Right Ingredients!

I love bread and a variety of types. Bread has been referred to as the "staff of life." Though it may come in different shapes and be the product of varying recipes, bread is significant as a basic food in many countries around the world. However, Jesus stated "man shall not live by bread alone," as there is also the need to feeding on God's Word. ( Matthew 4:4; cited from Deuteronomy 8:3) Though physical life has its legitimate needs, the spiritual needs are of even greater significance. What impacts the spiritual life can be of eternal consequence.

There was a time when Jesus' disciples thought He was talking about bread, when it was actually a caution regarding what was mixed into the teachings of some of the Jewish leaders of that day. ( Matthew 16:8-12) The reason for at first misunderstanding was the disciples had forgotten bread. ( Matthew 16:5 & 7) Jesus' exhortation was. . .

"Jesus said to them, 'Watch and BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'" ( Matthew 16:6 ESV)

Leaven has potential power to INFLUENCE THE WHOLE LOAF. ( Matthew 13:33; Galatians 5:9) This power can be either a positive or negative thing depending on what the leaven is. Mark's account also refers to the leaven of Herod [or the Herodians] ( Mark 8:15) which placed the potential influence addressed by Jesus as not only being "religious", but also political or of a worldly nature. The ingredients of any ideology has the potential to permeate one's thinking and INFLUENCE THE WHOLE LIFE. False or misleading teachings can be cunningly slipped in along with enough truth to be accepted when those ideas really ought to be rejected. As the Pharisees and Sadducees taught the Law, they added the teaching of their own traditions and gave an interpretation with their own twist. Therefore the teaching became corrupt.

Some have become creative experts at dishing out fine sounding arguments (i.e. Colossians 2:4) that actually have potential to influence away from the truth of God's Will. Whose bread (whose leaven) are we eating? There is still the need today to exercise caution regarding what the "religious" or the world's "experts" mix into life's recipe. Though some of the ideas may at first sound good, are they truly good for us? Are they fully in line with God's Word on which we ought to be regularly feeding? We need to safeguard what we allow to get inside us because of how it can INFLUENCE THE WHOLE LIFE! Since God's Will will always be good for us let it be the leavening power to work through every aspect of our being!

Have a great day WITH GOD'S WORD THE RISING INFLUENCE IN OUR LIFE!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Influence