jesus
The Sower and the Seed
Once again, starting out with my man, TAS (http://austin-sparks.net/english/books/002765.html)
Today’s message was about the nonaltering Way of God. Though our life may at times send us in a million different directions, God’s plans do not alter, they are not confused, they remain unchanged; and it steadily leads to Christ. Coming in to this Way set out by God is being in accordance with His will – in Christ. We are easily led astray from this narrow, straight path by the cares of this life. TAS speaks of great, used men in the word that deviated from this path. The word sin in the bible means to “err.” Imagine a straight line and something falls of it. Now by God’s grace, in Christ we can come back into that line; however, it should be noted God is not without that line – He is not found outside of Christ (the Way). Now Satan awaits the moments we step out of Christ – when we come out from our hiding place in which we are to abide. Christ is our fortress, our protection. He has overcome Satan, but outside of Christ you are in the devil’s playground. Therefore, Satan will use everything in his power to prevent you from remaining in the Way. It is as a sheep getting away from the fold – opportune prey for the prowler. I leave you with this excerpt from the reading:
“How many spiritual tragedies we have known brought about by human selectiveness apart from the first and supreme interest of Christ. It might be the choice of residence, location, for instance, for reasons of convenience, pleasure, escape, or seeming necessity, as in the case of Abraham to which we have referred. No less a question than having the Lord with us is bound up with such choices and decisions. We cannot move off the Lord’s ground without the consequence of spiritual disaster… If Christ is the Way, the Directive; then He is the Example. How meticulously careful He was not to move, or be moved, by any consideration but the directive of the Father! Many motives were put to Him for action and movement, but He abided in the Father, and, often at great cost, refused other considerations. We must seek to know that we are where we are because God has put us there in the interests of His Son, and then it must be God who just as definitely moves us when the time to move has come.”
I then come to Matthew 13. Note this is the same day that we spoke of in the last blog. This is not a new telling of events. I could be wrong but I feel Christ being in the boat and the multitude on the shore has a great significance. Water in the bible is usually a sign of judgement of the old man (Noah’s flood, Psalms 69, baptism). Also a boat, at least in the case of the ark, was a representation of life out of death. The ark was a sign of abiding in Christ through the cross. Jesus used parables to speak to His disciples. The multitude often only understood a very shallow form of the deeper meaning Christ had in parables. Thus there is almost a superficial meaning and a much deeper, hidden truth. Even the disciple (those who had left all and followed Him – typical of the cross) struggled with the parables at times and would ask, “What meanest Thou by these things?” To my point: The separation between Christ and the multitude by water, to me, was a sign of the individuals attempting to understand with their natural wisdom/understanding and not through the new creation (by the Spirit). Matthew Henry states, “Christ taught in parables. Thereby the things of God were made more plain and easy to those willing to be taught, and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant.” The Word is a Sword that divides between soul and spirit – this is the very outworking of the cross. The Word will apply the cross in our lives if we do not be as those who were doers ad not hearers only.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
Whether or not that is the case, it moves on to that very thing: the receptibility of the seed planted into the hearts of the believers. The Sower is Christ, the seed the Word. Some fell by the way side. Now as above Christ is the way – so if something falls by the wayside it could perhaps refer to that outside of Christ. Per Thayer, the way can be a manner of thinking, feeling, deciding. This sums up with what we read above. The word outside of Christ is made of none effect. Christ who is the Word cannot be present outside of Himself – that is contradictory in itself.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Christ explains the parable Himself in verse 19 – “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.” Outside of Christ, we understand it not – we are as the multitudes that listened to this parable and later cried “Crucify Him.”
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:21-25)
A hearer does not practice that which has been revealed. There is no outworking of the word in his life.
Next was the seed upon the stony ground. Once more, Christ describes this for the disciples – “he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” How do things take root? By death. A seed must go into the ground AND DIE. Now I know the most perfect summary of this I have ever read, but I will only reference it as to avoid plagiarism:
“May I remind you that the nature of this planting is just that with which we are so familiar. “Planted together in the likeness of his death.” That is the word of the Apostle, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” The enemy is the instrument so often, of planting us more deeply into the death of Christ. His assaults, his attacks, his accusations, everything – yes. The Lord is not the source of evil but the Lord allows it.
So often our hearts cry out: “Why did the Lord ever allow that in our lives?” That thing which has meant such a deep, dark passage. Why did the Lord allow it? He could have prevented it. Well, we were planted by it into the death of the Lord Jesus. We were brought more than ever to an end of ourselves. Yes, and therefore, to know the Lord in a larger measure than we have ever known Him, and to be brought to a place where it will not be so easy for the Devil to shake us next time.
That is the sovereign way of God in deeper death experiences. “Planted together in the likeness of his death.” Have you been planted there initially? Have you been planted in Christ crucified? Or are you one of those attachments to something? Are you planted? And when a deeper planting comes, remember it is the roots being driven downwards, and the issue is going to be most surely endurance, stability, ability to stand; but, oh, there is going to be greater fruitfulness.” -TAS https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/002932.html
I don’t want this to be intensely long, but I do encourage you to follow that link and read “Rooted and Grounded” by Theodore Austin Sparks.
Those that had shallow roots were overcome by tribulation and persecution instead of the overcomer. The word outworks in death to the old man. This seems harsh to many, but this is a necessity. Without death to our old man, the devil has that much more ground to destroy us on. The Christian life is not to be an easy one – how many I have lost on this argument. I am telling you now that if you are never attacked by Satan and his hounds of Hell, then you must not be counting for much. However, if you find Hell and all its forces set to destroy you, take comfort – you must be counting for something because the Devil will not stop to attempt and put an end to Christ and God’s eternal purpose.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. (John 15:18-21)
Then we have those among the thorns- “he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”
This, to me, is very akin to Matthew 6:
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:25-34)
Lastly, we have those who accepted the Word through Christ, went into death with the Word, and came out a new creation living according to the Word. These are those who have ears to hear – These are the overcomers Revelations 2 and 3 speak of.
Now what a scary thought that even during the telling of the parable, many of the multitude’s heart and even one of the disciple’s hearts waxed gross (Thayer definition: dull, stupid, callous). Our natural mind cannot absorb the great hidden treasures of God. We must approach the word through Christ. The word promises us the mind of Christ. We must claim and hold to this as we read, “Lord I ask for Your Spirit to reveal your Word to me.” We may be able to see, hear, and feel naturally; and yet spiritually be blind, deaf, and dumb.
Theodore Austin Sparks sums the parable up nicely:
“The unproductive soils, by their very contrast, illustrate for us the essentials of a spirit of understanding. The opposite of the hardened ground is the heart which is ready to receive with meekness the seed which is sown in it. Always the Lord requires of His children that they have a teachable spirit. Those who are self-assured and independent give little opportunity for the Word to do its cleansing and transforming work. So the first requisite for an understanding heart is simple dependence and a genuine humility, with a willingness to abandon one’s own conceits in order to allow God to do His own work of correcting and reshaping according to His will.
Then there is the stony ground, the opposite of which is surely a heart softened and broken under the hand of God. This is not natural to any of us, for even the weakest nature can be strong and stubborn in its unwillingness to submit to the inward working of the Word. Even though the experience may be painful to the flesh, it is essential that our own strength and self-esteem should be set aside to make room for God. Without such experiences of being broken down and opened up by the working of the Cross it is not possible to become spiritually sensitive to the will of God.
Finally, it is essential to be single-minded if we are really to understand the ways of God. Whether the “thorns” be ugly or whether they be seemingly beautiful, if they are rivals to God’s speaking then they must not be tolerated. Spiritual understanding means the ruthless setting aside of lesser things in order to make room for God. The man who is truly taught of God is the man who makes it his daily exercise and delight to give absolute priority to the hearing and obeying of the voice of God.
We need to pray that among the children of God there may be an increase of spiritual understanding in the knowledge of Him, and we need to remind ourselves that the essentials to such an understanding are humility, brokenness and singleness of heart.”
Separation and Expectations
“If you present the high ground of God’s full thought for His people and the hearts of the people are really set upon having a work for God down here that is flourishing and prosperous and well-spoken of, you find that people are really, after all, only going with Him so long as He comes into line with their ideas and ambitions. But immediately that runs counter to thoughts more earthly, thoughts even in relation to Him, something deeper rises up. They are not going to have that. You have seen that many times; you must not touch their things. They say it is for the Lord, but you must not touch it; it is their own. If you are not coming to help their thing or things with your ministry or presentation, of course they won’t have it, and it resolves itself into this: they won’t have Him; that is not the kind of Lord they want. They want a Lord who is going to make their thing for Him successful down here. You can only know and discriminate between the true and the false when you yourself are on the higher ground. Perhaps you know something about that. The Lord may have led you on spiritually, He has led you into new realms, and you look back and see what your devotion to the Lord really amounted to before – very largely something in this life.” – T.A. Sparks
Going on with God, often means losing individuals related to this exact point. Often, people follow God – get in a movement – but are focused on the temporary. Likely much of their own works are involved and outwardly they look very righteous. The religious church system we see throughout our nation, that may have a positive outlook on the outside with acts such as feeding the poor, charities, and ministries, is largely something temporal. “Christians” have their eyes set on the here and now. God’s major purpose for eternity is not necessarily the hunger in these individuals hearts. That is why so often when these ministries fail, individuals lose hope. Their expectation was not in Christ but in the thing itself. I have lost individuals on this line. They were determined to have their God. They stumbled on the testimony of Christ. God does not change, and Christ work in the cross should be worked out in His people. God is not a cruel God; however, the cross is a necessity to bring us to the end of ourselves, lest we not seek God. If we have it within ourselves, where would be the need?
I have struggled with this myself, putting faith in a situation or even individuals which I felt God led me to. Unfortunately, I could feel myself trusting more in the gift that the Giver. For example, God may lead us in to a situation. But then we cling to the fact we know He led us there, and we may get stuck there when he is later drawing us on. We may grasp at the situation and say I musn’t leave it – God put me in this; not understanding that God is moving on from it. He has had his purpose in such a thing and it is time to move on, but we have made a religion out of this thing – it is now our creed. It is easy to lose focus of God’s vision and only see with our natural eyes and understanding. God is far, far above us in his ways, mind, and works. God help us to “Seek first the Kingdom of God.”
Awesomeness of God
How silly we are to view the Almighty God with a conception of only the current state of time! Our problems, our past – US in general. What are we in comparison to God’s eternal purpose. Do not mistake my point – we are crucial to that purpose; however, God’s plans and ways are FAR, FAR above our understanding. We see our lifespan as something above our understanding. We are overwhelmed by the thought of the day of creation until the end of times – but Christ is far and above that. God’s purpose through Christ spans all eternity – from ages past to the never ending ages to follow ours. And God plans to express Christ to us for eternity, revealing His Son to those He has called according to His purpose.
And here we stand – at least me and my posts – with such a temporal standing. We are speaking of a God eternal, omnipotent. He has no end. We will, by His grace, learn of Christ throughout eternity! That thought is exciting and comforting to me. To know that through Jesus Christ, I have right standing with God and he will, not only through this life, guide me into knowing more of Christ.
If you are interested, this is what sparked my thoughts: http://austin-sparks.net/english/books/002767.html
In this message, Sparks mentions that our spiritual understanding is much like our natural understanding. When we are young, our perception is limited, we do not understand the vastness of the life we had. Small problems a child may have (not getting a candy bar) is a big deal to them – to an adult this seems a small thing (depending on the adult I suppose). Also, a child has a limited understanding of things. As we grow, we learn, we experience, things are revealed to us. It is the same way spiritually. We are led by our Heavenly Father to bigger and better things – at first they may seem beyond our understanding. It is like levels or climbing a mountain. Just when you think you can see the top, you climb and you find there is yet another level, and so on and so forth.
My point is God is so, so very far above our understanding and it is his awesomeness that leaves me speechless today – it is what comforts me when I have no comfort. I stand in awe of the God who is so far behind and before me. How can I be saddened thinking He does not know my condition now? How can my soul be cast down? Almighty God has called me according to His purpose and He will lead me in the way that I should go. Praise God for His awesomeness!
Our Current State
Our generation is overcome. We are not fighting. We have lost. Where are morals, values, beliefs, and loyalty? We are in a generation that not only accepts sin, but embraces it; “you only live once,” right? Many are without hope, lost in the loneliness of their minds. Pain seems overwhelming. I could go on and on. But it is OUR fault. We blame so many: our parents, people who hurt us, the government, etc. You cannot put your problems on someone else’s shoulder. None of us have had perfect lives, but life is a fight. We can’t blame our problems. “I have anxiety.” “I have depression.” “I was abused.” “I have a disability.” We attempt to numb ourselves with medications, drugs, alcohol, sex, distractions, entertainment. In a state of apathy, we think “Whatever will be, will be.” We are all hurting. WE have got to stand up and fight. We are going to have to get a hold of God and not let go, holding on for dear life. No one is teaching us right from wrong. The prosperity teachers on TV aren’t going to do it. Christianity has become something to mock – As a Christian, I find it disgusting. “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” (DC Talk)
Since no one else wants to say the problem, I will. Per surveys completed, 2/3 of the US feel they know right vs wrong. Perhaps where we should start is with was taken out of the schools: the Ten Commandments (ever heard of them?).
You are to have no other gods besides me. You are not to make for yourselves an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above, or on earth below, or in the water under the earth. You are not to bow down to them in worship or serve them; because I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the iniquity of the parents, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing gracious love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
(Exo 20:3-6)
Did you know only 11% of our generation are certain there is a God? Compared to 34% of Baby Boomers – and this includes Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, etc.
… We know that no idol is real in this world and that there is only one God. For even if there are “gods” in heaven and on earth (as indeed there are many so-called “gods” and “lords”), yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything came into being and for whom we live. And there is only one Lord, Jesus the Messiah, through whom everything came into being and through whom we live.
(1Co 8:4-6)
Gods are not the only idols. An idol is anything you put before God. Who do you put first? What would you give up for Him? What do you give your time to? Where is your heart? Many it is just ourselves – we hold the seat of our hearts. We live for us and what we seek, want, desire. Do we ever seek God and His will?
“You are not to misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave the one who misuses his name unpunished.
(Exo 20:7)
Why is it that you never hear Muhammed’s name shouted a swear? Buddha? One of the Hindu gods? Oh no! that might be offensive. But “Jesus Christ” is a common exclamation. How about “God damn?”
“Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. Six days you are to labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You are not to do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your livestock, nor the alien who is within your gates, because the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, in six days, then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
(Exo 20:8-11)
Forget just going to church every Sunday! Do you ever have one day where you just rest and meditate on God? One hour? How often do our minds even think on Him? Do we give Him any of our time? Yet we wonder why we do not see him doing miracles, we do not hear Him talk?? We ignore Him and yet expect everything from Him in return. We only pray when there is trouble, someone is dying, or we are at the end of ourselves. Now Jesus Christ fulfilled the Sabbath for us. He was the ultimate sacrifice. He gave all and we give him nothing.
“Honor your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
(Exo 20:12)
I will give you this – that many parents out there today are “Do as I say, not as I do.” Or like many, do not feel the need to discipline their child but let the child find their own way through life. What a cop out! You are a parent – that is your job.
But to those children who had parents that at least tried, how often we disobey. I urge you to read the scriptures below:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
(Eph 6:1-4)
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
(Pro 6:20)
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
(Pro 23:22)
He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
(Pro 19:26-27)
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
(Pro 20:20)
“You are not to murder.
(Exo 20:13)
There were 15,696 murders in 2015. Jesus, Himself, goes one step further, commanding:
“You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, ‘You must not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.’ But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be subject to punishment. And whoever says to his brother ‘Raka!’ will be subject to the Council. And whoever says ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hell fire. “So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court, or your opponent may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you with certainty, you will not get out of there until you pay back the last dollar!”
(Mat 5:21-26)
“You are not to commit adultery.
(Exo 20:14)
57% of men report cheating, 54% of women. 22% of men cheated while married; 14% of women. 95% of people have had premarital sex! The very word adultery means sex outside of marriage. Did you know that only 6% of virgin-marriages end in divorce? And that’s just for the woman being a virgin – not both! I find it heartbreaking that people call themselves Christians but do not follow this commandment. You scorn others for their sexual skin (homosexuality, cheating, porn) and yet you are no better – sin is sin. On the subject of porn and “just looking”:
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
(Mat 5:27-30)
“You are not to steal.
(Exo 20:15)
27,000,000 have shoplifted or stole – roughly 1 in 11. Not to mention stealing from the government, fraud, etc.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
(Eph 4:28)
“You are not to testify falsely against your neighbor.
(Exo 20:16)
Gossip is an ugly sin. The bible calls it back biting. So often we beat others down, and lift ourselves up. What if they are hurting? If you were in their exact situation perhaps you would do the same thing. We do not always understand each other’s actions, but we are no better.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
(Eph 4:29)
“You are not to spread a false report, nor are you to join forces with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
(Exo 23:1)
If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself, his religion is worthless.
(Jas 1:26)
Do not criticize each other, brothers. Whoever makes it his habit to criticize his brother or to judge his brother is judging the Law and condemning the Law. But if you condemn the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but its judge.
(Jas 4:11)
The power of the tongue is life and death—those who love to talk will eat what it produces.
(Pro 18:21)
“You are not to covet your neighbor’s house. You are not to covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
(Exo 20:17)
For the wicked one boasts about his own desire; he blesses the greedy and despises the LORD.
(Psa 10:3)
Instead, each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it. When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; and when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
(Jas 1:14-15)
Of course, godliness with contentment does bring a great profit. Nothing to this world we bring; from it take we nothing. With food to eat and clothes to wear; content we are in everything. But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.
(1Ti 6:6-10)
“That’s why I’m telling you to stop worrying about your life—what you will eat or what you will drink—or about your body—what you will wear. Life is more than food, isn’t it, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren’t you? Can any of you add a single hour to the length of your life by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Consider the lilies in the field and how they grow. They don’t work or spin yarn, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won’t he clothe you much better—you who have little faith? “So don’t ever worry by saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ because it is the gentiles who are eager for all those things. Surely your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them! But first be concerned about God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
(Mat 6:25-34)
“Again, you have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, ‘You must not swear an oath falsely,’ but ‘You must fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’ But I tell you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is God’s throne, nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King. Nor should you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. Instead, let your message be ‘Yes’ for ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ for ‘No.’ Anything more than that comes from the evil one.” “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evildoer. On the contrary, whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go two with him. Give to the person who asks you for something, and do not turn away from the person who wants to borrow something from you.” “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you will become children of your Father in heaven, because he makes his sun rise on both evil and good people, and he lets rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you greet only your relatives, that’s no great thing you’re doing, is it? Even the gentiles do the same, don’t they? So be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
(Mat 5:33-48)
Now with all this said, things may feel hopeless – a threshold which we cannot reach. And you know what? It’s true. We will fall short, and that is where Christ comes in. However, that does not give us the justification to continue in it.
So, what am I getting at? The hypocrisy of my generation. You think there is no God? IF there was how could things be so hard, so painful, so full of destruction. Well, we got ourselves here. He is just waiting for us. It’s our move. Are we going to seek Him? – Truly? Because it does involve the above.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
(2Ti 3:1-8)
No wonder there is so much destruction on the world right now…
DesertLilly 