The news is shocking if nothing else. Laced with half truths and full lies the news is meant to get people to WANT to read or listen to the story. It's very seldom that the "good news" type story is printed, transmitted through TV or put up on the net. I'm not even speaking about the social media outlets where manufactured and exaggerated news is the norm. Not only are we then hooked into what happened; we begin wondering why and what will happen down the road. We want the grisly nuts and bolts similar on how we want our coffee on Monday morning. We yearn for that news that is "proof" that there are those out there who are so bad that we look good. In the book of Jeremiah the news is printed like this: "It's something I never thought they would do." The speaker? God. The audience? Jeremiah. The people had sacrificed their children to a false god. Then I though of the 1.6 million abortions that happen in the United States every year. Most of them, not all, are for reasons of selfish origin. Inconvenience, messes up individuals lives and responsibility. Never mind that they are taking another's life for the god of self. Yet, we live alongside this and no one thinks much of it. The news is shocking. So are we.
The news we don't acknowledge show how much we tolerate this evil world we live in. We have had the blessing of God's presence in much of our lives years ago only to have thrown it away over the years for self. People want to do what they want to do, when they want to do it, and how they want to do it. Also, people want to have the rest of the people acknowledge that what you are doing is okay with them. So, instead of standing for something, all have fallen for anything. Just because a nation or a people legalize something that act doesn't change from God's designation of sin. You can say, "The people changed the law so it would be legal." In this world it may be legal but in the spiritual realm, it's still sin. "Have no other gods before me." You mean like TV, possessions, life styles, and such? Yes, that's exactly what I mean. It's exactly what God means. If you are a Christian, having no gods before the Lord God is exactly what God means. Not the coffee stand, not the club, not the other distractions and luxuries of the world. None. No god before God.
Jesus was all about catching people with self as their god. He did so with me. He probably did so with you as well. You, like me, have probably held onto little gods telling ourselves that it's alright to do so. Then when confronted by the Holy Spirit, we have pleaded our case, begged to get off the hook, lied to ourselves, others and God because we wanted to remain god of that "little" part of our lives. We didn't make it to Paul's declaration: "It is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives within me." What can we do except to fall upon our knees and beg God to forgive us, repent from our being god and to die so that Christ can live through us. The world wants everyone to retain a bit of the self made god so that we aren't totally given to God. Why is that? Because the devil knows that the guilt remains and we are not really free from that which binds us with the world. He knows that we are not effect as if we were surrendered to Jesus. Can you imagine the world with Christians who were surrendered to Jesus? I can. Jesus has already won over the enemy. We can as well. Can you imagine if all of the Christians were to believe that everything they possessed were God's possessions and for him to use as he pleases? I can. The widow would be cared for, the orphan would be cared for, and the world would hear the Word and believe. You can imagine and make that a reality if you'll remember that it's always your choice.
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