The Original Sin

The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

 (Genesis 3:12 NLT)

Where it all started.

Some narratives often predominate in a nation which contains part of the truth, but not the whole truth.  Racism has been a terrible sin in this nation, but it is not the original sin.

Condoleezza Rice, an African-American, and the Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, once said that the United States was born with a birth defect.  She was referring to racism, as evidenced by slavery.  Our founding fathers were brave men, but not perfect men.  Many of them owned slaves, which was a sin against God and an affront to man. 

Racism was and is wrong, yet, in our national narrative, it appears to be portrayed as the original or least the unpardonable sin. Racial prejudice is the result of the action in the Garden of Eden, which was a rebellion against God. Racism is not a white or black problem; it is a human problem.  The Bible says that if you say you have no sin, you are a liar (1 John 1:8). If we say we have no prejudice, no matter the color of our skin, we are probably deceiving ourselves. 

It appears that it is the one sin for which we can be held accountable for what our great-grandfathers did.  It is very difficult to atone for what you have not done.  Being accused of something you have not perpetrated, can produce guilt, but never true repentance.  It creates resentment and ultimately divides us.  The strategy of the Enemy has always been to divide and conquer.

We live in a great nation, yet an imperfect country. If this nation is as bad as academia is telling us, why do we have to build fences to keep people out?  It is a flawed society because you and I live in it.  Accusing someone else of something I also have in my heart is hypocrisy.  The problem goes deeper than skin tone; it is one of the heart. Racism is part of the problem, but not the problem.  Feeling superior to others is wrong, and likewise, having resentment and ager in response to these feelings, also, is not right. Two wrongs never make a right. All of us were born with a congenital disability called original sin.  We are all the offspring of Adam and Eve, and like them, tend to dwell on other peoples’ sin and ignore our own.  

Am I saying we should ignore racism, no, quite the opposite?  I think we should all check our hearts.

The image used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes, the author of  “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: Ken Barnes' Book Site
Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com
            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

The Promises of God

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV)

The key to all our victories in Christ is the promises of God.

In the Pilgrim's Progress, the pilgrims, Christian and Hopeful are stranded in Doubting Castle, which was owned by Giant Despair. The Giant beat them in his dirty dungeon.  He tried to persuade them to take their own lives.  They took his abuse for four days until they decided to pray.  At that point, they realized they already had the key to releasing them from Doubling Castle, which was God's promises. They were bound by fear and discouragement.  When they started to use the promises of God, the doors and gates commenced to open, and they escaped.  The whole process was set in motion by prayer.  Prayer was never intended to be a one-way street, not just God hearing from us, but us hearing from Him.

 When the Devil leads us into our Doubting Castle, we stop reading God's Word and praying.  Praying and hearing what God is saying to us are our life-lines.  Without them, we are powerless to resist the Devil's abuse. They had God's assurances of His protection, but they were not appropriating them by faith. How do we appropriate these promises?  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17 NLT).

Are you in Doubting Castle, being mistreated my Giant Despair?  The Devil is lying to you to steal your hope, with which you have no faith.  The antidote is simple, believe God. "I shall never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).  Trust the promises of God, and the truth will set you free.

The image is used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes, the author of  “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: Ken Barnes' Book Site
Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com
            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

Nabal the Fool

 I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. (1 Samuel 25:25 NLT)

Gracious Abigail

As his name suggests, Nabal was a fool.  Often there is a very thin-line between willful and ignorant behavior.  Grace is sometimes better served when we choose to look at people as being ignorant rather than intentional.

Nabal was evil and ill-tempered man, yet he had one thing going for him.  He had a gracious wife, Abigail.  Nabal had returned evil for good to David (1Samuel 25:1-12).  David leaves with his men to teach Nabal a lesson (v.13).  Abigail springs into action and puts together gracious gifts of food for David (v.18).  Abigail shows respect for David and takes responsibility for her husband's wrong actions (v. 24).  Though not personally responsible, she intercedes with David for Nabal.  Nabal was a scoundrel, but he was still her husband. She then gives David a reason to be gracious.  She suggests that Nabal is ignorant rather than just evil (v. 25).  There is always some deception in our sin.  If we understood the consequences, we would not have sinned.  On the Cross, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." He understood the evil in their hearts, yet He chose to dwell on their ignorance rather than their intentional actions.  Mercy always triumphs over judgment.

Abigail was the heroine in this story, and Nabal was the villain.  She prevented David from doing something he would later regret.  David withheld the sword from Nabal, and God then took care of him as He struck him down.  “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 21:19 NKJV). Fools often tempt us to act in foolish ways. Grace intervened in David's life.  When looking upon sinners like the Nabal, it might behoove us to say, but for God's grace, there go I.  

The image is used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes, the author of  “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: Ken Barnes' Book Site
Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com
            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

God Our King

“But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king.

 (1 Samuel 12:12 NLT)

King Saul-Israel asked for a king.

Israel asked Samuel, the Prophet, for a king.  God granted them their request even though it was not His first choice. Saul became their King.  Whenever we substitute a king or any form of government for God, we always end up disappointed.  God is our only King.

In times of national disaster, like COVID-19, we can turn to the government instead of God.  In our scriptural reference, Nahash, the King of the Ammonites, was threatening Israel.  It was a time of national calamity similar to the havoc of the Coronavirus today.  Israel wanted the traditional means of security.  They desired a king with his armies to protect them, and God had a different preference.  He wanted to be their security.

In times of national distress, we can initiate short-term solutions to a problem that can create long-range difficulties. These answers can become more problematic than the original issue we were trying to solve.  Saul, who initially had some success as their King, eventually became a disappointment and disgrace to Israel. Anytime we try to replace the Creator with the creature, it does not end up well.

As Christians, we should never allow our government to become our ultimate security.  Stop-gap measures from those in authority are sometimes necessary, yet currently, policy proposals during this pandemic threaten to enslave us to the state.  Israel chose to put their hope in a political leader instead of a religious one, God.  Our only hope is that God is our King.

The image is used with permission by Microsoft.

 

Ken Barnes, the author of  “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: Ken Barnes' Book Site
Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com
            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4 NASB)

David's staff comforted him.

The Coronavirus has us all living in the shadow of death.  Physical death is a reality, but living in the shadow of it can be far more alarming.

We all live from the time of our birth, with or without the virus, in the shadow of death.  We can be here today and gone tomorrow.  The virus has just brought that to the forefront of our conscious awareness.  The Bible does not seek to get us to deny reality, but to live victoriously in it.

A shadow has never killed anyone, but it can enslave you. David feared no evil because he knew that God was with him. He understood that goodness and mercy would follow him all the days of his life (v.6a).  He believed that when the eventuality of his physical demise would come upon him, he will live in the house of the Lord forever (v.6b). What is there to fear about this?  For Christians, death has lost its power over us.

David’s rod warded off the attacks of wild animals.  God’s rod, a metaphor for the Word of God, comforted David.  Who are you listening to today?  Are you hearing only voices that lead you to believe that God has forsaken you?  Or, the Good Sheppard’s voice that says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you “(Hebrews 13:5b). 

I can quarantine you that if you believe, trust, and rely on God and His Word, even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death of COVID-19, you will fear no evil.

Adding or Subtracting from God's Word

Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you. (Deuteronomy 4:2 NLT)

God’s Word is never up for revision.  Moses warned his people to never add to or take away from God’s instructions.  It is never wise to do mathematical calculations with His Word.

In times of trial, we often try to make God’s Word fit into our theological box, instead of conforming our lives to the precepts of the Word of God.  To accomplish this, we have to add to or take away from God’s explicit instructions.  God’s Word has great value to us if accompanied by obedience.  God is not looking for hearers of His words, but doers of them

The path of disobedience tries to make the Bible say more than its clear instruction or less than it means.  Adding to what God has said leads to legalism.  We have rules and regulations that may be described in the Scripture but are not prescribed for universal application.  If we don’t consider the context and the culture in which the commands are written, we can make the Scripture say more than intended.  Conversely, taking away from God’s Word, leads to liberalism.  If God’s commands make us uncomfortable, we ignore parts of His instruction, permitting us to practice things that are expressly forbidden in the Bible. 

Obedience is always the prerequisite for understanding God’s Word.  It is not that we can’t understand it, it’s that we won’t.  The Word of God should change us, and not us try to change it. Small changes to God’s Word leads to large-scale apostasy. Disobedience always leads to adding or subtracting from the Bible.

The image is used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes, the author of  “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: Ken Barnes' Book Site
Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com
            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

The God of My Salvation

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT)

The Prophet Habakkuk

If the Prophet Habakkuk had written his thoughts today in the Coronavirus Pandemic, he might have said that the shops and restaurants are empty as the crops lie rotting in the fields.  Or the factories and offices remain silent as millions are out of work. Fear and anxiety haunt our people.  If this scourge happens to touch my person or provision, I wonder if I will respond like Habakkuk did?

The Prophet painted a pretty bleak picture in the early part of this book (Ch.1.2).  He even complained a bit (Ch.1.13).  Nonetheless, Habakkuk got perspective. By listening instead of talking, he saw the big picture (Ch.2.1).  He started to look at his present circumstances with the backdrop of God’s sovereign purposes (Ch.2.14).  By rationally and honestly evaluating his situation, he concluded that God always has a plan.  God may not have caused this pandemic, but he did allow it and he is a God that can bring light out of darkness.  God is still on the throne.

It is a trait of human nature to avoid problems rather than go through them.  The Bible says that “it rains on the just as well as the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).  What if this plague will bring sickness or economic disaster on me; how will I react?  I will not speculate on what I do not know. My hope is that, if necessary, I will be found rejoicing in the God of my salvation.

The image is used with permission by Microsoft.