O Give Thanks!

"...To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." (Isaiah 61:3)

 "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."(Psalm 34:1)

     What kind of spirit do you carry with you?  What is the atmosphere that surrounds you?  Are you wrapped in a "garment of praise" or a coat of complaining?   We really have absolutely nothing to complain about, ever!  Of course there are things that happen in this world and in our own lives that are hard to endure.  Terrible experiences come to us that sometimes seem to crush us.  But I repeat, we have nothing to complain about. 

     You see, we are sinners.  As such we are naturally evil and under the control of the devil, The Destroyer.  His one desire is to bring us sorrow, pain, and death.  "It is only of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  (Lamentations 3:22)    Our Heavenly Father has made it possible for us to escape the control of this Destroyer.  He has given to all of us the ability to understand and choose a better way, the way of life. 

     Choosing to follow God doesn't mean our life will be smooth and pleasant.  In fact in some ways it may seem to become harder.  But the fact that God is with us, going through what we go through can give us thankfulness and peace.  We can be thankful for God's presence in all that happens.  Especially are we to be thankful when we see our own wickedness, and more clearly understand the mercy and love of God that is offered to us. 

     Usually when we begin to understand the evil within us, we are tempted to despair.  But the Lord instructs us to be thankful that a way of escape has been provided.  We can become the beautiful people God wants us to be by the power, called grace, that He has provided.  This is why we can be thankful in all things.  This is why we read that the apostles of Jesus, when they were beaten and imprisoned, that  " they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. (Acts 5:41)

     Let us today follow the command of Nehemiah, as we recall the experience of the people in his day:  "all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.  Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  (Nehemiah 8:9-10) 

     Let God's joy fill your heart today and every day.  "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you".   (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Post Election 2012

 

     "You belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning and has never stood by the truth, since there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie he speaks in character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."   What does this quotation from Jesus, found in John 8:44,  have to do with the recent election?

     It speaks directly to the condition of our society, especially here in the United States.  The problem is worldwide, but more marked here because this nation was founded on better principles.  Righteousness, doing what is right, exalts a nation.  While this country was never a "Christian Nation", yet the principles of Christ found in the Bible were the foundation on which this nation began.  Freedom, freedom of conscience, freedom from outside control, are the bedrock of our founding.  But this freedom can only continue if people are self governing. 

     In order to be free, people must have self control.  They have to be able to govern themselves first of all.  This does not come naturally to us in our fallen sinful condition.  Our founding fathers understood this and tried to put in place a system that would place checks on our natural tendencies.  However, self governing does not come from rationalism, from education, from "enlightened" understanding.  It can only come from the Spirit of God placing God's law in our minds and hearts.  Only then can a person truly have self control, self government. 

     Without the law of God being put within us, we are under the control of the Evil One.  Satan is bent on our destruction, and he will do whatever it takes to destroy us.  If we are not under the control of God's law from within, then we are captives to the devil.  He has control.  We are his slaves, doing what he directs.  And in this world, and more and more in this country, we see his control being exercised more than ever because as a society we have forsaken God and given ourselves over to Satan's control.  Here is a description written 150 years ago, but is even more true today:   "A train of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The angel bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It seemed that the whole world was on board, that there could not be one left. Said the angel, "They are binding in bundles ready to burn." Then he showed me the conductor, who appeared like a stately, fair person, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced. I was perplexed and asked my attending angel who it was. He said, "It is Satan. He is the conductor in the form of an angel of light. He has taken the world captive. They are given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned."  (Early Writings p. 88)

     Over 2500 years ago the Bible prophet Jeremiah, expressing the same idea, pictured the conditions that were the result of his people having forsaken the Lord, and they apply to us now, especially the final question:   "An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land:  the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests applaud their lies; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?"  (Jeremiah 5:30-31)

     "The great work from which the mind should not be diverted is the consideration of our personal standing in the sight of God. Are our feet on the Rock of Ages? Are we hiding ourselves in the only Refuge? The storm is coming, relentless in its fury. Are we prepared to meet it? Are we one with Christ as He is one with the Father?....  The character of Christ is to be our character. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our hearts. Here is our only safety."  (Maranatha p. 108-emphasis mine)

Workers Of Iniquity

     Jesus tells us that at the end of time, the time we are now living in, there will be "few" who are following Him correctly, who "hold the truth in righteousness".  In contrast there will be many who think they are following God but in reality they are following Satan.  How is that possible?  How can someone think they are right and in the end be all wrong?

     The answer is clear and simple.  Am I living according to the express command of God?  Am I doing right, or following my own ideas of right?  In Luke 13:24-27 Jesus says there will be many who are shut out at the end who were constantly in the presence of God.  They had His teachings, His words, "in our streets".  That is God's word was brought right to where they live.  They were so familiar with Jesus that they "ate and drank" with Him.  They were comfortable with God and viewed Him as a part of their daily life.

     Yet Jesus says they were "workers of iniquity".  They did not DO what He said.  His words were listened to but not obeyed.  They were not brought into the everyday life.  Too many of us think we can say what God says, but not do what He does.  We are able to tell others what is right, but we do not show them by our life what is right. 

     In Acts 16:16-18 we are told about a situation Paul confronted in Thyatira.  There was a girl who started following them around telling everyone:  "These are the servants of the most high God, which show us the way of salvation".   Sound good?  Would you be happy to have the heathen advertising for you?  Paul wasn't.  God's word says in the name of Jesus Christ he commanded the spirit to come out of her.  Paul knew what we need to know.  So he did what we should do.  There can be no true proclaiming without true living.  "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."  (Ephesians 5:11)  And "come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you."  (see 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

     In English, the word righteous changes to unrighteous with just two letters.   In Greek it is just one letter.  The prophet of God says:  "The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and error."  {1SM 202}   2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 tells us the only way to be saved is to be in love with the truth of God's Word.  Unrighteousness is deceptive.  We are easily deceived into thinking error  "isn't really bad, just mistaken perhaps".  The lost will finally believe the devil's lies because they "had pleasure in unrighteousness".  That is they "think well of", or "approve" what is not righteous.  Of Jesus it is written: "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity".  (Hebrews 1:9)  

     "Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures and who have received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive. By the Bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise. To all the testing time will come. By the sifting of temptation the genuine Christian will be revealed. Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible and the Bible only?"  (GC 625)