Guru

Guru
Oct 27, 2014
Luke 11:42  ". . . You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. . ."

If you wanted to lose weight, you might consult the advise of a weight lose expert.  If you wanted to improve your golf swing, you might pay a hefty sum for a few professional lessons.  If you wanted to become an investment genius, you might take cue from a successful billionaire, following his example.  If you wanted to improve your marriage, you might go to a marriage class or two.  The point is, if you really wanted to improve upon something, you would listen to sage advice from the one deemed to know the most.  Fortunately, in a few areas of life, we have access to just that guru.  Jesus offers some professional advice, yet seldom do we take it.  There is no weight loss clinic set-up blue print found in the Bible, but Jesus does offer a few recommendations for being a successful Christian.

He was speaking to the Pharisees when He offered His sage words of wisdom.  And though the words were directed at the religious elite, they were meant to apply to anyone and everyone who would listen.  Jesus was condemning the religious elite for tithing on the tiniest leaf found in their herb gardens, yet failing to administer mercy.  The Pharisees were being literal on the tithe, a full tenth of everything in their possession but did not have mercy for the downtrodden.  Jesus said they were foolish for neglecting to be such sticklers in the areas of justice, mercy, and faith.  He said specifically to do better at justice, mercy, and faith, without forgetting to tithe a full ten percent.  Jesus actually said they needed to administer justice, mercy, and faith as well as give a full ten percent.  Some people think Jesus never reaffirmed the tithe as a ten percent in the New Testament, but He did.

The guru, Jesus, said that in order to be a successful Christian, we need to administer justice, have mercy on the weak, be strong in our faith all while tithing a literal ten percent.  Jesus didn't give a list of options, suggesting to pick what we like or are good at, but four items to fulfill in the fullest.  So often Christians like to do what is easy for them and think they are doing enough, but its not.  I've read these words of Jesus to the Pharisees in two different books of the Bible in twenty four translations.  They are the same all forty eight times; leaving no room for interpretation.  No clarification needs given and there is no wiggle room on what Jesus meant or was saying.  Anyone who can read the Scriptures for himself will come to the same conclusion as to what Jesus said.

Jesus said it; read it for yourself.  Jesus gave us the four keys to successful Christian living and it is up to us to put it into practice.  If your chosen guru gave you personal advice on achieving our goals and dreams, you would probably take it.  Jesus has given you exactly this.  You must put it into practice, without picking and choosing which ones you might follow.  If you don't follow weight lose advice, you won't lose weight.  If you don't follow the right investment advice, you won't be an investment genius.  If you don't follow the advice of Jesus, you won't be and can't be a successful Christian.  Its time to start listening to the expert and following His advise.  He knows what's best and would never lead you astray.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Matt 9:13, Matt 18:13, Matt 22:37, Matt 23:23, Mark 11:22, Luke 18:8