I conclude this post on Old Paths
The church should follow the path of instruction.
In the book of Deuteronomy I find a very interesting story of Moses. Up to this point Moses had been the leader of the nation of Israel, both from a spiritual and political standpoint. He had over come many hardships and had passed through many a valley. He stood on the mountaintop and visited with God. But this story is about none of these events. We find Moses is dying. He has called all of Israel together to instruct them one last time what they are to do. You will remember Moses had angered God and God told him he could not go into the Promised Land. So as the Nation of Israel is preparing to cross the Jordan River Moses is preparing to meet his maker. Before he goes he has one last thing he has to do. That is to give Israel a final instruction. As is the case with old men Moses is recalling the wilderness journey. He is reminding Israel as a grandparent would a young child where they came from and where they were going. A good grandparent will always give their grandchildren the benefit of their age and years of learning. Most of that learning earned through hard knocks. If the children are wise they will listen. If not they are in for some trying times.
I think the conversation Moses was having with Israel went something like this.
“Now you remember what I told you when I came down off the mountain and found Aaron building a golden calf. Boy, if you could have seen your faces when I broke the commandments God had just given me. If you only knew how mad you made God. I remember standing watching God carve the commands in the stone when He said Moses you better get back down my children are doing things they shouldn’t do. You knew better than to worship other gods but there you were in prone position bowing down to that dumb statue, and it wasn’t even a very good statue. Enough of that, I want you to remember the Lord God and Him only shall you serve. Don’t forget who brought you out of Egypt. Out of the mud pits and out of the pain of slavery. You need to fear the Lord. Now, where you are going there are people who serve strange gods. Don’t let yourself get dragged into their brand of worship. Serve only the Lord God Almighty. Keep His commandments and do like He says. Don’t tempt Him or make Him mad, as you are prone to do. Do that which is right in His sight. Keep in mind that you are a holy people chosen of God. Kind of makes you special.
Now when you get to the Promised Land there are certain things you need to do. Remember where you came from and what you came through these past forty years. Don’t be afraid and don’t do anything stupid. The Lord gave me some instructions for you. First He said you were to fear him and walk in all his ways. You were to love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. Keep his commandments and his statutes. Keep in mind that the heavens and the earth belong to the Lord. The Lord wanted me to remind you that the land to which you are going is full of hills and valleys. It is a land God Himself cares about. Do not forget that if you turn to strange gods that the wrath of God can and will be kindled against you. You sure don’t want that to happen. ‘Cause if that does happen I’m telling you from experience you are going to die. All you are to do is go in and possess the land. The Lord said that he would set before you a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you follow what he told you to do and a curse if you don’t listen. I guess the last thing I’d tell you is this; you can’t rest on this side of the river. You have to cross over to the other side; there you can rest after you have possessed the land. The Lord will see to that. Do what I tell you don’t change or add to my instructions. Now go get across the river and start to enjoy all that the Lord has promised you.”
That’s not all Moses had to say to Israel, for that you will have to read the book. I feel a lot of the same words could be said to the church today. Go and possess the land. No it’s not going to be an easy land. He didn’t say you were going to be the most popular person in town. But He did say He would bless if you would go. I think God is watching His church today, just like He watched Israel, and shaking His head. Saying, “ When will they learn? When will they listen?” I’m pretty sure God is not concerned with what we did yesterday. Or what we plan on doing tomorrow. But you can rest assured He is very concerned with what we are doing today. Remember yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.
The church today may have made God mad. How, you say? Well, by what she worships. Many worship the buildings, the programs, the buses, the preachers, the schools and the Lord only knows what else. I’m sure God is not at all pleased with what the church is doing today. In fact I’d bet Jesus wouldn’t even recognize some that claim to be a church.
Jesus gave us a very simple task. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Now to the best of my knowledge, that means that the church is to go. The church is by definition an assembly of called out believers. Not an assembly of called out preachers, elders, bishops, popes or any other office in the church. John said in John9: 4 “I must work the work of Him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.”
I do not believe the church today wants to possess the land. For if they did nothing could stop the salvation of the lost or the addition to the church. I believe the mark is three thousand a day. I believe all the church today wants to do is set back and argue over which man made doctrine is right. I also believe the wrath of God is being kindled against the church.
Whew! That was a mouth full. What evidence do I have to support such claims? Well take a look at the evening news, look at how many different churches there are on every corner and listen to all the TV preachers who want you to send money to the Lord but give their address. Look at all the crime and violence in our city streets and the mess our government continually stays in. History repeats itself. Rome was once a mighty empire but lust greed and lack of conviction brought it to its knees. Are we on that same road?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Part Two of Old Paths
Returning to Old paths is getting longer so I have put it into parts here is part two.
Another path we are to walk down is the path of love. In fact this is a command. We are to love one another. Love your neighbor as yourself. Now that is a real hard thing to do. For if you are a Democrat how can you love a Republican and vise versa. In the Bible I find a clear-cut statement that is not hard to understand; hard to accept maybe, but not hard to understand. It is found in I John 4:20-21. It reads, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him That he loveth God love his brother also.”
I think many times we say we don’t understand the Bible simply because we don’t want to accept what it says. It has always been amusing to me to hear someone sing, O How I love Jesus on Sunday and on Monday cuss the person in the car in front of them on the way to work. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth, so says the apostle John.
The church today needs to return to the old path of compassion. There is not real compassion in the church today. Oh, I know someone will scream, “Look what we did for this one or that one”. But while that may be momentary compassion real compassion is caring for someone without thought of reward. I know a man who goes out of his way to help his neighbors. He watches their houses when they are gone, cares for their animals, and looks in on them if they are sick. He simply cares for people. This man is a rare and sadly a vanishing breed today. To my knowledge this man has never once thought of any reward or gain for himself. This is the kind of compassion that the church should have. Jesus wept when He saw the multitude that had come to listen to Him preach without bringing a lunch. So He fed them. I laugh when on Sunday morning the preacher is inspired by the Lord and starts to run over the pre appointed stopping time that the multitude start to get hungry and are sure they will lose their place in the food line, or serious malnutrition effects will attack their bodies. It’s long about this time that compassion for the lost or what the Lord has to say is replaced by the passion for a steak, and, “We need to talk to that preacher for keeping us in church so long”. If the church only had compassion for the lost and for those who might have come seeking help from the Lord, Oh what a place the church would be if the membership were on fire for the Lord you couldn’t run them off. But today we only have the church open four hours a week. I guess people don’t need God the other 164 hours that week. I remember right after I got saved I couldn’t get enough of the Word. The only place I knew to get it was at the church. So every time the doors were open I was there. I was hungry. I later found out the meals I was receiving were not as wholesome as they appeared. I’m still hungry, but now my meals are harder to come by. When Jesus was preaching people came from all over the territory to hear Him. Well you say He was the Lord sure people would come to hear Him. He is still the Lord yet few come to hear what He has to say. Fewer still truly believe what He is saying. He had something to offer those on the hillside, bread and fish. Yes but He also had something they all wanted, the truth. He still offers that today. People are just not as hungry.
Today what most want is the bread and fish not the truth. I’ll bet if Jesus was to come to a hillside in your town and start to preach that very few would stop to hear him. In fact he would probably be asked to move on and to stop creating a traffic problem. He would not be very popular with those in authority.
Especially the religious authority, but then He wasn’t popular with authority when He did speak on a hillside outside Jerusalem. So I guess not much has changed. People still are hungrier for steak than they are for the Word.
Tune in next week for part three.
Another path we are to walk down is the path of love. In fact this is a command. We are to love one another. Love your neighbor as yourself. Now that is a real hard thing to do. For if you are a Democrat how can you love a Republican and vise versa. In the Bible I find a clear-cut statement that is not hard to understand; hard to accept maybe, but not hard to understand. It is found in I John 4:20-21. It reads, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him That he loveth God love his brother also.”
I think many times we say we don’t understand the Bible simply because we don’t want to accept what it says. It has always been amusing to me to hear someone sing, O How I love Jesus on Sunday and on Monday cuss the person in the car in front of them on the way to work. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth, so says the apostle John.
The church today needs to return to the old path of compassion. There is not real compassion in the church today. Oh, I know someone will scream, “Look what we did for this one or that one”. But while that may be momentary compassion real compassion is caring for someone without thought of reward. I know a man who goes out of his way to help his neighbors. He watches their houses when they are gone, cares for their animals, and looks in on them if they are sick. He simply cares for people. This man is a rare and sadly a vanishing breed today. To my knowledge this man has never once thought of any reward or gain for himself. This is the kind of compassion that the church should have. Jesus wept when He saw the multitude that had come to listen to Him preach without bringing a lunch. So He fed them. I laugh when on Sunday morning the preacher is inspired by the Lord and starts to run over the pre appointed stopping time that the multitude start to get hungry and are sure they will lose their place in the food line, or serious malnutrition effects will attack their bodies. It’s long about this time that compassion for the lost or what the Lord has to say is replaced by the passion for a steak, and, “We need to talk to that preacher for keeping us in church so long”. If the church only had compassion for the lost and for those who might have come seeking help from the Lord, Oh what a place the church would be if the membership were on fire for the Lord you couldn’t run them off. But today we only have the church open four hours a week. I guess people don’t need God the other 164 hours that week. I remember right after I got saved I couldn’t get enough of the Word. The only place I knew to get it was at the church. So every time the doors were open I was there. I was hungry. I later found out the meals I was receiving were not as wholesome as they appeared. I’m still hungry, but now my meals are harder to come by. When Jesus was preaching people came from all over the territory to hear Him. Well you say He was the Lord sure people would come to hear Him. He is still the Lord yet few come to hear what He has to say. Fewer still truly believe what He is saying. He had something to offer those on the hillside, bread and fish. Yes but He also had something they all wanted, the truth. He still offers that today. People are just not as hungry.
Today what most want is the bread and fish not the truth. I’ll bet if Jesus was to come to a hillside in your town and start to preach that very few would stop to hear him. In fact he would probably be asked to move on and to stop creating a traffic problem. He would not be very popular with those in authority.
Especially the religious authority, but then He wasn’t popular with authority when He did speak on a hillside outside Jerusalem. So I guess not much has changed. People still are hungrier for steak than they are for the Word.
Tune in next week for part three.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Following the Old Paths
Here is Chapter 5 This is a bit longer and I will make it a two part article. Part one this week Part 2 next week.
CHAPTER 5 FOLLOWING IN THE OLD PATHS
Our Heavenly Father we ask you to be present and speak to the heart. This one who reads is seeking your guidance and loving care. Send the Holy Spirit to heal any hurt and show how much you care and love us. We know Lord that you have given each special gift for a specific purpose. Thank you Lord for caring enough to listen as our hearts seek you and loving enough to send your only son to die for our sins. In Jesus name we ask all things.
“He sure is old fashioned.” “ He needs to get with it.” That is what I overheard a group of young people saying about an elderly gentleman at the mall just the other day. All he did was say hello and wish them a good day. All they could think of was “He is just a dirty old man.”
“Hath a nation changed their Gods, which are yet no Gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.”
Jeremiah 2:11-13
If you will read the story in the book of Jeremiah you will find the nation of Israel was is a bad state. Look epically at verses 7 & 8 of chapter 2 and you will see a picture not unlike the church today.
Verse 8 gives a clear picture of the church today. “The priest said not, Where is the Lord? And they that handled the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.”
The church today is in a backslidden condition. In Jeremiah 6:16 the Bible says that the tribe of Judah was also in a backslidden condition. I would like to draw some parallels between the two. In verse 13 of Jeremiah 6 Judah is accused of being overtaken with covetousness. This appears to be a wide spread problem as the Bible says it is from the least to the greatest. Now the church today is in a like condition as there are among the membership those who are overtaken with covetousness for the material things, the spectacular things, and the things which draw attention to ones self. This is evidenced from the pulpit to the back pew. There are preachers who only preach for the sensationalism and the money. There are members who only attend a certain church because it’s “good for business.” The politicians of Judah’s day were screaming peace, peace when there was no peace. What is being said today? Peace talks here, there and everywhere. In fact it kind of rings of a passage in Matthew 24, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...” Everywhere you look there is talk of peace but there is no peace. Do you suppose God is trying to tell us something? Judah’s morality must have been an issue with the Lord as He said they were not ashamed after they had committed an abomination. The US today has the morals of an alley cat. She is not ashamed of how her citizens act in public. I remember a time when someone said a four-letter word someone would be embarrassed and blush red. Not today, that kind of language is the norm, even among women. Judah was instructed in verse 16 of Jeremiah chapter 6 to look to the old paths or the old ways of doing things. Boy would that not set well with the yuppie crowd today. Go back to the old ways, what are you crazy. I didn’t say this was going to be popular, just right. What are some of the old ways? Well for one we should return to the path of prayer. Prayer is the most powerful tool we as Christians possess. If it wasn’t why do you suppose those who are at risk ask for prayer? Take note of whom they ask for prayer. It is not the president, the congress or any political leader. Who then gets this request? It is those who have shown they have God’s ear. If you don’t believe in prayer don’t get on the bad side of someone who has God’s ear. I think mothers have a corner on the market of prayer. If ever there was a group who prayed more successfully for others it is mothers. Guess what God listens to them.
What is prayer? It is nothing more than talking to your heavenly father, talking with your heart not your head. That is if you have a heavenly father. Some don’t, as they are not saved, born again as it were. Jesus explained it this way when He said, “Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” Matt.7:7-8. Now that’s not too hard to understand. Sounds pretty straightforward to me.
If you will examine the early church you will find that they were a praying church. The first church was started with prayer and continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread and prayers. Now doesn’t it seem strange that if the first church was a praying church then the church of today should be a praying church? That doesn’t mean having the pastor open and close with a prayer. It means that the entire church should be in a prostrate position before God exhorting Him with their petitions. Many think they have prayed simply by bowing their heads when someone recites a prayer and then they say amen. However, I feel the prayers of many are hollow. Kind of sounds like tinkling cymbals or breaking glass.
Judah was instructed to harken to the watchman set over them. Now that is a strange thing for God to tell these people. You must pay attention to the preacher. The one to whom I have spoken and given direction, the one I have called. What a strange concept. Actually He said “Harken to the sound of the trumpet.” What the Lord is saying is that they as well as we are to pay attention to the warnings. Okay but who is giving the warnings? It should be by the local pastor, not the TV evangelist or money preacher, but the one, who God has called, and is speaking to, directing and blessing. We are not to question the warning just obey them. If you came upon a sign in the road that said, “Danger Bridge Out Ahead”, and a policeman was directing traffic onto an alternate route would you tell the policeman you didn’t have to listen to him as he was just trying to make your trip harder. It’s doubtful you would do or say such a thing. Yet when God sends messages to His watchmen and they give out clear warnings why don’t we listen? Why do we crucify the messenger?
CHAPTER 5 FOLLOWING IN THE OLD PATHS
Our Heavenly Father we ask you to be present and speak to the heart. This one who reads is seeking your guidance and loving care. Send the Holy Spirit to heal any hurt and show how much you care and love us. We know Lord that you have given each special gift for a specific purpose. Thank you Lord for caring enough to listen as our hearts seek you and loving enough to send your only son to die for our sins. In Jesus name we ask all things.
“He sure is old fashioned.” “ He needs to get with it.” That is what I overheard a group of young people saying about an elderly gentleman at the mall just the other day. All he did was say hello and wish them a good day. All they could think of was “He is just a dirty old man.”
“Hath a nation changed their Gods, which are yet no Gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.”
Jeremiah 2:11-13
If you will read the story in the book of Jeremiah you will find the nation of Israel was is a bad state. Look epically at verses 7 & 8 of chapter 2 and you will see a picture not unlike the church today.
Verse 8 gives a clear picture of the church today. “The priest said not, Where is the Lord? And they that handled the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.”
The church today is in a backslidden condition. In Jeremiah 6:16 the Bible says that the tribe of Judah was also in a backslidden condition. I would like to draw some parallels between the two. In verse 13 of Jeremiah 6 Judah is accused of being overtaken with covetousness. This appears to be a wide spread problem as the Bible says it is from the least to the greatest. Now the church today is in a like condition as there are among the membership those who are overtaken with covetousness for the material things, the spectacular things, and the things which draw attention to ones self. This is evidenced from the pulpit to the back pew. There are preachers who only preach for the sensationalism and the money. There are members who only attend a certain church because it’s “good for business.” The politicians of Judah’s day were screaming peace, peace when there was no peace. What is being said today? Peace talks here, there and everywhere. In fact it kind of rings of a passage in Matthew 24, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...” Everywhere you look there is talk of peace but there is no peace. Do you suppose God is trying to tell us something? Judah’s morality must have been an issue with the Lord as He said they were not ashamed after they had committed an abomination. The US today has the morals of an alley cat. She is not ashamed of how her citizens act in public. I remember a time when someone said a four-letter word someone would be embarrassed and blush red. Not today, that kind of language is the norm, even among women. Judah was instructed in verse 16 of Jeremiah chapter 6 to look to the old paths or the old ways of doing things. Boy would that not set well with the yuppie crowd today. Go back to the old ways, what are you crazy. I didn’t say this was going to be popular, just right. What are some of the old ways? Well for one we should return to the path of prayer. Prayer is the most powerful tool we as Christians possess. If it wasn’t why do you suppose those who are at risk ask for prayer? Take note of whom they ask for prayer. It is not the president, the congress or any political leader. Who then gets this request? It is those who have shown they have God’s ear. If you don’t believe in prayer don’t get on the bad side of someone who has God’s ear. I think mothers have a corner on the market of prayer. If ever there was a group who prayed more successfully for others it is mothers. Guess what God listens to them.
What is prayer? It is nothing more than talking to your heavenly father, talking with your heart not your head. That is if you have a heavenly father. Some don’t, as they are not saved, born again as it were. Jesus explained it this way when He said, “Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” Matt.7:7-8. Now that’s not too hard to understand. Sounds pretty straightforward to me.
If you will examine the early church you will find that they were a praying church. The first church was started with prayer and continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread and prayers. Now doesn’t it seem strange that if the first church was a praying church then the church of today should be a praying church? That doesn’t mean having the pastor open and close with a prayer. It means that the entire church should be in a prostrate position before God exhorting Him with their petitions. Many think they have prayed simply by bowing their heads when someone recites a prayer and then they say amen. However, I feel the prayers of many are hollow. Kind of sounds like tinkling cymbals or breaking glass.
Judah was instructed to harken to the watchman set over them. Now that is a strange thing for God to tell these people. You must pay attention to the preacher. The one to whom I have spoken and given direction, the one I have called. What a strange concept. Actually He said “Harken to the sound of the trumpet.” What the Lord is saying is that they as well as we are to pay attention to the warnings. Okay but who is giving the warnings? It should be by the local pastor, not the TV evangelist or money preacher, but the one, who God has called, and is speaking to, directing and blessing. We are not to question the warning just obey them. If you came upon a sign in the road that said, “Danger Bridge Out Ahead”, and a policeman was directing traffic onto an alternate route would you tell the policeman you didn’t have to listen to him as he was just trying to make your trip harder. It’s doubtful you would do or say such a thing. Yet when God sends messages to His watchmen and they give out clear warnings why don’t we listen? Why do we crucify the messenger?
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Road Building
CHAPTER 4 ROAD BUILDING
Our Heavenly Father we ask you to be present and speak to the heart. This one who reads is seeking your guidance and loving care. Send the Holy Spirit to heal any hurt and show how much you care and love us. We know Lord that you have given each special gift for a specific purpose. Thank you Lord for caring enough to listen as our hearts seek you and loving enough to send your only son to die for our sins. In Jesus name we ask all things.
To go anywhere we need roads. The ease with which we travel on those roads depends on how well the roads have been constructed. It is clear that every step we take in this life has the potential to become a super highway or a dead end. I like to think that we are all road builders and the roads we leave behind have an influence on someone, whether it is our neighbor or our children. Our roads are made up of our attitudes and actions. It is possible then that our attitudes or actions will become habits, which could help or destroy any who follow on our road. It is safe to say that the smallest track has the potential to lead someone safely home or into the ditch. As I began to look into the road building process I saw there were several types of roads being built. Some were being built with good intentions, some with indifference, some with no regard for safety and many with no pride of ownership. I began to look at how roads were built and I began to see some parallels with our lives. Were the roads smooth and straight? Did they have good foundations? Were there adequate warning signs to point out the hazards?
Did the road have a strong foundation? Anything, which is built, must have a strong foundation or it will not withstand the storms, which are cast against it. Any road we build must have a good roadbed, strong and sure to maintain its load. That roadbed must be built with God directed doctrine not with man-made tradition. It must be built with solid rock not with wood hay and stubble. It must be built with faith in God not with faith in Wall Street. With Jesus not with man made ideals. Our roads must also be straight. They must go directly to the planned destination, not wander aimlessly in all directions. In this age of high-speed travel our roads must be smooth and free of potholes. Other wise those who follow might find it difficult to travel on our roads.
Why should we be so concerned about the roads we leave behind? Because you can be sure someone will follow you down the road you build. That someone might be a child or it might be a friend or some unknown stranger seeking shelter. While we might not have problems traveling down our road some that follow may be lame or weak. They may not have the self-confidence, and be as sure-footed as we. Some may be slow walkers and not be able to travel in the fast lane. Others may be dim of vision and not be able to see the warning signs posted. They might miss the curves and pit falls. A wreck on this interstate could be devastating to someone who cannot see. Some travelers on our roads will be children. Are our roads safe for a child to walk on? Is the road you leave behind a road you are proud of? Are they roads you would want your children or grandchildren to travel down? Are the signs we post on our highway clear to point out the dangers? Is the highway well lit so as to guide a wandering traveler? Or are you just hoping that those who follow will not stumble and fall off the road. Or do you even care if anyone travels down your road? While we can’t go back and correct the problems with the roads we have already built we can begin to construct good sound and safe roadways for future travel. We cannot know how others will travel down our roads or if they will reach their destination, but we can leave a road which will give those that do follow a chance to miss some of the pitfalls and difficulties we have faced. While we cannot know the destination of those who follow we can provide a map, which will at least give them some direction. It is our responsibility to provide a map, which points in the right direction. It is the responsibility of those who follow to use the map.
A State gains a reputation by the quality of the roads, which cross its boundaries. So too a person is known by the road they leave behind. It is also said that a person is known by the road they travel. Does the road you are building lead into darkness without any warning signs or light? Is your road built with a strong foundation? Is it smooth and straight? Is the road you are traveling down one you would want someone else to follow? Remember how you build your road could mean the difference in someone’s life. It could even mean someone’s life.
As I travel along the highways of our country I am reminded of a road in the Bible that has a strange resemblance to the road of life. It is the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. I think we could draw some comparisons not only to our lives but also to the life of the church. In the story of the road from Jerusalem to Jericho one could either travel up or down depending on where you wanted to go. Today people can either go up or down the road it’s their choice. When people leave the lofty place of conviction, high standards, moral purity and Godliness they choose to go down the road. There are examples in the Bible of those who chose to go down the road. David chose to go down the road of lust and the price he had to pay was extreme. Samson chose to go down the road of desire and it cost him dearly. The prodigal son chose to go down the road of materialism and it cost him his material goods. Young people today are throwing aside the standards and principles, which made our country great and are choosing to go down the same road, which brought an end to the cities of Sodom and Gomorra, the Roman Empire and many other prominent World societies. Churches too have chosen to go down a road of indifference and non-involvement. Preachers have chosen the road of popularity and fame. Our nation has chosen to go down a road, which is void of the lofty values, which has sustained us for over two hundred years. Politicians have chosen the road of party rather than the road of conscience. The road all have chosen is a dangerous road. Just like the road from Jerusalem to Jericho it is filled with robbers and bandits who lurk along the roadside to catch the unsuspecting traveler, whether it be child or adult. The devil has been pictured as a thief and as a thief he does not want anyone to know where he is or what he is doing. Like the robbers on the Jericho road the devil is heartless. He will leave you bleeding and hurting. He is deceptive and often times he will appear as just another traveler on the road. As with the traveler on the Jericho road who fell among thieves you too will be stopped, stripped, and left for dead. You will loose your good name; your material goods and you could even loose your life. Because we don’t want to get involved our kids are being stripped of values we once held dear and men fought and died to keep, values that molded this country into a great nation. Why, because we don’t want to get involved. We are a nation of thinkers yet we will let someone else think for us when it comes to morality and what is right and wrong. We don’t want to get involved with our neighbors, the church, or the community unless there is something in it for us. As we look at the traveler on the Jericho road we find he was hurt and left for dead. We too will be hurt? Sin always hurts. Always has always will! Our traveler was helpless. Just like him the world will leave you. Religion will leave you, much like the Levite who passed by on the other side. Politics will leave you. Wall Street will leave you. Jesus is the only one who will not leave you. He will lift you up and bind your wounds and give the innkeeper money to take care of you. He will also come back and look in on you to see if you are all right. Preachers won’t do that, church members won’t do that, politicians sure won’t do that and it’s a sure bet the world won’t do that. With the moral decay running rampant in our country we could soon be fighting a war within our borders. If the United States is to be defeated it will have to be defeated from within. If we continue down the road of indifference, immorality, and non-convection we will one day come to a very sudden and harsh end to our road. So then we are faced with a choice of which way we are to travel up the road to God or down the road to destruction. It’s our choice.
Our Heavenly Father we ask you to be present and speak to the heart. This one who reads is seeking your guidance and loving care. Send the Holy Spirit to heal any hurt and show how much you care and love us. We know Lord that you have given each special gift for a specific purpose. Thank you Lord for caring enough to listen as our hearts seek you and loving enough to send your only son to die for our sins. In Jesus name we ask all things.
To go anywhere we need roads. The ease with which we travel on those roads depends on how well the roads have been constructed. It is clear that every step we take in this life has the potential to become a super highway or a dead end. I like to think that we are all road builders and the roads we leave behind have an influence on someone, whether it is our neighbor or our children. Our roads are made up of our attitudes and actions. It is possible then that our attitudes or actions will become habits, which could help or destroy any who follow on our road. It is safe to say that the smallest track has the potential to lead someone safely home or into the ditch. As I began to look into the road building process I saw there were several types of roads being built. Some were being built with good intentions, some with indifference, some with no regard for safety and many with no pride of ownership. I began to look at how roads were built and I began to see some parallels with our lives. Were the roads smooth and straight? Did they have good foundations? Were there adequate warning signs to point out the hazards?
Did the road have a strong foundation? Anything, which is built, must have a strong foundation or it will not withstand the storms, which are cast against it. Any road we build must have a good roadbed, strong and sure to maintain its load. That roadbed must be built with God directed doctrine not with man-made tradition. It must be built with solid rock not with wood hay and stubble. It must be built with faith in God not with faith in Wall Street. With Jesus not with man made ideals. Our roads must also be straight. They must go directly to the planned destination, not wander aimlessly in all directions. In this age of high-speed travel our roads must be smooth and free of potholes. Other wise those who follow might find it difficult to travel on our roads.
Why should we be so concerned about the roads we leave behind? Because you can be sure someone will follow you down the road you build. That someone might be a child or it might be a friend or some unknown stranger seeking shelter. While we might not have problems traveling down our road some that follow may be lame or weak. They may not have the self-confidence, and be as sure-footed as we. Some may be slow walkers and not be able to travel in the fast lane. Others may be dim of vision and not be able to see the warning signs posted. They might miss the curves and pit falls. A wreck on this interstate could be devastating to someone who cannot see. Some travelers on our roads will be children. Are our roads safe for a child to walk on? Is the road you leave behind a road you are proud of? Are they roads you would want your children or grandchildren to travel down? Are the signs we post on our highway clear to point out the dangers? Is the highway well lit so as to guide a wandering traveler? Or are you just hoping that those who follow will not stumble and fall off the road. Or do you even care if anyone travels down your road? While we can’t go back and correct the problems with the roads we have already built we can begin to construct good sound and safe roadways for future travel. We cannot know how others will travel down our roads or if they will reach their destination, but we can leave a road which will give those that do follow a chance to miss some of the pitfalls and difficulties we have faced. While we cannot know the destination of those who follow we can provide a map, which will at least give them some direction. It is our responsibility to provide a map, which points in the right direction. It is the responsibility of those who follow to use the map.
A State gains a reputation by the quality of the roads, which cross its boundaries. So too a person is known by the road they leave behind. It is also said that a person is known by the road they travel. Does the road you are building lead into darkness without any warning signs or light? Is your road built with a strong foundation? Is it smooth and straight? Is the road you are traveling down one you would want someone else to follow? Remember how you build your road could mean the difference in someone’s life. It could even mean someone’s life.
As I travel along the highways of our country I am reminded of a road in the Bible that has a strange resemblance to the road of life. It is the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. I think we could draw some comparisons not only to our lives but also to the life of the church. In the story of the road from Jerusalem to Jericho one could either travel up or down depending on where you wanted to go. Today people can either go up or down the road it’s their choice. When people leave the lofty place of conviction, high standards, moral purity and Godliness they choose to go down the road. There are examples in the Bible of those who chose to go down the road. David chose to go down the road of lust and the price he had to pay was extreme. Samson chose to go down the road of desire and it cost him dearly. The prodigal son chose to go down the road of materialism and it cost him his material goods. Young people today are throwing aside the standards and principles, which made our country great and are choosing to go down the same road, which brought an end to the cities of Sodom and Gomorra, the Roman Empire and many other prominent World societies. Churches too have chosen to go down a road of indifference and non-involvement. Preachers have chosen the road of popularity and fame. Our nation has chosen to go down a road, which is void of the lofty values, which has sustained us for over two hundred years. Politicians have chosen the road of party rather than the road of conscience. The road all have chosen is a dangerous road. Just like the road from Jerusalem to Jericho it is filled with robbers and bandits who lurk along the roadside to catch the unsuspecting traveler, whether it be child or adult. The devil has been pictured as a thief and as a thief he does not want anyone to know where he is or what he is doing. Like the robbers on the Jericho road the devil is heartless. He will leave you bleeding and hurting. He is deceptive and often times he will appear as just another traveler on the road. As with the traveler on the Jericho road who fell among thieves you too will be stopped, stripped, and left for dead. You will loose your good name; your material goods and you could even loose your life. Because we don’t want to get involved our kids are being stripped of values we once held dear and men fought and died to keep, values that molded this country into a great nation. Why, because we don’t want to get involved. We are a nation of thinkers yet we will let someone else think for us when it comes to morality and what is right and wrong. We don’t want to get involved with our neighbors, the church, or the community unless there is something in it for us. As we look at the traveler on the Jericho road we find he was hurt and left for dead. We too will be hurt? Sin always hurts. Always has always will! Our traveler was helpless. Just like him the world will leave you. Religion will leave you, much like the Levite who passed by on the other side. Politics will leave you. Wall Street will leave you. Jesus is the only one who will not leave you. He will lift you up and bind your wounds and give the innkeeper money to take care of you. He will also come back and look in on you to see if you are all right. Preachers won’t do that, church members won’t do that, politicians sure won’t do that and it’s a sure bet the world won’t do that. With the moral decay running rampant in our country we could soon be fighting a war within our borders. If the United States is to be defeated it will have to be defeated from within. If we continue down the road of indifference, immorality, and non-convection we will one day come to a very sudden and harsh end to our road. So then we are faced with a choice of which way we are to travel up the road to God or down the road to destruction. It’s our choice.
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