We continue the next part of our paragraph: (Obstacles to virtue) Part 2.
This next part of the Obstacles to Virtue is very telling: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing." Christ tells us to sharpen our eyes and to look keenly at who we call prophets. Are they really prophets? Do they really speak the voice of God to us? Are they really anointed? We can find many who claim that they are prophets or prophetess. What measure of faith do we place in them? Do we blindly follow them simply because they say that they are prophets? Are they really able to tell of future events that will happen in our lives? Are they able to speak the voice of God into our lives and to give us his blessings? What can we use as a measure to determine who they really are?
Christ tells us that false prophets, different from true prophets, are inwardly like ravenous wolves, they will eat you alive. Wolves do not hunt alone. They hunt in packs. They surround their prey and attack with precision movement. If they are severely starved with hunger, they will attack game that is much larger than their usual prey. They will take additional risks because of their empty stomachs and their depraved craving for the prey that they are attacking. Is this the behavior of false prophets? What does a false prophet gain by his teachings?
First there is the need for a following. Those that will head the teachings of a prophet will be wooed by the seemingly magical predictions that they give. I sense someone out there who has problems in their neck. There is a person who has a problem with there eyes, they are having difficulty seeing. There is a person who has a back problem. There is an elderly lady who is watching today or listening who has sever arthritis. All these can be general statements thrown out to the general public. Out of the thousands of people listening there is bound to be someone with these types of issues. Being able to have a sense, out of mid air, of what is happening in a persons life and then to supposedly send the Holy Spirit to rid this person of their ailment is cause for question.
Secondly, there is the requirement for the transfer of money to bless the person. Buy this book, get this DVD, listen to this CD and you will be able to defeat your problem. You can get this promotion for only $25, and along with this promotion we will throw in the author's personal story of how he overcame his problems. You say, a person has to support himself. True! But a true "prophet" has the support of God almighty and does not need support. God supports him because he/she is doing God's will. So with each program there is the continuous need for more money and the sell of more products and more money and more DVDs and CDs and Books and Devotionals and the continuous collection plate for special projects, etc.
Christ tells us in this short statement to beware of these types of people. They are hungry wolves and will stop at nothing to satisfy their worldly passions. He is telling us this because he is warning us that these are obstacles to virtue. These will lead astray, away from the true light and into the darkness. They lead blindly, according to their own whims and fancies. They lead into dark alleys and dead ends. They lead according to their own passions. They lead for the kill.
If you are following a false prophet, ask yourself where are you going. Ask yourself have you found the true light of the world? Ask yourself have you encountered the Holy Spirit on your journey with this prophet? Ask yourself do you truly know Christ and has he come into your life? If you truly know him, how can you tell? What signs has he given you to let you know that he is in your life? What assignments has he directed you to do that let you know that you work for God and not yourself?
Obstacles to virtue. Virtue is needed in our lives. Virtue is essential to get us closer to God. Virtue cleanses us from the dirt of this world and prepares us to do the will of God. Will you be turned astray? Will you face an obstacle and not know that it is there? Will you encounter an obstacle and think that you have no defense against it? Be prepared.
Open your eyes. Take heed to what you hear and guard your hearing. For we run an obstacle course full of traps and tricks that would take us off the narrow path and put us on the road to destruction. Heed these words from Christ. Put them into your heart. Keep them close to your inner person. For these words will protect you. These words will comfort you. These words will direct you and keep you on the narrow road to life.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
St Matthew, Chapter 7, verses:13 - 14, The Sermon on the Mount.
We begin a new paragraph topic in 5 parts: (Obstacles to virtue) Part 1.
Christ begins this sermon by telling us about the path to life. He gives us an illustration by telling us about a path and a gate. One path is wide and broad and another is narrow and close. Which will you choose? Will you choose the broad path that leads to destruction? Or will you choose the narrow path that leads to life? How do we know which path we are on?
Have you ever had to swim against a current, against a tide. It is not easy. It requires extra strength and effort. The current will take you along if you do not exert an extra effort to go against it. Christ is telling us here that it is easy to go along with the flow. It requires no effort to follow along the same path with everyone else. But to go a different route requires effort. To do what is not popular requires effort. It will separate you from the pack. It will bring criticism and ridicule your way. Going against the wide path of the world is not easy.
When we became Christians and accepted the way of the Lord, we put on a different set of rules and behaviors. Wherever we go, with whomever we meet, whatever we do, how we think, act, and behave should be different. When we reach adulthood, especially those that have gone the way of the world and have turned from it, we are able to make a decision about who we want to be and are then able to live by that decision.
For the young teenagers and young adults, it is not so easy a decision. There are many pressures that are exerted upon this group. Those pressures move them in a direction contrary to what Christ tells us not to do. Teenagers and young adults want to be accepted by their piers. They want to be liked and popular. They associate more with those of their age group and reject those who would direct them away from the forces that move them towards the ways of the world. Wide is the path to destruction.
Drugs, sex, money, fame, popularity, clothes, technology, and many other pressures are exerted upon this age group that the older generation did not experience. This is not to say that the older generation did not experience pressures. But those pressures are different today and they are more widespread today. With the advent of technology and the shrinking of the world, we are now exposed to a world view. Television is now in high definition where you can see the pours on the face of people. And following on the heels of HD is 3D. Pornography is rampant in our society. And sex is used to sell everything that we consume. So our children grow up exposed to concepts and ideas that are accepted as normal. The sanctity of the marriage contract, does not exist today. Divorce is accepted as a normal process of breaking up because everyone does it. The family structure is shattered by these beliefs and the children that are affected experience the pain of a broken marriage as an example of how they will live their lives in the future.
The road to destruction broadens everyday and though we may be aware of the change that is taking place, more and more of our society is accepting of the change. It becomes harder to swim against the current. Yet Christ tells us that the road to life is narrow. The way to life is close.
How do we get off the wide path and onto the narrow path? Christ has given us directions in these sermons from the mount. He has given us examples to follow that will put us on the right path. He has provided us with actions that we must take on a daily basis to change course. Harder it will be for those of the younger generation if we do not give them a foundation. It is up to those who believe, who follow the narrow path, to give structure to the younger generation. It is up to the older generation to engraph principles and beliefs upon the younger generation so that when they are faced with the world, hopefully they will rely on their internal compass to guide them through the wide path and bring them back to the narrow path.
The obstacles must be overcome and, with the help of the Holy Spirit coming into our lives, we will be able to overcome the temptations of the devil. By God's grace we will find ways to change our course and to live by the principles given us by Christ. It is not an easy task. It is a task that requires daily work. It is a task that we must not tire from. It is a task that contains our heavenly reward. It is a task that we will not allow Satan to steal from us.
The obstacles are many but by keeping the words of the Holy Scriptures and the Gospels before us, on a daily basis, we have the tools necessary to fight the battle. We have the tools to win the war. We have the tools to be successful in this worldly struggle, if we choose to us them. Get on the narrow path. Stay the course and win the prize of eternal life and peace with Christ.
Christ begins this sermon by telling us about the path to life. He gives us an illustration by telling us about a path and a gate. One path is wide and broad and another is narrow and close. Which will you choose? Will you choose the broad path that leads to destruction? Or will you choose the narrow path that leads to life? How do we know which path we are on?
Have you ever had to swim against a current, against a tide. It is not easy. It requires extra strength and effort. The current will take you along if you do not exert an extra effort to go against it. Christ is telling us here that it is easy to go along with the flow. It requires no effort to follow along the same path with everyone else. But to go a different route requires effort. To do what is not popular requires effort. It will separate you from the pack. It will bring criticism and ridicule your way. Going against the wide path of the world is not easy.
When we became Christians and accepted the way of the Lord, we put on a different set of rules and behaviors. Wherever we go, with whomever we meet, whatever we do, how we think, act, and behave should be different. When we reach adulthood, especially those that have gone the way of the world and have turned from it, we are able to make a decision about who we want to be and are then able to live by that decision.
For the young teenagers and young adults, it is not so easy a decision. There are many pressures that are exerted upon this group. Those pressures move them in a direction contrary to what Christ tells us not to do. Teenagers and young adults want to be accepted by their piers. They want to be liked and popular. They associate more with those of their age group and reject those who would direct them away from the forces that move them towards the ways of the world. Wide is the path to destruction.
Drugs, sex, money, fame, popularity, clothes, technology, and many other pressures are exerted upon this age group that the older generation did not experience. This is not to say that the older generation did not experience pressures. But those pressures are different today and they are more widespread today. With the advent of technology and the shrinking of the world, we are now exposed to a world view. Television is now in high definition where you can see the pours on the face of people. And following on the heels of HD is 3D. Pornography is rampant in our society. And sex is used to sell everything that we consume. So our children grow up exposed to concepts and ideas that are accepted as normal. The sanctity of the marriage contract, does not exist today. Divorce is accepted as a normal process of breaking up because everyone does it. The family structure is shattered by these beliefs and the children that are affected experience the pain of a broken marriage as an example of how they will live their lives in the future.
The road to destruction broadens everyday and though we may be aware of the change that is taking place, more and more of our society is accepting of the change. It becomes harder to swim against the current. Yet Christ tells us that the road to life is narrow. The way to life is close.
How do we get off the wide path and onto the narrow path? Christ has given us directions in these sermons from the mount. He has given us examples to follow that will put us on the right path. He has provided us with actions that we must take on a daily basis to change course. Harder it will be for those of the younger generation if we do not give them a foundation. It is up to those who believe, who follow the narrow path, to give structure to the younger generation. It is up to the older generation to engraph principles and beliefs upon the younger generation so that when they are faced with the world, hopefully they will rely on their internal compass to guide them through the wide path and bring them back to the narrow path.
The obstacles must be overcome and, with the help of the Holy Spirit coming into our lives, we will be able to overcome the temptations of the devil. By God's grace we will find ways to change our course and to live by the principles given us by Christ. It is not an easy task. It is a task that requires daily work. It is a task that we must not tire from. It is a task that contains our heavenly reward. It is a task that we will not allow Satan to steal from us.
The obstacles are many but by keeping the words of the Holy Scriptures and the Gospels before us, on a daily basis, we have the tools necessary to fight the battle. We have the tools to win the war. We have the tools to be successful in this worldly struggle, if we choose to us them. Get on the narrow path. Stay the course and win the prize of eternal life and peace with Christ.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
St Matthew, Chapter 7, verse:12, The Sermon on the Mount.
Today we begin a new paragraph topic: (The golden rule).
Christ sums up much of his previous sermons into one statement: "All that you wish men to do to you, even so do you also to them." In this general statement Christ puts us in the driver's seat. We have to do first what we want done to us. If we want someone to treat us with respect we have to treat others with respect. If we want others to love us we have to love others first. If we want others to be kind to us we have to be kind to others. If we want others to honor us we have to show honor to others. If we want others to not us foul language to us we have to not have a dirty mouth to them. If we want others to bless us we have to bless them first. What Christ is telling us is to do unto others and that same will come back to you.
Once I was having lunch with a pastor friend of mine and after we finished the meal he would not allow me to pay for the dinner. What astonished me even more was that he not only paid for our meal but he also paid for the meal of the ladies that sat next to us. At the time I thought that he was being fresh and a showoff. He dressed in flashy clothes and was outgoing to everyone that we met. He spoke to all with courtesy and always had a smile to make people laugh. What I know now is that this was his boomerang. What he put out came back to him. If he put out love that came back to him. If he put out joy that joy came back to him from others that met him. If he put out generosity that came back to him doubled.
Christ told us to love our enemies. If you salute your brethren only what are you doing more than others. Do not even the Gentiles do that? Christ wants us, as Christians, to do more. We are to set the example. We are to go the extra mile more so than others. We are to do first before others do. Speak to others when in public. Show courtesy when in the market place. Bring joy to others with a kind word or phrase. If we are true Christians, followers of Christ, we have something more than the ordinary. We have a provider, a care taker, a protector, a joy in our hearts that should flow from us to others. This is our gift to others. And with that gift we will draw men to God through our actions of kindness, love, generosity, and peace.
Where do we find this spirit of openness to others? It comes from within. It comes from our inner spirit. It comes through the heavenly spirit to our spirit and flows through to our physical being to radiates out to others. We must search for it. We must seek it out. We must find it. We must knock on its door and beg it to come to us. It is available to all if we want it. It is there for the asking, if you just ask and know that you can have it. Throw off the cares of the world and seek the joy of the spirit, for you are spirit being. You are joy. You are happiness. You are love, created in the image and likeness of God. Get in touch with your inner spirit and allow the light to shine through.
Christ sums up much of his previous sermons into one statement: "All that you wish men to do to you, even so do you also to them." In this general statement Christ puts us in the driver's seat. We have to do first what we want done to us. If we want someone to treat us with respect we have to treat others with respect. If we want others to love us we have to love others first. If we want others to be kind to us we have to be kind to others. If we want others to honor us we have to show honor to others. If we want others to not us foul language to us we have to not have a dirty mouth to them. If we want others to bless us we have to bless them first. What Christ is telling us is to do unto others and that same will come back to you.
Once I was having lunch with a pastor friend of mine and after we finished the meal he would not allow me to pay for the dinner. What astonished me even more was that he not only paid for our meal but he also paid for the meal of the ladies that sat next to us. At the time I thought that he was being fresh and a showoff. He dressed in flashy clothes and was outgoing to everyone that we met. He spoke to all with courtesy and always had a smile to make people laugh. What I know now is that this was his boomerang. What he put out came back to him. If he put out love that came back to him. If he put out joy that joy came back to him from others that met him. If he put out generosity that came back to him doubled.
Christ told us to love our enemies. If you salute your brethren only what are you doing more than others. Do not even the Gentiles do that? Christ wants us, as Christians, to do more. We are to set the example. We are to go the extra mile more so than others. We are to do first before others do. Speak to others when in public. Show courtesy when in the market place. Bring joy to others with a kind word or phrase. If we are true Christians, followers of Christ, we have something more than the ordinary. We have a provider, a care taker, a protector, a joy in our hearts that should flow from us to others. This is our gift to others. And with that gift we will draw men to God through our actions of kindness, love, generosity, and peace.
Where do we find this spirit of openness to others? It comes from within. It comes from our inner spirit. It comes through the heavenly spirit to our spirit and flows through to our physical being to radiates out to others. We must search for it. We must seek it out. We must find it. We must knock on its door and beg it to come to us. It is available to all if we want it. It is there for the asking, if you just ask and know that you can have it. Throw off the cares of the world and seek the joy of the spirit, for you are spirit being. You are joy. You are happiness. You are love, created in the image and likeness of God. Get in touch with your inner spirit and allow the light to shine through.
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