Woe...

Happy Sunday!

G.K. Chesterton said, "When deceit becomes universal, truth becomes a revolutionary act."   This quote brought the following scripture to mind, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"(Isaiah 5;20, KJV).   In our modern culture, we may miss the weight of a "Woe"!  Woe is defined as great sorrow or distress.  Jesus often said "Woe" to the religious leaders in his day!  They were fake and phony, and used deceit to force the people into a ritualistic existence.  But Jesus wanted them to know the Truth of God's Word will always remain and win out!  The Apostle Paul encouraged us, "For we walk by faith, not by sight:"(2 Corinthians 5:7, KJV).  Why would we have to walk by Faith and not by sight?  Great question!  Hebrews 11:1 says, "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead."(Living Bible).  We must walk by faith and not by sight, because often things in this world are distorted, and intentionally changed to create distractions.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, "The thing that has been—it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is NOTHING NEW under the sun."(Amplified).  Don't miss this!  There is nothing new under the sun!  When God rested on the Sabbath, his work was complete.  Everything man could ever need was in the earth.  Electricity was in the earth!  Adam and Eve could have enjoyed electric appliances!  But it took men and women hundreds of years to investigate, invent, and harness the power of a resource that already existed in the earth.  2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue."(Voice).  This scripture holds the secret to how we gain access to God's "everything"!  It says, "through the knowledge of the One".

As we learn more about Jesus we gain access to the things God has provided.  God is a good father. Contrary to popular belief, we are not on this earth to aimlessly figure our way out of every situation and circumstance!  People even ignorantly say, "you never know what God will do".  That's a lie!  If you have ever said that, promise me you will never say it again!  God tells us exactly what he will do in his Word! John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."(KJV).   Jesus is the Word, Jesus is God.  Jesus is the answer to all of our questions.  When we make time to study and meditate on the Word, the Holy Spirit can answer all of our questions.  Should you date or marry this person?  2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Stay away from people who are NOT followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same?"(CEV).   Should you steal office supplies from work?  Ephesians 4:28 says, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."(KJV).   Should you be angry and seek to get even with that person that did that thing to you? Romans 12:19 says, "My friends, don’t try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. In the Scriptures the Lord says, “I am the one who punishes; I will pay people back.”(Easy-to-Read Version).

The Word is truth!  The Word is available.  Don't be deceived....the answers are available...reading is fundamental and necessary.

Don't get caught on the wrong side of the "Woe"!

Love and prayers, Cynthia