Devotion Page

Not being a farm boy I can’t speak to this with authority, but I believe early winter was hog killing time. Even though that time is past, I want to address the issue of killing sacred cows. Religion has more than enough of them anyway. The Word of God is awesome! It has all the power we’ll ever need for any situation in our lives. “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. All we have to do is mix it with faith, and praise God.

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Many reading this probably have already thought, “Hold on, it isn’t that easy. I believe the Word of God and I’m doing everything I know to do, but things still haven’t worked out.” I’ve personally gone through that as well. So have a number of people I’ve ministered to. So, what seems to be the problem? Actually there are many, but I believe most of them can be lumped together by what Jesus said in Mark 7:13: “Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition.” Wrong teaching—specifically religious doctrines—makes God’s Word of no effect. The most glaring reasons of all this have to do with our renewing our minds from the old ways of thinking we learned in church. As we get freed from the traditions, the simplicity of God’s Word will set us free. Please understand, there is no gentle way to kill a sacred cow. We can’t do away with them gradually. They just need to be put down. One of the worst doctrines in the body of Christ today is the belief that God controls everything, or God is sovereign. In other words, God originates everything, or the devil originates evil things but has to get God’s approval before he can do his dirty work. That is a sacred cow that will kill the power of God’s Word in many lives. But, “God is God.” He is sovereign. Well, what does the word sovereign really mean? Independent, having supreme power or rank. It comes from a Latin word meaning super, above. I agree with all of that, God is all of that and more. But religious tradition has redefined sovereign to mean that God has and does exercise absolute control. The Bible does not say that. God was in control while He created the world, but once man came aboard, God gave him unrestricted power and authority over the earth. Man knowingly gave that power and authority to the devil, and he’s been messing things up ever since…by using our power.