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Wednesday,
December 24, 2008
Look Both Ways
Galatians 4:8-11 Howbeit then, when ye
knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. (9) But
now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye
again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in
bondage? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (11) I am
afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. (KJV)
As a child we were taught when
approaching a heavily traveled roadway to look both ways before attempting
to cross the street so that we would not get hit or worse yet killed. As a
Christian writer who is called to deliver the message God would have us to
hear, it is my duty to have you look both ways before entering situations
also. Our goal and purpose here is to report the spiritual meaning and
viewpoint, then let you decide how you are going to proceed forward, or backward,
or get hit with man’s doctrines and carnal interpretations of the Word.
Case in point, if one looks at the calendar, many, and I do mean many
including those that claim to be of God will tell you it is the day before
Christmas. However, keep in mind the word ‘many’ because as I look through
the Word it tells me where the many are headed, and that only a few will
find the path of life. So, before you so hastily proceed into the heavily
traveled roadway that so many are on, take caution, and look another
direction, that being the Word of God, before jumping out into traffic.
Jeremiah 10:2-4 Thus saith the LORD,
Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of
heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. (3) For the customs of the
people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the
hands of the workman, with the axe. (4) They deck it with silver and with
gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. (KJV)
Hmmm, there is that word ‘vain’ again;
and doesn’t that custom or way of thinking back in the book of Jeremiah
look and sound so familiar to what you see going on today? In fact, if many
were traveling that path and way of thinking back then, and it was a dead
end, vain worship of idols, why would today be any different? By the way,
the word ‘vain’ refers to empty, worthless, of no effect, something
completely opposite of what the Word of God was intended to do in our life,
so that we could grasp that life and have it more abundantly.
Matthew 15:7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did
Esaias prophesy of you, saying, (8) This people draweth nigh unto me with
their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from
me. (9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men. (KJV)
So enough with the tap dancing and side
stepping of the issue today; I ask each and every believer to honestly ask
themselves the true reason why they do things, is it because the Word of
God says so or is it because of the doctrines of man? This so called
holiday, or special day that man observes every December 25th,
is it really something our Lord ordained or is it something man came up
with (which would be in the vain column)? Now many would think “well,
what’s the big deal it’s fun for the children”. The flip side to that
though is, what the Lord is asking; if you are so influenced by man in
something so obvious as this, how many other things have you been duped by
as well; you know, that thing about a little leaven leavening the whole
lump?
Galatians 1:6-8 I marvel that ye are so
soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and
would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed. (KJV)
The word ‘pervert’ means to corrupt;
again, similar to the term ‘a little leaven’. So what really has the most
influence on you today, is it the congregation and what everyone else is
doing, or are you looking beyond the flesh to see and hear what the Lord
has to say concerning these issues as well as many others that man
perceives as special or holidays? Like Paul alluded to, I marvel how so
easily many are removed from grace, giving in and not fighting the good
fight of faith, but rather forfeiting their good standing with God so that
they can be in good standing with man and his vain doctrines.
Luke 16:13-15 No servant can serve two
masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he
will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon. (14) And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these
things: and they derided him. (15) And he said unto them, Ye are they which
justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which
is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (KJV)
Here is a big red flag; you know, similar
to that big guy that wears a red suit. When you see the crowds or the many,
which are caught up in these traditions and doctrines of man, this would be
your first indication that it has nothing to do with God. In other words,
when approaching an intersection in life which is heavily traveled by
mankind, it would do you good to look both ways, not just at what the many
are doing, but at what the Word of God says before proceeding forward, so
that you won’t get hit with a speeding deadly doctrine heading for the
ditch being driven by a blind person.
Psalms 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and
gold, the work of men's hands. (5) They have mouths, but they speak not:
eyes have they, but they see not: (6) They have ears, but they hear not:
noses have they, but they smell not: (7) They have hands, but they handle
not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their
throat. (8) They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that
trusteth in them. (KJV)
Still think this stuff has anything to do
with God? Well, I find it interesting how the comparison is made between
the idols and those that put them up. Spiritually the same principle holds
true, those that hold to these traditions and doctrines of man cannot walk,
talk, hear, or see into the realm of the Spirit so that they can rightly
divide the Word of truth and stay on the path of life our Lord desires for
His people. My prayer for today is that you stop, look, and listen, not
only to what man says, but take another look into the Word to see what the
Lord has to say concerning the traditions and doctrines of man.
For more information Google the word
‘saturnalia Christmas’ so that you can look both ways before stepping into
this heavily traveled holiday as well.
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