He who has ears, Let him hear.

An analogy recently stuck in my head and I fee I need to share it: God has given us His Word. It is the road map by which we are suppose to navigate our lives with Him as believers. It is the ruler by which we should measure our doctrine and our lifestyle against. (It is not our means to salvation, but it is our instruction book after salvation and helps us see the need for our Redeemer.) The Bible should define our culture and what sets us apart from the World. Yes...it may look a little "Jewish"...wake up call - IT IS!!! We serve the Jewish God! We were bought for hefty price by the Jewish Redeemer, in a Jewish sacrificial system which was all created by the "Jewish God". All the Biblical Authors (with one possible exception) were either Jews or Messianic Jews! They all observed the Torah. Why have we separated ourselves from that? Like Paul says in Romans 11, It is the root that supports the branches, and we better not get cocky! (my paraphrase) Yet, so often our misunderstandings and indoctrination, colors our understanding of old and new Scriptures. We see it through the lens that we were taught, not in the context of which is was written. We have turned our back on that "context" and it has colored our understanding. It has become a matter of "us and them" and as a result we has missed so much of our "spiritual root". This has also been a huge factor in so much division between doctrines and misinterpretation and translation Scripture.

In our Daily walk...It becomes so easy to get our priorities mixed up; The Word and prayer(I.E. personal deliberate commitment and relationship with God) become an accessory to the church activities or daily grind in the world. Here is an analogy: While driving our car, would we ever just disregard a stop light as an inconvenience or an option? How about driving on the designated side of the road? Would we choose to stop at a green light because the red doesn't make sense to us, or because we are busy talking on the phone?? Would we stop the car in the middle of the road and get out to talk to a friend on a nearby porch, leaving the car idol in the center of the road, without regard to the obstacle it causes everyone behind us? I think we would all say "NO!" Yet we do this in our understanding of Scripture. We disregard things, for lack of understanding, for convenience, for self, and because it would require great sacrifice or change in our daily life, and relationships. What if we saw The Word and living a life of worship as simply as we see the rules of the road? What if we understood their application and context as plain as we can read the signs on the street? I know it isn't that simple, but God does grant wisdom to those who seek Him. I hope that some day, I will be as comfortable with the rules of Scripture as I am the rules of the road. Seeing them as necessary thing in this world for it run smoothly according the master planner.