Selective Hearing

They sit in fancy boardrooms, making decisions about what news stories that you and I see or read. This happens all over the world at both a national and local level.

How many people are in these meetings? Eight, ten, twelve? It varies, I'm sure.

Consider what "news" they feed us. Trump's ballroom is a big one. Mamdani's impending victory in the NYC mayor's race. Oh, and then there's Gaza and Ukraine, and the occasional natural disaster like Hurricane Melissa. And SOME stories we NEVER hear.

For example, has anyone seen on the nightly news a story about 7,000 Christians being killed in Nigeria since the beginning of the year? No? Hmm. That's strange. That would seem to be a rather large story. Yet, not much has been heard about it? Why not?

Because a small group of people has deemed the story unworthy compared to other "news" of the day. And why was that? Personal opinion vs actual newsworthiness. Or a political agenda vs actual truth.

In the last presidential election CBS "News" edited an interview to create a more favorable outcome. They were sued and they settled. It cost them $16 million. ABC "news" also settled a similar law suit for $15 million.

So, who can be trusted to speak the truth anymore? No one, in my opinion. No one except God Himself.

"The Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." - 1 Samuel 15:29

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent; has He said and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good?" - Numbers 23:19

Turn off the news. Read the Bible. It is the only source of truth to be found. Examine everything else and measure it against the truth of His Word and you will do well.

"The Voice of Truth tells me a different story." - Casting Crowns

Please play for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria.

"The truth shall set you free." - Jesus (John 8:32)

 

7,000 Christians Killed - Newsweek

Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns

The Red Pill

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:8

Peace seems like a hard thing to come by these days. Every time we turn on the news there are riots, protests, demonstrations and death. And that's just in our nation's capitol! What do we do to find some peace? Where can we find some actual truth?

Step one should be QUIT WATCHING THE NEWS!!

The news IS just opinion these days. Whether you are from the right or from the left, or somewhere in the middle, everybody has their own opinion about what the truth is.

I came across The Matrix yesterday while searching for something to watch on TV. It happened to be playing the very scene where Morpheus is talking to Neo about "the truth." His description was perfect for today. You see, Satan has created a real-life "matrix" for us to live in. It's called "The World."

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:2

As Morpheus told Neo in the movie, "It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."

Think about that for a minute. Isn't that true? Morpheus continues . . .

"You are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage. Born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind."

Isn't that also true? For Christians it is EXACTLY true! We are no different than Neo! Born into bondage. Slaves to sin.

"When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in b Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:20-23

In The Matrix movie, Morpheus offers Neo a choice; just as you and I have been given a choice by God. We can take "the blue pill" and remain in this world, a slave to sin, or we can take "the red pill" (Jesus Christ) and discover what The Truth really is.

God's Word is the only place we can find truth these days. And in that truth we can find peace. The opening verse says it all - "You alone, LORD."

Morpheus has one final word for Neo. "Remember, all I am offering is the truth. Nothing more."

Watch the clip. 

Take the red pill.

Discover the truth.

His name is Jesus.

Blue Pill or Red Pill - The Matrix

Believe It Or Not

If I told you the sky was falling, would you believe me? Probably not - unless you live in Wisconsin. It's snowing outside you see. Ha ha! But how can we truly tell if someone is telling us the actual truth or not?

There was a day when we could trust what appeared on the news. Not any more. It doesn't matter what channel you watch. Every reporter and news editor has an agenda. Can ANY news report be totally objective?

The news is sponsored by companies who also have an agenda. A news station could easily not run a news story on "itchy underwear" if the underwear maker in question is one of the sponsors of their news reports.

Did you see the news reports out of Australia?  Initially the news reports featured "global warming" or "climate change" as their main theme. Turns out it that dozens of protestors have been arrested for setting them.

Did you see where Iran said that engine failure was to blame for that airliner crash this week that killed 176 people. Turns out the Iranians shot accidentally down the plane, killing dozens of their own people.

I don't trust anything I see on the news unless I hear it from someone I trust.

Who do you trust? That guy who said he loved you so he could get in your pants? He left you an empty bed and baby to care for. How about your auto mechanic? Do you trust him? Your doctor? Your weatherman?

Back in the day a prophet whose prophecies did not come true were taken outside the camp and stoned to death because of their lies.

"It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you." - Deuteronomy 13:4-5

The only news source I trust is God. He actually cannot lie. It's not in His nature. And God has commanded US not to lie.

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." - Deuteronomy 5:20

When you tell someone you are a Christian, will they believe you? How have you gained their trust?

Trust in The Lord! His Word is truth. And if you are a Christian, act like it. Look after the widow and the orphan, feed the hungry stranger among you, and ALWAYS tell the truth. It is a command from God.

Trust - Prince (Batman)

Blow Up Your TV

Back in the day, back before "smart" phones and laptops, flat screen TV's and Oprah, there was an ancient philosopher named John Prine. John had some great advice for all of us. We never listen.

This week I am fasting. Not in the traditional sense when you don't eat food. I am fasting from television, specifically anything to do with "news". You should try it! Spiritually refreshing!

I used quotes around the word "news" because, in my honest opinion, there IS no more news. News  reporting has died and been replaced by opinion. But that's just MY opinion.

Opinions are like noses. Everybody has one and they all smell.

Mr. Prine offered up some of HIS opinion in the song Spanish Pipedream. Here's the chorus.

Blow up your TV, throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try an' find Jesus on your own

There is no "news" these days. It doesn't matter what you watch - ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The Internet - it's all opinion. If you are seeking to learn the truth, forget about it. Well, there is ONE place you can go for truth - The Bible.

Did you know that God cannot lie? Lying is a sin and that is simple contrary to God's character.

You might say, "Yeah, but I want to hear about current events in the Middle East." To that I say, "Have you read Matthew 24?"

This is Jesus speaking. You know, the one who cannot lie?

"At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Matthew 24:10-14

I've rewritten John Prine's song. It goes like this.

Blow up your TV. Open up the Bible. Try to find Jesus on your own.

Spanish Pipedream - John Prine

The Unwilling

"There's nothing more stubborn than a mule." the old timers used to say. Well, that saying is not really true anymore. Have you considered the human race lately?

I have pretty much given up on watching the news. It's not that I don't want to be informed. It's just that I am interested in hearing the truth. Why are we so unwilling to seek the truth or hear it spoken to us? Because it makes us uncomfortable in our sin?

Maybe that's why I have been reading my Bible more and more these days. I just finished reading through the Old Testament. Here's a gem from last night's reading.

"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth." - Zechariah 9:9-10

Now there's some good news! THEE good news! And it was prophesied 500+ years before Jesus would actually come riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, the foal of a donkey. Good news indeed! And, unlike today's news, it's totally true, unbiased and factual.

Clutch your Bible tightly to your chest. Let no one tear it from your hands. It is our only source of truth. It provides hope and encouragement for the weary soul. It is the very Word of God, given to us, in love.

Before The Throne of God - Selah

Who Are You?

Are you tired of all the killings and the war of words about various ideologies we've been seeing lately? Talking heads, force-feeding us their opinions; testifying to the "frail minded", hoping to convince us to join the world THEY live in. We write songs and tell stories trying to express OUR feelings, only to go unnoticed, unheard or persecuted.

Who are we anyway? Who are we inside? Are we what the world has created us to be - molded and shaped by other people's opinions? We read a book and now we're changed? Or are we different than everyone else? Set apart - far from the madding crowd? Who are we anyway?

We all have our opinions of how life should be. We spend most of our lives trying to attain what we think that life should be, only to fall short. Disappointed. My generation struggled with it. The current generation struggles with it. The world, you see, has no answers. It only creates more questions.

Well, I have a question. Why are we humans never satisfied?

The Apostle Paul has the answer. He wrote these words while he was in prison, awaiting his execution. Although he once persecuted Christians, he met Jesus. After that Paul had no more questions. He KNEW!

"3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.

21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:3-11, 21

Paul KNEW who He was and WHOSE he was. The only question each of us needs to answer is, "Do we know who WE are?" Are we "in Christ" or in "the world"?

Again Paul implores us examine ourselves. To always seek out the truth, in all humility. Test everything to see whether or not is is in God's will. If things do not line up, ignore them. But if they DO line up with God's will, whether it means life or death, follow.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

Baba O'Reilly - The Who
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
What The World Needs Now Is Love - Jackie DeShannon

The Nightly News

There is an old saying that goes, "No news is good news." These days, watching the local or national news at night, I'd have to say that's true. There is nothing good, it seems, on the evening news. And what's there when we DO watch it, is it REALLY "news" at all?

My wife and I just got done with a wonderful vacation. Most of the time we spent together was filled with walking and shopping, eating and moaning (after all the food we ate). There was no news. And we had a wonderful time!

Still, just because there is no news in our lives doesn't mean stuff wasn't going on. When we got back we heard all about the mess in North Carolina - protests, fights, shootings, damage to historic monuments. All a rather disgusting display of humankind. We were not made for this!

I am just entering the Book of Jeremiah in my reading. Chapter One begins wonderfully - a description of how God called Jeremiah.

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart." - Jeremiah 1:4-5

Wonderful words from God to Jeremiah. The next several chapters however feature anything but love and praise from God. The headings in my Bible read, "Israel Forsakes God, Unfaithful Israel, Disaster From The North, Not One Is Upright." Am I watching the nightly news here?

What we are seeing happening around us is nothing new to God. We have been a disobedient people since Adam and Eve. There are SOME good people around us, but there are not enough of them.

"Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." - John 4:35

There is not one of us that couldn't use a little more Jesus in our lives. Sure, some could use an extra portion or two, so let's do something about it. Let us pray for this nation. Let us pray for humanity. That we might ALL become more knowledgeable in the ways of the Lord so that things might go well with us as a people. Because things are not going well right now, and things will likely get worse.

"1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2

The Man and The Birds - Paul Harvey

Media

No matter which side of the political aisle you find yourself sitting on, it's hard to deny that there is biased media reporting in this country, or around the world for that matter. As an example, Fox News and The Wall Street Journal tend to favor conservatives while other media outlets like NBC and The New York Times tend to favor liberal viewpoints. Why is that? Shouldn't the truth be the truth?

Well, the problem of course is "us humans." The reporters and the editors of the news are human beings and, as a result, they all have their own opinions of what is right and what is wrong, what is fact and what is fiction. They report things through their own eyes.

This past weekend my wife was watching NBC's Today Show. She always watches The Today Show on Saturday and Sunday because she loves to watch Lester Holt. It's kind of cute really. It seems as if her and Lester are old friends the way she talks about him. ANYWAY . . .

NBC is a liberal-slanting media group. They tend to favor liberal issues amidst their reporting. They tend to favor the democratic side of things - President Obama, gay rights, pro-abortion, social justice issues, global warming, things like that. They also tend to report very little about Christianity, unless The Pope says something to support one of their issues.

This is all background for the story I am about to tell you regarding a news report on NBC's Today Show this week about the downed passenger plane, Flight M17. Lestor Holt cut to a story by one of NBC's reporters - LIVE . . . ON THE SCENE.

The reporter told a story focused on a husband and wife who had just arrived at the crash site from the United States. Maybe you saw it. Their daughter had been on the plane that had crashed just a few days earlier. They laid flowers on a piece of the wreckage. They hugged all the workers at the crash site and thanked them for their all they had done. And then they prayed . . . the Lord's Prayer. And then they did something the reporter had a hard time understanding. The obviously Christian couple went over and hugged some of the Russian soldiers who were guarding the crash site. Russian soldiers who likely were part of the group responsible for shooting down the plane. That act affected the reporter rather dramatically.

He then reported back to Lester what he had just witnessed and questioned why our country had not made it to the crash site yet while this Christian couple from the United States had. Live, on the air, the reporter questioned both the democratic president and acknowledged that this Christian couple seemed to care more about the victims than our country did - even reaching out in love to those who had just killed their daughter. You should have seen the look on Lester's face as one of their own reported something contrary to the company line. It was priceless! Amazing is the power of God and the testimony of His children.

In regards to this story there are two questions that seem to jump out at me. The first question is "Where do we find truth these days. If news networks slant their coverage one way or the other, how do we know what is truth and what has been "spun"?

The second question is "Who is our media serving? Are they providing a service to us? Or is their reporting part of a larger agenda?

It is my opinion that the media these days tend to be either left-leaning or right-leaning. Actually, that's more of a fact. It is also my opinion that media, representing both sides of the political aisle,  is interested in reporting things in such as way as to favor their side of things. They tend not to report things that negatively impact their sides agenda.

That's what surprised me about this report I saw. The reporter went against the company's desires to ask some very real and hard-hitting questions. It kind of makes me wonder if he still has a job.

So where do we find truth these days if everyone's news stories are slanted this way or that? And just who should we be serving? Ourselves? Or the ones we were created to serve? Please, open up your Bibles with me and read these verses.

"14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:14-15

And this . . .

“16 My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood." - John 7:16-18

We, as followers of Jesus, are not to place our faith in men, but in God. We are to take everything that man says, whether we agree with it or not, and compare it to what God says before we can determine truth from a lie. It is not for us to decide what the truth is. That is God's job. Our job is to follow, to worship and to serve. And to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).

We are not to slant our words and opinions in favor of one political party or another. Instead we are to align ourselves with God's Word. In doing that, there CAN be no opinion in our statements. Only truth.

Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns