Free From Worldly Tradition

"And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven."                                 

(Deuteronomy 4:19 KJV)

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Worldly tradition has emerged as one of the greatest forms of bondage. It is in this area the Christian struggles the most. Should we follow the traditions of the world or seek the intent of the Lord? Our inability to trust the word of God has caused the Church to become servants of worldly tradition more than servants of the Lord. 

Since the creation of the earth and its first inhabitants, Adam and Eve, God has instructed his human family to honor him faithfully and exclusively. Lavish with both love and gifts, the Creator gave the first two residents just one command: to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In other words, they were to avoid "forbidden fruit" that was growing in the garden with all the other foliage. Unfortunately, when enticed by Satan in the form of a serpent to eat the fruit for its visual appeal, appetite satisfaction, and supernatural wisdom, the couple gave in to these worldly appeals by forsaking their loyalty to God. We all know the devastating results of that lapse in judgment. 

Truth be told, any of us could have, and probably would have, made the same mistake. We should have learned our lesson then about avoiding the snares of this life that counter God's leadership. Our devotion to him cannot be compromised by secular temptation and spiritual disobedience. But being human, each of us is tempted to turn our eyes away from God to fasten our gaze on the desires of the world--usually with disappointing or even deadly results.

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (I John 2:16 KJV)

Have you ever experienced conflicts between Christian duty and carnal desires? Chances are that you have struggled between the way of the world and walking with God. We all have done so occasionally--and sometimes daily!  Temptations come in all forms and sizes, from addictions to materialism and indolence to avoidance, along with everything between. Does it seem coincidental when you're confronted by strong temptation in a moment of weakness? 

Everyone is tempted by worldly phenomena that, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin in the fairy tale, lead us from our Christian beliefs to the glittering pleasures of this secular world. Like the Prodigal Son, we want our promised inheritance now to indulge in carnal sins--and we willingly squander our material and spiritual resources for transient satisfaction that leaves a trail of regret. Yet, all our sins, including these, are forgiven when we repent, though we have to live with the consequences for the rest of our earthly life.

As Christians, we are free to live however we wish. But everything we think, do, and say should be God-honoring, to enhance our relationship with Him and to strengthen our spiritual nature. Daily life has probably never been more stressful than it is right now. With our attention pulled in numerous ways, it is hard to stay focused on what truly matters: our relationship with God. Without the anchor of His mercy and love, nothing else matters. Sadly, many people don't understand or accept that. By putting God first in your life each day, you have boundless resources instantly available when you turn to the Father for help and guidance. More importantly, you will find peace and security. 

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36 KJV

God Bless You!

Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr.

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SPECIAL NOTE

Tune in to Pastor Lambert's

New Live Call-in Talk Show

Premiering March 6th at 3:30 PM

WFIL 560 AM

Listen online at https://wfil.com/listenlive

Trust the Plan

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

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Praise the Lord, everyone! It's been a joy serving and worshipping with you during 2023, and I look forward to greater times in 2024. I want you to remember that our theme for 2024 will be "TRUST THE PLAN". In Jeremiah 29, God declares he has plans for us and we always want to be mindful that God is in control. His plan is being revealed, understood, and applied. Know that we are more than conquerors: we win! So, our part in the plan is to walk by faith. If we can believe, all things are possible. All we need to do is trust the plan.

Have a great holiday season, and remember to keep Christ first during this time of celebration.

God Bless You!

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Watch Bishop Lambert's first teaching on "Trust the Plan" HERE.

Hope In God

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 43:5 (KJV)

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These present days are full of frustrating moments. Even children of God are finding it challenging to walk in peace. We have walked in the assurance of the power of God, and that assurance had not been tested. Now, we are being tested. Between the economy, the rising violence around the world, and the other controversial issues we face, it has become easy to become, as David says, cast down and disquieted. Technically, to be cast down means to be depressed, and disquieted refers to having noise in your mind. Usually, depression causes one to hear adversarial voices, which lead to actions of the flesh. Yes, these are indeed the days of feeling cast down and defeated.

I am glad David does not stop with the condition. He tells his soul to hope in God. In the Hebrew, the word “hope” means to tarry, to trust, to wait. What a marvelous contrast for you. In moments of despair, we continue to trust in God. I have been struggling with hearing from God as all the voices of our world have crowded my mind. In certain situations, if I am not careful, I may become disquieted. We look for answers when the answer is to be still before God. Trust is easy to talk about but difficult to perform. We are in a time of faith and hope.

God has promised to be a present help in our times of trouble. He will sustain us, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

I encourage you to place trust and hope in our God. He will always keep His promise, and He will never abandon His children. Remember, He loves you, and nothing can separate you from His love. Blessings to all.