July 11th, 2019

TITLE: Nasty Believers
DATE:  July 11, 2019
TEXT: Proverbs 3:19-20  - ESV - The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.
​
She began the conversation by telling me that all men were slippery, slimy, scummy snakes who couldn’t be trusted or depended on. With tears she poured out the frustration of years of dating and being dumped, of listening to lines which proved to be scams; of commitments made and broken.

When I asked, “Where do your meet these disappointing heartbreakers?”, she replied: “Bars.”

It was right about then an old country-western song started to run through my brain. Maybe you remember it, “Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.” Although there are exceptions to the rule, I suggested that bellying up to the bar was probably not the best place in the world to find the true and trustworthy love of her life.

Now this is the point where cynics challenge the quality of Christians in the world. That say stuff like, “And I suppose, pastor, you’re going to say, ‘Go to church. You can do better in church. Well, pastor, if that’s what you’re going to say, let me tell you that the people in churches can be cruel and critical; malicious, mean, miserable, malevolent and maligning. They can be….”

And that’s when I have to say, “Folks, hold on, hold on. Yes, I was going to suggest people might try finding love in a church; but probably not for the reason they think”

All of us know people who go to church are imperfect.

We all know church folks are filled with all the flaws which are common to the rest of humanity. On the other hand, they know they are sinners; they know they need to improve; they know they are in dire need of forgiveness and they know the Person Who can give them that forgiveness.

No, I’ll still take my chances in finding eternal and temporal love-in a church. And, as long as I’m on the subject, let me add: “When asked to find a true motivator for lasting love, I think I’ll rely on the Holy Spirit rather than distilled spirits. I’d still say go to a Christian church.

Go to church and meet the Triune God Go to church and get to know Him Whose love can change your life, your destiny, your future and so much more.

That’s what the beloved Apostle John was trying to say when he wrote(1 John 3:1): “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.”

Now I don’t know if my reading of those words conveyed the awe, the admiration, the amazement and astonishment John felt when he first wrote them, but I am almost positive all of those things were there. And they ought to be there now.

We have been rescued from a sad life and eternal damnation because God’s Son sacrificed Himself for us. Jesus fulfilled the laws which we had regularly broken and  the Savior has ransomed us from the slavery of Satan.

To acknowledge the perfect love of the Lord is about as wise as I’ll ever get. Maybe you, too.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that I may always acknowledge Your superiority in every area imaginable. As one of Your redeemed children may I acknowledge your love which is told  to me in Scripture and lived out in the family of faith. This I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html