A Sort of a Blog, July 2006, mary van nattan

July 25, 2006
Sad Truth

Someone will probably think I'm really "unspiritual" when I say that Bible reading is not always a blessing. Let me explain what I mean by that.

The other night in my evening Bible reading I came across this verse:

Proverbs 17:4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

Of course, I'd read that many times before, but for some reason on this particular evening it made me think of something I had not thought of before. Perhaps I should say something I had been unwittingly trying to avoid.

Some years ago I had a friend whom I liked a lot. She and I were agreed in a number of areas where I often can't find agreement with other women. She was often a fun person to be around and also loved the Lord. I could talk to her about a lot of things that many women did not understand - Christian women.

Accustom your children constantly to this; if a thing happened at one window and they, when relating it, say that it happened at another, do not let it pass, but instantly check them; you do not know where deviation from truth will end. - Samuel Johnson

But, (it's always "but", isn't it?) ...but, she was a horrible exaggerator. At first, I didn't realize this, but after quoting her and listening to her talking to different people I came to realize that she "stretched" things - sometimes considerably - to make them more impressive and that she changed details to make people think what she wanted them to think. I was sorely embarrassed at least once after having quoted her when the factual account was given by someone else.

Now, my inclination was to overlook this to some degree. It bothered me, but I just dealt with it by not quoting her or by emphasizing, "I was told...". In general I still considered her a pretty decent person.

Getting back to the verse: Proverbs 17:4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

Note to the overly sensitive: Please don't run to excess with this. As one man said, "You can tell 10 people something and they will take it 25 different ways." We don't all see or hear things the same. Also, it is common for a person to tell the same story differently every time he or she tells it, but the gist of the thing is the same. People often don't remember exact details. I'm talking about intentional or obvious exaggerations, slanting stories to achieve an agenda, lying, slander and the like. In some cases these must be identified over a period of time. I'm also talking about people who seldom apologize when caught misrepresenting the truth.

No one tells the truth 100% of the time, not even the most honest person. Only God is capable of that. Rom. 3:4

Had I taken God at His word I would have realized my friend's problem a lot sooner, for this lady did willingly "lend" her ears to people who had false lips and naughty tongues. She eagerly listened to certain more "spiritual" gossips in her church family, especially in certain situations.

The really sad part of the verse came in for me when I realized what this lady really is. Finally I had to face what God thinks of her. She is not just misguided. She is not just careless. She is a liar. That really hurts, but God forbid that I would argue with Him!

As for my own part, I also should have learned much sooner to not listen to her, as I was falling into the very same thing. I needed to discern her false lips and not give heed!

Now, lest ye judge her unsaved based on this, let me say that I really think she is saved. She is very different from the rest of her family, who are godless by and large. She also really seems to have been chastened. While this is not for me to judge, it is my hope for her! (How sad when we have to cling to someone's chastening as our hope of their salvation!)

Dear reader, is this lady you? Are you listening to false lips and naughty tongues? Perhaps you are like I was and are "overlooking" this behavior in a close friend. Please consider the verse above and also these other verses in Proverbs:

Prv. 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Prv. 14:7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

Prv. 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Do you just "stretch" things a little here and there (or perhaps a lot) to give the impressions you want people to have? Do you use your tone of voice to suggest things that the facts do not always support? I brought this up here partly because I have seen that we womenfolk have a tendency to interpret, stretch, and imply things to "encourage" people to think the way we want them to think. God's standard of truth is much higher!

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

July 17, 2006
Thoughts On High Priests

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

First of all, notice in verse 1 that the high priests of the Old Testament were taken from among men. They were ordained for men. They were ordained in things pertaining to God.

Now we have no earthly high priests in the church age, yet there are men who exalt various positions as if it were somehow a high and holy office. Curiously, they seem to think too often that they are ordained (and that's the very word they use) to men for God. In other words, they are some kind of extra special people whom we should honor because of they supposedly speak and act on God's behalf to the rest of us peons.

But notice the next verses. A true, God-fearing, Old Testament high priest should have had compassion on the ignorant and those who had strayed because he himself had the same tendencies. He had to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people's. (How rare is that attitude among some today?)

Next we see that no man takes this honor to himself. Aaron was called of God for this job. He was not the one who announced that he was "called to preach" or "priest," as the case may be. And, his ministry was for men - on their behalf - including himself. God selected Aaron for this role, and he really had little to no say in the matter. (Ex. 28:1, Num. 3:10, Num. 17)

The interesting thing is that Christ, the Son of God, did not raise Himself to the position of high priest. He was given that office by His Father. And, He was given that office to minister on our behalf. If the Lord Jesus Christ did not exalt Himself to a position of honor, ought men to do so?

And what about "the rest of us"? Should we be exalting men - or ourselves?

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Notice that we are also called to something. Because Christ suffered for us, we should follow His steps. We should not glorify ourselves or men. We should not put ourselves in a position that God has not given us.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We are called out of darkness into Christ's marvellous light. Therefore, every believer, as priests of God directly under our High Priest, should show forth His praises.

Here is a question we can each ask ourselves: Who does my life praise? Does it praise some man, family, college, group, church, organization, etc.? Does it praise Jesus Christ who took upon Him the form of a servant and was made of no reputation (Php. 2:7)? (Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:)

Revelation 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

July 12, 2006

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

There were two things that blessed me in this passage of scripture.

Promise Reminders

In Genesis, after the Lord had finished all His creation we read, And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

This present earth has been marred by man's sin, and yet even still the beauty and wonder of it can sometimes be so intense that it almost hurts. The most amazing construction and artistry can be seen repeatedly throughout God's handiwork.

But, in all that there is still the mark of death. It will all be destroyed some day (2Peter 3:12) and replaced with a new heavens and a new earth.

As much as we can be glad and rejoice in this present earth, the future heavens and earth are so wonderful that we will not even remember this one! Amazing thought!

So, the next time you are enjoying a glorious sunset, an amazing creature, a delightful fragrance, a lovely flower of God's creation - remember that these are "just" reminders of God's promise of wonderful, wonderful things to come!

Hope for Israel

The second thing I see here is that Jerusalem is going to be a rejoicing and her people a joy.

In verse 19 of Isaiah 65 we also read, And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

These will be glad days. There will be no more turmoil in Jerusalem - the city of peace - as there is today. It will be a city that will cause joy and gladness, instead of sadness and apprehension, in all the earth! This will be a good day, not just for the Jews, but for those Palestinians who are left (Zephaniah 3:12) in Israel in that day and for all the nations of the earth!

Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.