Are You Drifting in the Current?

John 1:14 (NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Certain times while we walk on the beach at Daytona you can count on finding jellyfish on the beach. As I read about jellyfish I came across a red jellyfish.

Though its name, probably derived from the jellyfish's reddish-brown coloring, is far from unique, there is nothing else common about this particular creature. For example, did you know that the red jellyfish spends part of its time as a plant? It's true! Its eggs develop into a type of plant called a polyp! The polyp has many sections, which all look identical. Over time, the top of the polyp will pop off and turn into a red jellyfish, and each section will eventually do the same!

Only the tentacles of jellyfish can sting, thus if you touch one by accident lying on the beach, you won't be hurt. The red jellyfish is unique in that its sting isn't deadly. If you come into contact with one of its tentacle, all you will feel is a burning sensation. In order to stop it, you first take a cloth of some kind to brush the tentacle off, and then you rub wet sand on the infected part of the body. The sting will immediately vanish!

The jellyfish eats microscopic plant life and plankton, and its means of propulsion is to expand and contract its cup-shaped body. This isn't a very productive way to move, however, and the red jellyfish usually tends to find itself following the latest water current. Unfortunately, this can be a deadly habit!

While walking beaches in New Brunswick, you will discover a multitude of these creatures. In fact, you have to watch where you walk in order to not step on them! They had been following the current, and at high tide, they had been driven up onto the beach. Now they were desperately waiting for the next high tide to wash them back out to sea. Meanwhile, they were being bombarded by the heat of the sun, which, if they didn't return to the water soon enough, would eventually turn them into a baked, crisp substance, devoid of any life. Too late they learned the hazards of following the latest current.

We, as humans, also have the choice of whether or not to follow the latest trends. If we are not careful, some of these can be quite deadly, especially if they turn God's message into utter mockery. You can read about churches that no longer promote the gospel message. They proclaim that anyone can get to heaven and that sin doesn't matter. Some even preach that eventually everyone will turn into a god. God's Word, the Bible is set aside and replaced with literature promoting their own ideas.

Some churches pretend to follow the Bible, but at the same time they put other writings at the same level as God's Word. Every word found in the Bible is always interpreted by their own literature. Beware of these! They are like wolves disguised as lambs, promoting false doctrines! "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matt 7:15 NIV); "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard!" (Acts 20:29-31 NIV); and "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible." (Mark 13:22 NIV)

Friends, anyone promoting anything besides the Bible is broadcasting a deadly message. God's gospel is simple. Sin is deadly. We cannot be saved through our own merits. Salvation is solely made possible through Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can save us. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-10 NIV); and "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NIV)

Who will you follow? The latest current or God's Word made flesh?

Dear Lord, help us not follow the current but put our trust in You.  Help us follow Your true words and not the watered down words of the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.