When our daughter was but a small child, they had come out with toy that resembled a potato and it came with parts to show whether it was of a Mr. or a Mrs. At the beginning of playtime, it went well, but then after being bored with it, all kinds of things appeared on the potato not resembling anything but a Frankentato!
Now our daughter
would put her toys away when finished, would take Frankentato apart and place
back in the box. But her mom put the Mr. back on the potato in the
box!
Today we
have Christianity much like that potato. We find people who dislike what God
created in them to be and will today find some kind of specialist to change
their body to that whim that suits them for a moment! Had recently read an
article of a mother who had fought a faith fight in winning her daughter back
to the Lord, by prayer and by supporting her enough to say that the life she
sought was fantasy. And her mother was so right about it! She went into detail
of how she came through it, but it took a belief that her daughter would see
Jesus as Jesus sees her!
The world
likes to feed a person with some fake things, those false narratives about people
and ride the backs of those who choose to live the life God planned for them.
Christianity is in Christ Jesus. Christianity is not a fad, a false narrative,
a fluke, nor is it of chaos! The is only one way to God: Jesus Christ! Believing in the Lord, is believing He died for
us. That He gave His all for us to have life, delivered from the enemy, given
truth to reside in His peace and to be an influence to the world who wants only
fleshy types and that kind of existence. But in Jesus, we reside in truth and
live in His peace with faith expecting His will is done in our lives.
In thinking
about this in the last two days, I thought of King Herod. He did not want
Christianity. He heard John the Baptist and even said that he would hear him
again on what he taught, but Herod’s heart was flesh, was set for lust with no
boundaries and so he became the brutal king!
Of certainty
you know his tale, he is found in the pages of the Gospel Matthew 14. At that
time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus, 2 and said to his
servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore
these powers are at work in him” 3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound
him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
4 Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And
although he wanted to put him to death, he
feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when
Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and
pleased Herod. 7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she
might ask. 8 So she, having been prompted by
her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter.” 9 And
the king was sorry; nevertheless because of the oaths and because of those who
sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10 So he sent and had John
beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the
girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it and went and
told Jesus.
Many issues are evident here with Herod. He offered a gift of up to half his kingdom: this debase act
in entertainment would come back to haunt him. There was no “fear of God” only
for entertainment and to exploit that which is sensuous to the eyes of the
flesh where far more is thrown toward that one thing where the depraved get off
by their having their way. It is the one who has “a title of sorts” to exert
cruelty on another as God’s ambassador: John the Baptist. Herod chased flesh and he got flesh, a mouth full indeed!
Herod had
issues with the birth of Jesus. Now Herod the Great had been king until 4 B.C.
So the newest Herod would be trying to live like the previous king had been ,being “great”
and all, when Jesus arrived in Bethlehem. And when this king would hear of this
child which would be living, all male children were put to death up to two
years of age. When Herod died, Joseph would return Jesus and Mary his mother
back to Nazareth from Egypt. He turned aside to take them into Galilee.
Matthew 2: 13-18
NKJV 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young child & His
mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will
seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child
and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the
death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through
the Prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” 16 Then Herod, when he saw
that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and
put to death all male children who were in Bethlehem & in all its
districts, from two years and under, according to the time which he had
determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah
the prophet saying,: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping &
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
Yes, Herod
had a lustful life! He liked being king and he catered to those who would take
him where he was desiring to go. He had a party! He had Herodias, his brother’s
wife with him. And not only that, he also had her daughter with them as well.
Immorality
was found among Herod & Herodias; lust bound him to more oppressed and dark
tastes leading to murder. And it was Herodias’ daughter Salome who danced
a most provocative dance before this king in the celebration of Herod's birth!
Considered
the minor ruler over Galilee: Herod Antipas; Mark 6:17-27 NKJV 17 For Herod
himself had sent & laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake
of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. 18 Because John
had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife; for
he had married her. 19 Therefore Herodias held it against him & wanted to
kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a
just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many
things, and heard him gladly.
Mark 6: 21
Then the opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his
nobles, the high officers, & the chief men of Galilee. 22 And when Herodias’
daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with
him, the king said to the girl. “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it
to you.” 23 He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to
half my kingdom.” 24 So she went out and
said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the
Baptist.” 25 Immediately she came in
with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the
head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry;
yet because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to
refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner & commanded
his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his
head on a platter & gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her
mother.
This same
king Herod had seduced his niece Herodias, who was married to Herod’s brother
Philip. He, who with the face of evil, persuaded her to divorce her husband and
marry him where he in turn divorced his own wife! Can you see that potato head horror taking place?
It was John
the Baptist who held the objective before Herod & Herodias that God was not pleased with the
situation. In plain language he told them that it was not lawful for him to
have her! Still Herodias had evil in her heart! This celebration brought
celebrities before the king & Herodias arranged for her daughter to dance.
Pleasing the king, he was going to give her half of his kingdom which was not
lawful for him to do! She would glory a short time in this diluted thinking though!
Yes, the
woman was disturbed indeed to bring her illicit pleasures as that to her
daughter, but her flesh spoke loudly as the adulterous wife, and as one who
propagated actions to her daughter.
From the
Matthew Henry’s Com., the king no doubt was hardened in wickedness in that although
he was convinced John was a prophet, one owned of God, still he does not
express sorrow for his sin in putting John to death by being beheaded.
It would
the king, a leader of a region who would wield his authority to use a “teen” who
he lusted after to bring John the Baptist to his death. Today, we see that
going on in this nation and other nations as well. Leaders set on destruction
to a certain few so that they might party on till the cows come home using the
youth of this nation in the same vein of deceit and fantasy! They teach
everything but truth and desire to live in lust of pleasure and pride! They speak everything is free and will cost them nothing, but it will in the end!!
John the
Baptist was sent to prepare the way for that of Jesus and the kingdom which had
come. It is an identity in the spiritual of God. It is not the spiritual of
this world which is demonic and is fading away. It is God or Nothing! It is our
having identity in Christ! And that identity is knowing him, trained by the
Scripture of the Gospel He delivered so that we would anticipate him and recognize His voice in His speaking!
As children
we saw the Babe in the manger. As one growing up in Him, we saw the Cross, the
brutality of hate against another and what sin looks like when it rears its
ugliness against that which is the righteous and the
true!
Jesus is
returning: Revelation 19:11-12 declares this Now I saw heaven opened, &
behold a white horse, and He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and
in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of
fire, and on His head were may crowns. He had a name written that no one knew
except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood & His name is
called the Word of God.
We dance in
His presence, once as children, now as His sons. We live in the atmosphere of
Him, where health is viewed in wholeness of mind, soul and body. We see His
flaming eyes of fire, and see that beautiful garment dipped in blood…for He is
majesty on high and we ride with Him to claim the earth for His glory and to
His praise. We ride on horses, and where we are dressed all white and clean……we
ride with the King of glory!
No, no
Frankentato’s please! As for me and mine, we serve the Lord! We expect His
appearance and we know how He will be dressed and what He will say to us! But if
you play in fantasy land, living in deceit, then you might be waiting for some
kind of potato head in your own kind of Christianity and if it is Frankentato…..RUN!
New teaching at: Voice of Prayer
Called to Purpose to be Seated in Life
