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From the Desk of Dr. Tom...

The Eight Blunders of the World

Mahatma Gandhi wrote that eight “blunders” cause all of the violence in the world. I pull the list of eight out periodically and spend some time  considering what he wrote. The eight “blunders” are:

WEALTH WITHOUT WORK
PLEASURE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE
KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT CHARACTER
COMMERCE WITHOUT MORALITY
SCIENCE WITHOUT HUMANITY
POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLES
RIGHTS WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITIES
WORSHIP WITHOUT SACRIFICE

There seems to be a lot of “blundering” going on to be narrowed to eight short causes. There might be nine causes or eleven, but I think this is a pretty good start. I think the blunder of “worship without sacrifice” is especially insightful. As soon as Adam and Eve began to have children, the Bible records that Cain and Abel worshiped God by giving him a sacrificial offering. (Genesis 4) To live right with God requires sacrifice.

King David and his army went to Araunah to buy land to build an altar to the Lord. Araunah knew David could take his land, his possessions, and his life if he wanted, so Araunah insisted that David take the land, some oxen, some wood, no need to pay for anything. Maybe he could escape with his life. David said, “I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24).  To live right with God requires sacrifice.

Seventeen of Jesus’ thirty-eight parables are about possessions.  Love is mentioned 714 times in the Bible, yet “giving” or “possessions” is mentioned 2,172 times.  Jesus knew that our possessions always compete with God for space on His throne and sacrifice most often starts with our possessions.  God will continue to be God whether we give or not, but we make lousy worshipers unless we give sacrificially.  What sacrifice is God calling you to make as you worship Him?

God Bless,
Tom

Preaching Schedule for March

March 7, 2010
8:30 am North Sanctuary—Dr. Tom Davis
9:39 am Family Life Center—Dr. Tom Davis
11:00 am North Sanctuary—Dr. Tom Davis

March 14, 2010
8:30 am North Sanctuary—Steven Brumbeloe
9:39 am Family Life Center—Steven Brumbeloe
11:00 am North Sanctuary—Steven Brumbeloe

March 21, 2010
8:30 am North Sanctuary—Dr. Tom Davis
9:39 am Family Life Center—Dr. Tom Davis
11:00 am North Sanctuary—Dr. Tom Davis

March 28, 2010
8:30 am North Sanctuary—Dr. Tom Davis
9:39 am Family Life Center—Dr. Tom Davis
11:00 am North Sanctuary—Dr. Tom Daviss

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