“The highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God. It can do this only as it is willing to be nothing in itself, that God may be all. Water always fills first the lowest places. The lower, the emptier a man lies before God, the speedier and the fuller will be the inflow of the diving glory.”
― Andrew Murray, Humility
Tag Archive: God
“Reverence does not pertain to things but to persons. To reverence the impersonal creation instead of the personal God who created us is a perversion designed for escaping moral accountability to the Creator.” ~Dave Hunt
Too often worldly ideas get circulated by popular preachers from the pulpits of many of today’s churches. Sadly, once these ideas are shared enough times, they soon become accepted teachings and few people stop to check them out from God’s Word. One such teaching today is a popular psychological philosophy many call “Idols of the Heart”.
Over the last several years “Idols of the Heart” has grown to become a mainstream psychological idea within many Christian communities and is claimed by its adherents to be biblical in approach and doctrine. Unfortunately it is at best humanistic, centering itself on the flesh, not the Spirit. In general, the philosophy teaches that the sinful human heart desires to worship self, constructing idols from early on in life. Once becoming a Christian, the teaching goes, we must explore our hearts to examine, expose, and eradicate any and all idols.
Four general problems with this psychology:
- First, in order to locate them, we are told that we must sit down with “professionals” to talk about all the things that have gone on in our lives in hopes of exposing these idols. This “talking” often times falls under gossip and tends to be self-focused and problem-centered, not Christ-centered.
- Secondly, even if idols are discovered, the question will always remain, when do we know if all our idols have been exposed? We could spend a lifetime examining our old hearts and still not be sure we’ve gotten rid of them all.
- Next, if there are idols in our hearts, they would have been constructed by the old, unregenerate man. So in order to find them, we are forced to peruse the old man, not the new man, born again by the Spirit of God. Instead of digging through the old flesh, Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ…[putting] on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.” Colossians 2:11; 3:10. (Emphasis mine.)
- Finally, perhaps the most deceptive part is while attempting to grow in the Spirit, one is actually only able to prop up the fleshly, old man and all if its self-focused desires. In this process we very well may believe we are overcoming sin by the power of the Spirit, when in actuality we are simply bringing attention and satisfaction to the old man. In doing so, this often leads to confusion and even deception for the one practicing such methods.
Below are several exerpts from a recent article written by Martin and Deidre Bobgan which serve as a further biblical response.
THE IDOLATROUS HEART
“The self focus of introspection that comes with counseling that stresses insight into one’s idolatrous heart can actually strengthen the flesh as it becomes self-centered rather than Christ-centered. An emphasis on the idolatrous heart also poses a danger of too much self-centered introspection, which can lead to despair on the one hand and prideful self-righteousness on the other.
One may become stuck in trying to fix the flesh, which must be put off. Therefore the idolatrous heart should not be the primary emphasis in the spiritual ministry of soul care. Any attention given to the idolatrous heart is only useful as a means of teaching the doctrine of human depravity and identifying when one is living according to the old nature. But one can come to the same conclusion by reading the Word and then paying attention to one’s thoughts and behavior in relation to what God has said. When the Bible calls for self-examination, the purpose is to discover whether one is in the faith and walking according to the new life in Christ (1 Cor. 11:28; 2 Cor. 13:5). Spiritual growth comes by focusing on Christ, His very Person, His life, and all He has accomplished for the believer and continues to accomplish at the right hand of the Father.
While many in the Biblical Counseling Movement may indeed intend to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28), because of their problem-centeredness, they grievously fall into another form of idolatry: sinful conversations as a means to a better marriage, a better life, and a more satisfied self.
Why Christians who have been born again by the Holy Spirit, given new life in Christ, and have the very Word of God at their finger tips subject themselves to such sin-centered activities escapes reason. However, one possible reason is that they are walking according to the flesh and attempting to have their lives fixed by someone else instead of through following the Lord Jesus Himself.
One does not need to seek the specific motivation for every sin, but recognize that whenever one sins one is walking according to the flesh with its deceitful heart. This involves recognition of sin (not analysis), repentance (1 John 1:9) , and walking again according to the indwelling Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16), which involves trusting and obeying Christ. Throughout the ages the Holy Spirit used the Word of God directly and through sound preaching and teaching to convict the sinner and the sinning saint, to show the way of life, and to enable the believer to live by that new life. The Christian life is one of grace and hope because all is given by God, including the [power] to trust and obey.”
See: http://psychoheresy-aware.org/powlison_cure_3.html for the full article.
The problem is, witchcraft is not fantasy; it is a sinful reality in our world.
“J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, has gone through an awful lot of research. She is very accurate (otherwise we would have witches all over the country and the world saying ‘this is not a true representation of our religion.’) This is a true representation of witchcraft, and the black arts, and black magic. And yet we have people that say this is merely fantasy and harmless reading for our children. Actually, what makes this more dangerous is that it is couched in fantasy language, and children’s literature, and made to be humorous, and beautifully written and extremely provocative reading. and it just opens up children to want to have the next one. This is what is so harmful.”
~Caryl Matrisciana as quoted in Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged © 2001, Jeremiah Films
“Many who call themselves Christians implicitly accept the superiority of science over the Bible. Thus, whenever “science” disagrees with the Bible, as its presently accepted dogmas so clearly do with regard to the creation of the universe and life, “Christians” surrender their faith in Scripture, which is really a surrender of their faith in its Author. Or they attempt to twist what the Bible says in order to make it seem that it agrees with atheism’s Big Bang and evolutionary account of man’s descent from fish and reptiles and chimpanzees. In a sense they become partners with atheists, incredibly allowing them to dictate the terms of the discussion.” ~Dave Hunt
For many it sounds narrow-minded to say that there is only one way to Heaven. After all there are many roads that take a person into the same city, so why wouldn’t there be many roads that lead to the same Heaven? The simple answer is that men have not sinned against a city. We’ve sinned against the One and Only, True and Living God. (Romans 3:23)
This is His creation, so it only stands to reason that we should go His Way. (Interestingly, no one argues when there’s only one door to a restaurant or one way into their garage at home.) One God, One Way- through His Son, Jesus Christ! (John 14:6) Yes, narrow, but also loving. He lovingly provided a single way to help prevent us from getting lost! Jesus is truly the only way that leads to eternal life! (John 3:15-17)
Sadly, all other roads will lead to the same place…the Lake of Fire. (Matthew 7:13-14; Revelation 20:15) It’s our choice. God has already chosen to pave the perfect way by sending His Son to die for our sins, fully paying the price we deserve; raising from the grave- eternally conquering sin and death. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Now it’s up to us whether we will choose to turn to Him or continue on our own self-seeking, pride paving road. May we choose wisely, carefully keeping eternity in mind.
Jesus says, “And him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37b
[A Psalm of David.] 1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] His holy name.2. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3.Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies…” Psalm 103:1-4
The blessings of God so far outweigh anything this world has to offer! There are an inexhaustible amount of eternal and temporal benefits in following the Lord Jesus. The enemy of our souls (Satan), the father of lies, would have us believe that there is nothing more wonderful than the temporary pabulum of this cursed creation. Too often our souls develop a taste for this fading world, all the while allowing our eternal eyesight to dim. Who could offer anything as great as forgiveness of sins, redemption, perfect lovingkindness and the tender mercies of God? The simple answer is no one, but God Himself. God’s reminder here is clear- The world will NOT bring satisfaction or contentment, nor will focusing on the things of the world enlighten the soul or bless the Lord. There is a more subtle, but exacting reminder in the words “forget not.” We must always be on guard and alert, for the enemy of our souls will attempt to draw our attention away from the benefits of God, namely Himself to the temporary pleasures of the world. Too often we believe that we are actually giving up something to come to Christ. In actuality, we are only gaining. Letting go of this world only means we have that much more room in our heart, soul, and mind to be filled with the love and truth of Jesus Christ! “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…” Philippians 3:8
A good rule of thumb: Place all things upon the altar, then set them ablaze. (1 Kings 18:37-39) All that remains is worth worshipping. In other words, only worship that which is eternal- worship God and Him alone!
“The greatest Part of Mankind, nay of Christians, may be said to be asleep; and that particular Way of Life, which takes up each Man’s Mind, Thoughts, and Actions, may be very well called his particular Dream. This Degree of Vanity is equally visible in every Form and Order of Life. The Learned and the Ignorant, the Rich and the Poor, are all in the same State of Slumber, only passing away a short Life in a different kind of Dream. But why so?
It is because Man has an Eternity within him, is born into this World, not for the sake of living here, not for any thing this world can give him, but only to have Time and Place, to become either an eternal Partaker of a Divine Life with God, or to have an hellish Eternity among fallen Angels: And therefore, every man who has not his Eye, his Heart, and his Hands, continually governed by this twofold Eternity, may justly be said to be fast asleep, to have no awakened Sensibility of Himself.
And a Life devoted to the Interests and Enjoyments of this World, spent and wasted in the Slavery of earthly Desires, may be truly called a Dream; as having all the Shortness, Vanity, and Delusion of a Dream; only with this great Difference, that when a Dream is over, nothing is lost but Fictions and Fancies; but when the Dream of Life is ended only by Death, all that Eternity is lost for which we were brought into Being.” ~William Law, “Spirit of Prayer”, Chapter 1, p.1.
For the full article, see: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/law/prayer/files/prayer1.htm
There are certain arguments that some might think are “silver bullets” in the debate against the true God, the God revealed to mankind in the Bible. One of these arguments goes something like this- “If the God of the Bible is real, then why does He allow things like deadly tsunamis that have the potential to destroy hundreds of thousands of people? If He can’t stop them, then He is weak and if He can stop them, but chooses not to, then He’s a monster.” At first listen this seems like one of those questions that might be irrefutable. However, instead of being a strong argument, it is actually weak and serves as a disgraceful attempt to malign the true and living God; the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let me explain further.
This kind of “silver bullet” argument is designed to move the listener quickly to the defensive position. After hearing the question, the one listening will most likely be inclined to defend God’s character. But instead of moving to the defensive, stand your ground. There are a few weak points/assumptions worth lovingly pointing out to the person you are talking with.
First and foremost, this “silver bullet” can be used in any direction, not just at the God of the Bible. For example, if a person believes in some spiritual energy or force, he is left with the same dilemma. Either the force is too weak to stop a natural disaster, or it just doesn’t care. Of course energy can’t care anyway since it’s completely impersonal, but that is for another post. For the person who claims to not believe in God, he is really saying his ultimate trust and hope is in the natural and its processes. This person is faced with the same problem. If nature can’t stop natural disasters, or at least intervene for humanity, then it remains hopeless as well. In short, ANYONE asking this “silver bullet” question is faced with the same supposed dilemma. When talking with people, there may be times to make this point. Showing that someone is seeing things incorrectly is sometimes beneficial in the long run.
Secondly, it is crucial to note that this question is clearly cut from a moral cloth. The moral fabric actually makes it quite easy to respond to the questioner with your own difficult, yet exposing question. But before asking the difficult question, there is an important preliminary question. Sometimes it seems the question of whether God is weak or just doesn’t care comes from those who are very angry and unwilling to hear anything in the way of an honest answer. The person asking this question is sometimes hoping to silence the person he’s talking with. So to somewhat disarm and open a door of discussion, the first question worth asking is this- “Are you willing to hear an honest answer?” If he says yes, then go on to the primary question which goes something like this- “Listen, your question is really this- Why do bad things happen to good people? In other words, you’re asking why there is injustice in the world. But herein lies the bigger question, injustice according to who? My question to you is this, “Who actually determines what is just or unjust?”
You see, everyone recognizes concepts such as fair, right, just, and unjust, yet we don’t always stop to think about where the reality of these terms originated from. The immaterial concept of justice did not originate from thin air, nor did it come from matter, nor was it birthed from us. A rock, which is clearly a solid piece of matter, cannot even think, let alone conceptualize whether being thrown through a house window is just or not. When someone asks what kind of God allows atrocities, he is actually revealing the fact that there must be a true and ultimate source of justice. Logic itself dictates that we could only acknowledge the reality of justice and injustice if the One who created mankind is Himself totally just. The moral fabric of this question actually proves that there must be a moral God, a just God that originated all justice in the beginning. Instead of the question proving God must be non-existent or a ‘monster’, it in fact proves the opposite. “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways…” Ezekiel 33:11 But if God created all things just and fair in the beginning, then what changed? Have things remained the same since the creation of all things or have things changed? Good question. This leads to our final points.
Lastly, there are two more assumptions built into this “silver bullet” question worth examining. First is that we, that is to say people, are actually undeserving of anything but good. This belief reveals the heart of the issue. “I’m really not that bad” is definitely a default mode for many. Truly, it is sad to see natural disasters that affect the helpless, however we need to remember that things didn’t stay the same from the beginning. Things did change from the way God originally created them. We need to factor in the history of sin entering God’s perfect creation through the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Death has passed unto all men because all have sinned. (Romans 5:12) We have ALL sinned against God, making us all rebels, deserving of God’s judgment. (Romans 3:23) Creation is broken and groans for a time when it will be perfect again. (Romans 8:22) Jesus explained that He came to save the world, not to condemn the world. He clearly declared that the world is condemned already. (John 3:17-18) In other words, we are all born under the condemnation of this present, broken world. Even though the current world is filled with much pain and suffering, sorrow that reaches every human born on this planet, this is the world the first man and woman wanted. They wanted life apart from God. They desired to live apart from God as their King. They wanted to be their own gods. After rebelling against Him, God graciously only gave them a taste of what life without God would be like. We are now some 6,ooo years on a planet that is groaning and broken, a planet that daily reminds us of just how much we need the Lord. The assumption that there are truly innocent people who don’t deserve anything but good is perhaps well-intentioned, but not correct. Understanding mankind’s true history definitely helps add light to this issue.
The second assumption is the belief that God does not intervene in the affairs of men. This is nothing more than an assumption. Usually the person wanting to know why God does not intervene is really asking why God doesn’t intervene the way he thinks God should. The most crucial and historic intervention occurred almost 2,000 years ago when God the Son stepped into history, born as a man, never stopped being God, died on the cross for the sins of mankind, and rose from the grave on the third day. This unique and pivotal event fully proves that God does interact and intervene in the affairs of men, even men that do not care about God. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
In conclusion, the question about a weak God is really at best a weak question. By lovingly standing our ground, not getting defensive, we can carefully and thoughtfully challenge questions by exposing the person’s own assumptions. Remember people are not the enemy. We do not fight against flesh and blood. We are called to pull down strongholds, “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6. In our effort to win the lost, may we seek to point everyone to Jesus Christ, the One True God; the God who lovingly intervenes in our lives every day. “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways…” Ezekiel 33:11 “And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
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“Heaven in Our Eyes” ~Matthew Henry
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