Becoming a Wise Guy

Matthew 10:16  “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. I usually have a smart remark for just about anything, in fact, growing up, my mother would say, "don't be such a wise guy."  But it has always been a part of my nature to make wise cracks.  Today I still enjoy doing it, but people around me like my wife, think my wise cracking ways are much too sarcastic. When you think about being as wise as a serpent,what does that look like, and why did Jesus use the serpent to draw his conclusions about being wise?  Good question.  Serpents are wise when it comes to waiting patiently, often in the shadows until the time is right to strike their prey. Serpents strike decisively, and without hesitation, almost methodical in their their approach. In fact, the dictionary defines the word this way: a sly or treacherous person, esp. one who exploits a position of trust in order to betray it.        Do you think Jesus was referring to this kind of description when telling us to be as wise as a serpent?  I think His intention is to describe the technique of wisdom, so we are not easily fooled by the opposition.  For instance, the Devil did not understand the truth about the cross, I think it was Satans intention to trap Jesus, thinking he would defeat Jesus and the Jews by having them kill Him.  1 Corinthians 2:8  None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. I believe there was a shrewdness about Jesus that kept His enemies off base and guessing what His next move would be.  Prophecy is a shewd way of disguising the plan of God.  He tells you just enough, to know that He is in control of His coming again, and gives us some signs of when it will take place, but doesn't give us exact dates or specific details.  Why you ask?  I think it's because God knows human nature, that people who think they have all the answers, can and do become proud and arrogant.  The Pharisees thought like that, they thought they had figured God out, and therefore took advantage of people by their knowledge. God on the other hand requires faith to operate in truth. There is no human ability, or activity that can force God to show His hand.  God is not our puppet.  He is patiently waiting for all people to come to the knowledge of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because He wants no one to perish.  2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. So the shrewdness of God's patience is for all to have a chance to know Him, and be saved.   Being shrewd means we wait patiently for the opportunity, as God does, to bring truth to bear on people who most desperately need it.  Being shrewd is being a wise guy.   Keeping it honest and truthful....K

The Ten Suggestions

The Ten Commandments

1. You shall have no other Gods but me.
2. You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Respect your father and mother.
6. You must not kill.
7. You must not commit adultery.
8. You must not steal.
9. You must not give false evidence against your neighbour.
10. You must not be envious of your neighbour's goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbour.

 Are these ten commandments or suggestions?  Many people would summarize these ten as suggestions, or at least they live like they are suggestions.  As a society, we still live by number 6 and 8, so we are down to upholding two of the ten as supportable by our culture. So whatever happened to the other eight?  Today's world supports the freedom to worship anything, or have the liberty not to worship, so the first four commandments are exchanged out for the narcissistic behavior in culture.  We know for sure, that self is definitely the most desired commodity to adore. Commandment 5, 7, 8, and 10 are relational, and are subject to how I see myself, and the goals in my life.  If I want to get  ahead in life and fulfill all my personal dreams and desires, then these relational commandments need to be used to my advantage. Which ultimately means they will be broken and ignored.

So, what does that say about these commandments?  Well, I would say they have turned into suggestions, and are not taken seriously by most people. If you're religious, you might uphold a few more, but overall, even the religious break most of them.  So what happens when commandments turn into suggestions, and are largely ignored? Simple, people live with the consequences of living outside of God's protection, and provision.  You see these Ten Commandments were not designed by God to keep us from being free, but they were designed to protect ourselves against ourselves.  These ten were designed by God to help us put simple rules for life into play that would protect our loved ones, and society as a whole, against human nature which is prone to be harmful and self absorbing. It's that simple.  Of course these ten commandments will work so much better if you believe there is a God, and these are His Commandments.  When God got replaced by the rules of culture, these commandments became suggestions, and the ramifications of this paradigm shift was that our culture became a more dangerous environment for everyone. 

So, there you have it. Treating these 10 commandments as suggestions has created a more dangerous social environment, but we are still determined to remove these Commandments from our court buildings, and public places because they have become offensive.  The very standard we need to have a safer and more civil world has become offensive. Go figure!

Keeping it honest and truthful...K

Boy Scouts vs The Southern Baptists

HOUSTON –  The nation's largest Protestant denomination stopped short of calling for its member churches to boycott the Boy Scouts, but voiced strong opposition to acceptance of gay scouts - with a top church leader predicting at the annual gathering of Southern Baptists that a "mass exodus" of youths from the program that has been a rite of passage for more than a century.

The move by the Southern Baptist Convention came at its annual, four-day meeting in Houston, and three weeks after the Boy Scouts of America voted to allow gay youth to join.  With more than two-thirds of Boy Scout troops sponsored by religious organizations, and Baptists being the nation's largest protestant denomination, the resolution could have a crippling effect on the Boy Scouts.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/12/southern-baptists-expected-to-address-boy-scouts-homosexuality-decision-at/?test=latestnews#ixzz2W5tOn6d0

What happened anyway to the Boy Scouts leadership?  They were against allowing gays to join their organziation, then all of a sudden they caved to the pressure of this gay agenda. Why is this national organization risking what it has built since 1910?  Since that time, more than 110 million Americans have been members of the Boy Scouts of America.  Presently there are 2.7 million youth members, and over 1 million adult volunteers, so why risk all of this in order to be politically correct?  If  2/3 of the sponsorship are churches, they will see a mass exodus as noted by the Southern Baptists.  

If you think it's going badly for the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts are much further down the road. 

Their liberal ideology drives everything – from program materials to themes to partnerships – even their view of leadership.

It’s who they are. And it’s who the Girl Scouts organization has become.

A few examples tell the story.

A pro-abortion bias

The Girl Scouts imagines itself the “thought leader and voice for and of” American girls. But the only “voice” the Scouts hear is a liberal one. The Girl Scouts’ own research shows that the voice of American youth is strongly pro-life: just nine percent of 7th through 12th graders would advocate for abortion if a friend sought advice on an unexpected pregnancy. And only 25% believe it’s “all right” to have an abortion when a baby seriously disrupts life plans.

But the GSUSA refuses to allow pro-life advocacy to count towards badge work or program requirements, even within faith-based religious recognition programs. It’s “not an option,” they say. Yet their leadership program objectives consider advocacy for “reproductive health” in school or neighborhood as a sign that a Scout has mastered the desired advocacy skills.

In addition, the Girl Scouts’ curriculum ("Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy") instructs girls to explore five pro-abortion advocacy organizations, including the Population Council, to see “where and how they are promoting change.” Pro-life advocacy groups? None.

The pro-abortion bias reflects the core convictions of the Girl Scouts’ National Leadership Team and Board of Directors. These individuals, who frame and implement the Girl Scouts’ mission, maintain tight connections with Planned Parenthood, other abortion advocates, and foundations that support them.

The new normal: homosexuality and sexual promiscuity

Pro-life views are not the only ones given short shrift by the Girl Scouts. Traditional sexual morality takes a hit, while lesbians enjoy good press in required Girl Scout materials. These books – the “Journeys” series – generally push global environmentalism from a feminist slant; certain books go further, normalizing homosexuality and degrading sexual behavior.                                                          -Catholic News Agency

What can I say?  The influence of the gay agenda is penetrating everywhere, and it is evil. By just saying that means to some I have become a hater, a bigot, denying people their rights to be sexually oriented as they choose. I don't have a problem with people choosing to be gay, but it doesn't stop there does it? No, and it never will.  It will continue to be perpetrated into every fiber of society demanding it's rights and forcing organizations like the Boy Scouts to bend a knee to its demands. Sounds harsh?  Get use to it, we have only seen the beginning of this infiltration of this evil. Yes evil, stop being politically correct with something that God calls evil. 

So why do I say evil?  Because God does, and there is no scriptural way to deny God's condemnation of a practice He calls an abomination. 

Leviticus 18:22  22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. Leviticus 20:13  13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. Abomination defined: a thing that causes disgust or hatred: .• a feeling of hatred:  God hates?  Well, if He called the act of homosexuality an abomination, then He hates it's practice. Opps, I forgot, haters are not allowed in our politically correct world....sorry God.... Keeping it honest and truthful.....K

Prepare To Be a Witness

Matthew 10:16-18 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.  17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,  18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. What a great admonition by Jesus to His disciples, be wise and innocent from causing shame to the name of Christ.  Your retaliation will come when you stand before the authorities, or those who are accusing you, and then you will be able to be a witness to your faith in Christ.  This is an interesting twist to being persecuted. You will be brought before the courts of the land to be a witness.  Your faith will pull you before the courts of public opinion, solely because it is in conflict with the immoral laws of government.  It is not a time to back down, and it is not about scoring a political victory against the  immorality of same sex marriage or abortion, but it is to win the right to speak on behalf of the gospel.  As a Christian, our sole responsibility is to speak the truth of the gospel at all costs with no compromise or fear of retaliation. The courts will continue to intimidate the Church and its stand on gay rights for example, but we need to be wise, and innocent in how we respond.  God loves gay people, He loves murderers, thieves, sexual predators and the like, because God loves sinners.  This was the reason that he died upon the cross, not for the righteous, but for all unrighteous, including the sexual sins of the gay community. Jesus doesn't pick out one sin over the other, it's all the same to Him, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  The greatest witness we can give to the world, is the hope we have in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. His free gift of eternal life is our way out from the horrendous horror of God's wrath. People don't get it, the church doesn't get it, preachers don't get it, because they have been inundated with the message God is love for so many years, that the wrath of God escapes them, both in their theology and in their preaching. Of course God is love, but the opposite is true too, God is a God of wrath. He will judge the world according to what they have done with His free gift of the gospel, and if they are found to have ignore it, persecuted it, tormented it, or redefined it, they will understand the God of wrath.  The wrath of God, by the way, is not only Old Testament, the New Testament tells us how to escape the wrath too. Romans 5:9  9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. The wrath of God come upon those who exercise their right to live morally free, and ignore God's grace and mercy of the cross. Ephesians 5:6  6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. God's desire, His plan, His will is for none to perish, but for all to come into the gospel of grace and mercy. He does not delight in the death of the wicked, because He knows the fate that beholds them. 1 Thessalonians 5:9  9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, I started out to explain that persecution will come to those who are faithful to the gospel. However, the silver lining in that persecution, is that you will get the chance to tell your story and the story of the gospel as a witness to your persecutors and the world they serve.  Prepare to be a witness. Keeping it honest and truthful....K

When New WineSkins are Required

Matthew 9-16-17

6 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.  17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

What does a wineskin have to do with anything spiritual?  

It is a great illustration Jesus was teaching about the need for change. You can't take a life that lives for self, lives immorally, or lives shamefully, and expect to live for God as well.  The two are not compatible, and  Jesus used a common sense illustration from His day that speaks to it.  Wine makers know that you can't trust an old wineskin with new wine, you just don't want to take a risk that the old wineskin would break and burst destroying the product of the new wine.

That is why there is the need for a change, a belief change that will bring everything new to being a new lifestyle that lives for believing in God. People who tried to sew their old lifestyle to Christ will not only find frustration, but they will make matters worst.  When I became a Christian in the early 70's my only friends were drug users who like to party and get high.  My own reference point for friendship was these old garments, and in order for me to succeed in my new found faith, I had to make a clean break from these friends.  Was it a hard thing to do? Of course, many of these people had become close to me, they had become my family, and to simply walk away was one of the hardest choices I had to make.  However, my lifestyle had to change, and it would only do so if I put my new life of faith into a new wineskin. 

Crazy?  Sure, to some, but to me, it was a lifeline. Forty some odd years later, I never regretted the day my wineskin changed. That decision not to sew my old life to my new life is Christ gave me the foundational change that helped me succeed in breaking away from the people and ideas that were only slowly killing my will to live. In fact, several of my friends did ended up dying due to their lifestyles.  

I thank God everyday for my new paradigm, no regrets on my part.  Someone said to me once, "but didn't you end up living a boring, uneventful life?"  No, in fact, my journey with Christ has brought me closer to understanding life from a perspective that gives me great satisfaction in living out each day.  When you know how the story of life will end up, you have the liberty to live out life to the fullest everyday.  You see, I took drugs to help me cope with a life of uncertainty, but in Christ, He is my certainty, so there is no fear, no shame, no need to medicate my life. 

A wineskin change may require some sacrifice on your part to make the kind of changes you need to live for Christ, but it is worth it. Nothing I have ever accomplished, and no dream that I have ever had, can compare to the new wineskin of Christ. 

Need help?  Start building your life upon the foundation of Christ and His words, and nothing will be able to destroy your purpose for living.  

Here are some words Jesus spoke that reinforces, our need to depend on Him. 

33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

13“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Keeping it honest and truthful...K