Category: world system

Fool’s Wisdom

 

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The Gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t difficult. Rather it is “profoundly” simple– a little child can understand its truth. We must acknowledge the obvious. We dare not complicate His Word, John 3:16 is very clear: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

This simplicity becomes a big stumbling block for many. The apostle Paul writes the Corinthians and says it this way:

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,”

1 Corinthians 1:26-28, NIV

We are broken believers. We are the mentally ill, the addicted, the handicapped, the rascal. We come to Jesus and find His love, acceptance and power. He gives all of this (and more) to the desperate. The gospel is meant for us. There is no other place to go.  “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” (John 6:68).

We understand weakness and the door is open for us. Our simple faith opens entry into the “Kingdom-possible.” We’ve been chosen to access this Good News, and not because we’re exceptionally clever or wonderfully gifted.

We are known by the world by a variety of names: Holy Joe, Jesus freak, Super saint, Bible thumper, fundie, holy roller, religitard, religious nut/fruitcake. There are plenty more. All theses names are derogatory. They are used to demean. Usually the person who uses them have a hidden issue or two. But insults are hardly a legitimate argument. That isn’t their purpose.

The words may scorn us. But didn’t they say the same to the Lord Jesus?

There is a fool’s wisdom for broken believers. It saves us and changes us into God’s own children. We gladly bear “His reproach” and we publicly identify with Him every chance we get.

 ““So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”

Hebrews 13:13, NASB

 

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The Power of a Soul’s Gaze

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“One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.”

Psalm 27:4, (NIV)

One thing: Not two or three. One. Something extraordinary. Not something noble or even praise-worthy things, however exceptional. But just a singular sight of Him, in His house and in His beauty. In other words,

“I’m asking God for one thing,
    only one thing:
To live with him in his house
    my whole life long.
I’ll contemplate his beauty;
    I’ll study at his feet.”

Psalm 27: 4, (The Message)

There can be a multitude of options for us– and many of them are good and true. We are very adept at finding other alternatives; the enemy will even suggest things to usurp the believer’s gaze.

I once knew a small congregation in Pacifica, California. They were tremendously gifted at combining worship with evangelism. We would get permits to close a street in San Francisco, and they would bring us a deep anointing. They were remarkable. We all looked forward to their ministry.

lovejesusBut something happened. That church is no more. They got involved in activism, and over time they focused on politics and soon became disenchanted with pure worship. I was told that their church services became saturated with many other things. They stopped looking at Jesus, and turned their gaze on other things. I have no idea where they are at today. This seems to be the ‘price of distraction.’

To gaze is defined as, “a steady or intent look. Often with great curiosity, interest, pleasure or wonder.” It combines the sensory of sight with a thoughtful contemplation. Often we see, but do not understand. A combination of the physical and the mental is necessary. But we also must ‘see’ the spiritual side as well.

I suggest that we set our gaze on our God. After all, this is where we will spend eternity. And more so, He is and will be spiritually ‘intriguing’ and a source of endless joy for the believer. God alone is worthy of our gaze. Let’s not be satisfied with mere trifles.

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 

Jesus alone must satisfy. To keep him always ‘front and center’ must be our total focus. Plans and methods and mechanisms can’t save you from your sin. Only Jesus can do this. To God alone belongs salvation. (Ps. 72:18).

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Flaws in Our Spiritual ‘DNA’

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DNA by medoo-khfaga

“What do you mean, ‘What’s the matter?’” Micah replied. “You’ve taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!”

Judges 18:24

“Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.” ― John Calvin

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Here in Judges 18, we see the folly of a false religion. It is a crude and simple idolatry, and the foolishness of it is lost on these men. Micah had installed his very own personal priest, and had carved some idols to enhance his spiritual status. We see in Micah, the silly and shortsightedness of the idolater. He engages in some ‘unauthorized’ theology, that allows him this liberty.

But the ill-advised idolatry seems not only silly, but bizarrely primitive. It’s kind of a ‘do it yourself’ custom religion.  Micah had a spiritual need, and met it with hiring his own priest. However, the roving tribe of Dan, with an armed force of 600 men, have decided to take the entire ensemble to be their own. It now seems foolishness has led Dan astray.

The bickering between Micah and these warriors would be imprudent if pushed. Micah has just lost his religion by brute force. The ‘priest’ and all the accouterments are now forcibly taken from him. I suppose this is the painful folly of his ‘homemade’ religion. He watches as the riders take it all away.

What an empty spiritual condition! But religious people often seek out idols to help them deal with life. An idol can be anything that takes God’s place in a person’s life. But the results are sad. A counterfeit faith of any kind is profoundly sad. The modern version has become much more sophisticated, but the end result is the same. It would seem  that idolatry is etched in our DNA.

“Those who worship false gods [idols] turn their backs on all God’s mercies” (Jonah 2:8).

The only way to protect yourself in a time of spiritual anarchy is to come to the true and living God. Insist on your needs be met by Him. We really must shun anything that could take His place. Our idolatry is different today, but God has never changed.

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