In AP US History, I've noticed a common trend: people twisting God's word to fit their needs and using it for personal gain. Many people have been led astray over the hears, especially in the 15 and 1600's because of all the Reformation and Protestantism starting up. Like, Catholics had (and possibly still have) a belief about the sale of indulgences and how buying these indulgences could get time taken off of your alloted time in purgatory. Now I realize I may have some Catholic viewers, and because of the topic of today's message, I will do my absolute best to avoid conflict and causing discord between the different congregations of the great Body Christ has set up. My sincerest apologies if I do mess something up; please feel free to let me know!
This got me thinking: How much of today's culture has the Bible wrong? Where are we interpreting it to match our wants and needs and where is it being read pure-heartedly? You see, God calls us to read His word... AS HIS WORD. Not as something to force others down some ruts you carved for them, bringing glory to you, but rather to guide us ALL towards Jesus to bring glory to HIM. The Bible, while powerful, is also fragile in that with one tweak of human thinking, the meaning is lost. We must keep our biases free when reading God's word!
That said, the Holy Spirit WILL reveal different things to each individual. Everyone learns something different in their own personal devos! Don't take the different meanings as false, but rather examine them for yourself, checking to make sure they aren't false prophets. If not, and the Bible backs up their claims, its truth! God works in crazy ways! Don't deny another believer, or claim they are wrong, when you don't UNDERSTAND it! It takes close examination of the text. Even I check to make sure my pastors are preaching truth.
Some congregations have twisted God's word. I don't want to list any more examples, but yall know what I mean. To see believers, who are a part of God's body, trying to be something they aren't. Its like the nose deciding it wants to hear something today. No matter how hard it trys, it will NEVER hear. They have to have their eyes (or nostrils) opened to what GOD has for them!
Also, many people think badly of extremely conservative, traditional churches. I used to think this. But then I realized: its not wrong nor unbiblical! Thougj we are not REQUIRED to do such things under grace, they aren't wrong either! In fact, they can even focus us MORE on God so that He may reveal His glory to us! Tradition is a great thing, and even Timothy conformed to circumcision so he could follow Paul and be accepted by the Jewish leaders around him. Even though it wasn't necessary for him to under Jesus's sacrifice!
So there ya go! Let the HOLY SPIRIT guide your readings in the Bible and find truth! Share your truths with others! And most importantly, check back to make sure what you hear is truth from the Bible! #LiveItLikeJesus
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