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| A photo I took on one of my bike rides. |
The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your right rulings
will surely last forever. Psalm 119:160 VOICE
You probably all remember the Beatles song called Let It Be. I always thought that Paul McCartney must have had some Catholic roots. The song states "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom ... Let it be... Let it be. It was recorded about the time the band was breaking up. Paul McCartney had a dream one night that inspired the song. It seems that in the dream, his mother who's name happened to be named Mary came to him with some wisdom. I suppose the wisdom that she spoke was to "let it be". In looking through song facts I discovered that his mother had died when he was 14 and that the song was not well liked by John Lennon because it seemed too Christian. I don't know how accurate song facts are but here's the link http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=182
Did you know that when you say Amen that you are agreeing to the truth that has been spoken and stating your willingness to accept the consequences of your agreement. In Jeremiah 11:5 The voice translates the Amen found in the New International to. "Yes, O Eternal One! Let it be."
Jeremiah 11:5 The Voice (VOICE)
5 "I wanted nothing more than to keep My promise and to bless your ancestors with a land flowing with milk and honey—the land of promise on which you stand today.”
Jeremiah: Yes, O Eternal One! Let it be."
Sadly it was not God who broke the covenant, it was His people. They decided to adopt the ways of their neighbors and little by little they moved farther away from God and his ways and His plans and purposes for them.
Nehemiah 5:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised."
In the end they were shaken right out of their houses and their land and went off to captivity. Jeremiah was to tell them. Jeremiah 5:19 "So when they ask you, “Why has the Eternal done this to us? Why would our one True God treat us this way?” remind them and speak to them My words: “Because you have rejected Me and bowed down to foreign gods in a land that was yours, now you will bow down to a foreign people in a land that is not yours.”
We live in a world that does not like absolute truth. We want to bend truth to accommodate our preferences or desires. We would prefer the Ten Suggestions rather than the Ten Commandments. "I mean who does God think He is telling us how to live?"
I suppose eventually we have to look at lives lived our own way and ask the question, "How's that working out for you" It might be time to humble yourself before the Lord and seek Him for His way.
I think all to often we are busy singing the songs in Church with out really realizing what we are singing. Most of the songs we sing are like prayers to God. Its easy to sing along with things that have a catchy tune and a nice beat. Words are powerful things that we set in motion. The songs and the "truths" you sing can move your either closer or farther from the Lord. I have had teenagers argue that they really don't pay attention to the words they just like the music. I have seen demonstrations where old commercials were played for people and 30-40-50 years later they were able to sing the words along with the music. I guess my point is that we should be more aware of the stuff that comes out of our mouth. I was driving the other day and pulled up to a stop light and in the car next to me was a young woman and she was singing along to some rap song. I listened to the words and they were unbelievably degrading towards women. Yet she was caught up in the beat and clearly un aware of the things she was agreeing as she happily sung along. I suppose if you were to stop her and ask her if she really believed women should be sexually taken advantage of. If women should be beaten and abused. She would say no - she was against such things. The song she was singing was really horrendous and was clearly promoting not only male domination but abuse.
Our verse today is about God's truth and how it stands the test of time.
God is very patient giving not only nations but individuals giving lots of time and opportunities to change. Eventually the consequences catch up with us.
John 3:16-17
New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Ezekiel 18:23
New International Version (NIV)
23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
How about you. Have you been turning more and more away from God and finding yourself more in agreement with the culture around you. There is a children's song that says" Be careful little eyes what you see... Be careful little ears what you hear." How are the things that you are watching and listening to lining up with God's truth? What are you feeding your spirit? I have to ask these questions of myself as well. So I am not pointing a self righteous finger your way, I'm looking in the mirror and asking you to do the same.
I notice with food things that there are a lot of hidden ingredients. I have to read the labels very carefully to avoid things I don't want in my physical diet. We have to do the same thing with the things we feed our spirit. What are the hidden messages and the half baked truths. How is what we are listening to and watching desensitizing us. I love what one of my students family does. In the month of August they turn off all the tv's and all the devices and they try to enjoy each other and the out of doors.
I feel like I should leave you with Revelation 7
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
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