is life and death making more sense? Are books, movies, and events that focus on one’s faith walk appealing? Do you think you could recognize Christ if He walked into a room?
• How do we know if we are running against God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is life getting easier or harder? Does the concept of death bring fear or promise? Are your goals based on earthly objectives? Are your family and friends in line with your direction in life?
• We live in a world that seems to generally believe there is a God, but it doesn’t seem to ever get better. Why do you think that is?
  • Ideas to Explore: Misunderstanding of God’s Word. Poor understanding of who Jesus Christ is and why He came to earth. Weak faith. Too much human ego. People don’t care. Too busy with life.

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Albrecht Dürer, Lot and His Daughters, c. 1499 (National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.).

With all the turmoil in our world  today, it might be time to reacquaint ourselves with the part of our God’s character that is triggered when He runs out of patience. To do this, it is time to reflect upon the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and look what it took to exasperate our God to the point of His destruction of their societies. Sodom and Gomorrah were cities in the plain of Jordan along with the cities of Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar (Bela). These five constituted the “cities of the plain,” and they are referenced throughout both the Old and New Testaments as well as the Quran.

The name Sodom means “burning” located in the valley of Siddim (Genesis 13:10; 14:1-16). The name Gomorrah means “submersion”. These cities probably stood close together and were near the northern extremity of what is now the Dead Sea. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire from heaven in the time of Abraham and Lot (Genesis 19:24). The wickedness of the cities became proverbial. The sin of sodomy was an offense against nature frequently connected with idolatrous practices. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is also used as a warning to those who reject the gospel (Matthew 10:15; 11:24; 2 Peter 2:6; Jude 1:7).

Sodom was a wicked and vile place. Wickedness had become universal, and they were unanimous in their acceptance of it. Sin was pervasive with both old and young, and from every aspect of society. In God’s eyes, they had achieved the highest level of wickedness (Genesis 13:13). They had created a sin that still bears their name, called Sodomy. They were not ashamed to own it and to force others into their own sinful ways. The people were openly defiant before God. As later, Isaiah would say:

Isaiah 3:9 – “The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.”¹NIV New International Version Translations

History documents that catastrophes did occur destroying the area. Because the plain is now under the Dead Sea, science can only speculate as the exact method of destruction. Was the actual agent in the ignition and destruction of the cities a tremendous thunderstorm accompanied by a discharge of meteoric stones? If so, this could have set on fire the bitumen with which the soil was saturated and which was used in building the city. The burning out of the soil may very well have caused the plain to sink below the level of the Dead Sea, and the waters to flow over it. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is often held up as a warning in numerous passages of the Old and New Testaments to heed God’s warnings.

The full story can be found in Genesis 19:1-30. This study, however, is not about the sinful acts within the cities. It is clear throughout our Biblical history that when God determines a people no longer seek Him or honor His call to redemption, when people take pride in sin, God moves on. God starts over again to rebuild. Most of us know what it takes to be classified as a sinner. When the world around you is bent on destruction, the question we seek to answer is what does it take to be a survivor?

The people in the story are a man named Lot and his family, a wife, two daughters and their fiancées. Lot has decided to go and live in Sodom. Lot has an encounter with two angels at the gate of the city of Sodom. He is warned that the sinful acts, the casual acceptance of sin by the city’s inhabitants have marked it for destruction. It will be Lot’s full response that we need to look at most closely. First, Lot tries to appease Sodom’s lustful inhabitants when he tries to shield his future son-in-laws from sexual harm by offering up his daughters instead. Lot is not really fighting back on immorality. His appeasement does nothing to de-escalate the issues at hand. Lot believes he is a Godly man and he can handle this.

Genesis 19:14 – “So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.”

Point One: Take God Seriously

Here we encounter the first and maybe the most important attribute of survival, “TAKE GOD SERIOUSLY.” When society ignores our God, when it becomes a joke on late night TV, when social media blocks the truth about our God, or when sin does not matter anymore, people step out onto “the plain,” the danger zone. The Apostle Paul says it best, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) Lot’s future sons-in-law did not become part of the survivors. To Lot’s future son-in-laws, it was just a joke! They would soon perish in the flames on the plain.

Point Two: Fear is Normal

Genesis 19:15-20 – “With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished. When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”

Lot hesitated, he wanted to be in Sodom.  Without the prodding of those angelic advisors, Lot might have been tempted to stay. However, God frequently sends us, in the hours of our greatest temptation, people (angels) who are not only there to provide advice but to grab our hand and lead out of harms way. Those are the people we need to look for, hold onto as friends. Lot decides to flee with fear and trepidation. Smart choice.

Point Three: Share Your Concerns With God

Genesis 19:18-20 – “But Lot said to them, “No, my lords, please! Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”

Lot is very aware of his limitations. So is God. He is granted sanctuary not in the mountains but closer in a small town called Zoar. Remember, Lot still is a servant of God. God knows this and wants him and his family to survive after the disaster is over. Lot and his family are to be part of God’s continuing plan for our world. God loves each of us too for the same reasons. Pray often, share your concerns. While the part that Lot plays in God’s plan may be confusing to us, it is never confusing to God.

Point Four: Do Not Look Back on Your Decision

Genesis 19:26 – “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Lot’s wife longingly looks back in spite of God’s direct instructions not to do that. We must assume because there were aspects of Sodom that she might have been looking forward to enjoying. There was no place in Sodom for unity, compromise, moderation, tolerance, and for God. To be a survivor, we are asked by God to make a clean break from the sin in our world. There is no way to be a part-time Godly person. Each decision we make must be made in accordance to God’s standards, not ours, not our world’s.

Point Five: Follow God’s Plans

Genesis 19:30 – Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.

Living in the mountains continued to be difficult for Lot and his daughters. The world and its temptations would challenge Lot again. Even in the mountains, Lot could not hide from a sinful world, fathering children with his daughters while drunk. Whether Lot met God’s standards is between Lot and God. However, we know that God’s plans moved on as they always do. God doesn’t give up, we give up. Our world is not an easy place to live in. God’s history continued through Lot and in spite of Lot. What else might we learn from Lot? We can choose to turn a blind eye and accept sin in this world and live comfortably. We can also ignore our own sin or we can choose to know and embrace God’s Law, even if it means discomfort, isolation, sacrifice, even persecution. Each of us is called to choose! However, accepting this world as it is always a dangerous choice.

Contemplations

• Where do you see the injustices within our world, places that sin is tolerated and even promoted?
  • Ideas to Explore: Within the church; within governments; How we are teaching our children; Society norms and standards.
• What is your opinion on whether we as a people are being punished by God for our behavior or rewarded for it?
  • Ideas to Explore: How our economy is doing; COVID virus; The policies of our country. Political landscape.
• How does someone deal with sin when they are forced to accommodate it in their society?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do we ignore it so we get a long? How do we deal with those who are sinful but think that it should now be normal? Since we all are sinful, what are God’s expectations when we see sin in others?
• Are you willing to give up your dream of city life for the mountains? In other words, would you live a different life in order to avoid destruction?
  • Ideas to Explore: Business ethics. Personal choices that impact others around us. Are environmental choices part of this discussion?
• Does a high standard of living pose any issues relative to keeping God’s commands?
  • Ideas to Explore: Prioritization of our charitable work; helping those in need. Doing with less so others have more. Where does the responsibility for charity lay,  government, church or the individual?
• Lot struggled with sin as we all do. What advice would you have given him to help him not fall victim in the “mountains?”
  • Ideas to Explore: Why is alcohol a greater problem in isolation? Why is it harder to avoid sin during isolation? What are the benefits of attending religious services? Conversely, what are the downsides of lockdowns on congregations?

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