De-liver The Truth

Wednesday, ‎July 20, ‎2022

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Memory verse: Romans 12:1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Today's reading: PSALM 26-28 ACTS 22

Deliver The Truth

John the baptizer was indeed a prophet; he preached that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Herod, the regional ruler, arrested him just to get him off the streets. Herod was in an adulterous relationship with the wife of his brother and John had told him that it was wrong. When you mess with a man's sin toy you see the extent of his anger. Herod was so tired of hearing John that he wanted to put him to death but was more afraid of the locals rising up in response. Herod was afraid of losing what he had and, it seems, was choosing the comfortable way out.

We find, though, that Herod was a man driven mostly by lust and pride(and on this particular night, wine) because when a young beautiful woman did a sexy dance in front of him, he promised her anything she wanted and she asked for John's head on a platter--prompted by her mother(if ever there was a barrel of snakes...). So Herod ordered it.

This was not even religious persecution. It was, however, bundled sin.

Herod ignored the word of God, first. He was blind in sin. He valued his toys more than his soul-his power, his lust, his pride-these are all toys of mankind and both sexes.

Can you find your own toys somewhere in this story? I can find mine. We all have them. Anything outside of God, love, family, and friends in this world that brings us temporal gratification is, in one form or another, a toy.

Herod's sin was ignoring the truth of God. That is where it all starts.

Our job is always to deliver the truth of God and that means we must get away from our toys and our elaborate justifications for enjoying them.

Pray that we will really enjoy the truth of God. When the world sees our joy in Christ, they will listen. When the world sees that truth in Christ means more to us than personal satisfaction, they will sit up and take notice and some, as in John's case, may not like it.

Why John? Why does anyone suffer for their faith? The world tries to ignores God. The mind of natural man hates for God to give orders to be followed. They think by ignoring God's rules that they follow no one-but they follow the enemy in his chains. From those chains come the same sin that took John's head and they aim that sin at us.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Galatians 6:8 ►Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Pray for the desire to please the spirit--above all else.

...because he loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me, oh God, for falling to the sins of the flesh and my ego. Have mercy on me and restore my soul.

Great and merciful God,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen