Sheep Food

  When Adam and Eve broke the one command that God gave them (Gen. 2:17), and ate from that one tree, their ‘eyes were opened’ and both were overtaken with shame and fear, especially when they heard the voice of God calling for them in the garden. So they tried to hide themselves in their nakedness by sewing fig leaves together and then hid among the other trees or shrubbery. (Gen. 3:6-10). When God asked them what they were doing, they replied, saying they were hiding because they were  afraid and naked. That’s when God inquired: “Who told you that you were naked?” (11). Clearly, it wasn’t God who told them that. Do you think it is possible that the same ‘serpent of old, the devil...who deceives the whole world’ (Rev. 12:9)...and who presumably told Adam and Eve they were naked...could also be deceiving countless people today, telling them that they are ‘fully clothed... in God’s righteousness’ ...simply because they verbally acknowledge they ‘believe in Jesus’? Oh...the iro...

  If/when Jesus... is not truly Lord (or King) of our lives, we have a tendency to ‘do what is right in our own eyes’; and this has been a pattern or rut humanity has fallen into for a long time. (Judges 21:25) Have you ever been around a construction project where precise measuring was absolutely necessary, and you hear these random phrases like “I’ll just eyeball it”, or...”That looks close enough for me!”? My favorite was “It’s good enough for government work”, which always gave me pause. Yeah...you’d be surprised how often we do that with our Bibles when it comes to preaching the gospel; why do you think we have so many varied denominations (and their assorted doctrines) out there that can confuse the heck out of believers and non-believers alike? In his letter to the Romans, Paul was expressing his concerns for his fellow brethren (the Jews), and he acknowledges that they did indeed have a ‘zeal for God....but not according to knowledge” (10:2). He flat out declares they wer...

  “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Pet. 4:17) That...is one of those NT verses you may hear quoted from time to time for ‘dramatic effect’ in a sermon...but then we move on to other things and fail to give serious consideration as to what Peter was trying to convey there. I mean just that somber inference to those who don’t ‘obey the gospel of God’...what does ‘obedience’ have to do with any of this much talked about ‘faith alone’ we hear about all the time? (Luke 6:46; Heb. 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:8). “Obey....the gospel?” How many of you were taught early on that just meant to ‘really believe in your heart’...and that you would be ‘fine’; no need to worry!? What is there to ‘obey’ besides ‘accept and believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God’? Well, for starters, the demons ‘believe’ and they tremble. (James 2:19) Or perhaps you are in the sc...

  When King Josiah heard the law read to him, I mean when he really ‘heard it’... and possibly for the first time in his life...it did something within him; it produced a response and then an immediate reaction. Brokenness and repentance was the first ‘fruits’. He ‘tore his clothes’ (2 Kings 22:11). This was no small gesture as it signified a sense of deep grief...repentance of the heart, and an awakening of alarm upon realizing that Judah had been breaking God’s law, and in the most severe way. Josiah also realized that breaking covenant with God invites divine judgment. (see Rom. 2:1-3) This tearing of his clothes was a physical and outward response that acknowledged guilt which in turn led to immediate reforms. A ’modern day’ example as to how one might/should respond when they ‘hear the law’ for the first time...can be found in James 4. After calling out double-minded 'believers', even accusing them of being ‘adulterers’ (4) because of their love for the ‘world’...Jame...

  About that ‘renovation project’ I left off with yesterday, and the work that was being done to repair God’s holy temple there in Jerusalem... Like any physical building that exists, especially homes that are well ‘used’...maintenance and upkeep are a way of life, and necessary if you want to maintain the integrity of that building for any length of time. Yes, it can and will be costly; and if you think you can ‘cut corners’ along the way, let me assure you that somewhere down the road, you will pay for it. But regarding the poor conditions of the temple that King Josiah was having renovated, the likely causes were due to decades of abuse and neglect. Keeping in mind what the ‘temple’ that God dwells in today (us)...have you ever wondered why so many professing ‘Christians’ talk about the need and desire for personal and even corporate ‘revival’? Why do so many believers admit to ‘feeling dry’...or ‘empty ... asking God to ‘restore the joy of their salvation’? (Ps. 51:12). Why d...

  God’s people were seduced, and led astray by the very king(s) He allowed to rise to power. (2 Kings 21:1-2,9; Dan. 2:21; Prov. 21:1). And if you think God does not operate (allow things) like that to happen anymore... you might give 2 Thess. 2:9-12 another read over. Let me give you a moment or two to ponder this. Hopefully, you read yesterday’s message as we are attempting to gain a better understanding of the link between the God of the old testament and the very same God of the new testament, whom Jesus embodied (Heb. 1:1-2; Col. 1:15). I even left you with a short reading assignment to prepare for today’s message, found in 2 Kings 21. I’m wondering if anyone made good use of the highlighter I recommended having on hand for that read? We learn in that text ...of the rise of king Manasseh who took the throne at the young age of 12, succeeding his father, Hezekiah. Manasseh’s reign lasted 55 years and we are told that from the very start...”he did much evil in the sight of th...