I subscribe to the news letter, News With Views and this article by Dave I found to be really on point. There are so many deceitful people around you these days, especially within the Christian memberships and modern day American Churches and it is so sickening. Judgment is needed and is surely coming and we are told it will be directed to the Churches first and upon those false shepherds who have lost their first love. If you know of any pastors, be sure they receive a copy of Dave,s article here.
February 22, 2007
NewsWithViews.com
Psalm 119:97-105 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
I never go bowling. I used to love to when I was younger, but being the competitor that I am I no longer enjoy it because the stinkin’ ball won’t go where I roll it. I remember when I used to roll 200 plus, but now when I go I struggle to break the century mark.
But a couple of weeks ago for a little family action I agreed to put on those ugly rented- shoes and enjoy a little time knocking down the pins. As I watched a young family a few lanes down I noticed a new way, at least new to me, of helping young kids keep the ball out of the gutters. It seems that someone came up with the idea of putting long, inflatable hot-dog-shaped tubes into the gutters so that when a young child rolled a ball off line, the inflatable bounced the ball back into the lane. No matter how lousy a roll the kids made, the ball always made it back towards the target. The game is much more fun when you hit what you aim at.
“Wow,” I thought to myself. “Bumper bowling, what a great concept. No matter how badly you miss the mark the bumpers gently nudge you back on line. I wish life was like that, with bumpers to guide us back on line.”
The Holy Spirit nudged me. “You have bumpers in life. They are called the Law of God. They are put there specifically to guide you back on-line when you have been misdirected. Unfortunately, you want to bowl through life without bumpers. They are always available, but you have to be willing to use them.”
The Laws of God are our bumpers in life. Oh how much better off we would all be if we used them.
For some reason in modern Christianity we have been taught that the Law is no longer important. “Jesus came to save us from the law,” I often hear. That is true, but we are also told in Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ…” Christian bumper bowling, that is what the law does for us. But we have rejected the law.
Jesus told us in Mathew 5:17-19 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Yep, the law is the bumper in the gutter. Why won’t we use it?
Just like our own spoiled kids towards our rules, we think that God has put rules into place to keep us from having fun. As a parent, did you make rules for your kids because you wanted to keep them from having fun, or did you make rules to protect them? God’s rules are the same. He wants us to enjoy life, but He wants to keep us out of the gutter.
How much better off America would be if our churches once again taught us to love the Law of God? Bowling is so much more fun when we keep the ball in the lane.
American Christianity is all about Grace. “Just as I am without one plea,” is the message most churches send. And that is true. Jesus does accept us as we are, He does long to deliver us out of the gutter. But why is it so many of those who have come to Christ have to be constantly rescued? It is because we won’t use the bumpers; in fact, we don’t think He wants us to.
When Jesus was asked about the most important commandment, he reduced them to two laws; that we would love the Lord with all of our hearts, and our neighbor as ourselves. Isn’t it interesting that He didn’t lower the bar, He raised it? He turned the law into a heart issue…. "if you even think it in your heart you are guilty." Did He tell us that to keep us from having fun or did He tell us that to keep us in the lane?
We need to love the Law of God. It makes us wiser than all of our enemies. But sadly, we have allowed our enemies to tell us that we no longer need bumpers and they sit back and watch as our children lie strewn in the gutters.
What if, first and foremost, our churches put aside all of the nonsense that currently passes as Christianity. What if we stopped preaching about prosperity, and blessings, and purpose in life, and the life enhancement Gospel? What if we once again brought back that “old time religion” and began to teach people to love God’s Law?
How about a Church where:
- Everyone strove to be honest in all of our dealings.
- No one tried to steal or take advantage of anyone.
- Everyone genuinely cared for and rooted for his brother.
- We taught our children to honor parents.
- We taught parents to raise their children in the fear of the Lord.
- We strove to be holy.
- We sought first the Kingdom of God.
- Where we served God rather than money.
- Where we expected people to do the right thing.
If we were to do that I think there would be a lot less people rolling around in the gutter.
A life without restraints is a dangerous life. No matter how old we get, no matter how free we think we are, no matter how holy we claim to be, we are always one decision away from the gutter.
Look around. America has lost her way. We have followed the lead of those who have told us that we are the masters of our own ship, the dealers of our own destiny, and that we have the right to follow our heart. Jeremiah warned us “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Proverbs 3:1-6 “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments… Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Can you imagine what America would be like if we all lived life like bumper-bowling?
The answer is easy. Can you do it? Can you mean it? Can you follow it? Can you say it?
“I love the law of God!”
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