SBC=>ENCOUNTERS

IN GOD WE TRUST... NOT Government, Court Systems, OR Church?

It's not trustworthy.  Sad part about the world.... it is influenced and powered by the evil forces of Satan and his minions.  And while we want to believe and trust our world, we cannot.  We try.  We sometimes relax our guard and believe that our judges will make the right decisions.  Sometimes they do: Tynedale Bible publishers.  Sometimes they don't: Hobby Lobby.  For stories: LINK.

We watch our soldiers, marines, airmen and navy go to war and watch the people they are trying to help turn on them and murder them on their bases: link.  We pray for them and pray the leaders lead by example.  Sometimes they fail us: example/link.  But most times, our military women and men are exemplary and honorable.

We approve of and send Ambassadors to foreign countries and we trust our government to protect them and other Americans.  Sometimes they fail miserably: example?  Ambassador Christopher Stevens, and three other Americans left to die in Benghazi, Libya.  We cannot trust the government for the truth.  The Secretary of State, our CIA Director, our Secretary to the UN, our President of the United States.  They lie to us.  We cannot trust them.

You'd think we'd learn.  You'd think we'd know this world cannot be trusted.  People trust in many things.  They trust their clergy, their church leaders.  Sometimes they fail.  Miserably, sometimes.  They break the trust of the people, or parents, or children.  One of many examples: sexual abuse of children.

And then there is this little sidebar slice of life in my own life:

Eight-year-old Haylee to me: "Mommy lost her cell-phone at church tonite."

Me:  "No, sweetie, someone stole Mommy's cell-phone at church tonite."

Haylee:  "Oh, no, Grama; people don't steal in church."

Me:  "I wish that was true, but there are some people who steal things everywhere you go, sweetheart.  Even at church."

When people cannot go to a church dinner without someone stealing another person's phone off the table when a person goes to throw away her trash, then life is getting really, really sad.  We are praying for whoever took my daughter's phone to have an attack of conscience and return it.  However, our faith in humanity is a whole lot smaller than the size of a mustard seed.  Our faith is in the Lord.  As my daughter goes to buy a new phone today, I am reminded that we are still living in a fallen world.  A world full of people with depraved nature who follow their own evil, selfish desires at the expense of others.  It's life.

Yet, do we stop trusting people?  Can we?  I say, "No."  We cannot.  We must not live in such fear that we cannot believe in others.  However, we cannot let our trust in humanity be what guides our confidence.  Nor can we expect humanity to be perfect in all decisions, behavior, doctrines, beliefs and viewpoints.

In the final analysis, we live in the world.  We trust in the Lord who is sovereign over the world.  We must be vigilant.  We must guard against the lies that people tell. We must take care and discern the spirit of others who seek to manipulate our minds and emotions.  We must guard against the wiles of the devil.  We must resist the desire to hate as others hate us.  We must pray for blessing upon our enemies, that God will open their eyes to Truth... to Life... to the Way.  Jesus.  Only He can be completely trusted.

Only God's Word is sure and infallible and inerrant.  Man is full of good intentions.  Man is verbose in promises.  But man is fallible.  Man is subject to failure.  And the more I witness the failures of man, government, judges, and churches, the more I trust in the Most High God.  And I am grateful for His grace and mercy and steadfast love in spite of my own failings.  Are you?  selahV

"This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD."  Jeremiah 17:5

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."  Psalm 118:8

People Who Lie

are bound by the chains of their own making.  Often people who lie have trouble recognizing truth.  Their perception of truth is distorted.  They deceive themselves.  They look in the mirror and see no flaws.  They always think their way is the right way and have no room in their minds for another way.  They read opinions and if they do not agree, then they cast dirt upon any idea another person has.  Some people who lie, feel guilty and try to cover it up with another lie.  Or they try to blame others for a situation they are in.  Before long they have no idea what the truth is.  Even when confronted with truth, they deny it.  It's hard to deal with people who lie.  You sometimes want to believe them, but you can't.  If they have a habit of lying, there is no trust. 

"No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes." Psalm 101:7

If you think about it, people who practice deceit are usually not welcome in anyone'shouse.  People who lie, must be very lonely people.  They must live in a constant state of fear.  Fear of being exposed.  Fear of losing something precious.  

I suppose we might all consider well what we say.  It's not a very good idea to tell lies, water down the truth, embellish truth, or cover up the truth.  It doesn't set too well with our Heavenly Father. As the day of the Lord draws closer, we will see many in the world who are deceived.  We must be vigilant and put on the whole armor of God. We who know Truth must walk in truth.  There simply is no other way to be free.

"and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

When Young Men Grow Old

The spirit of a young man is an amazing thing.  Young men are the key to the future health of churches within the SBC.  Daniel and his comrades were examples of the power and stamina and allegiance needed to make a difference in a heathen land. The king who overthrew Judah's king was no dummy.  He handpicked the best young men to show his prowess. (see Daniel 1:3-4)  Nebuchadnezar wanted:

"Children in who was no blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans." Daniel 1:4

Anyone who thinks the youth in our churches today have no significance, need only consider this passage.  There are those who know all too well that the way to build a kingdom, to secure it, and ensure its longevity, you must set aside and teach them "the learning and tongue of the Chaldeans".  You must have young men who speak the same language.  You must have young men who are turned on to your cause.  You must have young men who will stand and deliver:

You must have young men who are "well-favored" among their peers and have the respect of the older generations.  You must have young men who are "skillful in all wisdom" and show common sense and are not prone to silliness.  You must have young men who are "cunning in knowledge and understanding science " and who are the brightest among their age group.  You must have young men who have the "ability", courage and tenacity and boldness, "to stand in the king's palace".  Why?

Because they are the ones who will carry on the kingdom work when men grow old.  And they are the ones most prone to rise up against you if you do not acknowledge that they are a part of something great in the kingdom of God.  They are the ones who will not be satisfied with a pat on the head, to be set apart for the end of the race--to grab the baton and finish it.  They don't want to wait.  They are eager.  They want to run now.  And you need to "teach" them the Truth they need to know--the language and the deeper things...before someone else teaches them the language of the "Chaldeans".

You need to teach them before the formidable king feeds them the dainties and the meat, and plows them with his finest wine.  Otherwise...

When you are old, there will be no one to carry on.  The old will pass away and the tried and true will be no more.  It will become irrelevant.  It will become obsolete.  It will become a forgotten language.  It will have been handed over to those antsy youth who sought to be relevant in the kingdom without waiting years to own their own plot of land.

The enemy seeks to rob us of our young people. He cares not who he uses to accomplish his deceitful plans.  He still seeks to appeal to their flesh, their ego, their pride.  He plays to their insecurities and maleable minds.  He still wants to plow them with fermented wine, feed their egos, encourage their pride and appeal to their baser instincts of sexuality and gude them in a new Solomon Song.  He still wants to build his kingdom from those who are young and restless--those who do not want to wait, to respect that which is established and sound.  He still wants to tell them they belong at the front of the line and the last to run is insignificant in winning the prize set before them.  He makes sure they understand that their way is the right way and any other way is an exercise in futility.  Only the "intellectual" can possibly understand what is the way and the truth of kingdom matters.

Yes, we must protect our youth.  If we don't, when young men grow old and settled, they'll no longer sing, Victory in Jesus, Washed in the Blood, or Bless Be the Tie That Binds. Mothers will no longer sing, Jesus Loves Me, This I Know.  Instead, "Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for yesterday we were dead" will be the lullaby of the ages. selahV