Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

A person sent me a list of the basic fundamentals of a new religion they were following. They included the promise that if I practiced them, they would improve my life. This is what was given me that I should say and practice today:

• Just for today, I will not be angry.
• Just for today, I will not worry.
• Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
• Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing.
• Just for today, I will give thanks for my many blessings.    

These principles to follow will work, but not because of this new religion, but because they are God’s biblical principles. Someone had simply repackaged some of God’s biblical instructions as a set of fundamental practices of a new religion to follow. God’s principles do work in the earth, but they always fall short without an understanding of the gift of Jesus Christ that makes a living relationship with God possible.

New religions and philosophical lifestyles are nothing new. The devil’s been twisting the word of God to fit his agenda since the Garden of Eden. And you know what happened there don’t you? Eve and then Adam listened to the devil’s version of truth and believed it and it led them to sin and banishment from the garden. And it separated them from God. Anything that leads you to believe that your life can be better or complete without Jesus is demonically inspired—and I’m not kidding or exaggerating. That is the purpose and strategy of the devil with false gods! Jesus warned that many false religions would surface, especially in the last days. “Jesus said, ‘Don’t let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will lead many astray.’” Matthew 24:4-5 (NLT)

The creations of false religions and philosophical lifestyles aren’t a new problem. Isaiah talked about God’s people having gone astray, deceived by the false gods back then. God spoke through Isaiah about this and the foolishness of it in Isaiah 44:13-20 (NIV).  “The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak… Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me; you are my god.” They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

There is only one God! He is Almighty. He sent His Son Jesus to die and take the punishment we deserved for our sins upon Himself. This is a gift of His love and desire to reconcile us to Himself. When we receive the gift of Jesus Christ into our hearts, His Holy Spirit comes to live within us and opens our eyes to the biblical truths that do work in our lives. They don’t work just as good principles to follow. They work because we have a living, breathing relationship with the one true God that leads us and guides us by His Holy Spirit. And what we do must be motivated from a pure heart of love with Him leading us in our life. This is what guides and shapes our moral and ethical foundation and makes biblical principles work.    To teach principles or philosophies that are biblically based without a relationship with Jesus Christ is to be the person that creates an idol from a piece of wood using part to heat his fire and part to worship a false God. They result in becoming mislead and misleading others.

If you know Jesus today, praise Him that He has revealed Himself to you and that you are instructed how to walk in His ways, motivated by His love. If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, you can learn how to receive Him into your heart here. Invite Jesus into your heart now.

Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one other than Jesus Christ! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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