On The Journey--Pe!

Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.
Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.
Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.
Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees.
Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed. Psalm 119:129-136 NIV

The 17th letter and stanza--an expression of trust and sorrow.

If we look at this stanza and see the heart of the writer, we detect an appreciation for God's Word and acknowledgment that continued study and meditation upon His Word opens understanding so that even the simple--unlearned person--can understand.

Have we reached that place yet--where we get it--and appreciate God's love for us in that He has provided the means for us succeed--in spite of what the enemy does or who he influences?

The steps of a good man (person) are ordered by The Lord and He delights in his way (the way he obeys). Psalm 37:23. In the 37th Psalm, the writer acknowledges that God has already ordered the steps of good person and in this Psalm, the writer acknowledges they fall short and need God to direct their footsteps--according to His Word--so sin will not reign in their lives.

Are we there yet? Do we recognize that our steps are indeed--planned by God when we obey His Word?

Considering the rule of the day (historically) by men who chose to be barbaric in their positions to control and oppress people, we can understand why the writer wants to be redeemed--saved from the oppression men tend to burden people with in their religious tyranny.

Religious tyranny is a practice we see all around us--when men think their traditions and rules are more important than God's Word. The traditional rules governing many religious people have led to people committing suicide and murder in the name of "religion." Jesus tells us that because of our "traditions" we have made the Word of God of no effect. We need to conduct ourselves--according to God's Word--and not man's dictates which change as often as some of us change our underwear. This is the danger of our society--the fickleness of man--not adhering to God's Word.

Like the writer, tears have flowed down my face on more than occasion if I dare listen to the news. I cry for the children whose parents have been killed. I cry for the parents whose children have been killed. I cry for the masses of people who have lost hope because of religious tyranny and I cry for all of us when we allow government officials to twist God's Word to accommodate sin. A "twisted" truth is still a whole lie.

It is past time for all who Believe to open their mouths and spread the Gospel or to use social media networks to promote the Gospel. We will be held accountable for what we do and don't do when it comes to God determining our level of obedience. We can and should use every avenue created to promote the Gospel--especially when we know so much hatred and bigotry are being promoted with the use of social media networks. What the enemy intended for evil, we can turn into something good and Godly.

Why Do We Do It?

"they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ (Matthew 15:6-9 NIV)

Vanity Teaching seems to be the rule rather than a demonstration of a right relationship with God. What do I mean? Fasten your spiritual seat belts and get ready for a ride designed to shake up the traditions that have nothing to do with relationship with God.

Vanity Teaching--which appears to be prevalent in certain bible colleges (and I don't know why they call themselves a "bible" college) do more instruction to refute the bible than to teach its intent. American Baptist College comes to mind who promotes homosexuality with its choice of leadership, who affirm their stance in public forums--having the audience participate. How anyone in their right mind--not clouded or deceived by the enemy--could say that same-sex unions are not an affront to God is beyond me. But when we have titled leadership who are in those unions, is it any wonder there is confusion in the Body of Christ?

Today--traditionally known to many as Palm Sunday--does not really represent what happened in the Bible. The Word says, the people greeted Jesus as He entered the city waving palm branches--a symbol of victory in some cultures. If the people greeted the arrival of Jesus waving palm branches, why do most churches distribute the fronds as either part of the service or as they leave the service? Are we not supposed to have the Spirit of Christ living within us? If so, why aren't the palm fronds given as people "enter" the service? Is it because we really don't know why we do the things we do?

Next Sunday--Resurrection Sunday--is celebrated by many as Easter Sunday. The term "easter" was really an indicator of spring (with its goddess) and had no significance to the resurrection of Jesus Christ--until man made it so. What we get with "easter" celebrations are: colored eggs, bunny rabbits, and new clothes, and the parade of people who attend worship services to show off the new clothes. Really? What I've seen is people who are so engaged in straightening out clothes during the service they cannot focus on The Word--if indeed there is a Word from The Lord being expressed.
Resurrection Sunday is a time of celebration, but not with colored eggs, baskets of candy, or new clothes. In spite of the debate over when He was crucified and when He rose, we know that He did rise from the grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father. We know this--if we believe what The Bible says and have a relationship with God.

Many churches today have become clubhouses rather than places of worship. People gather to socialize, entertain, and eat in the church, disrupting attempts to teach The Word for the sake of honoring others for various reasons (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.). Is God pleased with our using the places we say are houses of worship for everything but worship? I doubt it.

Here's a thought. Why don't we spend time studying The Word and allowing Holy Spirit to teach us how we should conduct ourselves in the houses of worship. Why don't we change the traditions that negate the truth of God's Word. Why don't we seek God before we do anything that would deter the rest of the world from seeing Him in us. Why don't we have Bible Colleges that teach the Bible rather than man's philosophies. Why don't we? We need to understand why we do what we do and if we discover that what we do has nothing to do with The Word or honoring God, why do we continue to do it?

If we understand the purpose of His appearance in the person of Jesus, His crucifixion, and resurrection, and have accepted Him as Truth, repented of our sins and live to please God, we have the victory!

Lip Service!

"The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught" (Isaiah 29:13 NIV).

How insightful is the Word of God that what was spoken hundreds of years ago, is still relevant today! Isaiah was speaking to the children of Israel in an attempt to get them to understand obeying God and hearing what God has to say was more important than what the men of tradition had been teaching them.

Are we "these people" who will hear, cannot understand, and only worship with our mouths?

We must be careful that we are not guilty of making the Word of God of no effect because we love our traditions more than we love living The Word.

It's check-up time--for all to examine self. Are we fair-weather Christians--those who only talk about being a Christian, but have no idea how we're supposed to be living, but we go to church on Sundays? Are we convenient Christians--we do only what Christians are supposed to do when others are paying attention. Are we bench-warmer Christians--those who go to church to keep a seat warm, but do nothing else?  Are we "look-at-me" Christians--those who do everything they can in church to draw attention to themselves? Are we still like the Israelites--saying all the right things--singing, shouting, and praying empty prayers, and yet have no room for God in our hearts since we do not know His Word? David said, "Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You!" Do we have God's Word hidden in our innermost parts so we won't sin against Him?

If our hearts are right with God, our lips need not say much because our actions will speak for us!

Lord, search us and see if we are everything You need us to be. If we are not, give us a clean heart, a heart with room enough to receive all You have for us and to live a life that pleases You. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen!

Holiness (excerpt)

How does one define holiness?  According to Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary, “personal holiness is a work of gradual development.  It is carried on under many hindrances, hence the frequent admonitions to watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance” (I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:23, 24).  Simply put, true holiness is being as much like God as we can.  We can exhibit love for all, compassion for all, and maintain a right relationship with God so that He may guide us in all that we do.  If we refuse to obey His Word, we cannot be in a right relationship with Him.  We must also remember that we are not gods and we do not have the right to tell Him what He can or cannot do either with others or through others. 

Holiness is not defined by man’s inept attempt to keep people bound to legalism.  “If a woman is truly holy, her clothing will completely cover her extremities; her hair will be covered, and she will be void of make-up and jewelry.”  There are no specifics as to how to define how a man is holy as far as how their dress goes.   So says legalism.

What is legalism?  Legalism is the way of the Pharisees and Sadduccees.  These are the rules by which people determine (not by the Word of God) who is holy and who is not.  Legalism is another word for bondage.  Bondage hinders and prohibits the Holy Spirit from directing and guiding an individual and keeps people controlled by other people based upon their traditions.  Jesus gives us warning about such people when talking about the Pharisees.  “Thus you are nullifying and making void and of no effect [the authority of] the Word of God through your tradition, which you [in turn] hand on.  And many things of this kind you are doing” (Mark 7:13 Amplified).  In this particular passage Jesus is referring to how the Pharisees attempt to control men as it relates to the care of their parents.  It also holds true for much of the church world’s attempts to establish rules.

How many rules does a church have?

There are rules for dressing in order to come into the sanctuary.

There are rules for committing a portion of one’s income to support the church.

There are rules for what one can do outside the church building.

There are rules for which one can hold associations or affiliations.

There are rules for when to come to church.

There are rules for who can teach or preach.

There are rules for where one can sit in the church.

There are many rules for the women.

There are some rules for the men.

There are rules for the young people.

There are rules for the rules.

Does all of this sound familiar?  If one looks closely at all the rules, the majority of the rules are directed towards women.  [Remember when the

Pharisees brought the woman who was “caught in the very act” to Jesus?  What happened to the man?  The “law” states that both should be stoned to death.]  This discovery should not be a surprise since the majority of churches are established by men for men.  Women simply become an    after-thought in the consideration of everything that goes on around them.  This is a fascinating phenomenon since most churches could not continue to function if it were not for the women involved. 

This is an excerpt from Holiness, Not a Look, But a Lifestyle! available on amazon.com

New Traditions!

"And he continued, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions" (Mark 7:9 NIV)!

When Jesus was having this conversation with the Pharisees (temple leadership/church leaders) in response to their criticism of Him, He reminded them how they had changed The Word of God in order for them to control what the people did.  He made sure they understood that what they had given value or importance, overriding what God had said, was not important at all, especially when it was done for profit.

More specifically, He tried to get them to understand that it is not the externals or external things we do that defile us, but those things that reside deep within that defile the body.  Let's look at it this way.  If mere observance of ceremonial traditions had been enough to get us back into a right relationship with God, there would have been no need for God to come down, in the likeness of flesh, to redeem us.  It is not what we do to gain the praise of men that keeps us in right relationship, but what we do that honors God by following His commands--Love Him, Love Each Other.

Let's start some new traditions--ones that will honor God--study The Word, Share The Word, Take care of family, Provide for the poor and needy, and Love unconditionally all with whom you meet.