Tag Archives: Opposing Views

Reinventing God

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payitforward

 

“Pay it forward.”  It’s a great idea isn’t it.  The Lord thinks selfless giving is a great thing too.  Let’s get sneaky, wise and stealthy.   It does only a temporary good to announce our good deeds.  But deeds done in secret last forever.

If you’re worried that others won’t pick up the lesson of “pay it forward”, teach them privately and without the use of personal examples.  Every good deed you do that has an announcement after it becomes owned by you.  Every good deed you do without being detected is owned by The Father in Heaven who is undetectable.

“Loose lips sink ships.”

2  “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3  “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4  so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”  (Matthew 6)

I take note that “Pay it forward” is used by secularists now.   It seems to have become popular lately as people try to “reinvent the wheel” of righteousness.  Trying to escape Christianity, people are busy building a man based “religion” without Jesus.  The problem is, all the really good ideas belong to Jesus.  They have to get a bit crafty when they present their own rendition.

This “Pay it Forward” seems to have come from a play in Athens Greece around 317 BC.  Here’s the script that has been passed to us as having come from that play.

“I do not pretend to give such a deed; I only lend it to you. When you […] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro’ many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.”

Jesus said it better by doing it with His body.  And look how many have been granted access to heaven.  It is this granting that spawns all Christian giving.

Think about it.

Commanded? Not really

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English: 4 days of Evangelism Training in Sout...

English: 4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern California provided by LivingWaters Ministry. Obeying the great commission of Jesus Christ. “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone” Mark 16:15 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I will confess that, at first, it’s really difficult to summon the strength to speak publicly about Jesus.  But I will also confess that once you start it is impossible to stop.

He is so full of what is good, and the world around us is so full of what is evil.  To love him is to tell others.   It is not so much that we are commanded to go to all the world, but we find ourselves compelled to go to all the world.

“do-gooder-ism”

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It’s so curious that the most wicked age is the age consumed with so much “do-gooder-ism”.   I guess self righteousness needs to take its place among the folly parade of man.  It’s not wise, however, to consider He who watches as if He were a child.  “Throw Him a bit of candy and He will leave us alone.”  Not wise at all folks.  This isn’t that kind of parade.

Instead, lay down your version of righteous behavior and spend quality time worshiping Him.  He will show you what He considers righteous for you.  He alone is Good.  By the way, His name is Jesus.

Comparison of interest

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I remember how it was before the Lord opened my mind.  I cared very little about what I did as long as others didn’t punish me for it.

There seem to be a particular delight in speaking of things that were righteous, joking about them to make them unholy.  The more vile the more delight, and I rarely lacked friends to enjoy it with.

It seemed that joy came from the base things not the basic things.  Wouldn’t one expect that of an evil man.

But the Lord appeared and gave that man a different tongue.  Where the tongue had enjoyed what is sweet to the flesh, such things now became bitter.  And if by chance I could stomach the taste, the Lord changed my heart along with it.

There is a food for the soul which the body knows nothing about.  Many men have fasted for weeks; while their heart feasted on a great banquet.

Where before nothing was forbidden, now only certain things are acceptable.  But it is no loss.  The fact is, what is now less is far more satisfying than all that was.  And shame has made way for peace.

All of this has come to be because Jesus first loved me.

By His Grace.

Strive to Remember: A Moment Continuum.

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I have a scar on my wrist.  It’s small now.  But I remember how it came to be.  What I don’t remember about it was the measure of surprise and pain at its arrival.

I had hired on to catch chickens one night.   They warned me about the claw on the rooster’s leg.  And I understood what they meant.  But what they couldn’t help me understand was how fast and empty of pity he would be.

It was quick and bloody.  But time passed anyway.  This scar remains to remind.  And, after 40+ years, I remember.

Sins have left their marks also.  Most of them don’t make themselves available to the senses.  But they have a way of reminding.

Lots of failures came and went.  Lots of victories have come and gone.  But there is a singular “moment continuum” which we should strive to remember.  That day when Jesus appeared.

Like the man of the tombs, I have been rescued from unseen forces.  I listened to evil and followed hard after it.  In fact I had become quite evil.  Even among evil men I held my own.

But Jesus passed by one day.  Chains were broken.  Clothing was issued.  Words of peace and righteousness were exchanged.  And those who knew me saw a new man appear.

I tried to go with Him.  But I couldn’t keep pace as a result of the scars.  So I strive to remember that “moment continuum” .

He was near and caused a holy change.
He is near and fans the flames.
And He has promised to take me into His kingdom.
So I do what comes as natural as once did sin;
“I strive to remember that ‘moment continuum'”.

“You Didn’t Build That. . . “

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Walk through a grave yard and no one waves hello.  Smile at a blind man and he has no idea you even looked at him.  So it is with those who live in the land of the dead.  Though you introduce yourself they have no idea what you’re saying.  And even if you offered them the bounty of the King Jesus they would simply laugh.

With that introduction, we turn to the picture.  What business is it of the world if we prefer to do our Father’s bidding beyond the eyes of the dead?  And if we explained what we are told to do they would not understand it.  So they turn to insults against the King of Kings and His people.  Is this the best they can do?  Of course this is the best they can do.  They haven’t heard the Lord’s voice direct them in the things of the Father.  So they naturally think no one else has either.

Just as an aside:  The response to Chick-fil-a was more a matter of support for free speech than it was a Christian response to an unjust accusation.