Showing posts with label lie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lie. Show all posts
Monday, September 20, 2010
Truth vs. a lie
Food for Life
Romans 16
"I urge you, {sisters and} brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving the Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. That grace of our Lord Jesus be with you" (16:17-21)
This is the last chapter in the book of Romans. Paul summarizes his teachings, admonitions, warnings, instruction, and encouragement in this Scripture by reminding the believers to be responsible and accountable for themselves in knowing the Truth of Scripture. The way for them, and us, to do this is to be reading, meditating, studying, and practicing Scripture ourselves. So, when we hear, read, or in other ways are presented with teaching that is contrary to Scripture, we will be able to detect this ourselves - we will not be deceived by flattery, charisma, persuasion, or debate; which then leads to division and obstacles among us.
The ending of Paul's letter to the Romans records his admonition to be "wise in what is good, and innocent about what is evil." Wow, I love this. We are exhorted/called to be wise in all things good, and to veer so far away from evil, that we are just innocent, un-knowledgeable or even naive about the details of evil...Let it be Lord.
You may have heard that in order for money handlers to be able to distinguish real money from counterfeit, they are expert in real money. So, when they see counterfeit, they know it is counterfeit b/c it veers from the real...not b/c they know all the details of counterfeit. As you may imagine, there are so many ways to make money counterfeit that it really would be impossible to know them all and identify them. BUT real money is real money. As it is with God's way...God's Truth...if we know the Truth then we will easily detect when something is amiss...even if we can't describe all the ways something is amiss, or even if we can't actually 'put our finger on it', we just know that it isn't the Truth.
"Lord, I pray You would move in each one of our hearts and minds in such a way that we would increasingly thirst and hunger after You; in reading and meditating on Your Word and seeking the Holy Spirit to reveal all Truth to us. Thank You that You are able. Thank You that in You, Satan is and will be crushed under our feet, and that even now, we can receive Your Grace Lord Jesus. Thank You Lord."
Romans 16
"I urge you, {sisters and} brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving the Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. That grace of our Lord Jesus be with you" (16:17-21)
This is the last chapter in the book of Romans. Paul summarizes his teachings, admonitions, warnings, instruction, and encouragement in this Scripture by reminding the believers to be responsible and accountable for themselves in knowing the Truth of Scripture. The way for them, and us, to do this is to be reading, meditating, studying, and practicing Scripture ourselves. So, when we hear, read, or in other ways are presented with teaching that is contrary to Scripture, we will be able to detect this ourselves - we will not be deceived by flattery, charisma, persuasion, or debate; which then leads to division and obstacles among us.
The ending of Paul's letter to the Romans records his admonition to be "wise in what is good, and innocent about what is evil." Wow, I love this. We are exhorted/called to be wise in all things good, and to veer so far away from evil, that we are just innocent, un-knowledgeable or even naive about the details of evil...Let it be Lord.
You may have heard that in order for money handlers to be able to distinguish real money from counterfeit, they are expert in real money. So, when they see counterfeit, they know it is counterfeit b/c it veers from the real...not b/c they know all the details of counterfeit. As you may imagine, there are so many ways to make money counterfeit that it really would be impossible to know them all and identify them. BUT real money is real money. As it is with God's way...God's Truth...if we know the Truth then we will easily detect when something is amiss...even if we can't describe all the ways something is amiss, or even if we can't actually 'put our finger on it', we just know that it isn't the Truth.
"Lord, I pray You would move in each one of our hearts and minds in such a way that we would increasingly thirst and hunger after You; in reading and meditating on Your Word and seeking the Holy Spirit to reveal all Truth to us. Thank You that You are able. Thank You that in You, Satan is and will be crushed under our feet, and that even now, we can receive Your Grace Lord Jesus. Thank You Lord."
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Holiness of God
Leviticus 1
Acts 5
Food for Life:
Leviticus 1
The Book of Leviticus reveals the holiness of God and His expectation of redeemed people. It shows us how impossible it is to please God without faith in the person and Lord Jesus Christ. It reveals to us our need for a Savior, The Savior. Genesis revealed the beginnings of human history, Exodus reveals the redemption of Israel, Leviticus the expectation of a redeemed people toward a Holy God....Leviticus 1 - the burnt offering.
"God thank You that You revealed to us our need for a Savior, our need for Jesus. Thank You that we aren't expected to offer burnt sacrifices, as Jesus Christ was the Perfect Sacrifice. Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit so that we may be empowered by Him to fulfill Your expectation of us, Holy Lord."
"God thank You that You revealed to us our need for a Savior, our need for Jesus. Thank You that we aren't expected to offer burnt sacrifices, as Jesus Christ was the Perfect Sacrifice. Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit so that we may be empowered by Him to fulfill Your expectation of us, Holy Lord."
Acts 5
Talk about the Holiness of God!
Talk about the Holiness of God!
Annanias and Sapphira kept back some of the price from a piece of property they sold. Annanias with his wife's full knowledge, laid a portion of the price of the property at the Apostles feet, pretending it was the full price. Peter said, "Annanias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?" (5:3) Husband and wife then breathed their last....they lied to the Holy Spirit (notice that Peter didn't say 'why did you lie to me?' - they were misrepresenting themselves as doing the Lord's bidding...they lied to Go) and their consequence was death.
The whole church respected and feared the apostles after this and after many "signs and wonders were taking place among the people... And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly being added to their number" (5:12). And even tho' the people held the apostles in high esteem, they didn't associate with them....they saw Annanias and Sapphira breath their last!
Peter and the other apostles were thrown in jail for....preaching and being used of the Holy Spirit to perform miracles...the religious leaders and the politicians were afraid their power was being usurped. A wise one of the bunch, Gamaliel, counseled them not to try and stop them however. He said, "...if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God"(5:38,39).
"God, I pray we would be filled so with the Holy Spirit that we would have confidence in You such that we know our plans and actions would succeed, regardless of human obstacles. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see Lord. Let us be those who it is said of, "they have been with Jesus; God is with them."
vs41: "So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name." Wow, I cannot remember (ever?) walking away from suffering (being flogged??), rejoicing b/c I was found worthy by God to suffer shame for His name! There have been times, when I have felt shamed/been mocked/labeled and by God's grace have been able to see from the Lord's perspective - thank Him and prayed. I felt more humbled; can't say I've actually rejoiced. How about you? "Lord, help us to recognize when we are suffering from our own actions and when we are suffering for Christ's sake. Give us eyes to see Lord, hearts to know and understand...help us to rejoice in affliction. In these last days, when all around us (perhaps we ourselves at times) are folks loving what You created instead of loving You."
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