Tag Archives: God’s Word

Falsifying God’s Word

Let-the-word-of-christ-dwell-in-you-richlyEpiphany
February 5, 2016

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. –2 Corinthians 4:1-2

How do we falsify God’s word? Does this simply mean that we turn God’s word into a sham by not following it? Does it mean we twist God’s word to our own purposes by shrewdly taking it out of context or not viewing it across the full spectrum of its teachings? How do we know what is God’s word? Paul dealt with the same issues as he attempted to make plain the message of Jesus to the Corinthians who were hearing differing interpretations from others who came with letters of recommendation.

We live in a similar age, ours of instant information about which many have become cynical. We do not know who to believe or what to believe as spin doctors attempt to tell us their designer truth. People cherry pick a verse here, a chapter there from the Bible and build whole philosophies of faith around them.

Paul takes about the Spirit of God as the source of knowing in 2 Corinthians, a book written 50 years or so before the Gospel of John. I think Paul’s language about the Spirit of God and John’s first sentence In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God are very much alike. Truth is not in the dictionary or the spin but in the living, breathing life of Christ and his Spirit that dwells among us today. The ability to recognize truth is tied to our ability to related to the Living God. Jesus quoted liberally from the Hebrew scriptures. He learned them, loved them, and applied them in the context of his day and time. Wisdom lies in viewing our understanding of God’s through the light of the love of Jesus Christ, the word made flesh.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Prayer: Lord, let Your Word be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Amen.

*Based on Psalm 119:105

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Fill My Cup, Lord

media-frenzyLiving in the Spirit
August 29, 2015

Scripture Reading: James 1:17-27

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, ongoing away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.—James 1:22-27

We are manipulated by the media at every turn. The books that are published are selected primarily because of their sales potential not the quality of their content. I cannot tell you were most of our presidential candidates stand on anything but I can tell you what they said about each other or how rude or not rude they might have been to another. In a world dominated by greed finding truth is difficult.

Followers of Christ are called to a higher standard. We are to judge the quality of information by how it compares to the teachings of Jesus, and gear our responses accordingly. We are called to be doers of the word not merely hearers. And we are called to control our own speech.

Who are the orphans and widows of our world today? Who are the least of these? Are they a primary concern of each of us? How do we keep ourselves unstained by the world?

It has never been more important in our lives than now to maintain a close relationship with God. It is by having our cup filled with the good news of Jesus Christ that we can avoid being over taken by the wisdom of the world.

Prayer:
Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole. Amen.

*Chorus from Fill My Cup, Lord by Richard Blanchard see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/ns/340
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.