Bible Ballistics: Vol. 12 No.11  Where Are Your Dominoes???

 

I remember playing with dominoes as a child, not always the “game” of dominoes but laying them out in a line and then watching them fall on each other and thinking that was so amazing. And we’ve all seen those elaborate dominoes that take people hours and days to set up and then in just a few short minutes the dominoes fall in intricate patterns to amaze us all. But the dominoes that I want to talk about today are the cultural “dominoes” that are falling all around us—and the results are anything but happily amazing—they are tragic and frightening and we need to wake up and make some changes while we still can!

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh

reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit

reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary

in well doing:

for in due season

we shall reap,

if we faint not.” Galatians 6:7-9

We are reaping not the fancy, cutesy, domino stunts that we see on videos, but we are reaping Satan’s domino effect which is tragic—ruining our homes, churches, cities and our nation (besides the world at large!). Many of us bought the lies as young people (I am a product of the 50’s and 60’s and the end has been less than admirable—divorces, rebellion, child abuse, pornography, drugs, no work ethic, not even considering the rejection of God!), and made choices in light of our belief in and acceptance of those half-truths and lies (And just FYI—half-truths are lies!) and now we are watching the consequences of those choices, even we who have repented and returned to God. I must share the things that are on my heart. We bought into the “soap opera” mentality—that if we “love” anyone or anything then what we do for that “love” is all right! But that isn’t what God says—sin is sin and if we sow sin to our flesh, we will reap corruption and destruction. Even as Jesus told us:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be

which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be

that find it.” Matthew 7:12-13

Jesus told us that there are two ways to go—a popular way, and a straight/narrow way (and I mean that any way you want to take it!) —and we have the privilege to choose which way we will go, but we aren’t privileged to set the consequence, for God has already set the consequences, and warned all that will receive His Word of the danger of sin, and the deliverance that HE has provided to all who will “hear what the Spirit says…” about the Son of God who gave HIS life for us! But what we must come to grips with is that we have created most of the problems that we are now facing in our country (and the world in general) by choosing the wisdom of men over the true wisdom of God.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

“There is a way that seemeth right

unto a man,

but the end thereof

are the ways of death.”   Proverbs 16:25

I’ve learned in reading and studying the Bible, that when something is repeated, we need to take note of—it is important—and God wants us to know that sin will look good in the beginning for Satan is the greatest advertising executive of all time—He can paint a picture of beauty and glory, but it is all gilded with lies, and the truth will come to light, but often too late to escape an inevitable consequence. Even scripture tells that there is “pleasure” in sin, but at what price? Let’s consider what the “faith” chapter tells us about the prophet Moses.

“By faith Moses,

when he was born,

was hid three months of his parents,

because they saw

he was a proper child;

and they were not afraid

of the king’s commandment.

24 By faith Moses,

when he was come to years,

refused to be called the son

of Pharaoh’s daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction

with the people of God,

than to enjoy

the pleasures of sin

for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ

greater riches

than the treasures in Egypt:

for he had respect unto the recompence

of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt,

not fearing the wrath of the king:

for he endured,

as seeing him

who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:23-27

We see two examples of faith here; we see Moses’ parents, who hid him for three months “because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment”! The Pharaoh had commanded that all the baby boys should be killed, yet Moses’ parents kept him hidden from the king and later trusted him to God as Jochebed put him in a basket and placed him where he could be found by some Egyptian who would take pity on him. Then beyond imagination, Pharaoh’s daughter took Moses to be her own child, and paid his mother to nurse him until he was weaned. Yet when Moses became an adult (I can’t help but believe he remembered the stories that Jochebed shared with him as a child!) he recognized that there was a difference between God’s people, and ways and the “pleasures of sin for a season” in the Egyptian palace! Moses could have continued to live in opulent wealth, prestige and power, yet he saw that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the true God, and His ways were worth the cost! He had set his heart on the true Almighty God, and chose to follow Him “not fearing the wrath of the king”! Moses, unlike some of us, recognized the fleeting, seasonal nature of sin, and he chose God’s way.

And while it took forty years in the dessert for God to prepare him for the difficult task ahead, God had his heart. What about you and me? There is another man of God who made good choices in his youth but messed up in his latter years, who reminds us that Satan is no respecter of age—he tempts the young, the middle-aged, and the older generation. Sin has no age limit! We must choose to serve God, God’s way! He hasn’t changed the rules no matter what people may think. Sometimes it seems that people have more faith in their “check” than in God. And marriage is one of Satan’s main targets! Yet God has made His standard clear, and how He feels about marriage and adultery (and any sex outside of marriage is adultery—pre, current or post marriage!) is key! The author of Hebrews reminds us of how believers ought to behave before the world, and where our confidence ought to be—and it’s not in the government (checks or no checks) or the weather person!

“Let brotherly love continue.

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:

for thereby some

have entertained angels unawares.

3 Remember them that are in bonds,

as bound with them;

and them which suffer adversity,

as being yourselves

also in the body.

4 Marriage is honourable

in all,

and the bed undefiled:

but whoremongers

and adulterers

God will judge.

5 Let your conversation be

without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do unto me.”   Hebrews 13:1-6

The rules haven’t changed! And the other man I want us to look at is Solomon. A young man who started strong but fell into sin—and you might be amazed at what caused his demise!

“In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said,

Ask what I shall give thee.

6 And Solomon said,

Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David

my father

great mercy,

according as he walked before thee

in truth,

and in righteousness,

and in uprightness of heart

with thee;

and thou hast kept for him

this great kindness,

that thou hast given him a son

to sit on his throne,

as it is this day.

7 And now, O LORD my God,

thou hast made thy servant king

instead of David my father:

and I am but a little child:

I know not how to go out

or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst

of thy people

which thou hast chosen,

a great people,

that cannot be numbered

nor counted for multitude.

9 Give therefore thy servant

an understanding heart

to judge thy people,

that I may discern

between good

and bad:

for who is able to judge this

thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord,

that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him,

Because thou hast asked this thing,

and hast not asked for thyself long life;

neither hast asked riches for thyself,

nor hast asked the life of thine enemies;

but hast asked for thyself

understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise

and an understanding heart;

so that there was none like thee

before thee,

neither after thee

shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee

that which thou hast not asked,

both riches,

and honour:

so that there shall not be any

among the kings

like unto thee

all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways,

to keep my statutes

and my commandments,

as thy father David did walk,

then I will lengthen thy days.”  1 Kings 3:5-14

Solomon knew that only God could give him a heart of wisdom and understanding to rule God’s people, and God was so pleased with his humble request, that He not only granted Solomon’s request, but God also granted him riches and honor. God also told him that if he would walk in HIS ways, like David had, He would “lengthen thy days”! The catch was Solomon’s heart of compromise toward the pagan women that he took as wives (and remember he had a lot of them—700 wives and 300 concubines!) who caused him to stumble and fall away from faithfully serving God. And to borrow from the NASB “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals” (See 1 Corinthians 15:33)

“But king Solomon

loved many strange women,

together with the daughter of Pharaoh,

women of the Moabites,

Ammonites,

Edomites,

Zidonians,

and Hittites;

2 Of the nations

concerning which the LORD said

unto the children of Israel,

Ye shall not go in to them,

neither shall they come in unto you:

for surely they will turn away

your heart

after their gods:

Solomon clave unto these in love.

3 And he had seven hundred wives,

princesses,

and three hundred concubines:

and his wives turned away his heart.

4 For it came to pass,

when Solomon was old,

that his wives turned away his heart

after other gods:

and his heart was not perfect

with the LORD his God,

as was the heart of David

his father.

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess

of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

6 And Solomon did evil

in the sight of the LORD,

and went not fully after the LORD,

as did David his father.”   1 Kings 11:1-6

Solomon chose foolishly—he surrounded himself with pagan wives (“bad companions”, regardless of the reasoning—whether it was for political positioning, or lust, or seasonal pleasure) who turned his heart away from following God! And when we choose the way of the world, it will always be in a direction opposite from God’s way! We can choose that “broad way” and face the destruction, or we can choose the “narrow… way” and have life. Yet Jesus said, “few there be that find it”—it has never been popular to follow God’s way, and it never will be, but it IS the only way to God.

Who will you follow—what dominoes are you setting up? Who will follow you (and your dominoes)? Are you leading them to God, or will they be lead to destruction. Paul talks about those who willingly and gladly lead others down the wrong road, and our world abounds with such people!

“Because that,

when they knew (recognized) God,

they glorified him not as God,

neither were thankful;

but became vain in their imaginations,

and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise,

they became fools…

32 Who knowing the judgment of God,

that they which commit such things

are worthy of death,

not only do the same,

but have pleasure in them

that do them.” Portions of Romans 1:21-32

We/I/you can only turn our culture around one choice at a time—we must repent of our failures and wrong choices (our sin) which have demeaned the truth of the Gospel, and come back to The Word of God as our lodestar, before the dominoes completely crash around our feet. May we all seek to “stand fast in the evil day”, being a reflection of the glory of our Lord, not falling for the lies of the enemy, nor being drawn astray by the “pleasures of sin” for any season! Oh God forgive our failure to stand for YOUR truth in days gone past, as well as today, and help us to keep our eyes on JESUS—the only way, who is the same always.

“Jesus Christ the same

yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”   Hebrews 13:8

Keeping our eyes on HIM, and abiding IN HIM, that His glory may be seen in us each and every day!

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word

which I have spoken

unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit

of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth

much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”   John 15:1-5

When we belong to Jesus, we are empowered by His Holy Spirit to do HIS work, and by His power we can truly pray and see:

“Thy kingdom come……Thy will be done…”

Praying with a heart set on HIM, knowing HE will prevail!!!

“I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

I’ll close with a passage from Psalms:

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.” Psalm 37:3-6