Listening

Many of our political leaders are listening to doctors. But not all doctors, and not even a reasonable cross section. As of April 16, 2020, citizens in the U.S. are mostly locked away in homes, away from jobs and businesses, because politicians are selectively listening to the scare doctors. Now we know at least one method the beast or little horn of Revelation and Daniel is going to possibly use to control people in the tribulation. And most of us, like sheep, are going (and will go) right along with the diagnosis.

Funny how people are listening to the scare doctors and not to God. He has been telling us not to eat certain things for about, oh, maybe four thousand years. The Wuhan China virus is said to have come from so-called wet markets, where conditions are filthy and animals are slaughtered right there on the spot for eating, and also from animals such as the pangolin (a little like an armadillo) and bats.

Leviticus 11:13–19 ESV. “And these you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind, every raven of any kind, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

God has designated certain animals for food, and others are not food (unclean). We don’t listen to God, and many of the diseases that afflict us are because we ignore Him and listen to “experts” instead. These experts are invariably wrong, as we see in the many revisions downward in the models they use to scare us into doing what they want. If we just listened to God, and do what He says instead of what the experts say, we would not be in the condition we’re in. The experts are the ones who tell us that pork is okay if it is cooked well and refrigerated properly. Uh huh.

Leviticus 11:1–8 ESV. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.

The pangolin doesn’t have a hoof and doesn’t chew cud. The pig has a cloven hoof but doesn’t chew cud. So they are not food. Simple, right? Simple, that is, for those who are humble and listen to the Creator of the food and the not-food. Jesus tells us it is not what goes into a man that makes him unclean.

Mark 7:14–23 ESV. And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

In this section of the Word He is speaking of eating with unwashed hands, not telling us to put anything we want into our mouths. If we question what God says, that is wickedness and deceit which Jesus says makes us unclean. When we ignore what He says about eating, it is from the heart with pride and foolishness and we deserve what we get.

For those who are arrogant and “cook it right” though eating it wrong, thanks for the diseases. Happily for those of us who believe Him and do what He says, He will make sure we avoid the worst of the disease effects.

Exodus 15:25–26 ESV. And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

Shalom

Bruce

Quarantine connecting

So the churches are shut down in the US because of the China virus, Covid-19, or coronavirus. Most are afraid, sitting in their homes, some with paid time off but many with just their fear. Pastors with empty buildings are now trying to keep their flocks together and are offering suggestions for staying connected spiritually. I think they are finding out that what they really mean by “spiritually connected” is to stay connected to the building and the pastor.

Staying connected to God for my family is easy. None of us has been to church in years, and in my case a couple of decades. It is very simple to stay connected to God, because He isn’t at the church anyway. My family doesn’t need a multi-media presentation with professional singers and speakers. We don’t need a building. We walk with Him all the time because we read and do His Word minute by minute, whether we are isolated because of some fearful disease or living life free and easy.

Right now my family is getting ready for Passover. My wife has picked up some lamb, we are ordering a case of matzah crackers, and everyone has reserved April 9th and 15th as days of rest. Soon we will remove the leaven from our homes and spend a week eating unleavened bread. We will be barbecuing the lamb Wednesday night the 8th, and taking time off from all work. Even though we might not be at a building (and the Church doesn’t pay attention to Passover anyway – they prefer pagan festivals) we are doing it in concert with many others who are also observing Passover at home, so we are connected spiritually anyway. It would be great if the Church actually followed the Word as they say they do. Then we could be connected spiritually with them too.

I don’t want to be “spiritually connected” to people who don’t follow God except in very superficial ways. Our family has managed tremendous spiritual growth, perhaps to some surprisingly, because we are already spiritually connected through the Word of God. It is living and active and binding us together into one Body whether we are in a building playing church or not.

You can be connected with us too, though we may not know you and are separated by distance instead of isolation because of a disease. Read and do the Word. Ignore the idiots who think we have to maintain a spiritual connection to a denomination or other group. Walk with Him in every way by letting His Word into every corner of your life. The connection is His Word lived out by everyone who wears His name or claims to follow Him. Jesus is right there in the Words, and we live Jesus when we take His Word seriously and eat it like bread.

Shalom

Bruce