A Place for Authentic, Mindful, & Healing Thoughts
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-7c2xa-c730bd
Brad continues a discussion about truth and the need to stand up for what is true. He also comments on how to consider the turning away from truth in our culture today as a sign of the end of times.
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ym6ra-c67c4e
Brad raises the issue of what is truth and how it is quickly eroding in our modern culture.
Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated… 9 For with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light do we see light.
Psalm 36:1, 2, 9
Words are a fascinating thing. They have an intrinsic meaning yet over time it seems the meaning can change. Societies change the meaning of words all the time as people begin to use them in ways they were not intended. The changes aren’t necessarily made on purpose and they don’t happen over night. Yet, they do change. I think one of the most dangerous yet consistent contributing factors to such change in words is a lack of education. When we fail to speak about things as they should be we are limiting the knowledge of those things for the next generation. I fear that is the answer to Dr. Karl Menninger’s question from the title to his classic book, What Ever Became of Sin?
Transgression is a fancy word for ‘sin’. The Psalmist speaks from his own experience. He knows he has sinned (transgressed) against God. You need only to read Psalm 51 to hear David’s broken and contrite heart as he confesses his sin to God. But how did David know his sin? He was raised by God-fearing parents who no doubt taught him the meaning of the word. He knew that his choices to satisfy his own desires rather than obey God’s law were sin. Sin is always a matter of our choices. While theologically there are sins of ignorance we commit as flawed humans, those are not the kind of sins David speaks about in the opening verses of Psalm 36. The sin that separates us from God and scars our conscience, the kind that speaks wickedly deep into our hearts is the sin we willfully choose.
Today, I believe we are in danger of completely losing the meaning of sin. Things understood as sin for millennia are now being tolerated in a measure that is even raising them to the status of normal behavior. Dr. Menninger knew and taught that there is no mental health without moral health. The present culture of death we see around us is crying out for someone to speak moral truth into their lives – but where are the preachers? Where is the message that sin kills and destroys from the inside out?
David knew in his heart that God could see his sin yet he couldn’t get to healing by himself. Without truth preached to him, he wasted away from within…
“When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long.” (Psalm 32:3)
It took the Prophet Nathan confronting the King, after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, to bring David to repentance. When confronted with the truth of God’s word, David knew he must confess if he ever wished to be whole again, to have the joy of the Lord restored to his soul. I’m so glad Nathan wasn’t afraid to preach on sin.
What troubles you today? What aches deep within your heart? Perhaps it has been buried so deep you don’t even know it’s there anymore. Yet, you can’t explain the emptiness you feel inside. You can’t seem to understand why life is not fulfilling. I hope that doesn’t describe you, but if it does, allow me to be Nathan to you today. May the words of my mouth be for your edification, that you may not languish in sin, but know the joy repentance…
“Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:12)
“For with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light do we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)
Shalom,
Pastor Brad
image credit: http://joymag.co.za/article.php?id=519
7 Do thou, O LORD, protect us, guard us ever from this generation.
8 On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
The feeling of living in a vile generation has been common to all ages, for sin is common to all. However, having said that, it still feels as though things are headed in the wrong direction in today’s modern culture. The psalmist felt as if there was no truth left among the people in his day; the godly seemed to have vanished and it seemed everyone was full of lies (v 2).
Words have always been important because in them the truth is spoken. However, it can be very challenging to a society when the culture decides to change the meaning of words in order to fit a new agenda that is counter to timeless truths. Today, we are living in an age that is not only changing the meaning of words but is rejecting the very truths at the heart of the words. When a society loses all sense of objective truth, then what is considered truth becomes relative to the whims of those who can command the most attention.
The psalmist says the wicked seem to be on every side (v 8). The breakdown of truth we are experiencing in our culture today is not a new thing – it’s just new to us. The psalmist felt it in his day. Jesus felt it in His day too. But, the good news is found in verse 6; the promises of the Lord are as pure as silver that’s been purified seven times.
The righteous have not been forsaken, though it may appear so at times. The Lord will arise (v 5). He will rescue the righteous with His salvation. God will always rescue those who stand with Him and the truth of His Word.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”
So, whose words will you believe? The culture around you that is saying wrong is right, that there is no sin? Or will you stand with God and His words? Before you decide, be sure you hear the words of the prophet Isaiah on this very subject…
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!… Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa. 5:21,22,24)
Rather than be discouraged about the way things seem to be headed in a culture that wants to re-define words at every turn, be strong in the Lord, and in His words. Don’t let go of His words…His truth. He has promised to protect the righteous in every generation.
Shalom,
Pastor Brad
image credit: http://victoryoutreachwhittier.org/the-truth-about-fasting/crossing-out-lies-and-writing-truth-on-a-blackboard/
“…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32
“God, having placed good and evil in our power, has given us full freedom of choice; He does not keep back the unwilling, but embraces the willing.”
St. John Chrysostom
On the fourth day of July, each year Americans gather to celebrate their independence. We pause to thank God for things like freedom and the high price that was paid by so many through much war and strife so that we can live in such freedom; free from the fear of tyranny. But, freedom by itself, when left completely unchecked is not a good thing. In fact, freedom if not properly appreciated and kept in proper perspective will always lead to slavery.
Perhaps, we have come full circle in America today? In the 1700’s we rebelled against total tyranny. We were a governed people with no voice in the governance. Now, 240 years after throwing off such tyranny, it’s not hard to imagine tyranny reigning again in our future by both camps, the right and the left. Both are pulling our nation in polar opposite directions. It seems the pendulum swings hard these days. Freedom is rarely found in extremism. Rather, freedom is always found in truth. Now more than ever we must labor for truth.
Perhaps, we need to hear again voices of long ago? No, not the voices of our founding fathers, rather the voices of the ancient fathers of Christianity. St. John Chrysostom said that God placed both good and evil within the grasp of humanity; it is our choice how we wish to live. He delivered those words in a culture that was free to indulge in every kind of decadence that can be imagined, including adultery, pornography, the lavish wasting of wealth and resources. Ancient Antioch even had streets made of marble and lined with pure golden statues. Yet in it’s freedom, Antioch could not endure it’s own decay from within.
The Lord Jesus, in John 8, when speaking to those who would believe, reminded them they were free to believe or not, but it was in choosing to believe they would find true freedom. True freedom is only found in truth; “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32). Truth is the only thing that will check the extremes of unbounded freedom.
So where is truth today? How can we find the truth that will set us free from the extreme pull of the political pendulum? Alas, truth is still where it always was and always will be, in Jesus Christ and His Word. As St. John Chrysostom said, God embraces the willing. Are we willing to seek hard after truth? As willing as we were to fight for freedom? Let us remember, God will not hold back those who are unwilling, but He will embrace those who willingly seek after truth.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Brad
“33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.”
Mark 8:33
What Side Are You On?
Have you ever found yourself on the wrong side of an argument, when you knew you had to be right? I know I have. Sometimes we think we know what the right thing to do is only to realize we were wrong all along. None of us are right every time (though some think they are), but we can know what it takes to be right. This idea of thinking we know what’s right is really intensified in election years. It’s pretty obvious this year that all the Presidential candidates think they’re right. However, we must remember, there is only one truth, and they can’t all be telling it. But, how do we discern what’s right? Read on and I’ll tell you.
I often wonder if, before he met Jesus, Peter was one of those persons who thought he was always right. You know, sort of a Donald Trump personality. I don’t mean any offence if Trump’s your guy in this election, but I have noticed throughout his career that he’s brash guy who often speaks before he thinks. Scripture shows Peter as one with a brash, outspoken personality. He often spoke before he thought things through; that is until he met the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. In today’s gospel, Peter even thinks he knows better than Jesus. Ouch, that’s pretty bold. But, before we’re too hard on Peter, we often do the same thing, don’t we?
Life’s Ultimate Resource Tool
The only way to really know the right thing to do in life is to be led by the Holy Spirit. King David said in the Psalms, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps. 119:105). No matter what decisions we face in life, there is no better guide than the Bible; it is the ultimate topical resource tool; I challenge you to think of a topic or problem it doesn’t deal with in some way.
One of the things I love about Lent is spending more time in the study and devotion of God’s word. Often, Lent becomes a time of testing for me personally, on things that are of great importance to me. I dedicate my fasting, prayer and study to finding God’s truth for areas of concern in my life. Of course, we can and should do such things all year, not just in Lent, but I’m glad the church devotes a season to encouraging us to be intentional in such things.
As the season leading us to Easter, Lent is the perfect time for challenging ourselves to be sure we’re on the right side of things in our life. After all it is the power of Christ’s resurrection that empowers us to overcome all things.
How about you? Are you on the wrong side of something right now? Do you need power to discern right from wrong, to make the right decision, no matter how hard? Then, let the words of St. Paul in the Philippian letter be your prayer today, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” (Phil. 3:10) When we die to Jesus, all things become possible. His divine, resurrecting power is the power that raises us from the ashes.
Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,
Pastor Brad
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:6
“But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.”
Mark 5:33
The Whole Truth
When we take the witness stand in a courtroom, we put our left hand on the Bible (or at least we used to), raise our right hand and say we swear to, “tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God”. The truth is of utmost importance in a court case. A judge and jury determine a person’s future. What a tragedy if the decision is based on lies.
When I was a little boy and my mother thought I had been doing something wrong (my face gave it a way every time), she would ask me to tell her the truth. I can remember her saying things like, “don’t lie to me” and “is that everything?”, as if I were holding back some of the details. Now, I did have an incentive to be completely truthful. I knew what the punishment was for lying. The “Father’s wrath”, was not just a biblical phrase in our house. The truth really did set me free – several times.
During Lent we are hopefully learning to be completely truthful with Jesus. We never have to fear pouring out all the details to Him; He already knows them. There is healing in our telling Jesus the details of life. In fact, that’s a good definition of confession, “telling it all to Jesus”.
Real Healing Is in the Details
We don’t know all the details in the life of the woman with the issue of blood. We do know that she worked up the courage to reach out and touch Jesus. As, Jesus turned to ask who touched Him, scripture tells us she fell down before Him and, “…told him the whole truth.” She had received a healing touch from Jesus the moment she touched him, but that was just about the medical issue she faced. When she told Jesus the “whole truth” about herself, He pronounced her well and imparted his peace to her (Vs. 34).
The Greek language of scripture speaks of being “made well”, as a wholeness, not just healed of an affliction. Peace comes to our soul not in the absence of disease, but in being whole in Christ as we are meant to be, and that only comes when we tell Jesus, “the whole truth”. The hardships of life can leave us feeling burned and defeated, but when we are truthful with Jesus, He faithfully, raises us from the ashes.
Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,
Pastor Brad
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:6