WHAT'S WRONG HERE!

The heart is deceitful above all things

and beyond cure!

Who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17.10

From within, out of the heart come evil thoughts...;

evils come from within

and make a man unclean.

Mark 7.20-23

Seventy-five years ago, our world was facing chaos and disaster again.

An English paper invited readers to send their answer to this question:

“What's wrong with the world?”

The friend and mentor of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, wrote back,

“I am.”

MacDonald took Jeremiah and Jesus seriously!

“I am?”

Seriously?

Me?

Were Jesus and Jeremiah talking about me?

Seriously, now? Are you really serious?

Me.

Deceitful...beyond cure...evil...unclean?

Me?

Yes, Me.

And you, too.

Me, you, and currently a few more than

7,000,000,000 of us.

All of us—

Seriously...!

Do you think we might find someone among these billions

who is not a little short on perfection?

How does this short-coming come about?

Our Bible tells us that Adam fell short of the good things God gave him.

Goodness was, is, and always will be what God gives us.

Goodness is in all our minds today.

But today our goodness is seriously mixed up with these short-comings:

Deceitful...beyond cure...evil...unclean.

With me.

And you.

And the other more than 6, 999,999,998 of us.

All of us fall woefully short of God's good intentions.

So let's change the question:

HOW CAN THE WORLD BECOME RIGHT?

FOUR STEPS:

1. Believe that God will help you and me as we earnestly and honestly seek Him about this matter.
   He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him
   (Jeremiah 17.10; Hebrews 11.6)
2. Pray. Ask God:
   “Search me, O God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my (evil) thoughts.
   See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.”
   Psalm 139.23-24

3. Seek and follow the correcting and redirecting leadership of Jesus Christ:
   The wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure;
   then peace-loving...

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
James 3.17-18

4.  The difference Christ makes in our life will enable us to make a difference in the lives of those we know and meet.