October 23, 2019 – Click here to listen
Yesterday I wrote about the controversial subject of women preaching to men from the pulpit. I expected to be bombarded for making the statement that the Bible states it is wrong, but instead only received a light shelling. Interestingly I received one comment from a man who derided me for being too hung up on rules.
Hmmm . . . Make no mistake my commentary on this subject did not come from my imagination, but it is written in several passages in the Bible and I listed a few of the Scriptures that are not ambiguous in the least. So, am I too hung up on rules because I reported what the Bible has to say about the subject? I think this dude is missing the point. It is sad to me that so many Christians view the Bible as just a bunch of rules and regulations that must be followed. I think it might prove helpful to give it some thought and ask ourselves what was God’s motivation for giving us the Bible?
Did He offer His Holy Word to punish us and make our lives miserable?
Not hardly.
Does it seem logical that the same God who loves us so much that He offered His own Son to die as a sacrifice for our sins would want to torment us?
What kind of a father or mother wants their children to grow up without parental guidance? Only a parent who does not love their children. Proverbs 13:24 – If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don’t love them . . . God gave us the prohibitions in the Bible so our lives could be filled with blessings and joy because He loves us, not so we would be deprived of fun times. He created us for His purpose and obviously knows what will bring us the peace, joy, and the love that we need, and His simple formula for success is revealed in the Bible.
Now some parents allow their children to do whatever they want. The result is devastating to them and often to the society in which they live. When I lived in the Florida Keys it was common knowledge that one of our neighbors hosted parties for their underage kids and their friends and allowed them to drink, smoke pot, and be promiscuous. Is it any small wonder that not a single one of those kids today has been successful? In fact, it is my understanding that all are addicted to drugs and alcohol and two of that group have committed suicide?
I think of the Bible as a guide for successful living. And as I stated yesterday, the closer we can come to doing what the Bible states, the happier we will find ourselves. I look at it as being similar to an owner’s manual for a vehicle. The manufacturer makes recommendations on how to get the most use out of our vehicles and if we rotate the tires, change the oil, and do all that is recommended we will get the maximum benefit out of that vehicle. It is when we ignore the recommendations that we have trouble. The same holds true for the Bible.
Today many pastors and other church leaders fear the backlash, or are on an ego trip, or whatever, and do not preach the word of God as it written, rather as people want to hear it. The Bible refers to it as preaching to “itching ears.” Itching ears is a term used in the Bible to describe individuals who seek out messages and doctrines that condone their own lifestyle, as opposed to adhering to the teachings of the apostles. 2 Tim 4:3 – For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will condone same sex marriage, abortion, and practically any lust that people have in order to build their congregations to mega size and make themselves the envy of their world and this prophecy is coming true today.
They do so at their own risk, because teachers of the Word of God are held to a higher standard from God. James 3:1 – Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Finally, I’m often asked how we can know if what we are hearing from the pulpit jives with what the Bible states. The answer is simple:
READ YOUR BIBLE AND STUDY IT DAILY!
Psalms 1:2
. . . “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers . . .