A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Thursday,
September 9,
2021
Harvest time
along Harvest Road in Lancaster County. Sure seems this
farmer had a precarious load with the pumpkins that could
easily fall off at a bump in the road or a quick halt.
This is a windshield photo as we passed the team and
wagon.
"Inventing
Ways Of Doing Evil"
Message summary: Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by indifference, we see this phenomenon of inventing new ways to do evil growing at a fevered pitch. Let's be on the lookout, avoiding evil and walking in the path of righteousness.
Listen to this message on your audio player.
We
have donated blood together since we first met in the
mid-seventies. Our most recent donation was last Saturday
at the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank bloodmobile parked
in front of Hostetter's Hardware in Mount Joy. For many
years, due to communicable diseases, donors have been
subjected to a pre-donation interview that includes some
very frank and embarrassing questions.
Although we normally think of inventions as a good thing and as a sign of progress such is not always the case. Today let us consider the only time the word "invent" is used in many standard translations of the New Testament.
This verse from Romans 1 describes another kind of inventor in Paul's inspired assessment on the consequences of rejecting God. Other versions translate this passage: "Invent ways of doing evil" (NIV) "inventors of evil things" (ASV), "Their minds teemed with diabolical invention" (Phillips). "They invent new ways of sinning" (NLT).
The underlying Greek word for invent (epheuretes) is found only here in the New Testament. It describes a person who is not content with the usual, ordinary ways of sinning, but one who seeks out new vices because he has grown blasé and seeks a new thrill in some less familiar sin. Doesn't this describe our present age?
With or without any regard to newer technology we see a proliferation of ways in which people have become "inventors of evil" in the most sordid ways. People created in God's image who could be using their minds for noble, God-glorifying purposes, instead have been given over to depraved minds that think up unspeakable evil! (From Precept Austin Study notes).
Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by indifference, we see this phenomenon of inventing new ways to do evil growing at a fevered pitch. Thus we frankly ponder what the next frontier will be when that which is presently considered deviant becomes socially acceptable and then celebrated (although not by all.). It may be something we can hardly imagine but just think about where we are now and that which was unimaginable only a few years ago, by Christian and non-Christian alike.
Just consider the moral anarchy in our own lifetime. More will always be needed, a new way of doing evil will have to be invented. This can be seen in so many of Satan's vices such as gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and sexual immorality. Each vice so often begins with a "harmless", scaled down introduction but will so often become the master to many and take them where they never intended to go, keep them much longer than they ever intended to stay, and change them in ways they never expected. Do people actually set goals for themselves to live in the gutter? No, not really but remember Satan distorts his evil plan so that, if we're not careful, even those who profess to follow Christ will be brought down.
Let's be on the lookout, avoiding evil and walking in the path of righteousness.
But this
time Brooksyne got a new question (but not me). She had a
young man interviewing her who asked, "With what gender
would you like to be identified?" Brooksyne, who's as
sweet as they come can also be a bit salty on rare
occasions incredulously looked at him and responded, "Look
at me! What do you think I am?"
This must be
a new official question or perhaps it was his attempt to
be "woke" though this was the second time this has
happened to Brooksyne over the past two years. Neither
time have I been asked such an objectionable question so
perhaps the persons interviewing me could rightly sense I
wouldn't take too kindly to such utter nonsense.
But there's
more. Brooksyne asked the young man what he would do if a
donor identified as a dog or cat to which he replied we
need to be respectful however they want to be identified!
"I would never impose my views if that would keep them
from being who they want to be." So I suppose if someone
insists they are a cat we need to go along with that!
Although we normally think of inventions as a good thing and as a sign of progress such is not always the case. Today let us consider the only time the word "invent" is used in many standard translations of the New Testament.
This verse from Romans 1 describes another kind of inventor in Paul's inspired assessment on the consequences of rejecting God. Other versions translate this passage: "Invent ways of doing evil" (NIV) "inventors of evil things" (ASV), "Their minds teemed with diabolical invention" (Phillips). "They invent new ways of sinning" (NLT).
The underlying Greek word for invent (epheuretes) is found only here in the New Testament. It describes a person who is not content with the usual, ordinary ways of sinning, but one who seeks out new vices because he has grown blasé and seeks a new thrill in some less familiar sin. Doesn't this describe our present age?
With or without any regard to newer technology we see a proliferation of ways in which people have become "inventors of evil" in the most sordid ways. People created in God's image who could be using their minds for noble, God-glorifying purposes, instead have been given over to depraved minds that think up unspeakable evil! (From Precept Austin Study notes).
Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by indifference, we see this phenomenon of inventing new ways to do evil growing at a fevered pitch. Thus we frankly ponder what the next frontier will be when that which is presently considered deviant becomes socially acceptable and then celebrated (although not by all.). It may be something we can hardly imagine but just think about where we are now and that which was unimaginable only a few years ago, by Christian and non-Christian alike.
Just consider the moral anarchy in our own lifetime. More will always be needed, a new way of doing evil will have to be invented. This can be seen in so many of Satan's vices such as gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and sexual immorality. Each vice so often begins with a "harmless", scaled down introduction but will so often become the master to many and take them where they never intended to go, keep them much longer than they ever intended to stay, and change them in ways they never expected. Do people actually set goals for themselves to live in the gutter? No, not really but remember Satan distorts his evil plan so that, if we're not careful, even those who profess to follow Christ will be brought down.
Let's be on the lookout, avoiding evil and walking in the path of righteousness.
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we're warned in Proverbs 4:27
that we must avoid evil and walk straight ahead, not
taking one step off the right way. We don't want to
be lured by the enemy or caught in his diabolical
trap. Living in this sin-filled world might lead us
to despair especially those raising children or
grandchildren, but we look to You for grace,
strength and a firm resolve to remain faithful and
hopeful because the Scripture reminds us, "Where sin
abounds, grace doth much more abound." Where there
is the existence of sin there is the presence of
God's sustaining grace to help see us through our
troubled world, to help us see the kingdom of God
that will last for all eternity where sin will not
enter so it can no longer destroy! Until that day we
choose to remain faithful, hopeful, and to spread
the good news of Jesus Christ wherever we live,
work, and commune. Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
Note
to foreign readers: It's embarrassing to
many of us here in the USA just how fast evil is
advancing.
What does the Bible say about
the various forms of gender dysphoria?
(from gotquestions.org)
Indeed
pretending and acting like you're an animal is a
now a "thing": Kentucky school district:
Students are dressing and acting like cats
In
His Image: Delighting in God's Plan for Gender
and Sexuality (Full length movie)
We
are approaching the peak of availability of
fresh vegetables at the many produce stands that
are along our rural roads. This wagon is at the
Corn Wagon near New Danville where we can get 13
ears of freshly picked corn for $2.50! This
wagon has eggplant and peppers.
This
small stand is on an Amish farm here on Kraybill
Church Road around the corner from our house.
We've been enjoying good sized seedless
watermelons for $1.00 each. Eli grows for
wholesale to a local food coop and these
are seconds, but they're still tasty!
This large sweet potato was grown on the Old
Windmill Farm.
Quart
jar for perspective.
Finally
today:
Ester
snapped this photo of Gracie on our rustic barn
steps.
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a message to Stephen
& Brooksyne
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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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