Evil For Good

I can remember a time when identifying as a Christian was a good thing. Even those who weren’t willing to believe in the faith understood that the values brought about by Christianity were those that most anyone would want to emulate. Parents would send their kids to church even if they didn’t go themselves because Christian values were prized as moralistically good. But things have changed. The rules have been rewritten. What was once considered good is now vilified, and what was once moralistically wrong is now celebrated. In Isaiah we find a warning for those who have chosen to conform to this ideology by ignoring the truth and becoming wise in their own eyes. It says in chapter 5, verses 20 and 21:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” 

If someone where to try to convince you that the sky was green, even though you could clearly see that it was blue, by their sheer conviction alone, they would not be proven right. Likewise, if someone where to convince themselves that the values and mandates God set in place were wrong, that wouldn’t make it true. Why, then, do we, as humans, convince ourselves of obvious falsehoods? I believe that Satan is behind this deception. 1 Peter reminds us that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. And Isaiah says, “woe to those” who fall prey to him by taking the bait and calling evil good and good evil; who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. The devil is crafty. He doesn’t always boldly entice us with things that are clearly sin. He may choose to be more subtle. He may come as an angel of light, convincing us that bad things are actually good. For those who do not know God, Satan can slowly manipulate and convince them of this lie. But for those of us who know God, this tactic should neither come as a surprise, nor should it be effective. So I encourage you not to fall into this deception. For those of us who understand that the Bible is Holy, objective truth, any change in our culture should not alter our spiritual compass.

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The evil one has put into motion plans that we can’t see with our eyes, but we can see their results in our news, our culture and in those around us. Believers should recognize his hand at work in the minds and hearts of those who don’t believe, and believers who have been deceived. I pray that you and I heed Isaiah’s warning. We should never find ourselves compromising the truth, even if doing so may save our job, our relationships or our comfort. And we should never call evil good or good evil, even if we are persuaded to believe the world’s moral compass over God’s holy word. The Bible has not changed since it was pinned, and it will never change until the return of our Lord. What was true in Jesus’ day is still true today. If we lose sight of that, we will find ourselves operating in the flesh and walking out of step with the Holy Spirit. We will become wise in our own eyes and clever in our own sight.

The Sick

There is a big difference between being sick and being healthy. When we are sick, we know that there is a problem because our bodies respond negatively, painfully and sometimes violently to our illness. Often times we require some form of medication. And if our sickness is severe enough, we may even make an appointment with a doctor. When Jesus explained to the Pharisees why he decided to eat with tax collectors and sinners, he chose to compare himself to a doctor in Luke, chapter 5, verses 31 and 32, which says:

“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”

Jesus came to earth for sinners. He preached the message of salvation for sinners. And he died a horrific death on a cross for sinners. His mission was to seek and save the lost. He came for those in need of a savior. Do you need a savior? If you are a human being, I would suggest to you that you do, because the Bible reminds us that none of us are righteous, not even one. So, when Jesus said that, “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” what he was really saying is that he came for everyone. Jesus came for anyone who is willing to admit that they are a sinner in need of a savior. He proved this by eating with those who were still in their sin, and calling them to repentance. If you are reading this today, I hope you understand that Jesus came for you. You, and everyone who has ever lived and ever will live, are spiritually sick and in need of the only doctor who can save your soul.

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I encourage you not to let pride or self-righteousness come between you and salvation. We are all sick and in need of a doctor. We are all sinners in need of a savior. The difference between those who allow Jesus to work on their heart and those who refuse, is whether we understand this truth and choose to accept his help. If you’ve never humbled yourself before Christ by admitting you are a sinner in need of a savior, then I hope you are willing to do it today. Before we can accept his help, we must first admit that we need it. Do not compare your righteousness to those in the world. Compare it to Jesus. If you still think you are righteous compared to him, then maybe you don’t need a savior. But the Bible teaches us that we all do, even those of us who have already accepted his sacrifice for us. We are still not good enough. Every day we are still in need of a savior. If you haven’t already, I hope you come to that realization as well.

Hypocrisy

When you were a child, did you ever catch your parents behaving in a way that was contrary to how they taught you to behave? They may have used foul language, but would reprimand you if you did the same. Or they may have lied about being sick so that they could take a day off from work, but would ground you if you skipped school. They may have even gone so far as to use drugs or act promiscuously, but wouldn’t allow you to do the same. And if at any time you tried to act like them, they may have told you to, “do as I say, not as I do”. If these examples resonate with you, I hope you will chose to act differently with those under your authority. I hope that you and I will chose to practice what we preach. Jesus said this to a crowd of people in Matthew, chapter 23, verses 2 and 3:

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

Whether we think people are aware of our actions or not, we should always behave as if we are being watched by those around us. Your friends may be watching, your children may be watching, your co-workers may be watching, and even your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ may be watching. If we openly proclaim our faith in Christ, we should make every effort to reflect his nature. None of us are perfect, but in as much as it is possible with us, we should always practice what we preach. If we don’t, our credibility and our testimony will be suspect. Think about it. How can we convince anyone to behave in a certain way when we don’t do it ourselves? How can we claim to be Christ-followers when we clearly don’t do what he teaches? I encourage you not to be like the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. I encourage you to practice what you preach.

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Whether we think our hypocrisy will stay hidden or not, there always seems to be someone who notices when we aren’t practicing what we say we believe. And even if we are lucky enough to escape notice from those around us, God is always aware of our hypocrisy. Jesus told the crowd that they are to obey what the teachers of the law and the Pharisees taught, primarily because of their position, but also because much of what they said lined up with the character of God. Nevertheless, they didn’t live out their faith. They didn’t practice what they taught, and Jesus took notice. How is your walk? Do you practice what you preach? Do you encourage people to live one way but secretly, or even openly, you live another? Jesus tells us that we aren’t to behave that way. We are to hear the word of God and obey. We are to read the Bible and follow what it says. And when we fail to live up to what we know is right, we need to repent and acknowledge that our actions did not reflect what we say we believe. I encourage you to reflect what you say you believe, whether in word or deed. I encourage you to practice what you preach.

Bold Trust

There is a level of trust that many believers have in the Lord. We trust the promises of his word. We trust that he will hear our prayers. And we trust that he loves us in spite of our sinful nature. But there is a trust that goes beyond the normal; one that extends our faith beyond what is typical as we lean hard on our faith and believe in the mighty power of the God we serve. Mature believers understand that there are times when our trust in God must be bold, where we are to lay everything on the line not faltering and not doubting, but believing with everything that is within us that God will hear us and answer us in our time of need. We understand that there are times when we are to respond like David did in first Samuel, chapter 17, verses 45 through 47, which says:

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.’”

Against insurmountable odds, and against an adversary that if operating in the flesh would’ve certainly destroyed David, he stretched his faith and placed his trust in God in a way that few would. Even though the eyes of the Israelites saw certain defeat at the hands of the giant, David knew the God he served and boldly trusted him to win the day. There was no doubt in his heart when he challenged Goliath. And if there was fear, his words did not reflect it. It was almost as if David knew something that no one else there did; as if his faith was at a level that defied their understanding. When we are met with insurmountable odds, and are faced with an enemy that clearly pits itself against God or his plans for our life, we should have the same boldness that David did. He spoke boldly with faith that didn’t waver, and we should too.

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Earlier in first Samuel, God exalts David as a “man after his own heart”, partially because of David’s bold trust in him. We serve an all-powerful God through whom there is nothing that can’t be accomplished. If God is for us, who can be against us? Sometimes we forget who God is. Sometimes, like Peter, we take our eyes off of him and notice the waves around us which causes our faith to waver and for us to sink in despair. We need to be like David, and trust God beyond human reason. We need to remember the God we serve; a God who created everything and has control over everything. Though we may not experience miracles on a daily basis, we should never forget that the same God of the Bible is alive and well today; that he hears our cries for help and he can literally move heaven and earth to save us. Through him, David slew a giant which ultimately led to the defeat of the Philistines. What do you think he can do through you if you boldly call upon him in your time of need?

Like Father

I work full-time as a video producer at a college university. One of my most recent projects was a video highlighting first generation college students; students who were the first of their family to ever pursue a college degree. These students decided to break out of the generational cycle set by their parents, grandparents and beyond to be the first of their line to continue their education at a college level. This isn’t to say that obtaining a college degree makes anyone any better than anyone else. But I bring it up to highlight the truth that it is possible to break generational patterns set by our parents - college being one example. If you’ve read the succession of Israelite kings highlighted in the Old Testament, you might’ve notice a pattern passed down through the generations that really should’ve been broken. It says in second Kings chapter 21, verse 20:

“He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done.”

The “he” that is mentioned here is in reference to Amon, a young king who followed in his father’s footsteps, continuing the pattern of disobedience that his father had modeled. I can only imagine how difficult it is to break with tradition, or vier from taught behavior, and blaze a new path in life. But many have done it. I want to encourage you, if your parents have never followed Christ, that doesn’t mean you have to follow their path. Today would be the perfect time to blaze your own trail. Second Kings records king Amon following the same destructive path his father had led. If the example your parents set before you doesn’t lead to Christ, I would implore you to choose the path that does.

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King Amon chose to follow the destructive path his father had walked. But if we read on we learn that though Amon and his father had done evil in the eyes of the Lord, Amon’s son, Josiah, chose to break the pattern. The Bible says that he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left”. Within the line of Israelite kings, most chose to do evil in the sight of God. But there were a few, those like David and Josiah, who broke with tradition and blazed their own path, following God and obeying his commands. If your parents are not following Christ, that doesn’t mean you have to follow their lead. You can blaze a new path; a fruitful path; one you can pass down to your children and grandchildren.