The Ancient Paths1/5/2024 Jeremiah 6:16 ~ Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’" With the advancement of technology, most people now have a GPS in their vehicles (or on the phones) and find their way by the instruction of computerized voices based upon directions given by satellites a thousand miles above the earth. It didn't used to be that way. Once upon a time, in the distant reaches of the past, people actually looked at roadmaps and asked the locals for directions. And, surprisingly, they found that they could find their way based upon the knowledge of the neighbors. Otherwise, if you didn't trust the locals, you might find yourself quite lost and in need of help. One day, as I was navigating by GPS to find a local shop, the computer voice took me down the road and into the parking lot of another business. I reset it. Turned it off and on again. All effort on my part never corrected the GPS and I could not find the shop I needed--until I went in and talked with a local. Consider the text above, "ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is." The first thing I want you to see: there is a path to follow, a good way to travel, and it is the "ancient" one. The modern approach to the Christian life leaves much to be desired with its conformity to the trends of society. The "GPS" of the post-modern Christian life will direct you away from the good way and try to lead you toward a road that is self-focused, entertainment driven, audacious and proud. As one friend told me, "They seem to focus more on the clay than the potter." The ancient path, however, is sacrificial and humble. It is driven by a need to bring glory to God. It follows a road that is navigated by the Word of God and prayer. It is marked with the scars of faithfulness and it is a narrow and hard way to follow--and few there be that find it (see Matthew 7:13-14) There is also a need to "ask" for that way. Many have traveled the road ahead of you, walking by faith in Christ for years and have learned how to give good directions to those who are standing and looking. Go to them--and ask. Ask how to pray. Ask how to study God's word. Ask how to walk in loving obedience to Christ in your marriage, with your children and/or grandchildren. Ask how to be faithful with your local church. There are many things you can ask, and a good neighbor who is familiar with the road, will point you to God's "ancient" path of His word and show you how to walk. Then, if you want to experience the promise of "rest for your souls," you must walk it out. Give attention to that ancient path and step out by faith in obedience to the guidance of God's word. It is a light for your path (see Psalm 119:105). Do not be like those who said they would not walk in it. Don't trust any other way than the way of Christ through His word. The "GPS" directions of those who have a more modern view of the Christian faith will leave you walking away from the ancient path of God. So, my friends--stand, look and ask. And when the ancient path is presented you--step out and walk upon it. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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Illusions1/4/2024 2 Peter 2:19 ~ "They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved." I enjoy movies. I appreciate epic stories, with a powerful emphasis on some form of redemptive experience, that is expressed with well developed characters and a plot that carries through to the end. And to enjoy such a movie, you must have what storytellers call the "suspension of disbelief." In essence, you must be willing to separate your actual understanding from what is portrayed on the screen. In short, you have to--for the duration of the program--accept the illusion. Now, in truth, I don't believe that Mordor exists or that Scrooge encountered three ghosts of Christmas. However, I appreciate those stories and can, for the time it takes to watch them, suspend my disbelief for the enjoyment. What happens, though, when the illusion is more desirable than reality? Welcome to the trap. It is then that you become a slave to corruption. Let me explain through a couple of examples. The first one is a sin, the second is an activity that might become a sin. Hebrews 12:1 describes them as either a sin or a weight that has the potential to ensnare us. First: pornography. Do you know what is the illusion of that ensnaring medium? It is the illusion of being desired. Many people who turn to porn are driven there by their need to be desired. And on the screen are these sensual individuals telling the audience that they are desired. It is all a lie, but the audience buys it. Second: video games. What is the illusion there? Video games ensnare their captives through a sense of virtual accomplishment without ever any actual accomplishment. Those drawn to the need for a sense of victory or achievement get the strong sense of both as they go from level to level in the game. They don't actually do anything, but they feel like they did. Both of the scenarios above, and many more beside, make promises that are nothing more than lies. If you believe that the person on the other side of the screen actually desires you, you must regain your disbelief and remember that they don't even know you. If you think that you have achieved a great victory and advanced your life through a game, come back to reality for a moment and see that you've only lost hours and hours of life. With those two examples, I don't mean to merely attack those who are ensnared. I use them to illustrate the fact that in our lives there are so many illusions that captivate our minds and attentions that are, as Peter said above, promises which enslave. Other traps could be things like social media, binge-watching, alcohol, and many more--anything that gives the illusion of a thing without the actuality of it. But God is reality Himself. And knowing Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior is the ultimate grandeur of life. There is no "suspension of disbelief" needed, for everything Jesus has said or done is absolutely true. The Holy Scriptures reveal to us something far greater than the illusions of this world. And living by faithful obedience to the Word of God is the greatest occupation of our lives. Consider what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:18, "...as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." What are you looking toward to give you the sense of purpose, value, joy, freedom or accomplishment? In the illusions of this world you may think you've found promises of freedom, but in the end they will be nothing more than a trap and snare to keep you from living your life in true freedom--the liberty of living for Christ. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Catharsis4/12/2023 I need a catharsis. Everyone does. There are those things that we keep inside our souls, deep in the recesses of our hearts, that weigh down life and prevent us from having the buoyancy needed to continue sailing in the ocean of God's grace and love. Hebrews 12:1 calls them "...every weight, and sin which clings so close." They are the dross of life that needs to be burned up and purged away. Years ago, doctors would give people a mixture of rather unsavory tonic to cause them to "purge." Today it's known as Ipecac and it does the same thing--as every parent is probably aware. The ancient Greek physicians would call it "kathairein" and it would mean to "make pure" or to "cleanse." It wasn't pleasant... but it was purifying. Today, people seek for those cathartic moments, experiences and situations that would help them purge away the emotional baggage from their souls. However, rather than purging themselves of the sinful nature they run to that very nature in hopes that they will soon feel the release from the demands of their conscience. If only they could feel comfortable in their own skin and not have the burden of a continued sense of guilt. It would be like a person dying from ingested poison, only to seek out more of the poison in hopes that their body would soon get used to it. It's foolish. But it is happening all around us. However, it doesn't change the need for a catharsis. The weight of burdens and sins that cling are still there. What does it take for us, for those who believe on the Lord Jesus for salvation and yet still carry the burdens of past failures, present sins and personal griefs, to experience that catharsis? We must come to Jesus. As Jesus washed the disciples feet in John chapter 13 He said this in verse 10, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean." That is to say, those who have come to the Lord Jesus for salvation (bathed) still walks through the dirt of this world and needs to have their feet washed. There are still things we pick up along the way, sins from which we still struggle to be free, and past failures that still weigh us down with sorrow. Ignoring them does not cause them to go away. He has already invited us to come in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." So, how do we come to Jesus? Our Lord answered that very thing--we come to Him by faith through His word. John 15:3 Jesus said this, "Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." That cleansing, that purging that is so desperately needed is going to be found through the Word of God. It is the "tonic" that the Great Physician has given so that all who drink deep of His water will discover a well of everlasting life. An interesting illustration of this, and I use this ONLY for the illustration, is Revelation 10:10. "And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter." And so it goes with much of God's medicine of His word. It is sweet to us, we desire it for we know the cathartic properties it will provide. Yet it is bitter and will cause us to grieve and sorrow. But consider the words of 2 Corinthians 7:10, "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." It is the very thing God has given to us in order that we should be purged of our burdens and sins. But it's not magic. You can't just read the Scriptures and walk away thinking that somehow it will magically transform you. It is to be ingested... made a part of you... obeyed. The Word of God must become the living and active experience of your life (Hebrews 4:12-13). James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." All of us need catharsis. All of us need that cleansing and purging of sins and past weights that cause us to sink into personal sorrow. Will you pick up the "tonic" of God's word and begin to drink deep of His remedy? I will too. From the Mountains to the SeaEvery step we take on this journey called life ought to be used for greater understanding. I've lived from the mountains to the sea, and this blog is my personal thoughts and observations with a desire for Biblical understanding. Welcome. Archives
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