GOD’S WORD FOR DECEMBER 2 ~ ~ *Luke 8:21~ ~ “But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
Continuing with How to Read the Bible by Dr. Michael Youssef, of Leading the Way ministries.
Chapter 5, David and Solomon; Foreshadowing God’s Kingdom
Section: Interrogating God’s Word
Today, thanks to the internet, the world is flooded with information as never before – and most of that information is useless, misleading, or downright destructive. But in the meantime, Biblical illiteracy is epidemic throughout the world, and even within the Church.
In past eras, even nonbelievers considered it important to have some Biblical knowledge. You could not be considered a cultured and educated person without some knowledge of the Bible. In today’s postmodern culture, however, the Bible is reviled. Even in many churches, those who love and obey God’s word are labeled with “woke” terms of contempt such as “heteronormative,” “Patriarchal,” “sexist,” “white supremacist,” and “oppressor,”
In one major New York city church, in October 2022, a preacher interpreted the story of David and Bathsheba through the lens of “woke” progressive ideology, saying, “David lay with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered after impregnating her. So does one horrible, despicable act wipe out all good David has done?” he gave an exaggerated shrug. “At the very least, it complicates things. But for me, I don’t trust this character. I don’t trust his story or his repentance…..Now I know the tradition teaches that David recognizes his sin and repents. Good for him.” Those last three words drip with sarcasm.
“But what about Bathsheba?” he continued. “Because I also know that the tradition favors men. The tradition favors whiteness. The tradition favors wealth and protects those with power. And quite frankly, the tradition has given us a world that continues to prop up attitudes and behaviors that are death-dealing to women and girls, to indigenous siblings, to LGBTQ-plus people in our community, to folks of color and culture.”
What “tradition” was the preacher referring to? The “tradition” of teaching stories from God’s Word.
“Ancient stories like this one,” the preacher continued, “unexamined and uninterrogated, give cover to men who send messengers to get women. And why does David get to be the only one called a man after God’s own heart? What does that say about God?”
This kind of “preaching” is becoming increasingly common in churches today – “preaching” that doesn’t proclaim God’s Word but interrogates it; that doesn’t draw spiritual lessons from the failings of Bible heroes, but seeks to cancel and demonize them and that doesn’t merely ask questions about God, but calls God into question.
Postmodern deconstructionism has invaded every aspect of our culture like a metastatic cancer. It has even spread its poison into the church. It is replacing the Biblical worldview with a satanic program of deconstructing and erasing God’s Word.
Christians who love the Bible have a clear understanding of David’s life, both his high points and his tragic failings. I have never heard any Bible-believing Christian say, “David was guilty of lust, adultery, and murder – and his story gives me permission to let my own sinful passions run riot!” a true understanding of God’s Word enables us to be repelled by the awfulness of sin while making room for redemption and forgiveness. This balanced view of human nature is something the worldly, postmodern, “woke” mind cannot understand.
God calls us to be like the warriors of the tribe of Issachar, people who understand the times and know what to do. We need to be people of God’s Word, because only there do we find a true understanding of the times in which we live, and only in its principles can we learn how God is calling us to respond.
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
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GOD HAS EQUIPPPED ME FOR THIS MOMENT
HE WILL GUIDE ME AT THIS MOMENT
HE WILL ALSO EQUIP AND GUIDE ME FOR
WHATEVER WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THIS MOMENT
*Romans 8:32
He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
*I Cor. 10:13 …God is faithful, who will not let you be tried above what you are able but will….make a way that you will be able to bear it.
*Ps 145:15 The eyes of all look to You and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
*Ps 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
*IICor.9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; always having all sufficiency in all things, so that you may abound to every good work:
*IICor 3:5
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God
