August 19, 2009 Sharing God’s Word

TODAY'S ENCOURAGING WORD

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: you must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

-- James 1:19-10

KNOW AND WALK IN TRUTH

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

-- 1 Timothy 1:5

Much of modern, self-oriented Christian preaching and writing has tended to downgrade biblical "doctrine" in favor of an emphasis on "love" and "fulfillment," the "pursuit of happiness," "sharing and caring," and other such sentiments. Some popular religious leaders major on "confident living," "self-improvement," "personal success," and the like.

Doctrine is thus downgraded in favor of practice, and "works" are considered more important than the Word. But this type of emphasis places the cart before the horse and can never succeed for very long. "Doctrine" is simply "teaching," and true teaching must come from God’s infallible Word, whether that teaching relates to great divine truths (creation, atonement, sanctification, etc.) or to the daily Christian walk.

As the apostle Paul reminds us, "evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Corinthians 15:33). "Profane and vain babblings . . . increase unto more ungodliness" (2 Timothy 2:16). We cannot escape being taught doctrine somewhere. If we will not receive true doctrine from God’s Word, we will inevitably become indoctrinated with the world’s humanistic deceptions, for these impinge upon our thinking continually, from classroom and journal, from television and (unfortunately) sometimes even from the pulpit.

If we are really concerned about love and happiness and such things, we must acquire them from the right source, the doctrinal truths of the Word of God. It is knowing and obeying the commandment, as our text says, that generates pure love, a faithful heart, and a daily life that supports a clear conscience.

When we "know the truth" (John 8:32), then and then only can we "walk in truth" (3 John 4).

PRAYER FOR THOSE MURDERED

O God, we pray for those who have been murdered on the streets of our city. We commit to your loving care those who have died, beseeching you to receive their souls into the mercy of your love. Comfort their loved ones who mourn. Enable them to meet the lonely and painful days ahead in the strength of your love. Let the love that you have made known to us lead us to create safer streets for all to walk upon. Amen.

Forward to your family and friends!

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God Bless You!