Week Four, 2024
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (Romans 1:18).
In this world of copy and fake, we often don’t know the truth. The media often publishes fake news. Brand name products are often knock-off brands with a fake name. Often the new products you purchase are “refurbished” broken ones. The president of Harvard University plagiarized her dissertations.
Were you trying to figure out what “authentic” even means? Either way, you weren’t alone: It’s Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for, an annual recognition given to a word that dominates searches and lookup volume on the dictionary’s website.
Authentic has a number of meanings including “not false or imitation,” a synonym of real and actual; and also “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.” Although clearly a desirable quality, authentic is hard to define and subject to debate—two reasons it sends many people to the dictionary.
And with the rise of artificial intelligence—and its impact on deepfake videos, actors’ contracts, academic honesty, and a vast number of other topics—the line between “real” and “fake” has become increasingly blurred. Even from some liberal pulpits we see and hear blurring of the authenticity of scripture.
The Bible is clear, inerrant and authentic. It has been a guideline for life through hundreds of years. Without it there would be no Western civilization.
Man’s greatest problems are not lack of knowledge but hardness of heart and the Bible solves them all. People reject God because they don’t want to be accountable. The unbeliever’s greatest problem is not intellectual, but spiritual.
Creation points to God’s existence, but it is through the Word that God has revealed how to be saved. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
As we read the morning paper and listen to the evening news, while we have to wonder what is true and what is false and what is authentic, we can read and follow the precepts of the Bible and know that every word is authentic and true.
SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
Many Christians fail to flourish and grow spiritually because they are not digging deeper into the Word and developing a closer, intimate relationship with the Lord. Superficial and surface Christianity will not produce flourishing disciples.
Bible passages remind us not to view “flourishing” from a superficial, materialistic perspective based on wealth, pleasure, possessions, or an opulent lifestyle. Flourishing spiritually goes deeper. And transcends this life. It involves our relationship with the Lord. Feeding the spirit. And meeting the needs of the soul. It has an eternal viewpoint.
It’s also worth noting that a group of palm trees form an oasis. Together they provide shade from the scorching sun. In a similar way, when we flourish together, we help each other. The fellowship of the faithful becomes a refreshing oasis in a desert of sorrow and sin. We help each other flourish.
Senior saints can still flourish. We can continue to bear fruit. We can still be productive. While age may take its toll on the body, and we may not be as energetic as in our younger years, our roots, firmly fixed in the faith, will not only sustain us, but allow us to prosper spiritually.
As we grow older, our role and position in the Kingdom may change, but our responsibility to be faithful remains the same. Stay connected to Christ. Be prayerful. Remain “in the house of the Lord.” Feed the soul through the Word. Find meaningful fellowship with other Christians. Find ways to flourish.
What about you? Are you sowing seeds for spiritual growth? Are you flourishing or floundering? The Preacherman
— o —
A new study at Ohio State University shows that people suffering from forms of depression or anxiety may help heal themselves by doing good deeds for others. Evolutionary psychologists would no doubt call this finding an example of the “survival of the fittest”: the more compassionate we are with others, the more we experience their compassion and the more likely we are to survive and flourish.
QUOTES YOU CAN USE
Jesus is an astonishingly, wonderful giver of advice when needed. He is a mighty, great champion warrior. He is a strong, powerful God. He is perpetually eternal. He is our predecessor. He is our captain, commander and ruler. He brings us peace, security and safety. Rich Jensen
The impossibility of conceiving that this grand and wondrous universe, with dur conscious selves, arose through chance, seems to me the chief argument for the existence of God. Charles Darwin
The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life. William Morris
Worry was not uncommon in the days of Jesus here on earth and certainly that is no different today. People worry about things and those things can and do overwhelm us. Elbert Nasworthy
Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working. Oscar Wilde
As long as I know the Lord is standing with me, I can face the trials of tomorrow and the uncertainties of the future. Dan Shock
If the Lord should come today, would you be ready to meet Him? Florida Marketplace Ministries
God will never abandon us. He is with us. Edgar Aponte
It always seems impossible until it’s done. Nelson Mandela
If you do not stand in faith, you will not be able to stand at all. In the midst of trials and danger rely on God alone. Edgar Aponte
Crisis and Threats reveal in whom or what we trust. Trust the Lord. Edgar Aponte
Know that God will never forsake His people, in Christ He is with us. Wait on the Lord. Edgar Aponte
***
Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.
Your feedback is welcome. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024