John 6:11 – “Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.”

Deuteronomy 8:10 – “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.”

The custom in biblical Middle Eastern times was that people, without fail, gave thanks before eating and usually gave thanks after the meal.  It was initially done to recognize God’s provision and express gratitude.  Like so many things, it evolved into a religious or societal ritual, as is often the case today!  I know of many who would never dream of eating a meal without ‘saying grace.’

In those days, those at the table would repeat the host’s words as he gave thanks.  If a prophet were present, he would be expected to take the lead in the prayer and bless the food, giving thanks as is described in 1 Samuel 9:13 – “…he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat.”  It was customary, but initially, it was far more than custom and a true recognition of God’s provision and their gratitude.

When Jesus fed the 5,000, we read that “after Jesus had given thanks, the food was distributed…”  In the feeding of the 4,000, Matthew is careful to include the fact that Jesus gave thanks before anyone ate.  The Jews were incredibly conscious of the fact that all they had comes from God and willingly expressed their gratitude.  Sadly, for many then and now, it is nothing more than a religious or societal ritual, not a genuine expression of gratitude.

They also customarily gave thanks at the end of the meal, as is reflected in Deuteronomy 8:10 – “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD….”  Gratitude demands acknowledgment of not only the provision but the provider.  I would suggest that if you ‘say grace’ and pray over your meal without really giving thought or having true gratitude in your heart; it is more of an insult to God than an act He will receive and recognize with blessing.

Therefore, make your words be true expressions of the gratitude of your heart and always remember that all we are and have has its source in God.  In Him, we live and move and have our being.  

Blessings upon you as you go through your day!

Exodus 20:16 – “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” NASB

1 Timothy 5:13 – “Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.”  NIV

Years ago, I had a lady in the church I was serving as pastor who always asked, “Do you have any news?”  She would preface what she was going to share with, “Have you heard the news?”  I asked her once if she considered what she was doing ‘gossip,’ she said, “Oh no, pastor, I’m just sharing the latest news, not gossiping for that would be wrong.”   

I could never convince her that they were the same thing.  She longed to hear any tidbit, documented or undocumented, and would then share it with whomever she could find who would listen.

Gossip is a very destructive weapon that the devil uses to drive wedges and damage people in their testimony.  I recall hearing something once about a fellow minister that, if true, would be so damaging to his reputation that it would impact untold numbers of people.  What I heard is not important, nor his name; the fact that I listened to it is. 

As I pondered what I had heard, the Holy Spirit brought conviction to my heart, and I sensed the Lord speaking to me, saying, “Why did you allow that gossip to be spoken into your hearing?”  I began to weep, for I had listened and, without realizing it, formed an opinion regarding this brother without any real documentation or evidence. 

It was wrong!  I was wrong!   The gossip was a malicious lie, as was later proven.  Yet had I repeated that gossip, I would have been furthering the harm brought to an innocent brother.  Thankfully, the Holy Spirit arrested me before I participated in an activity I have long loathed – Gossip.

When people come to me with tidbits about someone, I usually ask, “Have you gone to that individual to discuss this?”  If the answer is no, I stop them and ask that they not continue gossip but rather suggest they take it to prayer and approach the person in question with that little morsel they are ‘sharing.’ 

Some have become quite angry with me, calling me ‘self-righteous’ or worse, because I did not want to participate in gossip regarding another.  However, I must ask, “Would you want someone spreading gossip about you?”  Consider that point when you are tempted to share ‘news,’ as that little lady called it. 

Gil LeBreton, a sportswriter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, wrote a piece regarding the Texas Ranger’s manager Ron Washington’s resignation a few years prior and used an illustration from a movie that speaks to what I am talking about.  It was excellent, and I am sharing it here. 

In the Academy Award-nominated movie Doubt, there is a memorable scene in which the accused priest, Father Flynn, delivers a powerful sermon to the congregation.

The priest, brilliantly played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, tells the story of a woman who “was gossiping with her friend about a man whom they hardly knew.” Seized later with guilt, the woman went to a Catholic confessional and asked her parish priest if she had done anything wrong. “Yes,” said the priest. “You have borne false witness against your neighbor. You’ve played fast and loose with his reputation and should be heartily ashamed.” 

As her penance, the priest instructed the woman to go to her roof and gut a pillow with a knife, a scene classically depicted in the movie.  And what did she see? The priest asked.   “Feathers,” the woman answered. “Feathers everywhere.”  “Now, I want you to go back and gather up every last feather that flew out into the wind,” the priest instructed.

The woman protested. “It can’t be done.”  I don’t know where they went. The wind took them all over.”  “And that,” the movie’s Father Flynn said, abruptly ending the sermon, “is gossip!”

That is a fantastic illustration of the damage and futility of trying to retrieve harmful words spoken about another.  It is Impossible!  The damage is done even if we go to them in repentance, begging forgiveness; we will Never retrieve all the words or find where they have been carried.  Therefore, the biblical policy is Do Not Gossip!

Blessings as you go through your day!

Psalm 62:1-8 – “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.  2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.  3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah   5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  7 In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”  NKJV

Verse one of this Psalm should never be read superficially but meditated upon prayerfully.  The literal Hebrew reads almost backward from the English translation.  It reads:  “Only for God in silence does my soul wait.”  

The word translated silence comes from the Hebrew verb:  “to whisper softly.” This carries the idea of whispering a secret to someone you love but not loud enough for others to hear.  In this case, it is only for God to hear or speak.  The word only appears six (6) times in this Psalm, which cries out to me that, for David, there is no one else but the LORD!

I ask you to consider the following in our discussion of Waiting.

• We are to WAIT for God to direct our steps.

The Psalmist says, “My soul waits in silence for God only.”  Never run ahead.  Wait!  A red light means “wait and watch carefully.”  You cannot run and wait at the same time.  The ability and strength to run come after and through waiting. 

I love the story of Ahimaz.  He kept begging Joab to let him run, although he did not have the green light.  He outran the man with the message Cushi, and when he reached the King, he was turned aside.  God told Moses when standing at the Red Sea with the army of Egypt coming fast from behind, “Stand Still and See the Salvation of the LORD!”

In verse one, we find David’s declaration; in verse five, we find his command, “My soul, wait in silence for God only.”  We would do well to note that David is talking to himself.  He is directing his will and instructing his inner man – – Wait for God!  He will direct my steps. 

This is not easy when we are impatient and anxious to run.  We dare not forget that Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice and know Me.”  We must learn to hear and know the voice of our Great Shepherd.

• We are to TRUST God to provide our needs.

“From Him is my salvation” is the continuation of verse one.  Then, in verse two, we read, “He only is my Rock…”  The directive is simple: we must wait on Him, trusting Him to provide.  The only question is, “Are We Doing That?”  

Those of us who have been around church for any length of time and have heard, “Wait for God” or “Trust God to supply your needs.”  Some seem to act as though they have outgrown that.  Some things are only learned through experience and time rather than teaching and books. 

When we consider the record of God, we quickly realize He Does Not Fail!  Therefore, we can trust Him confidently that He is El-Shaddai.  He will provide the green light, open door, and provision in due season.

When we wait on God to direct our steps– He Does!    When we trust God to meet our needs – He Does!

May God be with you, guarding and guiding you as you proceed on the planned path of this day! 

1 Peter 1:13-16 – “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”  NKJV

It is of concern that my title will convey the idea that I think of myself as spiritually superior.  I do not!  I feel as the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15, “…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”  I am constantly reminded of my human frailty and the kinks in my armor, so please do not take my words as speaking in a condescending tone. 

I am making an impassioned plea for all of us who name the name of Christ to realize that God expects and demands something of us that sometimes finds itself other than the modern narrative of Christianity. 

Holiness should not be an antiquated word or objective in the hearts of believers.  I agree we need to move beyond the legalism of some groups that make holiness primarily external with a laundry list of things we are not and cannot do.  But we dare not allow it to become defined by modern private moralistic notions that are not always consistent with scripture. 

I have seen studies that indicate many who call themselves evangelicals are either in agreement or not disturbed by the modern ideas regarding divorce, spousal abuse, extramarital sex, pornography, materialism, and even some biases and prejudices.  Many will nod to the idea of the Bible calling us to be holy, but it is only a mental assent, not a practical application. 

I am convinced that believers must, as individuals and collectively, recover or rediscover the biblical idea and concept of holiness.  That concept covers private morality and every other aspect of life.  It is a message that needs to be restored to the message and mission of the church for believers. 

If those of us who stand in the pulpit, fail to preach something, it will be soon forgotten, discarded, and abandoned in principle and practice.  Peter was reiterating what God said to Israel in Leviticus 11:44, and God is a God who does not change.  He is holy and demands holiness in our lives in order to have a relationship with Him.  He cannot and will not tolerate sin.

The biblical terms “holy” and “holiness” [qadosh, hagios] carry an incredibly strong connotation to moral purity, but it could be argued those are secondary.  The primary implication and directive of God’s call for us to be Holy means to be Set Apart or Dedicated to God.

Remember, He said, “I will be your God, and you will be My people.”  [Leviticus 26:12; Hebrews 8:10] Even before the Bible addresses morality, it calls for our unique relationship with God, from which moral purity springs and as a basis to live, survive, and thrive.  Before God called us to be “good,” He called us to be “holy.”  I believe it is vital that we view Holiness through the prism of our relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Galatians 2:20,the apostle Paul declared, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”  Is Christ holy? Of course, He is, and if He lives in me, my holiness springs from my relationship with Him. 

Colossians 3:3, the apostle declares that we have been “seated with [God] in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”  The powerful word of the apostle John in 1 John 4:17 rings in my consciousness, “…as He is, so are we in this world.”  AS HE IS!  

How is He?  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He is the sinless Son of God.  He is eternal righteousness.  “So are we, IN THIS WORD…”  Not when we get to heaven but in this World!

Therefore, God is asking for more than mere displays of morality.  He is asking for our lives in totality.  That is a more genuine picture of holiness than simply focusing on the external and following a legalist list of “dos” and “don’t.”  He is asking us to become radical in giving Him our lives.  

To be a disciple of Jesus requires that we “die to self.”  Remember the words of Mark 8:35-36, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?”

Being Holy as He is Holy is about more than moral purity. It is about complete surrender and walking the Light of His Word, Love, Person, and Power.  Only biblical holiness will be a safeguard against modernism and the modern concept of moralism and propel forward in the process of becoming the Church Jesus came to build.

God bless you as He guards and guides you through this wonderful day!

Matthew 18:15-20 – “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’  17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”   NKJV

I have been on both ends of this process. In some of those times, I have discovered that everything was a terrible misunderstanding, and openness and honesty brought resolution quickly and decisively. 

I have seen other situations where there was a confrontation, and one or both sides refused to accept any wrong or blame. The wound festered so that the animosity defiled many, splitting churches and families.  I have seen situations where no attempt was made to “clear the air,” and the wound or perceived wrong was allowed to fester to the point it became spiritual gangrene and brought about spiritual death or dearth.

Jesus gave us a simple, challenging, but straightforward process to “clear the air” and “achieve reconciliation and restoration” between brothers.  This process is specifically directed toward the relationship and interaction between believers. 

You have no leverage with the world in this matter; the moral foundation would likely be different, and their recognition of the authority of the church or the Lord vastly different.  One of the reasons this is often not practiced in the church today is because we fail to recognize spiritual authority and live as isolated individualists accountable only to ourselves and, in our minds, God.

Whether the sin is actual, factual, or perceived, the division and wound are the same initially.  The instructions are explicit.  If a brother or sister wrongs you or is perceived to have wronged you, you are to “go to them privately.”  There is no publicizing of this, no forming cliques and choosing sides as a forerunner to the coming war of attitudes, words, and feelings. 

You open your heart with “total honesty” and allow them the opportunity to respond, either with clarification or repentance.  Your foundational purpose must be reconciliation and restoration.  If you seek to prove you were wronged and somehow damage them in the eyes of others, your effort should not take place and will exacerbate the situation, not resolve it.

You go to the one who has, or you perceive has wronged you.  If they reject you, you are to take “one or two” more, that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”  Again, those you take with you cannot be those already prejudiced or biased in your favor but honorable, godly people from the faith who will objectively hear the matter. 

If they still refuse to hear or respond, it is to be presented to the Church, and this is where Church Discipline, which is rarely witnessed, comes into play.  If they reject the private and secondary plea with the witnesses and the church, they are to be shunned.  You may say, “That is harsh.”  It is, but the objective is reconciliation, and the unrepentant who is guilty of wrong will cause division and discord, not harmony, and will become like cancer in the body. 

An interesting part of this process is found in verses 18-20; the “binding and loosing” mentioned by the Lord Jesus is directly related to this process.  The heart of God and the church’s heart should be reconciliation.  The apostle Paul deals with this matter later and expands on it to reveal that this may only be a temporary arrangement, and if the person repents, they are to be restored. 

Never allow wounds to fester.  Always seek to resolve differences with an open heart and a willingness to achieve reconciliation.    

God bless you as you go through this wonderful day, and if you have unresolved differences with any other believer, I encourage you to seek reconciliation.  

Psalm 127:1-2 – “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.”  NKJV

Through my years of Christian ministry and service, I have heard the statement, “I’m doing a work for God,” used and even “I’m growing a church for Jesus.” Those are said as if, somehow, we were building the church or doing the work independently of God.  I know that was not the heart of what was being said, but in a very tangible way, it detracts from the reality of the roles of man and God in the Kingdom’s purposes.

In Matthew 16, Jesus questioned the disciples about who the people thought He (Jesus) was.  Peter responded to the question, “Who do you say I am?”  Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Jesus responded to that revelation by saying, “…upon this rock (truth) I will build My church; and the gates (powers) of hell will not overpower it.” 

We must never forget that it is His Church, and He is the Builder!  That makes the statement of the Psalmist even more powerful when He declares that.

• Unless the Lord builds the house, attempting to do so is an exercise in futility. 
• Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen waste their time watching and warning of danger. 
• It is Futile to worry and fret over life’s problems and obstacles because Unless God is on the Throne of our lives, we can change nothing. 
• When we know He is Building, Watching, Guarding, and Guiding, we can sleep the sleep of peace.

Many have become frustrated over the lack of growth in a local congregation. Pastors have resigned or been shown the door, thinking they would have had dynamic growth commonly equated with success if they had the right program or personality. 

• Could it be that they were not allowing God to build the house in His way and time? 
• Could it be that God’s purpose was not to make every local church a mega-church? 
• Could our definition of success, often defined in numbers and dollars, be not God’s definition?

I believe God has called me to be a “Watchman on the Walls” spiritually for our nation. Still, I waste my time if that conviction is not coupled with the confidence that God is truly watching, and I am just echoing what He is saying and seeing. 

I believe that God calls people to lead congregations.  I believe that too often, that individual departs that local community before the time of God’s choosing.  Sometimes, it is because of a failure to fully grasp that building the church is not man’s responsibility but is the work of Christ Jesus our Lord through the Holy Spirit.  Yes, He inspires men and women.  He inspires programs, pathways, and endeavors, but at the end of the day, It Is His Church, and He is the Builder!

Our nation and world are experiencing dark days and will likely experience even darker days in the coming months or years.  We can lament the problems, conditions, attitudes, and direction or pray.  We should grieve over the condition of our world and pray.  Unless we couple our lamentations with confidence that God is the one truly guarding the city or nation, we err and become needlessly troubled in heart, mind, and soul.  

Without God, we can do nothing, but with God, we can do all things!  There is no mountain too high, no river too wide, no problem too great, or an enemy too powerful that He cannot handle.  Therefore, if we can come to grips with our role as messengers, representatives, and manifestations of Him and His purposes and His as the Builder and Guard, we will find the peace that passes understanding and enjoy the success He has purposed. 

Never deem success in numbers, noses, or dollars, but look for the depth of spiritual commitment in lives being impacted for God’s Kingdom.  I am not making an excuse for no progress but suggesting we look to the source, not try to be the source.

God bless you as you go through this day in Him!

Psalm 119:9-16 – “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.  10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!  11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.  12 Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.”  NKJV

I find it interesting that the word translated “way” is [‘Orach], which signifies a track or a rut like that is made by the wheel of a cart or chariot.  This is another reason to reach people as early as possible in their lives for God.  It identifies that the young do not have a broad beaten path but, if allowed to continue with a polluted mind through sin, will be exposed to sinful pollutants that will destroy the mind, body, and soul.  Thus, the question, “How can a young man cleanse his life path?”

• Take Heed to God’s Word. 

He is to examine his path or life course against the Word of God and realize the impurity of his thoughts and deeds.  He has to allow the Holy Spirit to place a guard on his mind and mouth and steer him away from impurity.

• Seek God with a Whole Heart.

His prayer should always be for God to keep him on the path of Righteousness.

• Hiding the Word of God in the Heart.

Why?  Among other reasons, so that he will not sin against God.  He must move the Word of God from his Bible into his heart so that it becomes one with him.  He must allow the Word of Christ to dwell in him richly to prevent him from being so easily beset by the temptations of life.

• Become a Student of God’s Word.

Thy word is truth, O Lord.

• Become a Person of Praise.

Realizing that true wealth and happiness are not possessions but in the Person of Christ.  That true fulfillment is knowing God’s precepts and following His principles daily.

• Constantly Allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of God’s Person, Position, Purpose, Power, and Precepts.

Meditating on the Word, day, and night, and becoming so full of God that when people see and hear us, they see and hear God.  The adage, “We are the only Bible some people will ever read.  What is the Gospel according to us or our lives, words, and deeds?” 

How can we walk rightly before God?  Allow the Holy Spirit to Guard and Guide us and become so immersed in the Word that it becomes part of our lives and nature.

God bless you as you go through this day in Him!

Ephesians 4:20-24 – “But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  NKJV

Let us momentarily forget the political condition of our nation and world.  Let us forget the economic predictions for the coming year or years.  Let us forget the threat of terrorism and the evil that is rampant in the world.  Forget?  Of course, you cannot forget or ignore those things, but I want to challenge you to consider something more powerful than any of them.

Consider “Christ in us…”  That is right; consider the working of the Holy Spirit in and through us. Consider our position, condition, and impact as born-again believers and members, in particular, of the Body of Christ.  The devil would have us scurry around in fear, but God would have us consider who and whose we are.  The challenge of the apostle Paul in our text is recognition and action on the part of every child of God.

As 2024 unfolds, we can either move forward with God taking an offensive mindset or run for cover and adopt a defensive position.  Let us consider some things of significant value for each of us as we embark on the journey of life through the year 2024.

• PUT OFF.

Not as in procrastinating but as in rejecting, eliminating, or removing.  What are we to “put off?”  Our former conduct, the “old man” or “carnal man,” that was laden with corruption, filled with lust, and ensnared by sin.   We must make a conscious decision to reject the works of the flesh and the lusts thereof. 

The Lord Jesus has brought us grace and forgiveness of sin, which is a work of God through Grace.  We can never earn our salvation, but there are some things we are expected to do once we have entered into the Family and Kingdom.  Discipline is required on our part, which is what the apostle addresses in his call to Put Off!

• PUT ON.

Not as in pretending but as in adorning ourselves.  In putting on the New Man, we will find there is a renewing of the “spirit of our minds.” We are enabled to move deeper and deeper into the righteousness and holiness of God. 

Having accepted Jesus as our Savior, repented of our sins, and turned 180 degrees from the old path, we now need to continue.  We need to cooperate with the Spirit of God in addressing our thoughts, words, and deeds.  We need to allow the Holy Spirit to manifest Jesus through our lives, and in putting on the New Man, we experience continual renewal.

Are you ready for the New Year?  You can make all the resolutions you desire, but unless you put off and put on as described in this passage, you will find disappointment and failure in 2024.  God wants to use each of us more powerfully and consistently than our history reflects.  The problem is not in His willingness to use us but in our availability that results from putting off the former conduct and putting on the new man.

God bless you as you embark on the exciting journey ahead in 2024.  

Genesis 3:4 – “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.”  ESV

I often call Genesis the “Seed Book of the Bible” because, in the first twelve chapters, you find the foundation for virtually everything taught in the remainder of the Bible.  If one were to get a good handle on those chapters, I am confident that much of the deception that has and does take place would be thwarted, and we would see vast new doors of understanding opened to the Body of Christ.

But Deception did not begin in the Garden of Eden.  It began when Lucifer convinced one-third of the angelic hosts to rebel against God.  It was through deception that this transpired.  His work in the Garden is just a continuation of his very nature and character, and sadly, Adam & Eve bought what he was selling and were deceived. 

Their deception not only cost them but also the human race.  Had God not been willing to allow Jesus to come to earth and go to the Cross, we would still be in the clutches of the devil.  There is a consequence to deception because it results in actions that, as Paul equates in Galatians as “sowing,” which produces a “harvest” that has to be reaped whether we want to or not.

• Deception comes when we fail to keep our hearts open to the Word and the Spirit of God. 
• It comes when we neglect our study of God’s Word and our prayer life. 
• It comes when we allow the flesh to rule over the spirit.  It comes when we allow the lust or carnal desires to override the spiritual directives of the Spirit and Word of God. 
• It comes when we become “self-centered” and dethrone God while elevating ourselves to the Center of our Universe as Adam & Eve did. 

In a sense, they voted God out and voted themselves in, and as one of my friends described it, “They were born again backward.”  They opted to believe The Lie rather than GOD, who is Truth!  They opted to follow their own carnal desires and wisdom (so-called) rather than be obedient.  The fruit could have been a bridge over a stream that God said, “Don’t cross.”  It did not matter. It was a matter of obedience, and they disobeyed because they were deceived.

I doubt that there has been a week in my Christian experience that I have not met and talked to someone who is in some kind of deception in some area.  That is probably applicable to me as well. As the Holy Spirit reveals to me any area of deception in my life, I strive to immediately repent and begin diligent study to correct the error and beco me rightly aligned with the Word of God.  

Do I have all the truth?  NO!  Do I have all my doctrine right?  I would say NO!  I would like to think I do, but from time to time, I find that something I believe is not entirely accurate, and I have to allow my doctrine to be modified to accommodate what God says, not what I want God to say.  I do not want to be like a preacher. I once heard, “I’ve been in the ministry for 30 years, and I have not changed my doctrine or message.”  I thought I certainly have! 

I would think that someone in that condition would rapidly become a Pharisee.  I was one once, and I never want to return to that place of legalism.  I want to be like a piece of clay in the hands of the potter to be molded and shaped into whatever He desires for my life.  That has been an ongoing process, and what and where I am today has evolved dramatically in some areas and remained pretty consistent in others. 

I know in part and have a limited perspective, but God sees everything from the beginning to the end, whereas we see things from the end to the beginning.  There is a significant difference!  One is foresight, and the other is hindsight.

So, as you go through the day, allow the Holy Spirit to guide your footsteps and keep your heart and mind open to the expansion of truth in your life that God chooses to bring to you.  

May His Incredible Blessings come to you as you go through your day!

Ephesians 6:2-3 – “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”  NKJV

I was out just a few days ago and heard a child demanding a particular item from his mother, and when she resisted, he sat down on the floor and threw a temper tantrum. She soon acquiesced and gave him what he wanted.  Later that same day, I was in a restaurant, and a father told his little girl to sit down and eat her food, and she told him, quite loudly and without any trepidation, “NO, and you can’t make me.”  He let her continue what she was doing. 

I will not say I was shocked, but I thought back to my childhood and thought about what my parents’ response would have been.  You really do not want to know because I probably would not have been able to sit down for a week.  They would have busted my rear end right then and there, and virtually nobody would have thought a thing about it but would have acknowledged approval for the discipline. 

I respected my parents and knew there were boundaries that I had to stay within, or there would be consequences I did not desire.  My respect for them, their enforcement of discipline (consistently), and my love for them motivated me to do what they approved when I was with them.  I confess I broke their rules when away from them, but I “honored them” while in their presence. That is not a justification but a reality.

I blame the parents for not enforcing consistent discipline, society for adopting the ideology that discipline (biblical) cannot be used, and the children for being disrespectful.  My children will tell you that we did not allow them to pull the stunts mentioned above. 

In church, while I was preaching, my boys knew that if I snapped my fingers, it meant, “Stop what you are doing now.”  They may not remember how effective it was, but believe me, the consistent enforcement of discipline on that front makes that an effective method of getting the desired and necessary response from them. 

I am reminded of one of the church members in one particular church telling the story of how their oldest son was acting up, and the mother picked him up to take him out of the sanctuary and fully intended to give him a spanking.  As she went down the aisle, he said, where everyone could hear, “Somebody help me. This crazy woman is going to kill me.”  The entire church erupted, and she got so tickled that while she still disciplined him, she could not help but find it funny.

But, for all of us who have parents and or children, we should remember this verse and its additional benefit.  It refers to the Ten Commandments, and Paul says that “honoring your parents” carries with it the promise of long life on the earth.  Do I think that someone can honor their parents and die young? Of course I do.

However, I also believe that many live long and fruitful lives largely based on this promise and their truthful honoring of their parents.  My grandfather on my mother’s side was nine days short of being 101 when he went home to be with the Lord, and I know he honored his parents, as did his children, him, and my grandmother. 

My mother lived to be 95, and I watched her honor her parents even after she was grown and had a family of her own.  It is more than just doing what they say. It is a mindset and attitude.  It is a relationship.  It is an expression of respect and love.  It carries with it a desire to please them biblically.

I see disrespect in public.  I have seen it in homes.  I have seen it in schools.  I have seen it in every aspect of our society, and it goes way beyond just honoring parents, but that is my focus here.  Let us get this part right, and I believe many other areas will harmonize with the biblical guidelines. 

I am not suggesting that you have to use Proverbs 13:24 – “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him,” but it might be an excellent place to consider starting.  My dad could quote and believed an earlier verse in that chapter and practiced it. 

Verse 14 – “You shall beat him with a rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell.”  I am glad my parents disciplined me, and it did not make me a warped individual.  If I am warped, I did that on my own; their discipline did not cause it.

May God be with you as you go through your day!