"They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us...." (1 John 4)
I recently finished 1 John, and have made a commitment to embrace fully our text. Many believe our text to be arrogance, pride, presumption. It just happens, however, to be, "the Words of God." If you and I cannot get past the humble-bumble attitude of the "flesh," we will not survive, nor overcome in this life. There is a truth here which we must embrace, live and sustain in us if we are to live the life of Jesus Christ.
I listened to PM Netanyahu's speech before the America Congress today, and noted the White House's response to that speech. The current American Administration reacted like kids in a playground brawl, like a street agitator, "community organizer." There is no doubt that the current American President is way beyond his pay grade. I think PM Netanyahu summed it up when he said (and I paraphrase here) many think in 10 year terms. Jews think in 4000 year terms. Most Americans, including those in the Executive and Legislative Branches of their government, think short term, what will keep them "elected" and satisfy their lust and pleasure. Netanyahu's speech today to the American Congress revealed a man of a very ancient People Group, a man who realizes that a person or nation who does not think in the scope of human history, is a person and nation that will "perish from the earth." I think there is a very real sense that what the Israeli PM said today and Obama's reaction to it is a living example of our text, yes, I do.
This same dilemma dominates modern Christendom. You may wonder why I use the term "Christendom." I use it because I am saying that not all in Christendom, e.g., church-goers, christianeze talkers, etc., are Followers of Jesus. Far too many in Christendom are acculturated "christians," people who think, speak and act more like their culture than the Covenant People described in the Bible; hence, "They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world." This is true of the world's media, e.g., BBC, CNN, MSNBC, even too many on FOX. Certainly this is true of many Believer's family group, fellow workers, etc.
I repeat; what we read in our text seems most arrogant to the world, "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us." I have wrestled with this all my life. But away with such false humility. If you and I are going to survive and overcome in what Jesus calls, "a perverse generation," we will not run from our text, but rather embrace it and walk in it/Him. "We are from God," because we are from The Son Jesus and Holy Spirit. And arrogance of arrogance, at least to, "the viewpoint of the world," we must affirm the truth that follows our text, "This is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." Like it or not, accept it or not, if Jesus Christ lives, rules and abides in you and me, "....whoever knows God listens to us...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to walk in You in such an attitude. Amen.
*******************************
* Please say some prayers for our upcoming, Berlin, Prague, Tubingen mission
* It's not too late to invest in this mission
I recently finished 1 John, and have made a commitment to embrace fully our text. Many believe our text to be arrogance, pride, presumption. It just happens, however, to be, "the Words of God." If you and I cannot get past the humble-bumble attitude of the "flesh," we will not survive, nor overcome in this life. There is a truth here which we must embrace, live and sustain in us if we are to live the life of Jesus Christ.
I listened to PM Netanyahu's speech before the America Congress today, and noted the White House's response to that speech. The current American Administration reacted like kids in a playground brawl, like a street agitator, "community organizer." There is no doubt that the current American President is way beyond his pay grade. I think PM Netanyahu summed it up when he said (and I paraphrase here) many think in 10 year terms. Jews think in 4000 year terms. Most Americans, including those in the Executive and Legislative Branches of their government, think short term, what will keep them "elected" and satisfy their lust and pleasure. Netanyahu's speech today to the American Congress revealed a man of a very ancient People Group, a man who realizes that a person or nation who does not think in the scope of human history, is a person and nation that will "perish from the earth." I think there is a very real sense that what the Israeli PM said today and Obama's reaction to it is a living example of our text, yes, I do.
This same dilemma dominates modern Christendom. You may wonder why I use the term "Christendom." I use it because I am saying that not all in Christendom, e.g., church-goers, christianeze talkers, etc., are Followers of Jesus. Far too many in Christendom are acculturated "christians," people who think, speak and act more like their culture than the Covenant People described in the Bible; hence, "They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world." This is true of the world's media, e.g., BBC, CNN, MSNBC, even too many on FOX. Certainly this is true of many Believer's family group, fellow workers, etc.
I repeat; what we read in our text seems most arrogant to the world, "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us." I have wrestled with this all my life. But away with such false humility. If you and I are going to survive and overcome in what Jesus calls, "a perverse generation," we will not run from our text, but rather embrace it and walk in it/Him. "We are from God," because we are from The Son Jesus and Holy Spirit. And arrogance of arrogance, at least to, "the viewpoint of the world," we must affirm the truth that follows our text, "This is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." Like it or not, accept it or not, if Jesus Christ lives, rules and abides in you and me, "....whoever knows God listens to us...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to walk in You in such an attitude. Amen.
*******************************
* Please say some prayers for our upcoming, Berlin, Prague, Tubingen mission
* It's not too late to invest in this mission
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
