July 14
1 Chron 16:37-18:17 | PS 10:16-18 | Prov 19:8-9 | Rom 2:1-24
John Wesley (1703-1791), evangelist and preacher, said, "What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace." He was so correct. I couldn't see this as clearly when I was younger, but as I get older, this truth becomes more evident. Truth doesn't have to be truth to be called truth. As long as enough people call it truth, especially if in positions of power and influence, and as long as it is repeated enough to be truth, it becomes the established truth for that society. Once this truth is established, it then becomes the norm, and future generations use this "truth" as the foundation to build upon. How did we personally, as a society, as a nation become what we are today? We have taken our eyes off of the only true authority, God, and His Word, the only true foundation, and have built upon another. That God has allowed these other foundations to be built says nothing of His agreement with them. We are too focused on an earthly perspective, God has an eternal perspective. He is not indifferent, as many see Him. He cares about sin, and He cares about you and me. He allows us time and space to see the folly of these other so-called norms, with the desire that we will see our sin for what it is, and repent, and seek Him in this spirit of repentance.
After David's prayer does not go the way he desired, notice the prayer of this man after God's own heart in 1 Chronicles 17:20-22, "O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God." David did not trust in past victories, and certainly not on Israeli exceptionalism. He trusted in God, who established them and provided for them. But, we tend to elevate our norms, which leads Paul to write in Romans 2:1-3, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?" Whenever we elevate our abilities, our nation, our sense of right and wrong above God's we are looking with the wrong eyes. Just because others elevate us, or society affirms us does not give us more credibility. We read in 2:4, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
The Jewish people had a tremendous foundation, but began trusting more on their heritage and the words of their religious authorities over the word of God, as Paul writes in Romans 2:17-20, "Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law." But he then states in 2:21, "You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?" It's time that we in the USA begin to see things more clearly. It is not American exceptionalism. It is not our democracy or form of government. God has indeed blessed our nation for some time now. But rather than using this truth to seek Him further, we have sought truth and affirmation from man rather than God. May we all realize what Jesus taught about foundations in Matthew 7:24-27. Which foundation are we building upon? Which foundation are you building upon?
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: