moral and religious

"If  anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." Written by James, the half brother of Jesus, his epistle, chapter 1 verses 26 and 27.

Many people I know have enjoyed American Freedom most all their lives. Rich or poor we are able to move about. But now a virus has caused such fear that we have allowed that freedom to be greatly restricted. Not only the simple freedom to move about but also the freedom to keep open businesses we have established for our livelihood. Additionally we are being challenged by politically motivated activists and community organizers who for a variety of reasons seek to overthrow local and state governments, and even our national government. That is what lies underneath the waves of black lives matter and antifa.

The United States has a unique government. It is not a democracy. It is a republic. The people are represented by those they choose and by those appointed by the ones they choose. Our sixth President John Adams is famously quoted saying, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Was he right? If he was the implications are sobering, because we live at a time when many Americans have no real and guiding identity as moral or religious persons.

It used to be said frequently of Jesus that "He has the whole world in his hands." It's not just a sweet or trite saying. After being raised from the dead Jesus told the disciples/apostles: "All power in heaven and earth is given unto me." Christians need not fear whatever troubles come their way in their short earthbound lives. The destiny of all Christians is secure. If you are a Christian when you die you go to heaven. God did not make any other place for Christians to go. Thank you Lord God and Hallelujah, you are good and your mercy endures forever.

But what of our remaining life on earth? What are the options, what are the opportunities for those saved through faith by the grace of God in Christ? I think they are many and varied. But what is God after? Certainly God is after our hearts! And he is after our hearts that our hearts be after him! Though the sin nature of all men rebels against it, what God wants is that we please him by living in accordance with his will, his way and his word. Our lives before God will be truly very much less complicated if we simply seek the will, way, and word of his Kingdom. A kingdom is a government. God's Kingdom is his Government. It's not a complicated democratic Republic with 3 counterbalancing branches.

How is it then that our complicated democratic Republic is suited only for a moral and religious people? My understanding is this, only a moral and religious people are capable of sustaining that Republic. Without a moral and religious people that Republic will not last. Are we at the "tipping point?" It seems that we are closer than ever to losing our moral grip on both national and local government.

The end must come. The Apostle Peter wrote to the church "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers." For the sake of your prayers...! It wouldn't be a stretch to say "be moral and religious..." Peter continued, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." With no doubt I see these words (1st Peter 4:7 and 8) as a flawless strategy for the believers life on earth today... for "tomorrow never comes."

who would know better?

“There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances because they do not want to lose their jobs. There's a certain class of race problem solvers who don't want the patient o get well.”
~ Booker T. Washington (pictured below)
Born: April 5, 1856, Hale's Ford, Westlake Corner, VA Died: November 14, 1915, Tuskegee, AL

Faith. Relationship.

My friend Pete shared with me yesterday this that his pastor spoke of sometime ago. The pastor gave them this verse: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Then the pastor asked them to substitute the word relationship for the word faith. 'Now "relationship" is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' My friend Pete said but this messed him up real good. We talked about this for several minutes yesterday. It makes sense probably in more ways than one.  One way we talked about was this. The word faith in New Testament is "pistis." The same word is also translated as trust and belief.So this verse might be translated "now trusting is" or "now believing is."

Of these possibilities "trusting" most clearly shows the existence of a relationship. If I don't trust you I'm not likely to pursue a relationship with you. If I don't believe you The same is likely so. Who wants to hang around untrustworthy people who cannot be relieved? Who would rely on, who would have confidence, who would have faith kind of people. If I did have faith in these kind of people what would my relationship with them imply? I think it would imply that the substance of the things I hope for and the evidence of things I don't now see would be very different than what actually came in reality. We don't hope for evil from God. But if we put our faith in the untrustworthy, that is to say if we trust the unfaithful, we shouldn't be very surprised if our hopes are dashed. It seems pretty clear that our relationship to God must be solidly and fully grounded in trust. If a person is untrustworthy he or she is not trustworthy. if unbelievable, then not believable and  if unfaithful then they are not faithful.

So we are well and properly and VIABLY related to God in faith trusting  and believing him with whom we have a relationship and not yet seen.

 John chapter 6 is an extraordinary clear and powerful testimony of safe and relationship. Jesus feeds 5000 people by multiplying five loaves of bread and two small fishes! and after they all ate they had twelve baskets of bread to spare! It's no wonder they couldn't find him the next day they tracked him down on the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  When they found him he immediately informed them of this revealing truth; they were seeking him not because a great miracle had been done but because they were hungry again. Their hunger for food, food which spoils, prevented them from knowing and believing who he was!

Jesus went on to tell them: "Don't work for the meat which spoils; labor for the meat which abides in everlasting life (is from eternal heaven), meat which the Son of man will give you: the one  God the Father has sealed." 

The Father was beginning to unseal and reveal the  precious plan of all time in the Messiah!  And his people the children of Israel the Jews and the religious Jews for the most part we're not understanding. they needed a relationship Father through faith in Jesus who is the Son of man and Son of God.

They asked him, "What should we do in order to do the work of God?" 

It seems that Jesus was beginning to penetrate their carnal nature. And whose answer to them was wonderfully clear and simple!

"This is the work of God that you believe on him whom he has sent." 

And so it is seen that believing God is work! Believing takes energetic effort and God requires believing! Later on the Apostle Paul writes to us in Galatians 5:6 that faith, that believing works by love! 

When God thrust Adam out he had just told him that what he had done he would toil and sweat on and in a cursed ground in order to eat bread.  This is the bread that spoils and  we still toil and sweat for THAT bread. 

 But for the bread of eternal life God  requires a different kind of work.  it's not the sweaty toil of busting sod. 

Come unto me all you that are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you,  and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: for my yoke is easy and my burden is light

Animals are yoked together that they be able to work together. If we are yoked together in Jesus yoke it is in order to work. And if, or since the work of God is to believe Jesus the Son of man and if believing, if faith works and is energized by love...

💔❤💗💓💖💕💥💞💞💞💞💞

😶😯😮☺😊😀😁💥😇😇😇😇

So when we hear that it's all about relationship we should not be afraid to have 1 or 3 or 20 or 20,000 relationships. Each one and they all together are simply and marvelously opportunity for eternal love in God in the Messiah who is love. ❗❗❗