Chaos Reigns

October 5

(Acts 19:29-32 NIV) “Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. {30} Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. {31} Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. {32} The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there.”

(Romans 1:18-23, 28-31 NIV) “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, {19} since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. {20} For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. {21} For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. {22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools {23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles…. {28} Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. {29} They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, {30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; {31} they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

The God of Scripture is a God of order. Chaos is of the devil. Mob violence is evil -- it is not of God. Where people are in an uproar and rush as one man to ruthlessly destroy and do senseless harm, Satan has taken control. When people reject divine guidance, one finds heartless depravity, futile thinking, and confusion about purpose and direction. Chaos reigns, and we end up not even knowing why we are here. This can happen with crowds, and with individuals. God offers peace and light, but we are addicted to chaos and darkness. We turn away from God, and then can’t figure out why our lives are so disordered and empty. We worship false gods, and our main purpose in life becomes survival. There is a better way. Jesus offers peace and light in the place of calamity and darkness. Let Christ reign instead of chaos. Embrace Jesus and be set free. Our God reigns! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Gods of Culture

October 4

(Acts 19:26b-29 NIV) “He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. {27} There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty. {28} When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" {29} Soon the whole city was in an uproar."

(2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NIV) “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. {4} The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

(Deuteronomy 4:23-29 NIV) “Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. {24} For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. {25} After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God and provoking him to anger, {26} I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. {27} The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you. {28} There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. {29} But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Many today would say they are not religious, but they are not being truthful. We are all religious in some way. We all worship something or someone. Some worship science. Some worship nature. Some worship the stars. Some worship money. Some worship sex. Some worship power. Some worship sports. Some worship their addiction. Some worship themselves. The gods of culture are many, and if you faithfully follow Jesus, you will come into conflict with these gods. As the influence of Christ grows in your life, the power of cultural gods will begin to wane. They will begin to get less of your time and money, and they will squeal their displeasure. They may even threaten you. The gods of the culture despise Jesus and those who serve Him, but remain steadfast. Those who worship the gods of culture will perish, while those who follow Jesus receive eternal life. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Led Astray

October 3

(Acts 19:26 NIV) “And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.”

(Matthew 7:13-14 NIV) “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. {14} But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Anyone who takes their Christian faith seriously will begin to walk a different road than the rest of the world. In turn, popular culture will see you as “off the beaten path” or even as “off your rocker”. Christians have been labeled as “wacko” since the days of Jesus. If you haven’t been called a “wacko” or something worse, you have likely been hiding your light. Demetrius and the other establishment idol-makers saw the early believers as people who had been “led astray”. The “folly” of this new religious sect was found in their rejection of “man-made gods”. Those on the wide road to destruction cannot comprehend why disciples of Jesus persist in going a different direction, but we who follow Jesus have been commanded to walk the narrow road. If we obey, we are indeed guilty of “straying” from the wide road. We must learn to live with the world’s ridicule and disdain. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

A Different Kind of Buyer

October 2

(Acts 19:24-26 NIV) “A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. {25} He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. {26} And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.”

(Matthew 6:19-24 NIV) ““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. {20} But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. {21} For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. {22} "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. {23} But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! {24} "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.””

As more and more people in Ephesus were saved, a recession hit the idol making business. Paul taught that the silver idols of Artemis had no divine power, and people stopped spending money on them. Demetrius called the union bosses together and launched a public relations campaign against the Church. These new believers, led by Paul, were cutting into the idol- maker’s profits. They were taking their faith too seriously, and it was harming the local economy. These new people of the Way had changed their spending habits and had become a different kind of buyer. Every Christian should be a different kind of buyer. Money that was once spent foolishly will now be offered to Jesus, or wisely saved for future needs. If your God has not affected the way you spend money, your God is not the God of Scripture. Becoming a disciple of Jesus will make you a different kind of buyer. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day