Articles
Looking For Answers
Ronald Regan, the 40th President of the United States, many years ago in an inaugural speech said, "People keep looking to the government for the answer and government is the problem".
I'm not here today to bash the government, but to use Ronald's logic to help us evaluate our own lives. Are we looking for our answers in the wrong places, seeking answers from the same institutions and people who are perhaps sometimes the source of our problems? Do we depend on the government to tell us what's right or wrong? Do we depend on the world, our family our neighbors our friends? If we depend on any of these, we are looking in the wrong places.
Jesus said He is the way we should follow, He has the truth in all matters, He is the life we should pattern ours after, and if we want to get to heaven and dwell in the presence of God, we must go through Him. (John 14:6) We are commanded to follow His instructions for our lives and He tells us plainly and blatantly that we must keep His commandments.
If you have problems remembering scriptures like I do, commit this to memory. John 14:15, John 15:14. A little something that clicks in you mind when you say it, but what do those two passages say? This is Jesus speaking, "If you love me, keep my commands..." "You are my friends if you do what I command."
In John 6:63-64, Jesus tells His disciples that the words He has spoken to them are spirit of life, and the Spirit alone gives eternal life, and that the efforts of humans accomplishes nothing. If we are seeking life's important answers and seeking them in human wisdom, we not arriving at anything. The Government does not have the words of eternal life, nor the authors on the best seller's list, nor celebrities, nor sports heroes, nor actors, nor anybody or anything else. Following the will of Christ is where we find the answer to the only questions that really matter.
A few moments before Jesus said those things we just mentioned above, He had been teaching that He was the one and only way, He was the bread sent down from Heaven, the Bread of Life. Many were thinking 'we know this fellow, His parents and where He came from. How can He say He came down from Heaven?' (John 6:42). Some of those listening murmured in disagreement, because of their disbelief, and they likewise refused to acknowledge the necessity to follow Him, and some said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” (John 6:60)
Scripture says He knew which ones would not believe, and in fact, would betray Him. So he again tells them that they cant' get to Him for salvation on their own merits, but only through the plans of God. Scripture then says "At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him". We don't know how may were left besides the Twelve chosen disciples, but Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked them, “Are you also going to leave?”
If you don't get anything else out of this article today, get this. Simon Peter replied to Jesus, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life..." (John 6:66)
I believe Ronald Regan was spot on with his statement about not turning to the Government for answers to life's problems. I know Peter was spot on when he said that only Jesus had the words to lead mankind to eternal life and Peter's words from 2000 years ago are just as true today. I know people struggle to find answers to life's problems, but we know where the real answers are found. Will we accept Jesus's answers like the Twelve and perhaps a few others who didn't leave that day, or will we stay distanced from Him, and keep looking for answers from those who don't have them?
