How many of you remember what happened on November 18, 1978? On that date 913 people died in a mass-murder-suicide at the Jamestown colony in Guyana, home of the Peoples Temple.
Those who died were followers of Jim Jones ~ the self-appointed founder of what had become a cult. Jones started out as a preacher, but somewhere along the way that changed. He began proclaiming himself to be the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Those who followed him, obeyed his command to kill themselves because they had taken their eyes off God and had become focused on a man instead.
Too many times, people assume their leaders are following God without checking to make sure. It is your responsibility to know God and His Word so well that you can maintain confidence in your leaders' directions.
God's Word tells us to:
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Let's make sure we are daily in God's Word - studying praying, and rejoicing in all that He has done for us. Happy New Year My Friends!!!
1 comment:
This is really good! The Jim Jones massacre took place the year after I was born, so I don't remember it, but I was raised not far from where his group lived for a while in Northern California. Not only did he get people to take their eyes off God, but that area is forever scarred by the vision he gave people of God. People are afraid to follow the Bible because they are afraid they will end up vulnerable to someone like that. They are afraid of religious people in general. Only someone who is truly fixed on the Lord can project a real vision of Jesus-the genuine article, to the lost world.
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