Fog lifted from this morning, but around 1600 it started rolling in, to the point that we can barely see the houses around us.  Looks like we are on the coast.  As the fog rolled in the cats came into the house and hunkered down.

Baked a one skillet chicken and stuffing dinner for lunch, should have plenty of leftovers so Carla won’t have to cook the next few days.  

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

As I read through this Chapter of Exodus this verse stood out to me.  God is patient, He gave the Pharaoh ample warnings in both words through Moses and Aaron and the actual miracles of plagues, yet Pharaoh did not listen.  As a result, God destroyed the first born in Egypt of those that did not have the blood of the lamb on their door posts.

God wanted to make it clear that HE, and HE ONLY, is God; I am the Lord.  The gods of Egypt, the leaders of Egypt could not save the people from this horrendous plague, only those that believed Him and listened to Moses were to be spared.

God expected strict obedience from His people.  He gave them orders to eat only unleavened bread for 7 days and on the night of the Passover of the Death angel a specific menu.  Then of course they had to put the blood of the lamb on the door posts.  Things that may seem foolish to man, were a command of God. Failure to obey would mean that He would cast them out and they would be condemned as the Egyptians were condemned.

His message was clear and undistorted by those that would try and water down His message.  Obey and be saved, disobey and suffer the consequences.

Mathew 16:6  Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

And verses 11-12  How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

¹² Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees had been manipulating the Word of God for some time.  They had inserted their own ideas and message into the commandments of God.  They had done the equivalent of using leaven bread instead of unleavened bread as God had commanded.

As Christians we must be sure that we are examining the teachings of Christian leaders to make sure they have not placed leavening in the Word of God including the Gospel of Christ.  We must look at the doctrines laid down by the leaders and evaluate them by comparing them with the Word of God.

There is grave danger in today’s world.  Men who claim to be ‘Men of God’ are manipulating His Word for their benefit.  They want the adulation of men feeding their egos; they want the things money can buy so they beg for money to be sent to them – supposedly to further the Word of God, but in reality to support their lifestyle.

Preachers preach a Gospel that ignores the fact that God is God and we have a responsibility to Him.  Jesus was more than our Savior; He was the Son of God.  He was God placed on earth to confirm who God is and to confirm His Word.  Through His life we learn what God expects of us – to be perfect as He is perfect.

For many Christians today, their religion is separate from their everyday life.  They are not inconvenienced because they know that they are forgiven and will be forgiven of any misdeeds, so misdeeds they do. 

We do not want to mistake God’s Grace through Jesus Christ for God’s unwillingness to discipline either His children or the people of the world.

May we focus on service to God, obedience to His Word and a daily reaffirmation of our love for Him and His directions to us.  May we thoughtfully review any doctrinal directives from man and/or the interpretation of God’s Word by comparing them with His Word.  May we strive to convey His love and directives as HE wants them conveyed, not according to man’s word, but God’s.  

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again