Is not the work of the deceiver and murderer all around us? We see his work in our communities and neighborhoods where homes are torn apart by lies. We see it in our streets where violence has become so rampant that it has become the norm...to the point that when we turn on the television, it is not surprising at all to hear of drug crimes, murder, arson and other violent acts against our own communities. Even more disturbing is that the division that is caused by lying is not only in the community, neighborhoods and in the streets, but you can find the same in the church! Let's be truthful, YES, the church knows where the bad areas of town are, we know who the dealers are, the prostitutes, the swindlers and the thieves because they are oftentimes in our very own community; yes even the community in which our churches are located. The lie here is our ignoring and even denying the true underlying issue with these issues...the devil is busy and unchallenged! We pray for ourselves but seldom for the liberation of the prostitute while they are living in that profession...no, we sit back and wait for them to come to the church. It is seen when we avoid areas of town that we know are "shady", yet we get into the church house and pray for mission funds and mission opportunities...avoiding the mission that needs to take place in our own neighborhoods. Again, lies are not only spoken untruths, but they are also revealed by our deeds and our ignoring the problem aides the deterioration of our very own society.
Who is really in charge here and whose children are we?
In the Gospel of John, chapter 8 (listed below), Jesus is confronting the Jews who say that they are Abraham's children. In essence, Jesus is telling them that by their claim, they are living an illusion. Jesus begins to clear up the misconceptions the Jews had about their ancestry. The Jews were clinging to the illusion that they are the spiritual children of Abraham because he is their physical father. Do we say similar things to try to establish our own spiritual credentials? We are either Methodist, Baptist or Catholic or it was our family who constructed the church or that we were here when the church was founded. Jesus simply asks in verse 39 why are they not doing the works of Abraham if they are his children.
Jesus says that they are so far left of being Abraham's children that they will not even listen to Jesus' words. Jesus tells them the truth, but His word has no place in them. It goes even deeper...because of the darkness in them (and in us), not only will they not hear the truth, they will not even believe it!
We have to be on task and do the work of our Father, The Lord God who is in heaven. If we are not about our Heavenly Father's business, then whose children are we?
Jesus said to them, “You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father--God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." (John 8:41-47 NKJV)
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