Greek Gods 

Acts 14: 11 – 15

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

One thing that bothers me is when people blame God for the bad things that happen in life. In fact, I take great exception to it because that is my kind and loving father of whom they speak. I really get perturbed when I hear Christians doing it. I was speaking with our Father God about it and He showed me why this error so frequently occurs. Primarily it is a lack of teaching and our cultural inheritance that leads us to making this mistake. Therefore, if you blame God when bad things happen, it is my fault for having not taught you better. When the rest of the world does so, it is likewise because they have not been taught correctly. There is a foundation in our culture and our education system that leads us to this conclusion so we must be educated in truth in order to overcome this error.

When you read the New Testament, especially the Pauline epistles, it will place you in good stead to realize that those writers were writing to a population very different from us. Now, that is not to say that those truths don’t stand in our culture, not at all. That Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law is applicable to all times, cultures and populations. However, it will increase our understanding greatly when we put Biblical text in context and understand to whom the authors are writing.

As you know, the New Testament was written in Greek. The Greco-Roman culture was the context of the New Testament writings. We are, in many instances, the heirs of Greek learning and culture. I don’t wish to say that is a bad thing. There is much that we have gained from the Greek model. What you should understand, however, is how it affects your faith. And when you understand the environment in which Paul and the other writers lived and wrote you can gain a keener perspective on their writings and how the Greco-Roman culture continues to influence us today.

So, to get directly on point, in order to understand why people blamed God for the bad things that happened in life all those many years ago and why people still do it today you have to first appreciate their understanding of God and the spiritual realm. Only the Jewish people believed in a monotheistic God. Everyone else had a god for every aspect of human life and experience. If you look up Greek Mythology you will be amazed by the number of God’s and sub-Gods they had. Also, we must understand that what we now call mythology was their belief system. Honestly, while they didn’t know THE god, Yahweh, and they certainly didn’t understand all the players in the spiritual realm, they did have a realization that something was going on. For example, they had a God of the air. His name was Aether and he was the primeval god of the upper air. Ephesians 2: 2 tells us of this air god, “You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air, who is at work right now in the hearts of those who are against the Lord.” They also had a god who was king of the heavens. This was Zeus. The ancients understood that there were spiritual beings influencing and affecting their lives, which is more than I can say for most of us. They believed that there was a spirit of sickness, one of madness, whose name was mania, as well as a spirit of well-being.

Now, while we don’t adhere to this religious structure, we have inherited a great deal from the ancient Greeks including philosophy, government, language, architecture and much more besides. Even their gods have found their way into our culture and language. Do you know what “Nike” means? Nike was the goddess of victory. So, the next time you lace on a pair of Nike’s think of that. There was Typhon from where we get the word typhoon and if you have been watching the news about the devastation in the Philippines then you can probably guess what Typhon was the god of. He was a storm giant. And Hypnos was the god of sleep. So, you see, there is a great deal that has been passed down to us from the ancient Greeks.

In our enlightened state we know that there is but one GOD. He is Yahweh, the great I AM. What they understood, though, that we have failed to grasp is that there is a superfluity, a virtual cornucopia of spirit beings. They understood that there were benevolent spirit beings and malevolent beings. Because we know that there is only one GOD, we have attributed all of the acts of these other spirit beings to the one God. And that is why otherwise intelligent, enlightened Christians can be so wrong in identifying malicious actors. We have failed to reclassify all of those other minor “gods.” And I would like to add here, this is why education is important. In studying Greek mythology we can see ourselves. We do not study Greek Mythology, or Roman or Norse in order to find God. We know the one true God. He is our Father. But, in studying the Greeks we can see how we have failed to account for all of the spiritual beings that they knew of but mistakenly called Gods.

There is God. He is a triune being, as are we, and shows Himself through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are angels and they are the benevolent, kind, helpful spirits. You probably know and understand that. Then, there are malicious spirits which are demons. Now here is where too many Christians stumble. For some reason we don’t seem to want to recognize the existence of demons. I know for a long time I didn’t want to. There are at least two reasons that I can offer for this phenomenon. First, I think that the idea of demons just scares people. It shouldn’t since Jesus has given us authority over every demon from hell but there is another problem there. We are not being taught about our authority. Secondly, I think that Satan has done an amazing job of keeping himself and his employees under the radar so to speak. The end result is that when something bad happens people ask, “Why did God do that?” Unlike the ancient Greeks they don’t even acknowledge the effect of the evil spirits. Knowing that there is but one God we have been fooled into thinking that there is only one actor in the spiritual realm. So, while the ancients sometimes look foolish to us, they have some insights too and we would benefit from their experiences.

God is good. He is always good. There is no evil or darkness in Him, and He only wants good things for you.

Confidence

Psalm 27: 13 – 14          (NIV)

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

You know, life isn’t always easy. We know that we have the victory of the Lord, but sometimes living in the fulness of that victory is a challenge. I want to encourage you today. Don’t give up. Don’t despair. If we persist, we shall see the goodness of the Lord and I have no doubt.

This passage was written by David. He had a most interesting relationship with Yahweh, our God and Father. In fact, I think it is a good exercise to read David’s psalms solely with an eye on relationship language, looking at how he interacted with God.

David went through some trials, to say the least. One of the most informative examples of his life was how he faithfully served Saul only to find himself persecuted by the very same Saul to whom showed such honor and servitude. There is a life lesson there alone. Young David found himself pursued by Saul’s troops for no reason. He had no peace or rest, in the natural, but learned to find his solace and peace in the love and protection of the Father.

David urges us to stay strong and take heart as we await the goodness of the Lord. It is what he did. Although Saul persecuted and harassed him, God established the throne of Israel in David. In fact, Jesus is of the house of David. So, although David may have, at times, been down, he was never out, and he knew it because he knew who his father was. He knew that God would not fail him and that he would see the goodness of the Lord on this side of heaven.

My hope is that David’s experience and his words offer encouragement today. God is alive and He is attentive. He loves you and sends this word to lift your spirits and give you hope. Be blessed.

Lovingkindness

Psalm 25: 10

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

God wants to constantly lead you onto paths of goodness. He wants to give you a life of joy, peace and prosperity. He is a good God. But we have a part too. First, we have to yield to Him enough to let Him guide us. That means that you can’t be headstrong and independent.

Secondly, we need to learn to keep His Word. The covenant is our bargain with the Lord. It represents our promises to God and His to us. We are supposed to heed His commands and honor Him, and He is to meet all of our needs. That means our every need, every need you can even imagine. We choose to participate in this love fest, or we opt out. You participate by doing those things that you see in the word. But even that, we do not have to do on our own. We can pray and ask the father to help us to grow and to change. We can use His strength to forgive someone we would rather not forgive or whatever it is that we need to do. We move through our love for the Father and then His love for us sustains us in all things. Then all our paths will be lovingkindness and truth.

The Test

Matthew 7: 16

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?

Jesus gave us the method by which we can know whom we can trust. We can know people by their fruit. We saw last week Paul’s elucidation of this principle. Colossians 3 shows the fruit of the chosen of God and also the habits and traits of those not reformed by Christ. Some of the traits Paul identified for Christians are: “a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other,” (Colossians 3: 12 – 13). In this list he also included the pursuit of unity (See the Word of the Day for 11/13/20).

Jesus’ teachings give us the principles. Paul’s teachings explain Jesus’ principles. He expounded on them to give further understanding. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul further described what the life of a Christian looks like. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires,” (Galatians 5: 22 – 24).

When I was practicing law I came to despise when a client offered that they were Christian. Why? Ask many business owners and you will get the same response. It is code language for, “I’m not going to pay you.” It is as though they offered that bit of information in order to cover a defect in their character. As I said last week, pretend I am from the Show Me state. Let your actions identify you as a Christian. As my friend, Robin, said yesterday, “Actions speak louder than words.” Anyone can say, “I am a Christian.” It is an entirely different matter to walk it out. Most people who wish to deceive and take advantage of others will not identify their motives. Instead, they will use some covering ploy and claiming to be a Christian is one of the best. So, how are we to know who is the real deal?

That is the purpose of this series of devotionals which began last week. I know who you are and how you strive to live in the light of Christ. I also know that you are the most vulnerable because you are attracted to people who self-identify as Christian. Now, you don’t have to take their word for it. Look at their lives. Are they givers? If no, then you needn’t ask any more questions. They are done because Yahweh and Jesus are mega-givers. You can’t be in them and be stingy. Beyond that run the test of Galatians 5 and Colossians 3. Here it is synthesized for you.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, a heart of compassion, humility, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.

You might want to cut and paste this bit into your own document or print it. We are not asking people to be perfect, but we are looking for a pattern of behavior. I hope you identify with people who are patient and kind, gentle of speech and generous. We can encourage and expect these traits of people. We should, in fact, expect these kinds of behaviors. More than ever, we need to be considerate. We need to concern ourselves with the best interests of all people. We need to think of others instead of ourselves. That is the Christian mandate. It’s the Word. Let the Word prevail over the lives of us all.

Father

John 16: 25, 27

But (I) will tell you plainly of the Father . . . for the Father Himself loves you.

Have you ever wondered why God, chooses to be called “Father?” I mean, He is Lord High King, God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Why does He call Himself Father to a bunch of rag a muffin humans? He could choose any title or name imaginable yet He chose to be a Father. Why does He ask us to love Him rather than just to serve Him?

That is an amazing question, isn’t it and an interesting perspective. I think it highlights that, above all else, God is love. He wanted a family to spend His love on. Love requires someone to share it with. Love demands acts of kindness and goodness. Wouldn’t those be a bit lost on servants? No matter how good God treated a servant, they could never rise above that station. They could never receive His intimacy. A servant doesn’t crawl up in the Father’s lap and take a nap. God wanted children He could dote on and spoil. He chose to have kids instead of slaves.

I think this question tells us more about God than many of the questions we might ask. It explains why He does many of the things He does and even how He feels. Ultimately, His desire is that all people join His family and let Him save and bless them. He is a good God and above all else He loves us. That is truly amazing and wonderful. Fill yourself with that good news today.

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Goodness

Psalm 83: 16- 18

Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may seek Your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever, and let them be humiliated and perish, that they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.

This is a very human sentiment. In fact, I would wager most of us have had this same feeling at one time or another. Sometimes we might feel these emotions towards our foes. At other times, perhaps, it is the thought we have towards the unsaved critics of our Lord. In either instance, it is a perfectly natural human reaction. It may even sound righteous. It is not, however, the evangelistic plan of our Father. Nor is it the way He deals with antagonists.

God said that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55: 8) and this is one of the ways we see our differences. That is not to say, however, that our ways cannot mirror His. We must see His ways first, though, before we can model them. That is one of the ways that I pray the Word of the Day serves you, illuminating God’s thoughts and ways. As we peruse the Bible, or even the verses from the Word of the Day, we get to know Yahweh better because He is revealed in the pages of the book. The more we look at the scriptures the more we see how Father approaches situations.

Today’s passage brings to my mind the goodness of God. Though I might pray a sentiment like Asaph’s our Father would not react the same way. He is full of love and reacts from a position of love. He is chagrined by those who fail to include themselves in His love. He wants them to know peace, love and wholeness. Rather than shaming them forever, allowing them to be humiliated and to perish, He sent His son to save them. He sacrificed His son for the very people who wanted to obliterate Israel from the face of the earth and even from memory. Love is a crazy thing, isn’t it? It makes large demands, one of which is unfailing compassion.

I like this verse because it forces me to think about God’s approach to the world and His ultimate goodness. And, it is good to meditate on God’s goodness. The more we think about how God responds with goodness, the more we understand His position in all things. Meditating on His nature brings understanding at a very deep level. The more we meditate on how God thinks and acts, the more automatic those responses become in our lives. Our meditation on God plants the seeds of His ways in our hearts so that we begin to react as He does. That is the stuff of transformation. If you want to be like God, ponder His ways. Soon, those seeds will begin to produce a harvest and you will be more and more like Yahweh and living in the fullness of His peace.

Judgment Rendered

Psalm 76: 8 – 9            GW

From heaven you announced a verdict. The earth was fearful and silent when you rose to judge, O God, when you rose to save every oppressed person on earth. Selah.

There is so much confusion surrounding God’s judgment. Well, today you can bask in the good news because when God arose to render His judgment, it was to save every person on earth. Selah!

If you say anything about God’s judgment, most people are as described in this verse, fearful. When God arose to give His judgment, the world held its breath. There was complete silence in fearful anticipation of His wrath. It seems generations of people have misunderstood God. He is always good. He is benevolent and kind. Therefore, when He stood to give His judgment it was so that He could save every person on earth. He was compelled by love and compassion, not anger.

We think God is angry because of our own guilt feelings. We transfer our feelings of unworthiness onto Him so that, in our eyes, the only logical response a Holy God can have is vengeance and wrathful indignation. That, however, is a human perspective born of brokenness and guilt. God’s perspective is completely different. He looks through the eyes of love. He is motivated towards actions which help us. We know we don’t deserve His goodness, so we don’t look for it. Further, we recharacterize His kindness into something which is coherent with our feelings about ourselves. None the less, God is good. He is nothing but good. He is only good and every act of His is good and for our well-being. That is why he pronounced judgment, so that He could be good to us, so that he could save us.

If you will always look at God through this lens, you will see Him clearly and come to know Him as He is.