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SCRIPTURE - Prov. 14:12, 16:25 March, 2015 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. SUBJECT - Which way is right??? PLAY/DOWNLOAD [MP3] The message for this month, takes a look at what has to be the number one reason for all the mess we find ourselves in, on all levels, talking about individual, family, community, nation, and the world. And that is, we are doing things that, deep down within ourselves, we think are right. And the thing is, the vast majority of us would agree with them. Yet, if we were to leap ahead in time, say 10 or more years and look at the result of those 'decisions' that we so wholeheartedly agreed with, and would be honest about it, we would have to admit we did the wrong thing back then, and are paying the price for it. The thing is, most of us don't want to admit we were wrong so we lie, and cover-up the truth, and continue to support a course of action that will ultimately lead to our demise. All for the purpose of saving face. Or should I say our pride?? As the wisest man that ever lived put it, there are problems, times and circumstances that come upon us that have the potential to cause us great harm if we don't handle them correctly. Even when we consider what is correct, we have a problem, because depending where you live and what your family, friends, peers, and those you trust to be honest with you, like the educational system, politicians, preachers, scientists, Dr. Phil, Oprah, Ellen De Genneres, and other entertainers, from Hellywood [aka Hollywood], 'correct' is a relative term, subject to interpretation. What you have to know is, there is only one solution to a problem that is correct, and any thing other than that is going to end up costing you something, and it won't be for/in your best interest. So, how do I know what is right and wrong for you?? Well, I first have to know every thing about the problems and circumstances you are facing. Then I have to look at all the possible solutions there are for it, and figure out the one solution that will bring you the best return for your time and energy. Now, if I were to do that with some of the problems you and I face, there could be hundreds, if not more possible choices to consider, and it would take me a long time to go through each of them, with all the possible variances that they may have, or, look at the tried and true solution that has always worked for every past problem we have faced, especially when the vast majority of them, are the exact same problems we are facing today. While many would think that a lot of the problems we have today are new, the fact of the matter is, they are not. What they are, are variances, or offshoots, or should I say related to past problems that we dealt with the wrong way, that have come back to bite us in the rear end. A recent example of what can happen when we listen to people that have a degree in know-it-all-ology, talking about celebrities, that are hugely popular with a lot of people, when it comes to inoculating kids against diseases like measles. These people start telling their followers that these shots can cause a risk of catching a more devastating disease, like autism. The result is that despite the minuscule risk, about 1 in 1000 or smaller, of that happening, many are refusing to get the shots for their kids. Now we have a situation where a disease like measles, which had essentially been eradicated from our society for decades, is now making a comeback. The situation has gotten so bad that doctors are saying that laws should be passed to make people get their kids vaccinated. The people that don't want the vaccinations say their rights will be violated if that happens. Politicians are trying to figure out what to do, so that they can keep the people happy, so that they can keep their votes. The problem is, more and more doctors, and school administrators aren't waiting for politicians to take action, they are instituting their own rules, by stating if any child/person that is not vaccinated for measles, can't attend school, or visit the doctor's office, because they would be putting others at risk. One group is talking about a danger to the health of others, versus the other group talking about their constitutional rights. Which way is right??? What do you do??? Well, it would appear to me that since both have a valid point, I would say, 'if those that want to object to having their children vaccinated on constitutional grounds, or whatever, and follow that path then, they should not complain if their children end up suffering by not being allowed in school or other places, or to be able to play with other kids. You see, for every action people take, they need to look beyond their own little way of thinking, and look at the big picture. They may be right, but, there is a price to pay that they have not considered, because they don't think along those lines. All of this because they listened to people that may not have any children, or if so, their kids are essentially so well guarded, that they have very little chance of being exposed to these diseases, and problems in the first place. Most of the people giving out information, solicited or not, are usually going to be the least ones to suffer, as compared to the ones they are giving that information to. This is one of the millions of wrong decisions individuals, families, groups, races, the nation and the world for that matter make every day, and don't give it a second thought because, to us, 'it just seems right!!!' As Spike Lee puts it, 'Do the right thing!!!' Just because something seems right, does not mean it is the best way to go. We have an AIDS crisis in this nation, because politicians, back when it first became an issue, essentially put all of us at risk, when they [talking about liberals], passed legislation that prevented health care providers, from disclosing information about any person affected with the HIV virus. The problem was that it essentially was confined to one group of people, talking about homosexual men. It was called a 'gay' disease. This put them in the position of being persecuted, fired from jobs, and otherwise ostracized. This led to protests, and complaints that their civil rights were being violated. As a result, liberal politicians, who, themselves, wanted nothing to do with them, saw an opportunity to score points with them, to garner their support in elections, passed legislation that for all intents and purposes protected them, but put the rest of us at risk. Doctors could lose their licenses and be sued, businesses could be sued for firing any one with this disease. Now the disease has caused the deaths of millions, both gay and straight. This seemed like the right thing to do, but, evidently no one bothered to consider what would happen when these people continued engaging in the one activity 'unprotected sex' with partners without letting them know they had the disease, so that they could make an informed decision on engaging in that behavior. Human nature is such that man, is really incapable of making critical decisions outside of his own realm of reality. Every individual will always consider what is best for them. And how do they do that?? By relying on their 'common sense.' Common sense. What is that?? Once again, it all depends on who you are talking to. The only thing common about it is, it is self aggrandizing. It is essentially looking out for number 1. It is self preservation. The thing that is missing, is that man does not have all of the information needed to make the 'right' decision, because as I mentioned earlier, he can't see years down the road. He can't even see what is going to happen tomorrow. If someone tells him what might happen, he will reject it by saying it is not etched in stone. Besides, what makes them think their opinion is the right one?? Well, all are valid points, but, once again there is only one correct solution to our problems, and it doesn't come from common sense, it comes from God!! God, who knows the beginning from the end, has provided us with a source that gives us all the answers we need to make that right decisions on whatever problems we face. That source is the Word of God, the bible. It gives us a running history of every problem we will ever face, and shows us how to overcome them. But, we don't want to listen. Why?? Because it goes against what we think we know!! The reason I say this is because our intelligence, is based on faulty and incomplete information. Try solving a problem without all of the pertinent data that make up the correct solution to that problem, and what you have is a house that is built on a foundation of sand. And, at some point in time, when a storm comes, it will be washed away. Contrast that with a house whose foundation is built on a rock. When storms come, and they will come, this house will stand. The Rock that I am referring to is Jesus Christ, the Word of God in the Flesh. Every problem we face, has its solution in God, period!! When we try to ignore what God has to say through Jesus Christ, we are engaging in foolishness. And somewhere down the road, it will be revealed when things start falling apart all around us, as they are today. The bible is a record of the failures of mankind trying to get along without God. Nations have been destroyed, people have suffered and died, all because man has essentially tried to elevate himself to a level equal to, but in a lot of instances higher than God. How so?? When you start thinking you know more about your situation than God does, you have gone too far. If we look at abortion for instance where we claim that the baby in the womb, is not human but a thing called a 'fetus.' Or how about the gay community believing that God, made them that way, or that He was so mixed up when He made them that He put a man in a woman's body, or vice versa. Both of these things show our absolute rejection of God, and as such, He has allowed us to go our own way and suffer for it. In the old testament, we can get a clear picture of the children of Israel, God's chosen people, and how He blessed them abundantly when they followed His commandments. Look at the book of Deuteronomy 28 verses 1-14, to see all the blessings that would come on them, when they followed His direction. Then look at verses 15 ? end to see what would, and did happen to them when they went astray. This is the classic, complete picture of what awaits all of us, depending on how we respond to God's directions. If you will look at America back over 60 years ago, you will see a nation that was at the top of its 'game' so to speak. The most powerful and wealthiest nation on the face of the earth. We had it all, and sang about it when we asked God to bless America. We had prayer and the ten commandments in our public institutions. Then, look at us today. We are a shadow of our former selves because we started openly defying God by passing laws that shunned those things. More next month!!! |