August Beacon

“You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.” Psalm 119:4

“Did God really say…”‘

Have you heard that, read that, or thought that before? Whether it was a fleeting thought or a serious consideration, you did not make it up…the idea has been around for a long time.

Genesis 3:1 records how the crafty serpent asked Eve what she remembered about God’s command pertaining to eating from trees in the garden. Eve clued him in on how God told them not to eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. They could not even touch it or God said that they would die.

Being consistent in his rejection of God’s Word, the serpent replied to Eve, “You will not surely die.” Who should you believe? Does God provide His word for His creation just as a fad or possibly as a suggestion? The serpent assumed a very tough role with his words. He wanted to set the standard by opposing what God had already given.

Others have picked up where satan (the serpent) left off. A recent newspaper article tells how Tim Miejan has become editor of a New Age magazine. The Woodbury resident has found himself smack in the middle of the shifting, fractured New Age world - where beliefs change faster than you can flip a tarot card.

As the editor, Miejan has become a New Age gatekeeper, deciding which legitimte beliefs get into the magazine and which are too far out to be included. The article writer concludes, ‘It’s not an easy job.’

He recently featured an article which pleaded for a halt to construction of wind turbines because of the harm to life-force energy flows called “prana.” He said he would include stories about “nature divas,” the politically correct name for fairies. He added, “We would never say those do not exist.”

Some New Age leaders are appalled that he is excluding channeling and paganism. Kathy McGee stated, “New Age is an umbrella term encompassing anything on a spiritual path - Bigfoot, Jesus , Buddha. Even worshipping a frog is sort of OK.” She said New Age thinking is all-or-nothing - you either have an open mind to all beliefs, or you don’t. It is wrong for anyone to pick which beliefs are acceptable.

Poor Mr. Miejan…”It’s not an easy job.”

A few verses from Scripture shed light on the difficulty.

Psalm 119 includes these thoughts: Verse 4 - “You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.” Verse 20 - “My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.” Verse 30 - “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.” Verse 37 - “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your Word.” Verse 44 - “I will always obey your law, for ever and ever.” Verse 89 - “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

This is just a sampling of how Psalm 119 tells the world about God’s standard - His Word! Verse 112 says, “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”

From the very beginning, there have been those determined to question what God has said. Those who refute God’s standard and attempt to live apart from it, do so at their own peril. It is not an easy job!

Like the Psalmist - ‘Set your heart on keeping His decrees to the very end.’

Pastor Lerud