Fantasy: an unreal, imagined or conjured up image fulfilling a psychological desire.
Mark 4:18 & 19 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
In going over the parable of the sower recently, one aspect of the seed sown on thorny ground intrigued me the most. It’s crazy that the desire for wealth and other things would be a topic needed to be directed towards Christians who are already finding their joy in someone as great as the LORD. However, it seems to even a self-proclaimed “Christian”, that the LORD simply isn’t enough for us. In our pursuit to find joy from the things of the world, our joy in the LORD and HIS salvation gets diminished, choking us away from a fruitful faith, and ultimately HIS coming Kingdom.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 - And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
I hate to give the devil credit for anything at all, but he really has had his way in presenting this fallen world as a tantalizing substitute for the joy of the LORD and HIS salvation through Jesus.
So what’s your fantasy? Fortunately our GOD is way greater than this satan and has equipped us with scripture to inform us of which treasure is worth striving after and which one will one day perish (and wouldn’t mind taking us with it).
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
I Timothy 6:6-19 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time–He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
In New England, we battle the hard hearts of skeptics while enjoy the open-mindedness of those searching. Engaging our neighbors and communities is important – and there is a way to do it right. Forget the marketing strategies or membership drives, get into conversations with the people you’re around. I think that the challenge facing New England in regards to evangelism and outreach is not in the people who need the gospel, its found in the people who supposedly don’t.
Best line of the article – “That means outreach must be deliberate and personal.” And those reaching out need to move out of the comfort of our church building’s four walls and away from the safety have having our pastors teach those who don’t know the gospel.
Maybe if we stop the excuses – fear, busy-ness, selfishness, ignorance, newness, etc – and seek the LORD’s help, there can be some change. I don’t know if there is going to be a revival in New England widespread (that’d be nice), but I know that there are people hurting and broken and self-deceived and searching and praying right in this city. God is waiting for some willing hands and hearts.
John 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
I received an email recently with the following question:
Can you provide me a good explanation of Jesus’ words in John 13:36 – I’ve looked up all my resources & can’t find a worthy explanation for that one. My Christadelphian source says it is speaking of the type of death Peter will experience… not sure? maybe. ”where I go, you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow later.”
I would imagine that some would agree with the thoughts of my friend above. I think that this explination may be just what Jesus was speaking about. I am sure othesIn light of the context of the disciples loving each other as Christ loved them (v34 &35) Peter says that he will follow Jesus wherever he goes – and Jesus says that he cannot follow Him where he is going – maybe it isn’t so much he he cannot die like Jesus will, but Peter will later, but the steps Jesus is going to take are not steps that Peter because of his lack of faith, but will be restored later.
I only say this because the next verse is in regards to Peter not following Jesus to the death but denying him. Compare this section to what Peter says in the other Gospels:
Matthew 26:33 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
Mark 14:29 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.”
Luke 22:33 But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”
I think Luke gives us the best picture to what I think John 13 might be talking about – He wants to follow Jesus, but because of the fear that Peter has in his heart (which will be evident in the 3x denials that are about to take place), he cannot follow Jesus – but as we know, he will later.
Proverbs 31 is it too outdated for us 2010 modern day women??? I think not! When I go through this proverb and dissect it line by line for my own personal understanding I say wow up before dark to make food for my family? Buy things of great value? Sew my family’s clothes? Bring my husband good and not harm? Open my arms to the poor and needy? Walk around with strength, dignity, wisdom, confidence? These do not sound like a woman of today. No I think fast food, prepared meals, nannies , store bought clothes, disgrace and dishonor to husbands, the needy are gross, dirty people who they tell their children to avoid at all cost, women who are arrogant and prideful who think they too are a man and must be treated equally as one or else!!
So then I ask myself what must I change about myself to line up with this proverb that God gave us women as a guideline to be virtuous and worth far more then rubies? Isn’t this just what we are looking for anyway to be valued, to be loved, to be thought of as precious and honorable? I think so. So I see that it is my heart that must change before I even think about my daily routine and actions. I must love my God enough to trust Him that what He gave me as a guideline on how to be virtuous, beautiful, confident, strong and wisdom filled is what I should strive for. It is what will make me more precious than rubies to my husband and honorable to society.
So in what some women think of as outdated or politically incorrect we find the very thing that God has given us as a picture of a virtuous, beautiful, confident, strong and wisdom filled women. I am willing to look weird and strange to the entire female population and society at large in order to look right and acceptable to God, how about you?
I have been reading through Proverbs each day this month. He’s a selection from the reading today. How appropriate:
Proverbs 31:10-31 – 10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. 19She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. 24She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. 25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. 26She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
What a great way to end the book of Proverbs. Though perhaps it seems as if some of the references are outdated and not clear because of the lives we live today – nonetheless this is a picture of a godly, virtuous and excellent woman and wife.
The qualities of this woman are beautiful. She is caring. She is self-sacrificial. She is giving. She is diligent. She cares for her husband and family.
And she receives praise from God, her family, and friends because she fears the LORD. This is the woman to be praised – the one who chooses to fear God and live a life of love.
Galatians 3:27-29 – For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
There are a lot of reasons to love this section of Scripture. The picture of being united with Christ. The truth of being a descendant of Abraham by faith. But one of the reasons I love these verses is because of what verse 28 says and when it says it.
Paul’s letter to the Galatian church was written during a time where there were not “equal rights.” Men and women didn’t have the same status in society by any means. It would be rare to find a woman who had a job other than taking care of the house and the kids. In the Jewish culture of the time the men could do things that the women couldn’t. And right in the middle of this Paul says that the Christian – whether a man or a woman – are one in Christ Jesus! There aren’t the distinctions that are found in the world:
“there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and femail, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
Jesus is into leveling the playing field – through his gospel, barriers are broken that exist in this age. This is good news! Christian women, you are the daughters of God and the sisters of Christ! You are heirs of the Abrahamic Promise! You are filled with the spirit of Christ! In just these four points you are given more than women of history have been given for a long time – and from the creator of heaven and earth.
This equality did not come by protest. It did not come by social action. It was not granted through legislation. It did not happen because of the times changing. It came because God is compassionate. It came because God is merciful. It came because God values your life.
God doesn’t have prejudices like the world does. He is not impartial. And because He has this sort of character – He values men and women alike.
Even in the Old Testament where some would argue that women are not painted in a favorable light, God used women throughout the narrative for His purposes. Miriam helps save Moses and leads Israel in praise to the LORD. Rahab is rewarded and rescued. Deborah leads God’s people. Hannah’s prayer is answered. Ruth is cared for. I could go on and on. (Feel free to add more in the comments section)
This is not the story of man (as in “males”). The Bible contains the plan and purposes of God for the earth and it’s inhabitants - man and woman.
So my beautiful Christin sisters, praise the LORD for imparting this mercy and offering you the chance to be a part of His family!
(and guys, we’ve got a lot of praising to do too for God’s mercy on us…but that’s another post for another day…)
This weekend we have one of the biggest celebrated holidays of the year. Halloween is deeply routed in the american culture and has been for a very long time. Many fathers and mothers will dress their sons and daughters in costumes and go trick or treating with them while the other parent stays home to hand out candy to their neighbors children as they come to there door.
Before they know it, their children will not need them to help with the costumes nor need (or want) their supervision while they practice these Halloween traditions.
Plea’s from much christian leadership are viewed as legalistic, stubborn, extremist, etc. The arguments from the christians are old, repetitive and at this point dull.
After all, why would we deprive the children of such fun and enjoyment? Especially when all there friends are doing it as well. Do you expect them to endure the emotional scars of being “left out”?
When these children grow up, and enter into a theoretical phase of life called adolescence, they will continue to celebrate this holiday, why would it be wrong now when it was not wrong in the past? They may even continue to celebrate into their adulthood.
And it is at this stage in life that I would like to focus on in the rest of the article. Halloween becomes a costume party for adolescents and adults. I saw a satirical article the other day about the adult costume options that are out there. There are many options for men and women, but the women’s costumes seem to have an underlying theme, that being of sexual exploitation. After reading the article I searched online for halloween costumes (literally typing those words into google.) When I clicked on the women’s section of all the sites I went to, I would say about 70-80% of the costumes for women contained either the word sexy, or foxy or sultry or some other word to that effect. Most of the other remaining costumes did not have these descriptive words, but were designed very with the same mind set. I even found 2 sensual costumes of a popular teenage character from a well known movie. When I clicked on the teenage women’s costumes, I was very surprised at how revealing those were as well (including a “frisky” costume.)
The depiction of women in the media is horrendous. I won’t pretend to know what its like to be a woman and be bombarded with images of what I’m expected to look like that only realistically represents less than 1% of the population, but I do know the pressure is huge. Women are treated as sexual objects all the time, but it seems especially so on Halloween. And the arguments to participate in such a way does not change from when they are a child. Why be deprived of such fun and enjoyment? All their friends are doing it as well? Do you expect them to endure the emotional scars of being left out?
The pressure for women to look this way is immense in our culture, and I see some feel the need to look like everybody else. I just want to encourage the men out there to let the women they know and love that we are disgusted by this aspect of our culture. That when we see women that reject and not conform to this, we find them more beautiful. Also, I want to encourage parents not to plant seeds of conformity this weekend. I feel that planting seeds of nonconformity will do so much more.
I love this song. I love that a handsome young man is writing a song to young women to tell them that they are beautiful because God says they are. He sings that they don’t need to work to impress anyone other than the one who loves them already. God is impressed by faith. He’s not impressed by your looks, weight, waist, bust, clothes, or any other thing.
My sisters in Christ, I know that it seems to be getting harder and harder in our society for women to find their value in God. The media is pummeling you with what you should look like, be or do. Even though the image they present is unreleased and empty, subtly they trick you into thinking it’s worth attaining.
Sisters, Jesus died for you. You are tremendously valuable to God. He loves you. He has planned for you to be with Him in paradise forever.
Don’t try to get your value from anything other than the value that God has ascribed to you because of the cross.
Don’t look for it from your husband.
Don’t look for it from your boy friend.
Don’t look for it from your friends.
Don’t look for it from your classmates.
Don’t look for it from your co-workers.
Don’t look for it from your neighbors.
Don’t look for it from that guy.
Look from it from the God.
What Johnny Diaz is singing is something for us all to consider – but especially for the women of God who are being tempted to thinking that it is the outward appearance which men value, other women value, or even God values.
I Peter 3:3-5b – “Your adornment must not be merely external–braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves”
Sean and I attended a church service this past Sunday night which got me thinking about the role and function of the church. Certainly we know that biblically, “the church” is not the building, but the people who gather together, be it in a building, a home or on the street who are joining together to worship God, encourage each other and take time to read Scripture, share a message, sing, pray, etc. Different people have different experiences and what they consider the church and I’m not writing this to talk about which version is best, what should be included, removed etc.
One of the things that struck me during this past Sunday’s fellowship was the pastor’s lengthy and descriptive apology from the church to the world, the church, the lost, the Christians and more. He shared his heart with the congregation about the flaws that have persisted in him, and the leaders of the particular section of the church.
And here’s what it got me thinking – we must work hard to be transparent. People have been offended, rejected, turned off, upset, hurt and the like by this thing called “the church” and some of that has been their fault and some of that has been the fault of the people of the church. That any of this is the fault of the church is really sad – we need to represent Jesus and point people to the Father like he did.
Our worship services can’t be about us. They need to be about God.
Our method for teaching the Bible can’t be about us. It needs to be about God.
Our discipleship can’t be about us. It needs to be about God.
And where there is some of “us” still existing in how we are doing things, we need to decrease and let Christ increase by the spirit.
The pastor’s apology ended with a sobering plea. He said something to the effect of “if you’re one of those who have been pushed away because of the church, our flaws, our sins, or whatever – please do not give up on God on account of us.”
I join in with his words – Please do not think that God is like us. God is great and merciful and just and loving and compassionate and wise and forgiving and faithful and powerful and more and more.
We need to stop making God like us and we need to be like the God who is. When we make God in our image, people come to know Him and then they hate a God who is critical, judgmental, over opinionated, under involved. And then they will go on having experienced what they were told God and Christianity was like and it had little to do with God or Christ.
So lets do church this way – get out of the way. Lets be like Jesus so that when they see us – they see the Father.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church… [Ephesians 3:20-21a]
For a great picture as to what the church should be about, click here to listen to Sean’s message “A Beautiful People”
As we go through life exploring and developing our faith deeper and deeper we are bound to come across questions and crises of faith. Sometimes those questions do not get answered in a way that we like, if at all. Questions like:
“why does evil exist?”
“Is God subject to what is Good or is Good whatever God says it is? and can make evil good?”
“What about contradictions in the Bible?”
“What about evolution?”
“Why did God demand Genocide in the Bible?”
“why does god permit atrocities to children in this day?”
“why doesn’t healing occur today like they did in the bible times?”
Fortunately there has been much progress in apologetics and philosophy in christianity in the last couple of decades. One of my personal favorite people in this field is William Lane Craig. Actually the pic of me that Victor chose for this site is of me and Dr. Craig with the Good doctor cropped out (after much protest to victor from me.)
What is the question that would or should cause us to lose our faith? What is out faith dependent on?
There was some very recent comments on this board where some statements are made about why certain people don’t believe in the God of Jesus Christ, or don’t have faith in scripture.
While some of the content of these comments are valid concerns, a lot of them have been wrestled with for the past two millennia and there are answered readily available with simple internet searches.
But even if these questions were still not answered, would it be cause to lose our faith?
According to 1 Cor 15:15, our faith seems to be to be very dependent on the resurrection of the dead, and in particular, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And what is our hope for the future? That Jesus Christ is coming back to establish the kingdom of God here on earth.
And why do we have hope to take part in this future kingdom of God?
Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
When struggling with the tough questions that cause doubt’s and crises of faith, i ask myself if the questions
Does this mean that Jesus was not raised from the dead?
Does this mean that Jesus is not returning to earth to establish God Kingdom?
Does this mean that Jesus’s death on the cross was not the sacrifice for my sins?
I have never really found anything that causes me to answer either of these questions in the affirmative, especially the first one. There has been much work done on the historical accuracy of the resurrection, especially by Dr. Craig and N.T. Wright.
This is not to say that all other questions are not worthy of response or consideration, but I personally have found these questions to be the Biggest Big picture questions that trump all others and to not be overwhelmed to the point where I question my faith in God.
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