TO KNOW CHRIST AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN

TO KNOW CHRIST AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN

Friday, December 23, 2016

Moments added to Moments...


So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.  And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.
Ruth 3:6-7 (ESV) 

It was dark, her presence was unexpected, and her actions were demonstrating a vulnerability that few would like to admit, much less demonstrate.

Boaz could have called her out on such an action, could have abused her throughout the night, or could have made an example of her. But he did not.

Life is made up of a series of moments that have built upon each other, just as a mason lays one brick upon another until the walls are completed. Each brick is dependent upon the previous brick, and when all are laid correctly, the wall stands firm throughout the ages.

Ruth had been living the moments of life in a way that each moment was laid correctly in anticipation of one day finishing the walls of her life, and then enjoying the strength and stability that comes from such diligence. 

Friday, December 16, 2016

Stuff

Then she said, "I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants."
Ruth 2:13 (ESV)

Those who enjoy much do not have much so they can be self-indulgent. All good things come from God, and we receive them in order to use them, not in order to love them.

Many times we get things reversed, and we love what we should be using, and use what we should be loving. It is a terrible, terrible thing when that happens.

We have our interiors wired to love, and we can be most genuine or most perverted in that area. When anyone loves things that cannot love them back, they have opened the door to all kinds of troubles.

Jesus made it very clear in the Scriptures that no one can have two masters. In fact, you will love only one and actually hate the other. If we love "stuff," then those we love become a burden or bother to us, for they are keeping us from our "stuff."

Boaz had stuff, but loved people, and because of that all will turn out quite well

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Pentagon buries evidence of $125 billion in bureaucratic waste.

This could be true, the amount could be exaggerated or it could be an outright lie. The general public does not have a clue as to what is actually happening.

Yet, this is our government. These are our dollars. Who has been in charge?

When you rule from the bottom up you usually lose accountability. When you rule from the top down you usually get tyranny.

What is the answer?

First and foremost we need to address the idea of there being a right and wrong for without such terminology we have no way to correctly evaluate any information. If we are guided by our feelings, or what would benefit us or whether or not we would get “caught” then we have no way to evaluate whether or not something is right or wrong.

For those who are looking out for themselves, waste is acceptable when spent on themselves or spent to enhance relationships that will later be beneficial to self.

Leadership is only valid if the leader uses his/her power, influence, position, etc. for the good of the people. In fact, good leaders are givers not takers. Good leaders understand that they have been given a ‘trust’ and not a mandate.

As God’s Word so clearly states. We were made to love God and love each other. What this means is that we were made to obey God and to make each other successful.

What can we expect from a culture that ignores God and uses each other? Perhaps we are fortunate to have gotten this far.

If we continue to choose to ignore God we will have no basis for right and wrong and must live in a world dictated by “good” and “bad” which are words that are relative at best. We will then be at the mercy of the rich and powerful and be able to be persuaded by the eloquent even though being rich, powerful and eloquent are not the basis for truth.

We need to come back to God. 


2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (ESV ) if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.


(Title taken from an article written by:Craig Whitlock and Bob Woodward for The Washing Post.)