Musings, Learnings, and the Truth

By Benjamin H. Liles

          With some thinking about certain events recently, between different parts and points of society, we are very much in need of more of the gospel message. The thing is it's not simply a sin issue, the reason we're selfish and self-centered; it's an issue of taking Jesus the Messiah's righteousness as our own. But there's also another issue at work: why does Ben keep slacking off and on with this blog/site? These questions will get answered in this article.

          This morning, while looking up information on my wife's new laptop she will be receiving later on this week, I read about how ten days ago a shooting happened at a FedEx facility. All lives matter. The shooter that took the lives of those eight people even killed himself, a white supremacist. Lace that with the atmosphere of Black Lives Matter it becomes even more evident that it's still a case of "Me Too," a totally selfish, self-centered look at only "which" lives matter. All. Lives. Matter. 

          One thousand years ago, even though Jewish religious leaders decried their thoughts and intentions of an itinerant Jewish teacher, who eventually got nailed to a cross in bearing our sins, that man that bore the disease of our sickness - Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth went to the cross for all; not simply for the dark0skinned, olive-skinned, the off-color dark-skinned, or even the white skinned people, but for all. The point is made for sure; but scripture records it this way, "for the Jew and the non-Jew," or in other words, which Paul speaks, "for the descendants of Israelis, and for those who are non-Israelis; Jews and Greeks (the rest of the then known world)" (Romans 1:16, paraphrased).

          All people, regardless of skin color fall in either one of two categories: according to scripture the categories are "righteous" and "unrighteous." We can believe we are "righteous," but again looking at scripture we read in two different spots the same thing, "We are like an unclean thing, all our righteousness are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6), and Paul adds to it, saying "To those under the law, that every mouth be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God...But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed...through faith in Jesus (the Messiah), to all and on all who believe...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:19-23, all verses from New King James). The short version of that would read, "All are unclean; all our righteousness (of our own accord and desires) are but filthy rags. Apart from righteousness in Jesus the Messiah by faith, and on all who believe. There is no difference; all sinned, falling short of God's standards and holiness" (my paraphrase).

          My thoughts about all the victims who have been hurt, murdered and those who have gone on before us is that they are judged based on their faith or even lack thereof. We all are either ambassadors of Jesus or not. Those who claim they are, but apply hatred no nothing of the Lord and Savior of the Messiah Jesus. We need to be aware of history, we need to not make those same mistakes. But if we allow ourselves to forget the rich tapestry of history of our nation and our world to be erased, we are no better than those who are shaping this world in the likeness of her future master. Notice that small "m."

          There is but one Master of this world; no, of this universe, and His name makes demons flee, knees bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord: Jesus of Nazareth, who died and bore our sins on the cross, who died in our place and now sits at God the Father's right hand has that place of honor. That small "m" is only reserved for the one who longs and desires to take humanity by force from the Heavenly God who sits on His throne. That man is nothing more than a man who would rather mankind to remain selfish, to remain self-centered. Either we learn to step up, to stand up in faith about who Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah (that is the Christ) who alone gives us righteousness.

          And about my ability to maintain this blog/site, I can d still do it, I've just been busy trying to learn how to design and build a better blog/site so that I can offer something more than simply daily/weekly/monthly content. I want to do more, not simply offer a light as the true Messiah is my Light. That verse from scripture is a bit of a tangent there, but one that will be addressed here at a later time. After all the Bible from beginning to end is about Jesus, our Lord, Savior, and Messiah. No one will take His place. Ever. Again, even though I've said it before and it bears repeating - all lives matter. Jews, Greeks, Scandinavians, Africans, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, etc. All lives matter. With that said, have a blessed, glorious and amazing Sunday.