Day 313: One True Message

Galatians 1; Jeremiah 47-48; Psalm 142

Paul points out that there is only "one true message" of Jesus Christ. There are people who preach something different from the truth of Jesus, attempting to turn people away. Paul says it doesn't matter who that person is, whether "one of us or an angel from heaven." I've heard lots of stories and talked with some people about their faith and their religion and it is amazing how many people do believe in God, in Jesus, but not in the way that scripture tells it. They have been led away from the Truth, and believe something that is not biblical. Paul closes this section by asking, am I trying to please people or please God? Clearly pointing this out is a sticky subject and would get some people riled up. However, he isn't concerned about human approval. All he cares about is the opinion of God. So be careful reader, that you are not listening to people who change the gospel for their own gain. Those like Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer preach a prosperity gospel that is not biblical. And there are many others, famous and less famous. May we pursue the truth and find it in Jesus Christ.

The first thing that hits me from these chapters in Jeremiah is the passage about how terrified they will be that parents will abandon their children. To me, this would be one of the worst things a person could do. But these people would be so afraid, so fearful of what was to come, that they wouldn't even think about their own offspring. It happens today, unfortunately. For lots of different reasons, probably including fear, moms and dads leave their children. Kids are left on the streets, in the foster care system, with grandparents--all because of the selfishness and insecurities of the parents. We need to be a generation of parents who take care of their kids, who love them and give them all the good things we can.

The next thing that stands out from these passages is that God is going to bring terrible destruction on Moab because of their disobedience, he was going to weep and mourn and cry for them. Wait, wasn't he just talking about wiping them out with an enemy army? Now God's upset for them? To me, this shows they incredible fairness of God and the incredible love of God. He is perfectly righteous and just, and perfecting loving and forgiving. Crazy.

Awesome prayer: "I pray to you, Lord. I beg for mercy. I tell you all of my worries and my troubles and whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me." We can trust in God to be there to help us through our times of helplessness or worthlessness or worry. Even when no one else seems to care, when no one else can help, God can. That, he promises.