Are you weary?

 I usually try to limit myself on my media updates, specifically world news and even more specifically what's going on crossed the nation. I do this because like many others, I grow weary of the same old things, the same old stories, anything to get us heated. I can say that pretty confidently because no matter who you are you have a preferred news source, even if you don't listen to it or watch it you are getting it through the updates on the radio or in the midst of your t.v. show commercials. 

We see the same old stuff, the same agendas being shoved down our throats and a world desperately seeking to align with whatever agenda suits their fancy. I can't stand the new advertising agenda with same sex partners, men claiming to be women competing in women's sporting events, teachers telling kids that doctors sometimes make mistakes calling a biological girl a boy and visa versa. No longer do you see the family of God's design. Men and women with children.

One such instance is the reparations to African Americans for slavery, victims of gun violence from the gun manufacturers, and to the lgbtq population for the discrimination over the years. In fact the last article I just read a headline for was in sunny California where papers are being submitted by those who identify as one of the above lgbtq and  in response to publicly acknowledging it will be given 900 a month check for their discrimination. Once they have signed up they are good to go and regardless of income levels will receive this amount without deadline.

This is the same country where Christ followers are discriminated against in how they run their business, power hungry mayors demanding the transcripts from pastors and arrested for speaking hate crimes as they preach the word of God.

I sometimes just sit and think, how much more will God allow before He allows the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah, or even the nation of Israel in their disobedience. Yes I too am weary.

Should we hate them for their stance? Of course not, we are to be a light to the world, that is why we are in it.  If we respond like the world, then why should they see anything different in Christianity? Can we set boundaries? of course, and in deed we ought! Never lose sight of the truths of scripture and the main idea of spreading truth, even in hostile environments.

Yet once we understand that what we have here is a lack of objective truth understanding, a sort of parable to those who are living in a subjective world, it is easier to see that the fight must continue.We mustn't grow weary, but we must continue to speak truth. The word of God speaks to every aspect of what we see in the headlines, the battle is with those who demand to live by their own standards but get upset when someone lives by their own. At some point we know logically that if everyone pursues their own truth, there simply won't be the acknowledgment of any objective truth and therefore the source of objective truth, the Bible will be viewed as irrelevant and hateful. I just heard of a study where a multitude of college age adults were asked if the Bible would make any difference in the world. It was reported that 41% said it definitely would make a difference, down 9% from just a year ago, and 54 % said it doesn't make any difference, simply irrelevant. 14% (I know its over 100. but somehow this is the result they are giving) claimed it would actually make it worse. Can you imagine?

Thankfully, we have the promises of scripture that we are aliens traversing in a foreign world. Not that we are traveling the globe, but literally our residence as believers is in heaven and at the end of our time serving here, we will be taken home. 

Home is where the people we care for reside. It has a wonderful table where we experience close fellowship and where we have our most serious conversations. We have the ability to go where we would like, to explore new areas never seen by human eyes and to experience food, and smells without the polluted stench of corruption.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

Here are a few other verses to look up and study this week regarding growing weary that may offer you some encouragement. Matthew 11:28, Acts 24:4, Galatians 6:9, 2nd Thessalonians 3:13, Hebrews 12:3, Revelation 2:3. Don't forget to read the context so that you can more fully appreciate what is written.

It's time to reclaim your daily joy in serving the Lord, don't allow one more day to pass where the world steals away your joy, rejoice always, in every situation and live for the King. 

Till next time.

P.M.

Old habits die hard

 I am amazed as I look back over my life and see how patient God has been with me. Maybe it's because the older I get the more I can see my failures. Maybe I wasn't open to addressing those failures and to be honest many of them I enjoyed. I have heard many Christian teachers tell new converts they will be totally different since giving their life to Jesus and that His biggest desire is to make you happy. Of course, you and I know that even as a Christ follower we will face difficult times. The loss of a loved one suddenly, the loss of a job, marital trouble, misbehaving kids and so on. The difference is we are told in a multitude of places in the Bible that God will work even these things to His glory. Those that are reaping self induced consequences, those that are being crushed under someone else's' doing and those who are face to face with life in a fallen world.

So as a young Christian I would often revert back to the ways I was before. Reacting rash and defensively. using language unbecoming of a Christ follower and showing my displeasure with peoples decisions and honestly having to recognize consequences to my own choices. For some reason I felt I was beyond being judged and certainly by any others, saved or not. One of the hardest things to combat was my temper. Having spoken to many men I could tell quickly this was a flesh vs spirit issue commonly found among God's people. We see in 1st Timothy the qualifications of an elder or overseer and one of those things is that a man must be temperate. 

With time and the more I studied the word, the better I was able to keep my temper under control and submit to God's grace as I became more aware and when the consequences came around I acknowledged they were from my poor decisions and even in the pain of the moment to not lose sight of the future hope in Him, where I will no longer fight the flesh the way many of us do here and now. 

I became increasingly interested in understanding what some Christians called "righteous anger" and they always used the same verse found in Matthew 21:12 where we see Jesus throwing tables over in the temple and driving people out of the church who were set up making a profit. I get the visual this wasn't a quiet thing that took place, Jesus was livid and everyone knew it. The next verse, 13, Jesus quotes out of Isaiah and says that "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a robbers den."(NASB)

His anger was kindled by the fleshly actions of people just like you and me. Jesus knew what He was doing and in case you have forgotten, Jesus is without sin. So the response to sinfulness must have been ok at least for Him. So how does this apply to our current world situation? How do you suppose Jesus would respond to the ridiculousness of our politcal leaders? How do you think He would rebuke those pushing to legalize abortion, those getting rich off of the lies and fears of the supposed epedemic and those smuggling people for trafficing purposes, just to name a few? 

And not to mention how I respond out of frustration and unbelief that things can be this ridiculous. I just heard of a group of public schools that have installed litter boxes in the bathroom for students that identify as cats. You can't make this stuff up. Where are the parents, where are the schools common sense, after all they are the ones you trust your kids to and now they are in school peeing in litter boxes. Of course my old habit of anger rears its head. I don't even know who to focus it at? The parents, the next generation, school leaders, political leaders, or the guy that cut me off going to work last week. 

My conclusion? After we strip away the face of the person that we feel is responsible for these things and we begin to consider the words of the Bible I must conclude that any anger or if we call it righteous anger must be directed toward our enemy who is doing everything he can to take my eyes off Jesus. It is well-known that you serve one of two masters, God or His enemy. There are a good many people serving the enemy of God by default. They wouldn't say that or probably even agree with that statement if they don't know God, but it doesn't make it untrue. Satan has been given dominion over this fallen chunk of real estate but the key phrase is "for a time". We must continue to defend the faith, fight for righteousness and justice, protect the children born and unborn, help the widows and widowers and keep our focus on God. A long story for a short answer. 

Today pray for good decisions and begin to humble yourself before God to see as He sees and take a stance where He would take a stance. By the way Jesus was particular in His battles. When asked about paying the ridiculous taxes His repsonse was render unto Caesar what is His and unto God what is His. That is a great rule to remember and you will find your temper coming back into check. Good luck. 

until next time.

P.M.