perspective is a very funny thing. have you ever noticed that if you sit slightly left of center you can see into the wings on stage left?
because you can see into the wings, you may be able to see who is entering onto the stage from that side; but it does not mean you know what's going on backstage. nor does it mean that you have enough information to make a judgement about the plot of the play.
have you noticed that from where you are seated, you have no clue what's occuring in the wings on stage right?
where you position yourself may give you clarity on one thing but it may cause you to become blind to something else that may be of greater importance.
it is easy to draw conclusions from where you are sitting but that rarely makes it right and only serves to inform you of one thing: you are contemptable. familiarity breeds contempt- even contempt for the unknown.
someone who takes pride in guessing the plot of a story before the plot is fully revealed has revealed something about themselves. they are far too easily bored and/or have sat through too many plays. they have missed out on the most important part of the play: the play itself.
your perspective does not make you correct, it means you see it differently. different, though enlightening, does not automatically equate to inerrant. opinion mixed with truth is as safe to stomach as a molatov cocktail.
if you must believe only in what you see and can deduct by reason, then you can close shop and stop calling what you believe "faith."
the great tragedy is not that there are people passionately pursuing the Presence of God despite how you choose to view them. the great tragedy is that there are people who have packed up their ability to believe that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. and they have reduced their belief system to faith in a future heaven and their lives to sitting in the critics' booth. a place that is neither reserved for nor willingly relinquished to them.
the audience of life is not for those who are supposed to be living it, but for those who are the great cloud of witnesses.
don't miss the play for want of an opinionated critique.
26 June 2007
13 June 2007
[how to be devastatingly attractive]
the word perfume used today derives from the latin "per fume", meaning through smoke. the art of making perfume began in in ancient mesopotamia and egypt but was developed and further refined by the romans and the arabs. although perfume and perfumery also existed in ancient asia, most of its fragrances were incense based.
knowledge of perfumery came to europe as early as the 14th century due partially to arabic influences and knowledge. but it was the hungarians who ultimately introduced the first modern perfume.
the difficulty to produce and sustain a scent caused perfumes to only be affordable by royalty. creating a scent often proved frustrating to many early perfumers because adding even the minutest amount of the wrong addition to the mix would render the entire batch worthless.
there comes a time when we must realize we have to grow up. are we really who the Lord Jesus wants us to be? do we have small things in our lives that hinder other people's salvation? remember, small things ruin good perfume. we who are saved are living an exchanged life. it's our life for Christ's. our life for the sake of the gospel. living the exchanged life isn't about the occassional laughs or compromises. we need to be attractive- not marketed
so here i present five keys to being devestatingly attractive.
1. we need to be carriers of life. we need to want to be carriers of life. john donne wrote, 'take me to you, imprison me, for i, except you enthrall me, shall never be free, nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.' what he was saying is that without an unmistakable interaction with the Most High, we will never be free. nor will we ever be faithful to Him unless our souls are ravished by Him. and this interaction with Him will transliterate into our interactions with each other.
1 peter 4:8 says, "above all things, have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sin [forgives and disregards the sins of others].
don't repel people. bring them in. don't make promises that you can't make good on. just tell them simply what God wants to do in their life. speak life into their lives.
2. we need to be real. be genuine. don't be religious.
1 corinthians 9:19-23 says, 'for although i am free in every way from anyone's control, i have made myself a bond servant to everyone, so that i might gain the more [for Christ]. to the jews i became as a jew, that i might win jews; to men under the law, [i became] as one under the law, though not myself being under the law, that i might win those under the law. to those without (outside) law i became as one without law, not that i am without the law of God and lawless toward Him, but that i am [especially keeping] within and committed to the law of Christ, that i might win those who are without law. to the weak (wanting in discernment) i have become weak (wanting in discernment) that i might win the weak and overscrupulous. i have [in short] become all things to all men, that i might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some [by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ]. and i do this for the sake of the good news (the gospel), in order that i may become a participator in it and share in its [blessings along with you].'
be committed to being the image of Christ to all those who seek Him, even if they are unsure that they are seeking Him. most people know what they are not looking for. they have no clue what they are looking for- they just know what it doesn't look like. and for most- it doesn't look like the american church.
titus 3:3 implores us to have compassion on others because we were just like them, and in some cases, still are in many ways just like them. 'for we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another.'
open your heart to people and allow God to work in you. there is a whole generation looking for Jesus, they just don't know who you're working for!
3. show confidence. know who you are in Christ.
greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
we are princes and princesses of the Most High God. we have all access to His glory, His favor and His army. release the glory whereever you can. release favor whenever you need to. release His army and overcome the enemy!
proverb 3:33 says, 'the curse of the Lord is in and on the house of the wicked, but He declares blessed (joyful and favored with blessings) the home of the just and consistently righteous.' and philippians 1:6 states, 'for God is my witness how i long for and pursue you all with love, in the tender mercies of Jesus Christ [Himself]!'
we need to pursue the world in all love. hang in there and do not even consider quitting. you are a prince or a princess of the King of all kings.
4. be an influence in life. we need to influence; not be influenced.
in a world where opinion rules the masses, it's time to stand up and stand out. even though the pulsating river of public opinion surges around you, remember that dead fish go with the flow. salmon will swim itself bloody against the flow of a river to get where it can produce life.
if you have anything at all to say, speak the Word. the Word of Life brings life.
and that leads us to point number five.
5. bring life to dead men.
as i wrote before, don't make promises that you can't make good on. dead men who need to live again don't want to hear that there's bread at a place that has mouldy bread. those that are desperate for God can tell when the Spirit of God is moving in a place. they're disillusioned by christians who run around and claim there's an awesome move of God, when the wind is blowing the water. what they need is the Spirit moving the water. dead men need to live. you have rivers of living water flowing within you! give away some of your water and you will see the well spring up and overflow. but if you cap the well, it will dry up.
God doesn't need madison avenue strategem to bring people to Him. He knows how to do it and He's been doing it better for a lot longer than we can even think of. so, perhaps it's high time to follow what He's doing. live an attractive lifestyle. be devestatingly attractive.
knowledge of perfumery came to europe as early as the 14th century due partially to arabic influences and knowledge. but it was the hungarians who ultimately introduced the first modern perfume.
the difficulty to produce and sustain a scent caused perfumes to only be affordable by royalty. creating a scent often proved frustrating to many early perfumers because adding even the minutest amount of the wrong addition to the mix would render the entire batch worthless.
there comes a time when we must realize we have to grow up. are we really who the Lord Jesus wants us to be? do we have small things in our lives that hinder other people's salvation? remember, small things ruin good perfume. we who are saved are living an exchanged life. it's our life for Christ's. our life for the sake of the gospel. living the exchanged life isn't about the occassional laughs or compromises. we need to be attractive- not marketed
so here i present five keys to being devestatingly attractive.
1. we need to be carriers of life. we need to want to be carriers of life. john donne wrote, 'take me to you, imprison me, for i, except you enthrall me, shall never be free, nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.' what he was saying is that without an unmistakable interaction with the Most High, we will never be free. nor will we ever be faithful to Him unless our souls are ravished by Him. and this interaction with Him will transliterate into our interactions with each other.
1 peter 4:8 says, "above all things, have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sin [forgives and disregards the sins of others].
don't repel people. bring them in. don't make promises that you can't make good on. just tell them simply what God wants to do in their life. speak life into their lives.
2. we need to be real. be genuine. don't be religious.
1 corinthians 9:19-23 says, 'for although i am free in every way from anyone's control, i have made myself a bond servant to everyone, so that i might gain the more [for Christ]. to the jews i became as a jew, that i might win jews; to men under the law, [i became] as one under the law, though not myself being under the law, that i might win those under the law. to those without (outside) law i became as one without law, not that i am without the law of God and lawless toward Him, but that i am [especially keeping] within and committed to the law of Christ, that i might win those who are without law. to the weak (wanting in discernment) i have become weak (wanting in discernment) that i might win the weak and overscrupulous. i have [in short] become all things to all men, that i might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some [by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ]. and i do this for the sake of the good news (the gospel), in order that i may become a participator in it and share in its [blessings along with you].'
be committed to being the image of Christ to all those who seek Him, even if they are unsure that they are seeking Him. most people know what they are not looking for. they have no clue what they are looking for- they just know what it doesn't look like. and for most- it doesn't look like the american church.
titus 3:3 implores us to have compassion on others because we were just like them, and in some cases, still are in many ways just like them. 'for we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another.'
open your heart to people and allow God to work in you. there is a whole generation looking for Jesus, they just don't know who you're working for!
3. show confidence. know who you are in Christ.
greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
we are princes and princesses of the Most High God. we have all access to His glory, His favor and His army. release the glory whereever you can. release favor whenever you need to. release His army and overcome the enemy!
proverb 3:33 says, 'the curse of the Lord is in and on the house of the wicked, but He declares blessed (joyful and favored with blessings) the home of the just and consistently righteous.' and philippians 1:6 states, 'for God is my witness how i long for and pursue you all with love, in the tender mercies of Jesus Christ [Himself]!'
we need to pursue the world in all love. hang in there and do not even consider quitting. you are a prince or a princess of the King of all kings.
4. be an influence in life. we need to influence; not be influenced.
in a world where opinion rules the masses, it's time to stand up and stand out. even though the pulsating river of public opinion surges around you, remember that dead fish go with the flow. salmon will swim itself bloody against the flow of a river to get where it can produce life.
if you have anything at all to say, speak the Word. the Word of Life brings life.
and that leads us to point number five.
5. bring life to dead men.
as i wrote before, don't make promises that you can't make good on. dead men who need to live again don't want to hear that there's bread at a place that has mouldy bread. those that are desperate for God can tell when the Spirit of God is moving in a place. they're disillusioned by christians who run around and claim there's an awesome move of God, when the wind is blowing the water. what they need is the Spirit moving the water. dead men need to live. you have rivers of living water flowing within you! give away some of your water and you will see the well spring up and overflow. but if you cap the well, it will dry up.
God doesn't need madison avenue strategem to bring people to Him. He knows how to do it and He's been doing it better for a lot longer than we can even think of. so, perhaps it's high time to follow what He's doing. live an attractive lifestyle. be devestatingly attractive.
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