For the Sake of the Children*

     There have been discussions lately in the media of how to keep our children safe in increasing danger, such as shootings at schools. All of the "talking heads" are trying to deal with the symptoms without considering the root causes of these terrible events. The Word of God not only identifies the root causes, but also the solutions. The prophet Micah gives us a good look at our society: "He (the LORD) hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth." (Mic. 6:8-12). The LORD lists six things which He hates, and seven that are abominations, two of which include lying. We have never seen such pervasive lying as we see today. People begin to believe lies that are repeated often enough. The LORD says above that the scales that falsely weigh the wicked as being pure do so because the weights have been corrupted by lies and deceit. 

     We need to learn what it means to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. When we remove these foundational landmarks, we begin the domino effect into further wickedness: "Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set." (Prov. 22:28).  We removed the ancient landmark that set boundaries in our society. The Bible and the Ten Commandments have been removed from schools, and courts. When the Word of God is removed, destruction follows. The prophet Isaiah wrote of what will happen for our children when the LORD and His Word are restored in rule: "O thou afflicted , tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires...And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee...whoever shall gather against thee shall fall for thy sake." (Isa. 54:11-15). The "talking heads" are fearful about guns, but it's about wickedness that is being taught to our children. Years ago, this ministry began a school for the children because parents were crying to us about what the public schools were demanding of their students to be involved with and learn. There was and is a curriculum of secular humanism and political and perverted agendas that the schools do not want parents to see. We are to choose whom we will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD! Choose the path of righteousness for our children - not our own righteousness, which is like filthy rags, but the LORD's righteousness. It is a righteousness revealed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:16-17).  The righteousness of God - doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly before God - was given by Christ on the cross for all mankind. The Shroud of Turin is a witness to this work of righteousness through Christ, as it bears proof of His suffering, death, and resurrection so that we might be called the righteousness of God, so that we might receive the gift of salvation.

     Paul, continuing to write, said: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness...Because that , when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened...Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves....And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (v. 18-32). Once those who know God, even from the proof revealed by a divine creation, begin to suppress and undermine that knowledge and truth in unrighteousness, there follows a steep descent into increased wickedness. People have grabbed onto the most ridiculous theories in order to deny God as the Creator of all, and they teach this foolishness to our children. As a result of this denial of the known truth of God, the mind becomes base, and behavior and thoughts become filled with lusts and perversion and unrighteousness. Here is a root cause of the symptoms we see every day. Trying to treat the symptoms alone won't work. It's not about political parties. It's about sin.

     Paul wrote for our edification that he prayed and desired to see the salvation of his people, Israel. In describing their spiritual error, he described our own struggle with understanding righteousness: "...they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Rom. 10:1-4). Paul wrote that there is a righteousness according to the law, and a righteousness according to faith in Christ and not ourselves. (v. 5-7). Paul wrote what this faith says: "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (v. 8-13).  Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." (Mt. 10:32). 

     Jesus' name in Hebrew means "God is salvation". Even as the prophet Isaiah described the marred face of the Savior who came to take away our sins, the prophet also immediately asked the question, "Who will believe our report?" Paul said that the report of the Gospel comes to hearers by one who preaches the Word of God. (Rom. 10:14-17). The sound of that preaching has gone into all the earth. (v. 18). In 1 Thess. 2, Paul wrote how that church of believers received the Word of God that was preached to them, not as the word of the men who brought it, but as truth from God. Because of this, that same Word was working in them. Paul had taught them and charged them as a father would his children. He also wrote to them to walk worthy of God, "who hath called you into his kingdom and glory. (v. 11-13). In so many cases, our children do not have fathers, but merely biological sires. A father nurtures his child in righteousness. Our Father, who is a true Father, has called us to rule and reign with Him and walk in His glory.

     The prophet Isaiah wrote the Word of the LORD concerning the last days, and we are living in those days. He wrote of the LORD's house that would be established upon the top of the mountains, and that all nations will flow to it. They will say: "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isa. 2:1-3). The Hebrew letters used in the word "walk" also have a meaning that includes "teach, learn, tongue". Let all children be taught to walk in God's ways.

      *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 1/21/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free ebook now available in several languages, go to TheShroudofTurin.org/http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.