Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”
“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”
They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”
And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.” Mark 11:27-33
Just a couple days before, Jesus had entered Jerusalem on a colt while people gathered to sing His praises. The following day, Jesus entered the Temple and drove out all the moneychangers and people buying and selling. The day after, as they come to the Temple area, the leaders are asking Him by what authority He does these things. It is sad to think that the religious leaders of the day had no standards by which to base their answers: they talked out of both sides of their mouths. They had to talk it over amongst themselves. They were afraid of the people and afraid to look bad, so they would not even take a stance.
What happens to people who have NO standard? No plumb line? The Word of God is to be our standard and plumb line-our very foundation built on the Solid Rock!
“I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the PLUMB LINE of righteousness. Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away.” Isaiah 28:17
So many are living in houses built on the sand of lies and deception of the world. They are afraid of the people and afraid to look bad, so they have no values or beliefs and talk out of both sides of their mouths. There is a powerful remedy for this sickness of deception: it is the wisdom of God!
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea DRIVEN AND TOSSED by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8
We shouldn’t expect to receive the remedy of God’s wisdom through unbelief. We must return to the foundation that is The Word of God, the plumb line, the standard, and BELIEVE! The waves are like the circumstances of our lives: they are unpredictable and ever-changing, and they’ll knock a house down FLAT that is built on the sand of lies and deception. If we build our beliefs on our perspective or the world’s perspective of life experiences, we will be swept out to sea. EVERY. TIME!
Precious Father, thank You for the plumb line of Your Word that shows us as in a mirror where we’re not lining up. Continue to reveal to me my own heart and how it doesn’t measure up to Your standard because I long to be more like You! Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight oh Lord my Rock and my Redeemer! Oh I love You, Yeshua! Amen!