MALADY--any unhealthy, morbid, or desperate condition

 There is a very contagious malady that we see in the liberal politicians today that is reaching epidemic proportions. It is called NARCISSISM.

To get a better understanding on what this sickness is I went to the dictionary and here is what I found; "Narcissism is an erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development."

This inquiry was precipitated by a thought that I had recently that went something like this; "What is the motivation behind all of the liberal politicians who put the GREEN ADGENDA ahead of everything else, even what's best for the country and the planet?" 

I have come to the conclusion that whether they will admit it or not, they want to leave a legacy that will be remembered throughout the rest of time as THE MAN WHO SAVED THE PLANET. Incidentally, Jesus didn't come to save the planet, but those living on the planet.

When you think of that very selfish motive, what does that make them in their own eyes? 

You guessed it, a god.

Its clear what you and I think of this warped view, but what does God think of this?

Interestingly, he addresses this very thing in the FIRST of his commandments; 
"You shall have no other gods before me."

If they have no intention in keeping the FIRST of his commandments can we expect them to have any respect for the other nine?

I am thinking specifically of  #6, abortion,  #7, sexual perversion,   #8, stealing,  # 9, lying. After all, in their own eyes, the end justifies the means.

A few years ago I used to write a newspaper article for a small town newspaper where we lived. I never had one of my articles refused no matter how controversial,  If I were still writing those articles, this one probably wouldn't make the cut.

What is the secret to the abundant life?

 John 10:10 shows us two paths that we can walk on as we journey through life. 

"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. Jesus'  purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

The first part of the verse gives us Satan's plan for our life. He wants to kill our body, steal our joy, and destroy our marriages and families.

The second part of the verse shows us God's plan for our lives.

If God's plan is for us  to have a rich, full, and abundant life, how can we make that happen?

That's a question that should be foremost on everyone's mind.

In  the 12th chapter of Romans, Paul gives us instructions on how to make that happen.

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2

The first point that he makes is for us to give ourselves completely to God and then he says not to copy the behavior and customs of this world.

Did you catch the contrast in these two points?

Let's go back to the beginning and see how we got ourselves into this fix.

As we look back at Genesis we see God showing Adam around the garden. As they come to the middle of the garden he shows Adam two trees. Genesis 2:9 "The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground, trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed The tree of life and The tree of the knowledge of good and evil." 

It was God's plan that his children eat from The tree of life so that they could have a rich,  full, and abundant life. Remember John 10:10?

He warned Adam not to eat from the second tree as that curses one with The knowledge of good and evil.

The custom and behavior of this world is to take full control of our lives so that we can make the decisions as to what's best for us. No one can decide for us what is right and wrong.

You know the story, you know what their choice was. Given the temptation to make their own choices was too much for Adam and Eve and they made the carnal, worldly choice.

"I want to be able to choose between good and evil because I know what's best for me." They chose the way of the World.

Here is the result of a recent survey of 1000 evangelical pastors. 39% of these pastors said, "There is no absolute moral truth and each individual must determine their own truth." And here is the result of such belief, Over 1/3 of the surveyed pastors believe "Good people" can earn their way into heaven. That makes GRACE pretty cheap.

Jumping back to the book of Romans again in chapter 12 verse 3 we find Paul warning us, "Don't think that you are better than you really are."

The World's ways, customs, habits, reasoning, and wisdom have no room for God's plan for our lives. 

Here is a subtle truth: If we are following the world's wisdom in our choices instead of looking for God's wisdom and guidance, then we are EATING FROM THE WRONG TREE.

God has made each of us uniquely with a unique personality and he has gifted each of us to compliment our personality.

If we use our unique God given gifts to compliment the gifts that he has given to our Christian brothers and sisters we will be like a healthy body with all parts functioning in accordance with our abilities and strengths.

The abundant life is found when we are eating from THE TREE OF LIFE in the center of the garden, in the center of God's will doing his will.

Here is the sad truth. There is a very narrow path leading to THE TREE OF LIFE, whereas the path leading to the other tree is well worn and wide. Matthew 7:13.

 Proverbs 4:27 tells us that the narrow path described in Matthew 7 is very narrow, its only one footprint wide.  "Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."

In a healthy body all of the parts compliment each other to allow the body to function as it was designed to so that it can reach its full potential.

A healthy Christian compliments the other members of his church body so it can reach its full potential.

I am available

A few years ago Ruth and I were visiting a church and after the service a man that we hadn't see for several years came up to us and greeted us.

After quickly catching up he asked us where in the world we had been the last few years. He knew that we had traveled to different locations in the world serving the Lord.

I told him of some of the places in the World and the projects that we had worked on while visiting those countries. After hearing of the variety of locations where we had served he said, "How come you guys get to go to all of those interesting places?"

Without even thinking I opened my mouth and out came these words, "Because we are available."

That knee-jerk reaction to his question elicits a Biblical truth that isn't often taught.

Let's go back to the Old Testament and see what the prophet Isaiah teaches us in Isaiah Chapter 6 and verse 8.

"I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! send me."

I don't believe that this is an isolated incident where God is speaking to Isaiah exclusively. 

It is more like Isaiah overhears God asking generally, "Whom shall I send or who will respond to my call?"

I believe that God is looking out over the Earth and asking, "Is there anyone out there who is listening for my call on their lives?"

We hear people say things like, "God has called me to do such and such." Others say, "I have never heard God call me to do anything.

The problem is not in the call, the problem lies in our hearing, because he has called us all.

In Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus is giving a teaching about the wedding feast in which the ones he invited refused to come so he extends his invitation to everyone  in the whole world.

At the end of his teaching in verse 14 Jesus says, "For many are called, but few are chosen."

I believe what he means by this statement is that many are indeed called, but only a few are available.

The chosen path is narrow indeed and not many choose to walk it. Jesus makes this haunting statement in Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." 

Can I add? "Few choose to find it."

Let me explain this in a way that your third grader can understand it. God is looking for those who are standing on their tiptoes in anticipation, waiting to be used by God. They know that God wants to use them and are just waiting for him to give them their marching orders.

Are you available?

"Remember Lot's wife"

 In the days of Abraham, the ideal place to live was a city called Sodom. It was a place of prosperity being located in a fertile, well watered valley where the "Good Life," could be lived. It had a reputation of being "Like the Garden of the Lord." Genesis 13:16

Who wouldn't want to live in Paradise? Hard wired into every man is a desire to live in Paradise. The drive is so strong that man will do most anything to experience that ideal living condition while here on the Earth even if it's only for a short time.

When Lot's uncle Abraham gave Lot the choice as to where he wanted to live, he chose "Paradise Valley" which was Sodom.

You have to believe that Lot's wife had something to do with his decision, after all bright lights and good food are compelling.

But, the "Good Life" did not satisfy the residents of Sodom. We find in the text, Genesis 13:13 that the residents turned to perversion, and perversion decayed to the point of just plain wickedness as it always does until finally God says, "Enough is Enough, I must purge this wickedness from the Earth."

In His mercy, because of Lot's uncle, God sends his messengers to warn Lot of the upcoming judgment. Lot reads the writing on the wall and obeys the messengers, but his wife has second thoughts.

As they are escaping and leaving the "Old Life," behind they are warned, "Do not look back."

Have you noticed that people who live in the past, always comparing things to the way they used to be or wishing that things in their past world have turned out better for them, seem like they have a mouth full of salt, they are bitter and resentful.

Why would anyone look back to Sodom, a picture of this life and all of its empty promises, when the life ahead will be better than we could even imagine. I Corinthians 2: 9 promises us, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

As I look around my neighborhood, I see everyone trying to accomplish two things; to have as much fun as possible and to avoid as much pain as possible. Remember what I said about everyone wanting to experience Paradise now?

Interestingly, the Bible , in light of our glorious future, promises pain and suffering. In Revelation 21:4, the Bible tells us that, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." And in Romans 8:18, we are promised, yet what we suffer is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us." 

The more we look to the future and its promises, the more we are prepared to leave this life and its empty promises.

Lot's wife looked back on the garden that she left behind whereas we should be looking forward to the Garden that is awaiting us in Paradise, no comparison. I Corinthians 2:9.

The idea is to go to the prize not leave the prize like the rich landowner did in Luke 12:15-21. Jesus called that man a short-sighted fool. "Then he said, Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own (how much you leave behind.)

Jesus gives us good advise in the Sermon on the Mount where he said, "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store up your treasures in Heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy, (or fire and brimstone as was the case in Lot's wife's treasure), and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your heart is there the desires of your heart will also be."

Remember Jesus' warning whenever you are tempted to look back on how things used to be or how things could have been. "Remember Lot's wife."

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