NATURAL

“It’s only natural!” You’ve probably heard someone say that at some time in your life. The Encarta Dictionary presents the definition of natural as, “present in or produced by nature, rather than being artificial or created by people.”

The world in which we live is quietly doing away with any such definition. It only makes sense when you understand that our world has rejected the One who created nature, God. Rejecting God leaves one with accepting what man creates as being equally important to creation.

As I write this, preachers in Canada are not allowed to speak about what God states in His Word about homosexuality and the United States is quickly following suit.

Hear what Paul told the church in Rome…

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. Romans 1:26 - 27 (NKJV)

The “reason” he was speaking about, was mentioned in the previous verse and refers to those “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.”

Rejecting God is rejecting the One who created nature and instead accepting man’s perversion of the natural.

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DOMINOES

Have you ever heard that old saying, “What a tangled web we weave when once we practice to deceive?” It’s kind of like playing dominoes, at least my understanding of dominoes. You know, where you stand them all on end about a half inch from each other and then you tip the one over, which in turn causes all of them to fall down in a regulated rhythmical motion.

When people choose to ignore God and His plan for their life, it’s kind of like playing dominoes. A series of “crashes” will occur. Paul talks about people that choose this path in his letter to the church in Rome:

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. ²⁵They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Romans 1:24 - 25 (NLT)

One of the problems with this lifestyle is that it affects other people as well, much like dominoes, end on end, affect each other when tipped over.

³²They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:32 (NLT)

Don’t trade the TRUTH of God for the lies and personal gratification that world system would have you follow.

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CHOOSE

We are faced with choices everyday, choices that will have an impact on those around us as well as ourselves. It could be something as simple as choosing to return the extra $5 that a cashier gave you as change. By choosing to keep it, you cause that cashier to have to come up with $5 to make the drawer balance or at least have their competency questioned by their superiors. On the other hand, it you chose to return the extra money, you may cause the cashier to wonder why and have the opportunity to share your beliefs.

Some choices are much more serious than others are. Paul writes to the church in Rome about such a choice…

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. ²²Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. ²³And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. Romans 1:21 - 23 (NLT)

To know that God exists because of the evidence in His Creation (people, mountains, trees, animals, ocean tides, rotation of planets, et al) and choose not to acknowledge Him as God has some serious consequences. Here Paul points out a few:

• Becoming fools
• Mind that is dark and confused
• Worshiping the creation rather than the Creator

We see evidence of this everyday and yet, we are called to pray for all men (& women) with the hope that someday they will see the error of their ways, acknowledge the One True God and embrace His plan of redemption for humanity through His Son Jesus Christ.

The choice is before you today…choose wisely.

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EXAMPLE

I’ve always thought it was fantastic that the prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus some 700 years before it happened. Chapter eleven of the book of Isaiah predicts, “Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.”

Equally as fascinating, is that the prophet also predicts the personality of the One to be born. It also provides for those of us that call ourselves “Christians” or followers of Christ, a wonderful example by which to live.

³ He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. ⁴ He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. ⁵ He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. Isaiah 11:3 - 5 (NLT)

• Obey God
• Don’t judge by appearances
• Don’t make a decision based on gossip
• Pursue justice for the poor and exploited
• Understand the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit
• Live a righteous life based on truth as it is put forward in God’s Word.

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EXCUSELESS

Some things are obvious. Take an everyday item like an oven, turn the dial to 500 degrees and in a few minutes it will be very hot. If you reach in and grab the metal rack to pull it out with your bare hand, you will be burned.

Listen to these words these words from Paul to the church in Rome…

²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 (NASB)

God, who created all that is, has shown us His eternal nature through the vastness of the sky, the ocean and even the universe. He gives us pictures of eternity in the evergreen trees whose leaves are always colorful and remain on the branches.

His power can clearly be seen through the shapes, size and enormity of the mountains that surround us and the planets and stars that He has placed in the heavens.

His divine nature can be witnessed by realizing that we cannot make a sky or an ocean or a mountain. We look around us and see that sin is the prevalent force in our society, but when we accept the love of God, through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, we clearly see His goodness, His mercy and His grace at work in our lives.

We have no excuse to discount God and His Word. We must bow to the Almighty God in humble reverence and submission to His will or suffer the consequences.

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CONSEQUENCES

In most instances, people know when they are doing something that is wrong or unacceptable. When the choice is made to proceed, there are consequences of that action. There are always consequences.

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. Romans 1:18 - 19 (NASB)

What excuses are left? While not everybody accepts God or His rules and regulations for His Creation, God is the One in front of whom we will all have to stand to give account of our lives and actions. Only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior will be hidden in Christ, covered by His atoning blood and concealed in Christ’s righteousness.

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