Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws. –John Adams, 2nd US president (1735-1826)
Mark 6 tells us a story about Herod’s wife. She strategically had John the Baptist killed. She lifted herself above who she considered lowly and had a set of laws unto herself. Herodious tricked her husband (who didn’t want John killed), with her own daughter. We may not do things as bad as that but unless we humble ourselves under the rule and law of God we will be in the same group as Herodious.
Month: February 2006
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Thought for the day: Ben Sweetland said, “We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.”
Herod liked to listen to John the Baptist. Yet, at the end of the day Herod picked his wife over his own confictions. There are a lot of people that make a “hobby” out of church. They may like it if it fits into their lives. I suspect Herod treated the teaching of God as people treat a store. They will go if they like or need something on the shelf. Jesus said to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, body and soul. – even if it doesn’t work the way we like it.
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I’m studying Mark 6. Herod believed that John the Baptist had risen from the dead. His mind couldn’t accept the fact that Jesus was the Son of God. Herod was stuck in his own selfish world, he couldn’t see anything beyond that. Jesus came into this world and it did not receive him. It’s the same today. Jesus moves among us via his church and is totally misunderstood. I want to see Jesus clearer today.
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The sermon yesterday was on Psalms 51. Our world needs a message of repentance. In Mark 6, Jesus sent his disciples out 2 by 2. The message he told them to preach was: REPENT. Most children of today are not sorry when they do wrong; they are sorry they get caught. My message to the children of Kid’s Church yesterday was a tough one. They didn’t get too excited but I told them to accept discipline. When we talk to teachers in the Public School they are defensive. I think parents are to blame for that. When a child does wrong who gets blamed? -teachers. I had a parent call me last week and complained about the police because they were “too hard” on her 19 year old daughter. We need to take responsibility for our own actions and repent.
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In Honor Bound this morning, we talked about suffering. I appreciate God in thinking enough of me to allow me to go through pain. There is a story of a Chinese and American having a conversation. The American asks the Chinese, “Doesn’t God love the Chinese? After all the Chinese people have suffered so much.” To which the Chinese responded, “I’ve often wondered if God loved the Americans, after all he doesn’t have them go through suffering as much.” I think about those with leprosy. They don’t experience pain. If one breaks their foot, they wouldn’t even know it. That person would still walk on their hurt foot and eventually it would have to be removed. Pain keeps us in our boundaries.
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Burrrrrr It’s cold out there. I was beginning to enjoy global warming. Just kidding. Any ways Jesus will come back before man totally destroys this earth. I was reading this morning in Mark, chapter 5. Jesus sent his disciples out 2 x 2. The timing is interesting. Jesus was just at his home town and the people rejected him. Jesus made a statement to his disciples. If they reject you, shake the dust off your feet. In other words, be prepared for you will be rejected and keep going. People will fail us, even those that are close to us. I don’t have any recent personal story of this but as I live on this earth I’ll experience rejection. I must keep going and so must you.
