Bad News: God Is Not Our Personal, Wish-Granting Genie! #JesusFollowers

If a stranger walked up to you on the street and said, "I know a guy, a professional 'fixer,' who can get you a better job, make sure you get more money, attract a perfect mate, and even manipulate other people to make things, you know, go BETTER for you," you'd probably think he, like TV's Tony Soprano, was inviting you to join a criminal enterprise.

But shockingly, people - many, many people - believe this about GOD, the Creator of the universe! Many, in fact, believe He is in the same "business" as Tony Soprano - the business of manipulating the world to "fix" things for those He randomly selects to be in his "family."

Many people actually PREFER this view of God because it means we can throw the burden of "Good Works" onto God Himself, and selfishly (albeit PRIVATELY) complain when God doesn't work all things out for our personal, selfish benefit.

But that paints God as a sky-dwelling puppet-master - a magic genie who manipulates every detail of every human life.

This may be a very ancient view (ancient paganism) but it's a completely FALSE, childish, and warped view of God, our world, and of the faith God wishes for us.

How shameful it is for us to believe that God, our Creator, can manipulate people we dislike or who aren't on our "team" to lose their jobs, to have car accidents, to be injured, or to get diseases!

And how sad to believe that WE should somehow be immune from trouble because God is our "fixer in the Heavens." Again, this is an appeal to paganism and magic, not to Jesus and his, and our, God.

This Jesus, the one God selected to tell us about God and what God requires of us, tells us that we are to conform our lives to God's Will and to seek always His perfect purity, holiness and goodness by faithful obedience. 

By doing this, we will be equipped to handle whatever happens to us during our daily journey. 

Jesus never tells us we will never be persecuted, hated or despised for doing this. In fact, Jesus says: be READY for it. This is what we sign up for as Jesus Followers, not golden streets, great wealth and perfect health.

In reality, Jesus calls us to a healthy, adult relationship with our Father, and wishes us to treat all people as our brothers and sisters, loving them, and Him, with all that we have. 

Jesus calls us to take action OURSELVES to build up God's Kingdom, through righteous acts and purified motives.

But doesn't God "move mountains?" Doesn't He work miracles, and grant us Grace to achieve what He asks of us?

Surely, God does indeed "move mountains" - by granting us ever growing faith by which we can COMPLETELY change our lives into something resembling the one His chosen Spokesman, Jesus, modeled for us during his life, and even in his death.

God changes lives in miraculous ways - when our eyes are finally open and we see the wonderful spiritual principles His servant Jesus laid out for us, which will help us achieve the kind of perfection God calls us to achieve.

And God never leaves us alone, sending us His Grace when we ask for strength through prayer. And we know that we have Jesus' example and words always with us as a guidepost, showing us how we are to live according to God's Will.

We must lay aside the ignorant and pagan beliefs we have inherited from the childhood of the human race.

God is not a sky-dwelling Genie who will grant our material wishes and make us rich or healthy; and when we instead seek a simple, profound and straight-forward faith in which we obey God through the example of His Anointed one, Jesus, we enter into a healthy, joyous and adult relationship with our Father.

#Jesus Challenged Religious Leaders To Reform; We Must, Too! #JesusFollowers

The religious figures of Jesus’ day had it all figured out. They knew the religious system and the religious buzzwords inside and out. They could spout bits of Scripture to prove everything he said was wrong. They called him a “heretic” and worse: one who speaks evil against God.

Jesus’ preaching challenged the doctrines of religious leaders, plainly telling them they were wrong, and that they needed to rethink their beliefs and practices.

It was no longer just enough to SEEM to be doing God’s will, one must actually DO it, he said.

It was not enough to SEEM to be pious, praying publicly with long prayers and fancy words. One must actually BE pious, and do much of it in private.

Intentions mattered as much as outward appearances, said Jesus. And the motives of the heart, which give birth to actions, are important to control (and CAN be controlled) and turned towards Righteousness, so that our actions will also be Righteous.

But it is never easy to challenge religious ideas - especially long-cherished ones. It can hurt feelings and brings great anger.

Yet, Jesus was often blunt, and he knew that he would be met with great anger and even death. And so he was. And in three days, God took Jesus back.

But soon after his death and return to God, others came – as Jesus had predicted – with a different Message, one that was easier, less Godly, and less powerful and challenging to authority.

They called on people to believe special things about his death, but to not worry too much about his teachings and life.

They told people that Jesus wasn’t REALLY calling for us to perform Righteous Works, because we are not capable of them.

God, they claimed, at his own good pleasure, doles out the strength we need in order to do the Good Works, then rewards us for doing what He did through us.

And they elevated Jesus to equality with God, so that he could be admired, and worshiped, but not imitated.

Thus, they put Jesus out of reach, out of touch, and out of our minds as a perfect example to follow, and the Dark Ages and “reformation” which followed did nothing to bring the original Jesus back.

Today, the story that was once powerful and universal is powerful in numbers and wealth, but is almost universally arrogant and prideful.

Shockingly, Christendom today promotes a “Wide Gate” of easily-obtainable eternal salvation at the drop of a check, after spouting an unbiblical, simple prayer.

Much of Christendom – particularly PROTESTANT Christendom – teaches that we may, without repentance or Good Works, and with only a few magic words, steal from God the salvation promised through His messenger, even though Jesus told us that this was available to us ONLY if we repented and worked Righteousness.

A movement - a "Reformation" - that started off with such promise, but gained earthly power and dominance at the cost of its soul, is in need of a fuller, more complete Reformation.

A message that originally was a clear, simple call to greatness through perfect Love and a call to serve God and other people through complete self-sacrifice stands in desperate need of renewal.

What is easy to purchase with a quick prayer and a promise of wealth must be rejected and confronted as false and contrary to Jesus’ express teachings.

What is incomprehensible and man-made must be stripped off like a layer of suffocating paint, so the original Truths of Jesus may shine through and breathe again.

What became large and lethargic must become again humble and holy, less demeaning and more dynamic in its evaluation of what we, as God’s creatures are both called to do and capable of doing for others and our Creator, God.

Today, as we embark once again on the Way Jesus preached, we must also dare to boldly question today's religious leaders' long-held, man-made beliefs, as well as some even less attractive alternatives which call us to look inward and serve only ourselves. 

We must do the hard work of discerning God’s will for our lives and re-learning Jesus’ true message. In other words: we must keep Reforming!

Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, today’s religious leaders are not going to be very happy about being challenged, either. 

But we owe it to God and the one whom God sent to us – the man, Jesus, our Master – to become merely Jesus Followers and servants of God once again.

He Has Shown Us. #JesusFollowers

“He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 (WEB version)

"He has shown you, O man." Whoever among you makes this inquiry, if you think and consider, may perceive that God has already taught you those services that He requires, and what things are the most acceptable to Him.

He teaches us by our own reason, if we will use it. He has also shown us this in his word, in the Law, and in all the revelations He has made to us.

So, in the Law of Moses (Deut. 10:12-13) it is written, “Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, to keep Yahweh’s commandments and statutes, which I command you today for your good?”

And again, (Deut. 30:11-12; 14) “For this commandment which I command you today is not too hard for you or too distant. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us? ... But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.”

The examples here insisted upon are only the sum and substance of the Ten Laws or precepts, delivered at Mt. Sinai.

And many of the Prophets speak in perfect agreement what is here said in Micah. In Isaiah: “Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek justice...” (Isaiah 1:16) And in Hosea: "For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6.)

Therefore what is said had been said before, and often taught, and shown to this people by reason, and by other Prophets and messengers. But now God reminds them of it, and shows them again.

"He has shown you what is good," or right, what is in itself reasonable and excellent, useful and profitable.

The several branches of our duty are sometimes reduced in Scripture to "love of God and our neighbor."

Our Master says that the love of God is the first and great commandment. And in the Law of Moses, written on two tables, the duties immediately respecting god are placed first. But in this text, it is first said that we should "do justly and love mercy," THEN "walk humbly with God."

But the order is of little concern, because the parts of duty can never be separated. And our Master having said, that to "Love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all the soul is the first and great commandment, then adds, "And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." John writes, "he who doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother." (1 John 4:20-21.)

"What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly?" This covers everything that is fair and equal between man and man, according to the relations they keep, or the obligations they are under to each other.

In this chapter, just after this text, God by His Prophet lists many things contrary to this duty, without changing this unrighteous conduct, could never hope to be accepted by Him.

We are to be just in our dealings with others, without imposing on their ignorance or falsehood.

In our common traffic with others, we are to observe truth in our words, so on all other occasions we are to regard the truth of things, not saying anything falsely to the disparagement of our neighbor, which would be shown an injustice, a most injurious action.

We are also sincerely to keep what we promise, and to the utmost of our power be as good as our word.

We are to be faithful in all the trusts given us.

We should likewise diligently and prudently provide for those who are under our care, and depend on us.

It follows next, "And to love mercy" or goodness and benevolence. When the duty owed to our neighbor is described as "loving," them both justice and mercy are included in that one word. Here they are mentioned separately, and distinctly. And also elsewhere. "Therefore turn to your God. Keep mercy [kindness] and justice, and wait continually for your God." (Micah 12:6)

Showing mercy is doing no more to others than what we, in the same circumstances, would have others do to us. And not just relieving our own relatives, or friends, but also strangers, if we have the power to do it.

In this is included not only dong what others can claim of us, but something more: acts of kindness and benevolence, and forgoing and giving up what is due to us.

It includes guiding and counseling those who are inexperienced in the world, and helping them out of our wealth, so they may better care for themselves and their families and be useful in the world, as well as speaking favorably of others.

The last thing in this text said to be required of us is, "to walk humbly with God," or as the Hebrew is, literally, "and to humble yourself to walk with your God." In the ancient Greek of the days before the coming of Jesus, it was, "And be ready to walk with your God." The meaning in general is, "and to resolve to obey all God's commandments, and to continue and persevere in them always, to the end of life."

It is to resolve to worship the true God, and Him alone. In the text it is "Yahweh, your God,” meaning the God who has made us. This, certainly, is the one thing intended by the Prophet Hosea: to engage the people of Israel according to the Law as well as the dictates of reason, to fear Yahweh, their God, and to serve Him alone. This includes a respect of all God's commandments and readiness to submit to His authority.

This humbling ourselves to walk with God includes dependence upon Him, trusting in Him, and committing ourselves to Him.

We perceive that the holy obedience required of us is of great extent - consisting of justice, mercy and piety. It can therefore be no very easy thing to be truly religious. It must be a difficult and a high attainment. We have need, as Jesus directs us, to strive, to exert ourselves, and to do our utmost to enter in at the narrow gate. (Matt. 7:13-14)

Let us seriously attend to this representation of true religion, and remember that the things insisted on are absolutely necessary.

(Adapted from a sermon by Rev. Nathaniel Lardner)

Jesus Challenged Religious Leaders: And Calls Us to Do the Same

The religious figures of Jesus’ day had it all figured out. They knew the religious system and the religious buzzwords inside and out. They could spout bits of Scripture to prove everything he said was wrong. They called him a “heretic” and worse: one who speaks evil against God.

Jesus’ preaching challenged the doctrines of religious leaders, plainly telling them they were wrong, and that they needed to rethink their beliefs and practices.

It was no longer just enough to SEEM to be doing God’s will, one must actually DO it, he said.

It was not enough to SEEM to be pious, praying publicly with long prayers and fancy words. One must actually BE pious, and do much of it in private.

Intentions mattered as much as outward appearances, said Jesus. And the motives of the heart, which give birth to actions, are important to control (and CAN be controlled) and turned towards Righteousness, so that our actions will also be Righteous.

But it is never easy to challenge religious ideas - especially long-cherished ones. It can hurt feelings and brings great anger.

Yet, Jesus was often blunt, and he knew that he would be met with great anger and even death. And so he was. And in three days, God took Jesus back.

But soon after his death and return to God, others came – as Jesus had predicted – with a different Message, one that was easier, less Godly, and less powerful and challenging to authority.

They called on people to believe special things about his death, but to not worry too much about his teachings and life.

They told people that Jesus wasn’t REALLY calling for us to perform Righteous Works, because we are not capable of them.

God, they claimed, at his own good pleasure, doles out the strength we need in order to do the Good Works, then rewards us for doing what He did through us.

And they elevated Jesus to equality with God, so that he could be admired, and worshiped, but not imitated.

Thus, they put Jesus out of reach, out of touch, and out of our minds as a perfect example to follow, and the Dark Ages and “reformation” which followed did nothing to bring the original Jesus back.

Today, the story that was once powerful and universal is powerful in numbers and wealth, but is almost universally arrogant and prideful.

Shockingly, Christendom today promotes the worship of money, power, and greed, and allows people a “Wide Gate” of easily-obtainable eternal salvation at the drop of a check, after spouting an unbiblical, simple prayer.

Christendom – particularly PROTESTANT Christendom – teaches that we may, without repentance or Good Works, and with only a few magic words, steal from God the salvation promised through His messenger, even though Jesus told us that this was available to us ONLY if we repented and worked Righteousness.

A movement that started off with such promise, but gained earthly power and dominance at the cost of its soul, is in need of a fuller, more complete Reformation.

What originally was a call to greatness through perfect Love and a call to serve God and other people through complete self-sacrifice stands in desperate need of renewal.

What is easy to purchase with a quick prayer and a promise of wealth must be rejected and confronted as false and contrary to Jesus’ express teachings.

What is incomprehensible and man-made must be stripped off like a layer of suffocating paint, so the original Truths of Jesus may shine through and breathe again.

What became large and lethargic must become again humble and holy, less demeaning and more dynamic in its evaluation of what we, as God’s creatures are both called to do and capable of doing for others and our Creator, God.

Today, as we embark once again on the Way Jesus preached, we must also dare to boldly question today's religious leaders' long-held, man-made beliefs as well as some even less attractive alternatives which call us to look inward and serve only ourselves, rejecting both God and Jesus without doing the hard work of discerning God’s will for our lives and learning Jesus’ true message.

Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, today’s religious leaders are not going to be very happy about being challenged, either. But we owe it to God and the one whom God sent to us – the man, Jesus, our Master – to become merely Jesus Followers and servants of God once again.

Celebrating overlooked Christmas gifts from God

For many Christians, the focus on gift-giving and merriment during this season seems to them to be taking away from the holiness and specialness of its purpose – to celebrate the birth of the Master Jesus. And there are valid reasons to be concerned. Focusing on materialism, on receiving material goods and the selfishness that can arise from that, are certainly by-products of the season that are unwelcome and surely do not contribute to our spiritual growth. One cannot, after all, serve both God and money as gods.

But the idea that we receive gifts, and give them, is actually at the core of the Good and Beneficial Message Jesus himself taught.

The arrival of Jesus was interpreted as a wonderful and supernatural intervention into the world by Ancient Gospel writers, and surely what followed the birth of this amazing Prophet and Spokesman of God was worth celebrating.

It’s an incredibly sad statement to make, but the gifts of Jesus’ teachings are often overlooked in all the praise heaped upon his birth, especially by those preachers who presume to speak in his name.

For many, it’s as if Jesus was born and then immediately died, and these are the only gifts worthy of celebration. But this neglects Jesus’ own words – words that he said would never pass away, that had great significance, that should be heard and understood. These gifts are as important, perhaps more important in some ways, than his birth, just as a child’s birth, while wonderful, is only the start of a life’s journey. What the child accomplishes is surely just as worthy of celebration.

Jesus, like the Prophets before him, pointed always to his Father, his God and our God, and to the gifts of wisdom, knowledge and understanding offered by the Father and Creator of the Universe. Surely, these are also gifts worthy of praise and celebration this Christmas season.

King Solomon asked God for wisdom and understanding to become a good king, and God gave “a wise and discerning mind” to him in return. We, too, can have these gifts by asking God for them. The brother of Jesus, James, assures us that if we lack wisdom, God gives it generously.

Knowledge and learning (often proposed as enemies of faith) are in fact valuable gifts from God, and we should call upon God to strengthen and encourage them. They are things that Scripture teaches is something to be sought, not avoided. The Pslamist asks God to teach him “good judgment and knowledge.” The Proverbs teach us that it’s an intelligent heart that seeks knowledge, and that it is “pleasant to the soul.”

Jesus condemned the Pharisees for taking away the “key to knowledge,” and failing to guide others to it. This, sadly, is a fault many modern preachers are also guilty of doing, by not allowing the Scriptures and the Prophets, and Jesus, speak to us of knowledge and other valuable gifts we possess, thanks to God, our Creator, who created us to seek after them and not deny them as gifts worthy of possessing.

Scriptural References:

“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. … Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.” 1 Kings 3:5-12  

“He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” Daniel 2:21  

“Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.” Psalm 119:66 

“Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.” Proverbs 16:22 

“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.” Proverbs 1:5 

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me.” Hosea 4:6

“For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you” Proverbs 2:10-11

“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15

“For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” Ecclesiastes 7:12 

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge.” Luke 11:52