I have been on the subject of distraction for a week or so. (Though I am sensing a shift to “My grace is sufficient for thee…”) I see too often one of the greatest mindsets of the church to change is that, A-His grace is sufficient and B-The cross is where it “all begins.”

Frankly, much of the church has been selling a bill of goods while others are buying the bill of goods. What do I mean by that? We have been telling people what to do, removing their freedom, while the church has refused to take the time to think on its own. (Anyone who did was often pushed to the side because they had the “spirit of Jezebel.”)

Look at Jesus in the temple.

The anger Jesus felt was over the people selling sacrificial animals and exchanging money. Why is it that the one place we see Jesus get angry is in the area of sacrifice?

12And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.13And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

I have come to the conclusion that Christ was not saying to people “get better” for He knew, that they could not, as well as the purpose for which He had come. He was saying that sacrifices would not be enough. That there was no “entry fee.”

Jesus Christ, in the last year of his life, actually uses physical force to throw the money changers out of the temple. From scripture we see, this was the only time during the life of his ministry, that he used physical force against anyone.

When Jews came to Jerusalem to pay their Temple tax, they could only pay it with a special coin, the half-shekel. This was a half-ounce of pure silver, about the size of a quarter. It was the only coin at that time which was pure silver and of assured weight, without the image of a pagan Emperor, and therefore to the Jews it was the only coin acceptable to God.

Unfortunately these coins were not plentiful, the money changers had cornered the market on them, and so they raised the price of them to whatever the market could bear. They used their monopoly they had on these coins to make exorbitant profits, forcing the Jews to pay whatever these money changers demanded.

Jesus threw the money changers out as their monopoly on these coins totally violated the sanctity of God’s house. These people called for his death days later.

Jesus threw the money changers out as their monopoly on these coins totally violated the sanctity of God’s house. These money changers called for his death days later.

The religious made it hard to be part of their crowd. Politics, religion, corruption. (Why was Paul so upset with Galatia in chapter 4? Because they had held up against the religious, the political, only to cave.) The people were forgotten. Pushed  to the side.

Distractions? Yes.

The Bible talks about the seeds that are sown. Stories and parables about good ground.

The question is what are you or I allowing to be sown into our lives?

Mixture is a big deal for me. Add enough law to make it “palatable.” It does not work for me. I know it is not as easy. I know it is hard to not have “control.”

People do not realize how much enters their life when given a chance. In the 1920’s there was man named Edward Bernays. He was designer of the “spin.” He was an initiator who was responsible for getting people to believe almost anything.

In the world if everybody believes something, it’s probably wrong. We call that conventional wisdom.

In America, conventional wisdom that has mass acceptance is usually contrived: somebody paid for it. Examples? Here are a few: Pharmaceuticals restore health -When a child is sick, he needs immediate antibiotics-Hospitals are safe and clean. -The NASDAQ is a natural market controlled only by supply and demand.

(Any more than that and you will brand me a conspiracy theorist.)

Bernays popularized the idea of bacon for breakfast. Not one to turn down a challenge, he set up the advertising format along with the AMA that lasted for nearly 50 years proving that cigarettes are beneficial to health. Just look at ads in issues of Life or Time from the 40s and 50s.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Bernay’s job was to reframe an issue; to create a desired image that would put a particular product or concept in a desirable light. Bernays described the public as a ‘herd that needed to be led.’ And this herdlike thinking makes people “susceptible to leadership.” Bernays never deviated from his fundamental axiom to “control the masses without their knowing it.” The best PR happens with the people unaware that they are being manipulated.

The enemy of our souls is aware of this. There is plenty more on this, but the reality of it is, much of what is seen in the church is “smoke and mirrors.” What do you believe? Is it “really” in the Bible? It is time for the truth about Christ and His death, His resurrection and seatedness to be exposed to the light of day.

I challenge to beware who is sowing into your life and what is being sown.