Mark Twain once said,
"History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme."
Recently, there has been news circulating that Ravi Zacharias and even Carl Lentz was caught in adultery scandals. š°. These are two influential figures in their respective Churches. They were leading a double life, on the outside speaking God but in the shadows indulging in sin. There is a repeatable pattern when absolute power corrupts absolutely. Yep. Christians are vile, sinful and in most cases are so hypocritical it makes me sick, including me of course. š¤®. Yet the whole point in being a Christian isn't too prove how holy we are, or to uphold a moral pedestal. Because heck. We fail more often than not. It's about vulnerability in knowing how we are imperfect, sinful, wretched, yet made perfect only in Christ and by His grace daily. We strive to be like Jesus everyday. Who is perfect. And in His grace we hope to improve; by His enduring steadfast love we are compelled try again and again.šļø.
When our "heroes" in life disappoint us; the question is not "how could they?" As history sure don't repeat but it does rhyme a lot. But the question is "why why why" is God allowing this? The picture off a long cold winter road depicts this best. Our "heroes" will undoubtedly slip. Seen or unseen. Yet our role is not too condemn or judge them. As that is between them and God. Yet from 1 Corinthians 10 we are reminded from "Warnings from Israel's Past". That in our treacherous life we need to cling on to God even more. Now these things took place as example for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. To see how God's mercy reminds us. Quickly note that they were written down for our instruction. And most importantly to TAKE HEED! Jangan sombong! Don't be arrogant! Be careful! Pay attention! Lest we fall ourselves.š±. As opportunity favors the prepared mind. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. And give no opportunity to the devil.š.
Thank You Jesus for this heed and we pray for Your help always. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
šReferences
š1 Corinthians 10:6;9; 11-12; 14
š1 Peter 5:8
šEphesians 4:27
šMatthew 6:13
Started on:
February 16, 2020
I first started this post a few days ago, and there was a normal case of writer's block. I was thinking:
What to write off a topic so vast? Who am I too say or add anything to this discussion?
Yet these sins hit so close to home. Everyone has weaknesses and sins albeit in different forms. Yet I realized one thing that people sure aren't perfect. We make so many mistakes. And what's crazier is that the larger the figure (Church leaders, Christian Reformed Evangelists, etc.) flaws are shown more and more now. Yet I am reminded through my Bible readings that God sure is amazing. In a world where we try to create our "utopias" by abolishing societies or even entire race genocide, God's ideal society is restoration. Time and time again, the wanton Israel who betrays the LORD is redeemed. And even in my life, Oh! How I've betrayed Him and hurt Him. Yet He restores me and His anointed. Those who repent. He helps those who seeks Jesus Christ, and is abounding in mercy and patience. His steadfast love truly endures forever.š¤š.
Anyways, I digress. Today's post is updated to be "Take Heed lest he fall" that starts with the idea to be careful. To firstly understand who we are by default. We are imperfect and we tend to trust our flesh and desires:
Thus says the Lord: āCursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. Jeremiah 17:5 š¤š¦
Jeremiah's rebukes "The Sin of Judah" at a time when Judah's sin were so outrageous. Their idolatry to the other gods, their reliance off worthless things and man offset their faith in the Lord. Yet at the same time, doesn't this remind us off our own selves? When was the last time we acted off our own accord? When we too have pushed the Lord away and trusted in people more? In Churches, friends, government more?
Just like Ravi Zacharias' Scandal, the main problem boils to down to a simple criteria. Ravi trusted in his own sexual escapades and reliance in 'sexual release' more than in Christ. This is not a new problem as even in Israel's time, they went to cult prostitutes, had orgies to serve foreign gods, etc. When I was reading up on his story, I was shocked at the wretchedness of his sins. He abused his power as a servant of God and instead manipulated his victims. By getting to know them on a personal level, slowly gaining their trust, asking for more personal details, naked pictures, then blackmailing them if they every tell. By exposing himself in massage parlors, slowly tempting them to do his whims, to even paying some off with money or education. It's messed up. Really really messed up.
Yet who am I to say that I am good myself? In God's eyes, we are all messed up. Wretched, vile and disgusting...
And yet, through Ravi's tale and through all the messed up tales in the Bible, what is God trying to reveal to us today?
Come to Jesus, Hear His Word and Do His Will
In the parable: Build Your House on the Rock, Jesus once said:
āWhy do you call me āLord, Lord,ā and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.ā Luke 6:46-49 š§±šļø
The parable is very simple, the Lord doesn't need the smartest person in the world, He is smarter than us. The Lord doesn't need the richest person, He owns everything. Then what does He ask off us? He asks us to firstly come.
Jesus said to him, āI am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 āļø
In humility to Jesus, surrender our prejudices, our whole heart. Because we need Him before all else. To then hear His Word:
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17 š
Hearing here means exposing ourselves in Scripture, immersing in it's treasures. Either through listening, watching, have we filled our lives with His Word today? To know His Will and obey His commandments. Even though we agree or not, even if we understand it fully or not. Why? Because come on. If we understood everything He's no longer God. Yet it is by Faith that we believe that God knows more. By Faith we trust that His commandments is true and sound in the end. Lastly, not just by hearing but to be a servant who does them.
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17 š
To bring it all to completion by actually doing it. Without works our Faith is meaningless. Because Jesus wants us to practice what we preach. We don't have to change the world in one day. But being faithful in the small things. Reading our Bibles daily, helping around the house, encouraging our friends to go watch a sermon, etc. Or even reading a www.pesanpesan.co daily, haha š. And you'll be amazed at how God can take something so little and bless others through it. š¤.
Reflection
Dear Lord, thank You for today. Oh how I've sinned just like Ravi Zacharias and all those before me. Renew in me a spirit of brokenness. We are all sinful and despicable compared to Your holiness. Yet thank You Lord for reminding us today. A chance for introspection. What is it that You want us to learn from all this?
Help us to Take Heed, to be careful in our own sins. To spot at how Ravi's sins didn't start out as a fire. There were smokes appearing. As a little leavens the whole lump. Help us to be critical and not play around with sin. To not try too "outsmart" our Lord. You give commandments to actually protect us. Sometimes we think we can and are able; but that's not the point. Help us today Father to reform our lives. What foundation are we building?
Let us not be a hypocrite in crying "Lord, Lord"... Nor someone without a foundation who hears Your Word and does not do them. But please Lord, help us again today to repent and too:
Come to Jesus, Hear His Word and Do His Will
To build our foundation. Our cornerstone in Christ once more. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Updated on:
February 23, 2021
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Credits:
Slippery Winter Road š· Green Ant
1 Corinthians 10:6; 11-12 šØ www.pesanpesan.co
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