A Thought on Separation

Some Christians, especially strict Baptists, preach on separation. Usually that entails outward manifestations, like not going to movies, not listening to rock, including Christian contemporary music, and not dressing immodestly.

A good moral life that sets an example is to be commended. But if it’s done out of an attitude of legalism, how is it different than any other religion? Any religion worth its salt promotes morality and clean living.

I believe it was C. S. Lewis who put forth the idea that, even the devil wants us to do good. He just wants us to do it without Christ.

Recently I read a statement by a Christian writer who quoted a simple, but profound truth. He said it’s not what we’re separated from, but what–or Who–we’re separated to. This, of course, means being separated or devoted to Christ.

If we’re truly separated unto Christ, all else will find its proper place.

Deuteronomy 6:5
5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Micah 6:8
8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

1 John 2:15-17
15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

A Disconnect Like Strong Delusion

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The other morning I was watching a YouTube video featuring Alex Jones discussing the corrupt “nanny state” and society’s attitude of dependence on it. My wife didn’t care to hear it.

A few minutes later the radio was playing a Katy Perry song about California girls. I couldn’t help but think how far removed the song’s contents–and the whole recording industry, for that matter–are removed from what Alex Jones was talking about.

Talk about a disconnect from reality.

Recently a local TV channel began carrying TV reruns from the 1960′s and 1970′s. As I sat a few nights ago watching one of the shows I enjoyed as a child, it occurred to me that I was doing exactly what an executive somewhere hoped I’d be doing.

Imagine him telling his colleagues, “If we can’t get him with modern TV programming and the Internet, let’s give him something he’ll want to watch. Make him think of the past when things were simpler. Back when things seemed more innocent. It’s about keeping the mind parked in neutral while the world goes nuts.”

How about another example of disconnect? Not long ago I read an article from a man whose analysis was dead on concerning our growing police state government and the submissive apathy of the sheeple. His solution? Join up with the Oath Keepers and the Tea Party movement.

Once again, talk about a disconnect from reality. If things are truly as bad as this guy says they are, where’s the hope? What good is it to get involved in political affairs, blissfully hoping numbers of unified warm bodies will matter?

Perhaps it’s more than discoonect. Perhaps it’s delusion. It’s not the strong delusion the Scriptures refer to in 2 Thessalonians, but perhaps it resembles it or is a type of it.

And what if that’s how God wants it? If you think God wants all to come to the truth, think again.

What characterizes the majority of people during the future time when AntiChrist is on the earth? According to 2 Thessalonians 2:10, they and he will have “all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them.” And such people deserve God’s judgment because “they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

God will deliberately send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie. Eventually, they get what they deserve.

How about us today? We, too, live in an age of disconnect and delusion. That’s true even among many of us who are believers in Christ. What will be our judgement? Loss of reward?

Goal Setting and Time Management from God’s Perspective

Recently I heard a motivational speaker talk on the subject of time management and goal setting. He said the usual things, like failure to plan is a plan for failure.

His emphasis was on helping people who want to create their own lifestyle to become more efficient and effective. And he did have some good points which I appreciated.

For instance, find the best two hours of your day and do what you’re best at then. Find the second best two hours of the day if you’re working for someone else during those first best two hours.

Make your plans for the day the night before. That way you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in the morning. Besides, your subconscious mind may work on some things overnight. I find this tip helpful.

But he went further into making up schedules and helping listeners figure out how much money they’d like to make per hour. He lost me when he got into the numbers. I’m not sure how realistic they are.

Then there was talk of fulfilling your desires. That’s good as far as it goes–and following your desires will take you far–but we’re not always going to get what we want. When that happens, how will you and I handle the disappointment? Maybe we need to reshape our desires from time to time to line them up with reality and God’s will.

I’ve never been a big fan of motivational speakers. I only listen if I think he’s halfway realistic. Do they really practice what they talk about, or do they just preach it to others? I suspect it’s a little of both.

While I encourage time management and having goals and plans, things happen. Not everything’s going to work out the way you’ve charted it out, regardless whether you follow this or some other guy’s directions.

You have to be flexible. Sometimes life can really throw you a curve.

So what’s God’s perspective on our time management and goal setting? Here’s a glimpse.

James 4:13-16
13. Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

Do Books and Movies Reveal Our Weaknesses?

1 Corinthians 5:9-13
9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Matthew 4:8-10
8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Recently I responded to an article claiming The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins, promoted Satanic rituals. Find it here.

The Hunger Games are required reading in some public schools, and a movie based on the first book is coming out in the spring. I don’t know whether the books deserve that much notariety, but it apparently upsets some people.

I’m a born again Christian, middle aged and the father of two grown children who we home schooled. I’m not upset by allegations made about The Hunger Games, and I’ll tell you why.

I’ve read The Hunger Games books for my private enjoyment because I’m a science fiction fan. I did not read them with a critical eye for Satanic rituals or symbols. If they were there, I obviously missed them, and I don’t believe they adversely affected me.

Without intending to sound unduly dismissive, let’s remember that The Hunger Games are stories for entertainment. They’re not real. They’re the product of an author’s imagination. As such, how seriously should we take them?

Reportedly, The Hunger Games has given some children nightmares. I don’t see how any of these books would cause anyone to have bad dreams. I never had nightmares after watching movies or reading books as a kid. Am I just made of sturdier stuff?

Back in the late 1980′s when the movie “The Last Temptation of Christ” came out, I was working for a Christian radio station. I got sick and tired of hearing the late Marlin Maddoux on “Point of View” campaigning against the movie. Granted it was trash, and I had no intention of seeing it or encouraging others to see it. So why give the movie the extra publicity?

But what else can we expect from an unbelieving, Christ hating world? What are we afraid of? Do we think we’ll somehow lose God’s favor because we bump against filth in our everyday world? Are we too weak to lean on the Spirit and resist trash and temptation?

How many times have we heard news stories or studies claiming young people are more violent today because of TV or video games? Perhaps it’s true. But why?

What is it that would make kids violent? Are they that easily influenced? Could the tendency toward violence have been there to begin with? In other words, can we really blame it on external sources?

As Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, the problem is not the evil without, but rather the evil within the Church, which needs to be judged.

Let me bring this back around to thoughts on The Hunger Games.

I’ve noticed a trend toward dystopia or the backdrop of a post apocalyptic world in a number of other science fiction books in recent years aimed at children and teenagers. But they’re not without hope.

The main characters learn to become resourceful against tremendous odds. If anything, these stories are unrealistic because things usually turn out better than one would reasonably expect. Is that not deceptive and therefore the real danger from such reading?

Like most young people, I came out of school with a sheltered and naive perspective about the world and the powers that rule in it. Ssuch series as The Hunger Games plant the idea in children’s minds that the world is not all sunshine and roses. Isn’t this beneficial? Do we not live in a brutal world? At what point do we introduce our children to that reality?

You’ll have to decide for yourself whether you want to read these books or let your children read them. But if The Hunger Games series is full of Satanic rituals and symbols, why should we be surprised?

Keep this in mind regarding books, movies, and the world in which we live. In Matthew 4:8-10, where Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, notice He did not deny that the devil could give him the kingdoms of the world and all their glory. This does not mean God is not sovereign. He’s simply allowing Satan to have tremendous power for now.

In this present world we would do well to heed Jesus’ words in verse 10. “for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Whatever the world dishes out, our reward is in living righteously and waiting on the Lord to set up His own kingdom one day, in His time, and in His way.

Don’t Refuse His Gifts

John Piper points out in Desiring God that it gives God joy to bless us and do things for us.. He wants all things to bring Him glory, and blessing those of us who are His children gives Him joy..

As a result, it’s important for us to seek what He has to offer us. This doesn’t mean he’s going to give us a new car and house on a whim. While He can and does often bless with material gifts, what He gives us of greatest value is spiritual blessings

But how can He have joy in giving to us? Let me share an example I’ve never forgotten.

Years ago my wife and I rented a small apartment from a wonderful, generous Christian woman named Mrs. H. We thought of her as our Pennsylvania grandmother.

I don’t remember exactly what she wanted to do for us this particular time, but I wasn’t comfortable with receiving her generosity. She may have treated us to a meal at a restaurant. Or she may have done something else to help us out.

I told her she didn’t have to do it. I’d been raised with the notion that it’s not good to become indebted to someone else.

She told me she wanted to do this certain thing for us. Gently she told me not to refuse a gift because it gave her a blessing to give it. It would be hurtful for me to deprive her of that blessing.

The lesson from this has stayed with me. It may be more blessed to give than to receive. But receiving graciously will bless the giver.

I’ve heard others express the same idea as Mrs. H. It’s indeed a godly attitude. Notice the Lord’s attitude in the following verses. He wants to bless you and me in ways we may not understand.

Hebrews 11:2b
…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ephesians 1:3-6
3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.