2 KINGS 23:31-25:30
ACTS 22:17-23:10
PSALM 2:1-12
PROVERBS 18:13
Acts 22:6 Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”
7 This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— 8 for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.
Division in the church has always been around. That is why we have different denominations and now denominations are splitting. I just heard a radio talk show and they talked about how the church will always stray from biblical truths to human understanding when they stray from the word. And for all of history it is a constant pulling away and coming back to biblical truth and obedience. The foundation of every decision and belief should be scripture but in our human understanding of things and with social pressure we can get that confused. That is why we have the body of Christ. It is important in the church to be active and honest. Leadership should not be the only ones expected to be in the word daily and seeking discernment from the Lord. Just as the Pharisees and Sadducess failed our leadership can fail as well. If the leadership is not daily in the word and humbly coming before the Lord seeking His will for the plan and purpose of the church then they cannot be trusted to be making the right decisions in the church. I believe that the entire body should be taught the importance of seeking the truth from the word of God and there should be an expression and encouragement of expectation for them to do it. So many churches are so caught up in rituals and requirements and rules that they neglect the teaching of the biblical support of what they do. We can't just say everyone should be in prayer and bible reading every day because the bible says so. We need to teach why the bible says so. We need to teach the need for growing up in the faith and seeking God's will and how to do that and how to confirm what they think they are hearing. There should be a welcoming of any person in the church to share what they feel God is saying. I am not saying that we should take the word of every person who says "This is what God has told me", but we should be willing to hear it and they should be able to tell you how they received confirmation. If that becomes the practice there will be those who do it consistently and they will receive direction that is confirmed by others who are in the word and pray consistently and when you have confirmation from multiple sources and the message falls in line with the word of God it should be humbly received by the leadership. Perhaps if the Sadducees would have believed in the resurrection had students of the word been encouraged to study and pray and share what the Lord revealed to them.
Psalm 2:1 Why are the nations so angry?
Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
With this being the 4th of July in an election year these words caught my attention. We have an angry nation right now. We need to stop wasting our time with fighting. The bible tells us that there is no one in authority that God has not placed there. So we should trust Him. Instead of fighting about politics we should pray for discernment about what we should do and do it and leave the rest in God's hands because any other plan is futile.
Psalm 2:10 Now then, you kings, act wisely!
Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,
and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—
for his anger flares up in an instant.
But what joy for all who take refuge in him!
Like in the church if the leadership of the nation serve God and submit to Him, we would at peace and have joy, but we know that is not going to happen because the bible tells us so.
Proverbs 18:13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.
What a common practice in all areas of life. Politics, social media, relationships, and even in our churches. It is better to listen than to speak.
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