A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (June 28, 2018)
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:13)
We live in a world that is filled with all kinds of addictions. Alcohol, drugs, pornography, sexual perversions, gambling, and smoking are just a few examples. There are full-time ministries and medical programs that have been founded specifically to address these addictions and the problems they create. The question I pose to you today is this. What addiction do you think is the hardest addiction to overcome?
I want to address this question strictly from a spiritual point of view. Of course, there is nothing too hard for God. He can set a person free instantly. I can attest to that because I was once a very heavy drinker and that thirst for alcohol was immediately removed from me when I totally surrendered my life to Jesus. We have personally witnessed that same type of deliverance for other people in many of these other areas.
However, there is an addiction that is the hardest to overcome and that is the “religious traditions of men”. The following is how Jesus addressed this particular issue:
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (Mark7:3-9)
A religious tradition can be as simple as washing your hands or it can be much deeper. Some examples are that God does not heal anymore; the gifts of the Spirit have passed away; musical instruments are not appropriate in the church; etc. This list could get very lengthy. The most dangerous part of this particular addiction is that people do not realize they have it. People that have gone to church all their life have been so indoctrinated with these type of traditions and beliefs of man that they cannot read the Word of God except through the filter of that indoctrination. That can make the Word of God of no effect in many different areas. If someone allows themselves to stray from their traditions, and read the Word of God with an open-mind, they think they are being disobedient to God and they become guilt ridden. You can preach and teach the truth to addicted people; you can show them scriptures that confirm God’s Word and His plans; but none of that will work for someone that is steeped in man-made religious doctrines.
The only thing that we have seen that works in these cases is the demonstration of the power of God. That is the only thing that worked for me. It requires a miracle from God in a person’s midst and God is well able to do that. Just consider the Apostle Paul. Do you think any amount of preaching or discourse would have changed his mind. Never in a million years! He needed a Damascus road experience to overcome his addiction. Pray for our ministry that the demonstration of God’s power (the gifts of the Spirit) would freely flow through us because many in our hometown are steeped in religious tradition and they need a breakthrough. We need revival in our city and the only way that will happen is for those walls of religion to start coming down.
Pray!!! I bet your city needs it too!!!
