Obsession

 OBSESSION

The DOMINATION of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc. Obsession is also any fixation, preoccupation, or fetish.

Examples are:

A gambling obsession.

A weight-loss obsession

A sexual fixation for a person

An unreasonable preoccupation to protect your loved one as if they were a possession. 

These are just a few.

Today I want to address an obsession people can develop for another person and what the underlying source of that unreasonable attachment is. And though we may never consider an obsession to be anything of concern, in reality, obsessions certainly can be and are a source of neurotic fixations of Satan. Take for instance a persons' obsessive love interest over another person. This kind of obsession may result in the one obsessed sending repeated and excessive texts, emails, or even phone calls to the person they are interested in. The obsessed person may need constant reassurance from outsiders that they are goods enough to win their 'object of desire'. The obsessed person may consistently monitor the actions of the other person or ask for feedback from others regarding the activities or decisions of the person they are obsessing over. The obsessed person may want to let go and even try to let go but in time find themselves "possessed" by the same impulse and craving. These things can lead to delusional love disorders and unfortunately can cause significant distress, loss of sleep, uncontrollable day-dreaming, emotional distress, or impair everyday functioning depending on the degree of the fixation. And though love and obsession are related in some aspects, the two can never be thought to be the same! Am I a licensed psychiatrist to be making such statements? No. And although I was employed by one of Kansas City's top psychiatrists for many years, I both saw and learned of many conditions that plagued society. I'm not writing this blog as any professional. I will, however, discuss from a spiritual perspective how obsessions are far more than just "feelings." They are tools the devil uses to misguide, misdirect, fool, imprison, and otherwise get us to a place of irrational thinking for the purpose of robbing us of peace, which, as Satan's end goal, can eventually destroy us altogether 

As of this writing, I personally know of three people (two women and one man) who have an ungovernable preoccupation with a chosen person of the opposite sex. Their "attachments" have gone beyond attraction to destructive idolization. Let's look at how we can overcome obsessions through reading scripture, knowing scripture, and practicing its principles. First, know that temptation to do something forbidden by God is not sin. It is wrong WHEN WE YIELD TO IT. Jesus Himself was tempted but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:5) Temptation is the lure Satan uses to try and get us to sin. Sin is committed when a choice is made to accept the temptation. For example: yielding oneself to sex with another person whom you've obsessed over. It always presents itself through THOUGHT then it is carried out. Thoughts challenge your FREE WILL, which is the power of choice and the deciding factor in whether or not you bring to fruition the thought. Free will exists in the mind. A thought comes before an act.  Therefore, an act is the outward revealing of a decision or choice already decided upon and made with our free will (Mark 7:21-23). Remember that scripture tells us that from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile the man. Throughout the Bible, both heart and soul (mind) may be referenced as the same - center of our spiritual being. The Bible warns us to guard our minds and to think about things that will strengthen us spiritually.  No matter how "Christian" you think you are temptation may come when you least expect it. Don't overestimate yourself and underestimate temptation.  Many Christians fall into temptation and give in to their thoughts because they think it could never happen to them. Deal with temptation immediately. It's so important to stay away from the source of temptation. Don't stand around thinking about it or how good it will feel to entertain it. RUN!

How can we overcome obsessions that begin as thoughts since it all begins in the mind before being acted out? The Bible gives us the answer IF people would only read it then apply it.  Reading it without applying it will leave you a defeated foe! We must take EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE that raises or presents itself against the knowledge of God. TAKE YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE! What do I mean? Cage them, chain them. This is only accomplished by knowing and reciting the Word of God. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or of the flesh, they begin with thoughts, and therefore we must use our spiritual weapons which are given to believers by Christ. They have divine powers to destroy any strongholds over us. I'm speaking specifically about The Word of God (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5.) Once a thought enters your mind that you know goes against God's written Word, a thought that tempts you to sin or begins to feed your obsession with lust, you must take that thought(s) and crush it, chain it, bind it with the Word of God BY DECLARING ALOUD A SCRIPTURE RELATIVE TO THE TEMPTATION! Take your sword (the Word of God) and slay that thought. As an example for those obsessed with lust or desire to have another person's body outside of marriage, say aloud: Satan  I will not act upon the thought you put in my head because it is written, 'For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are not of my Father but are of the world.' God has instructed me, 'do not love the world nor the things in the world!' He has promised me that if I 'walk in the Spirit I will not fulfill the lusts of my flesh.''" THIS IS HOW YOU TAKE YOUR THOUGHT CAPTIVE! Notice, three scriptures were quoted in that prayer! If you learn scriptures that apply them to the specific thoughts you are tempted with, those thoughts will leave you! Greater is HE that is in you than he that is in the world!

Philippians 4:8 instructs us, "Finally brothers (and sisters), whatever is true (the WORD), whatever is honorable (the WORD), whatever is just (the WORD), whatever is pure (the WORD), whatever is lovely (the WORD), whatever is commendable (the WORD) if there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise (the WORD) THINK on these things." Notice scripture is telling us to think ... "think on these things." Holy things, righteous things, pure things, just things. It all begins in the mind - to do right or to do wrong. If you take any bad thought captive it will never become any action! Read that again. According to Colossians 3:5, we are to put to death sexual immorality. How do we put it to death? With the Sword (the WORD of God). Cleanse the mind and the body will follow. Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). He will "fight for you and strengthen you, He will help you and uphold you with His righteous hand" (Isaiah 41:10). Look at Psalm 119:9-11 closely, "How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your Word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You" (that's yet another prayer you can say when temptation rises.)  Again, scripture is stressing to KEEP THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR MIND! It is your defense. No temptation is not stronger than the Word of God.

Finally, you cannot stop temptation from coming into your mind, but you can disagree with it and stop it from becoming any action. As long as you are fighting a temptation you are not sinning no matter how long the temptation lasts. Just because you're a Christian does not mean you'll never face temptation. In fact, because Satan knows your weaknesses, he'll use those to try to bring defeat into your life and make you want to give up trying to live according to God's will.  Don't fear temptation. You have more power than Satan because you are a child of God. James 4:7 instructs us to, "Resist the devil (with the Word of God) and he will flee from you." As I so often repeat, read the Bible!  Become versed in what it says. It will give you the fighting words to overcome sin and we know, To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne" Revelation 3:21. YOU CANNOT OVERCOME SIN THROUGH YOUR OWN STRENGTH. It takes Jesus. And Jesus was "The Word Made Flesh" (John 1:14). Get His Word in your mind. READ!

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Corrosion

 This past week I was in my kitchen searching for a particular flashlight.  Not the typical larger flashlight but a smaller mini-sized one I knew I had placed somewhere.  After a thirty-minute search, I found it pushed way back inside one of the kitchen drawers I hardly ever open. You know, the proverbial "junk drawer." We all have one.  I was happy to discover I had not thrown it away.  The last time it was used, I had put brand new AA batteries in it so I knew I was good to go, or so I thought! I flipped the switch to turn it on but the light did not come on. Nothing.  Not even a faint glow.  I knew I had put brand new batteries in it before I stored it. I figured the batteries must have lost power from being idle for so long.  I unscrewed the top and began violently shaking it in an attempt to dislodge the 2 AA batteries. OH!  What a mess.  I had battery acid and pieces of brown corrosion falling into my hands, on my lap, and onto the floor.  The entire flashlight walls, spring, switch, and the bulb was covered in a caustic mess!  As you know, batteries are not designed to be idle.  They are designed to be used.  My flashlight had become useless.  In the same sense, we could use the following analogy of ourselves. God has designed us to be the light in the world.  We were not meant to remain idle or to be spiritually tucked away from everybody and everything as followers of Christ.  As a believer, you have a light to shine amid the darkness.  Are you shinning it?

  

You and I have been given the light of the gospel, the Word of God, full of grace, truth, knowledge, and wisdom.  Have you tucked it away in a drawer of your mind, keeping it only for yourself and looking to it only when you need something? I am not suggesting any of you be a Billy Graham (unless you've been called) but we are to reach out and share the gospel, if by nothing else through action or a deed of love, and when led by the Holy Spirit, to be a witness and shine our mini flashlight!  I know many will feel unsure, even uneasy at my last remark.  Some may be quietly questioning, "Oh here she goes, the testimony, witnessing, talking to people about Jesus thing.  Well, count me out because I am no speaker and wouldn't even know what to say or even muster the courage to approach someone."  Calm yourself. I am not instructing anyone to become a radical witness and go knocking door to door.  I am, however, asking you to check yourself. Are you still energized regarding your belief in Christ?  Are you as thankful to be saved today as you were on day one? Do you ever have a hunger to share what you have learned from the Scriptures or are you simply satisfied with tuning into a favorite preacher on Sunday mornings or maybe catching a show or two of Christian radio and calling it sufficient?  Is your spiritual battery draining?  Worse, is it dead? Or God forbid, has it corroded altogether? 

  

I do not think any of us will be able to convince the King of Kings we love Him if we won't open His letters to us (our Bible) or confess our undying love. The Word is the very source that protects, strengthens, secures, energizes us, and keeps us in communication with Him. Let's look at another short analogy. If you were in the US military- wrote home to your true love - but never heard back from them while you were away, then returning home, found your letters had never been opened and sitting on a dusty shelf, would you be so naive as to think that person really loves you?? Jesus KNOWS which of you loves Him.  You do not want to stand before Him and hear the voice of God, "I PRESERVED MY WORD THROUGH THOUSANDS OF YEARS, DOZENS OF GENERATIONS, AND AT THE COST OF MILLIONS OF LIVES TO GET IT INTO YOUR HANDS... AND YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME ENOUGH TO PICK IT UP AND READ IT??"  That's a sobering thought!  If you'll be honest with yourself, you have to admit, the depth of the love of which you feel for Him is measured by the length of time you're willing to spend with Him.  There's not much else to say.  The deeper your love the more time you want with Him.  We all have busy schedules, more so than ever before, but humans will always make time for what they love. How deep is your love?  It is a spiritual trap to love less than all of our hearts.  You see, loss of love for the things of God happens gradually over a period of time, just as the AA batteries in my flashlight didn't fizzle out overnight.  Jesus said to Matthew in chapter 22: 37-38, "You shall love (that's not a suggestion, it is a command) the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first and great commandment."  Some of you may be willing to confess that you love God but don't feel it as deeply as this command suggests.  Do you know the true test of your love?  Easy. The level of obedience.  2 John 1:16 "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.  As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."  When our spiritual battery is charged, our level of obedience is great.  When our battery is low, our passion for Christ is low, our obedience is low.

 

It is amazing how little it takes to break the contact between a battery and the object to which it is supposed to supply power.  Where do you stand today?  Has your zeal for God and His Word been overtaken by worldly corrosion?  You can be refreshed by opening your Bible often, plugging into God's Word, and learning what it says.  Ask God for wisdom and understanding.  He will teach you.  Humbly submit yourself. Walk in the Light as He is in the light.  We must be constant in season and out of season and the only way to guarantee that is to be fully charged at all times.  Let the believers begin each day spiritually charged, lamps full of oil, walking in obedience, and watching and waiting for our Lord's return!

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-

Our House Is Collapsing

 

Our house is collapsing. Why is our nation in such a miserable condition? Are we under God’s judgment and curse? Something is going on in America and may I add other nations as well. It should be obvious to any Bible believer. Consider all the political unrest of late. Foolish leaders who pursue policies guaranteed to destroy our nation. We seem to be cursed with judges who are passionate about casting aside the very Constitution they vowed to uphold in favor of modern opinions. They push policies guaranteed to weaken commerce and destroy the value of our currency. We have dealt with the abuse of our military by the former commander in chief himself who held that office for 8 years. We are cursed with a mainstream media that hates the truth and rejoices in lies, that is devoted to brazen propaganda in the name of fair reporting. We are cursed with a national education system designed to produce moral rebels and spiritual fools. We are cursed with an entertainment industry fervently devoted to everything abominable in God’s eyes. We are cursed with a breath-taking loss of freedom, with the government snooping into every nook and cranny of our lives and businesses. Rebellion, riots, and lawlessness. And I haven't even mentioned droughts, floods, tornados, multi-billion-dollar mega-storms, rampant disease, dead sea life washing ashore, locust swarms, dead birds falling from the sky, forest fires, earthquakes, the ground opening up and swallowing people and property! What has happened when that which is good becomes evil and that which is evil becomes good (Ephesians 5:20).

The blame clearly lies not with the sinner, but with the compromising, professing Christians and the pastors and leadership of most of the churches in this nation that profess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason for our nation’s miserable condition is that there is no fear of God in the lives of many professing Christians who are dozing under a comfortable blanket of indifference. This is because there are not many “fear of God and hellfire” sermons from most of the pulpits in this nation today. The blame lies with softball, tickle your ears, don't offend anyone, self-lifting sermons by pastors that are compromisers and apostates, who fear the people more than they fear God and who care more about their individual bottom line than about the truth. Yes, our nation, our churches, and our Christian brothers and sisters are in serious trouble! God said IF MY PEOPLE (not sinners, not unbelievers, not agnostics, not the religious) which are called by My Name will:

1) Humble themselves

2) Pray

3) Seek My face

4) Turn from their wicked ways...

THEN, God says, He will hear from heaven and heal our land. Not before and not until!

The only effective solution to our nation’s ills is to understand that the "curses" are the symptoms, and healing does not come by focusing on symptoms (though it is right and necessary to reprove the works of darkness - Ephesians 5:11). The fundamental element is the spiritual compromise and apostasy of professing Christians and churches that name the name of Jesus Christ, particularly here in America which is a nation filled with churches and professing Christians. I hate to say it but passionate politicking on the part of Bible believers and the joining hands with pagans and heretics to “save America”; shows a lack of wisdom and spiritual understanding.

There are many things we can do to help America or any other nation in which we find ourselves as pilgrims in this world, but carnal politicking and yoking together with heretics and unbelievers in blatant disobedience to God’s Word (Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18) and it is not the answer.

 

So, what can we do as Christians to help turn this nation around?”  It is not far from each one of us who names the name of Christ in truth. Let us humble ourselves before our Lord and Savior, repent of our lukewarm spiritual lives and seek the Lord with all our hearts, souls, and minds and then be busy about His work of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ! We need to keep in the forefront of our minds that there truly is a hell and that most of the people in this nation–and many that we know–will be going there for an eternity of torment in its unquenched flames! So many professing Christians I know have put a giant pause on their relationship with God! They’ve advanced no farther than they had 1, 5, or 10 years ago. Stuck in the ditch of dormancy, many sleep on unaware because many in their “Christian” social circle live at the same mediocre level of discipleship. WAKE UP!!  God is calling His Church to arise, to humble ourselves, pray, seek Him, and turn from our ways of slumber and sleep, lukewarmness, indifference, and laziness!  We need to wake up out of inactivity, ruin, and obscurity!

It's really sad and frustrating to witness that many of us don’t seem to care what God wants to say! We have little spiritual appetite — many feel satisfied with their Pastor’s 45-minute message online last Sunday. They don’t have time to worship God, read the Bible, or pray because, well, you know—just because! They know they don’t have an acceptable excuse, so many don’t even make one anymore. It’s spiritual slumber, plain and simple. Unfortunately, it’s to their detriment. Since they don’t take quiet times with God, they walk in fear, doubt, and unbelief. Walking by faith is no longer their goal or reality. Our house is collapsing all around us. I'm urging the true followers of Jesus Christ to begin anew today. Go to your knees and ask God to forgive your indifference. Humble yourself before Him. Repent and turn from your sins. It is the only way our nation will be healed! Change and answer to prayer lie with you and me, not the world! 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

Your God Is Unreasonable!

 

I had an intriguing conversation this past week but not with a person. Well, I mean not with a real person. This person was in my dream and we were discussing many subjects pertaining to the Bible. I was being asked questions such as:

1. Why does God let a baby be born with a disease?

2. Why can't a man marry more than one woman to quench his sexual drive? People in the Old Testament did.

3. How did Noah not only fit 2 of each kind but fed of every animal on an ark, and how did he clean up their ___? (his word left out).

4. How can you prove God flooded the earth? It's a myth.

I could tell by the questions the man in my dream was asking he was once a Christian or had been brought up around scriptures. Especially so because his last question fired at me which was: "The Bible said we are to pray without stopping. What kind of nonsense is that? How can a person constantly pray? While chewing? Having sex? Studying for a test? In front of an interviewer for a job? You have no answer for that one, do you?" It's why I think Christianity is a farce. God is unreasonable to require such nonsense!" His questions and approach was jarring. I awoke quite disturbed. I sat up in my bed (it was 3:02 a.m.) and began telling myself why we are to "pray without ceasing" according to Thessalonians 5:17. Paul's words can be confusing to an outsider or an unlearned person of faith, I admit. Obviously, "pray without ceasing" cannot mean we are to be in a head-bowed, eyes-closed posture all day long. Paul is not referring to non-stop talking, but rather an attitude of God-consciousness and God-surrender that we carry with us all the time. Every waking moment is to be lived in an awareness that God is with us and that He is actively involved and engaged in our thoughts and actions. I picture Him PRESENT. That He's with me. With that mind-set, I talk to Him as a friend who would walk with me all day. I do "talk" to Him. I ask for advice and guidance. I discuss humanity, our failures, and I pray for people, government, the sick when I learn someone is ill or lost to the world.

If, for example, my thoughts turn to worry, fear, discouragement, and anger, (which it sure can in this unstable world) I consciously and quickly turn every thought into prayer and every prayer into thanksgiving. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul commands us to stop being anxious and instead, “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). When I or any believer does this it's following the WORD in obedience. It's for our own good because it strengthens us when we need encouragement or assurance. Paul taught the believers at Colossae to devote themselves “to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2). Paul exhorted the Ephesian believers to see prayer as a weapon to use in fighting spiritual battles (Ephesians 6:18). As we go through the day, prayer should be our first response to every fearful situation, every anxious thought, and every undesired task that God commands. A lack of prayer will cause us to depend on ourselves instead of depending on God’s grace. Unceasing prayer is, in essence, continual dependence upon and communion with the Father. As I said, like a best friend walking alongside you that listens, upholds, strengthens, and encourages you in your weakest moments of doubt, fear, indecision, confusion.

For Christians, prayer should be like breathing. You do not have to think to breathe because the atmosphere exerts pressure on your lungs and essentially forces you to breathe. That is why it is more difficult to hold your breath than it is to breathe. Similarly, when we are born into the family of God, we enter into a spiritual atmosphere where God’s presence and grace exert pressure, or influence, on our lives. Prayer is the normal response to that pressure. As believers, we have all entered the divine atmosphere to breathe the air of prayer. Unfortunately, many believers hold their “spiritual breath” for long periods, thinking brief moments with God are sufficient to allow them to survive. But such restricting of their spiritual intake is caused by sinful desires. The fact is that every believer must be continually in the presence of God, constantly breathing in His truths, to be fully functional.

Continual, persistent, incessant prayer with thanksgiving is an essential part of Christian living and flows out of humility and dependence on God. I am dependant on God for everything, down to my next breath which He can recall by His power at any moment since He, and He alone is the author of life AND DEATH. I am literally breathing because of Him. The number of days I have on this earth is His doing regardless of anything I do be it exercise, eating healthy, etc. Those things do add "quality" to your life, but they will not add one day longer to your life beyond what God has destined for you. I've known of athletes who died in their teens, 20's and 30's whose bodies were fined tuned and presumably healthy. "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" 1 Timothy 4:8.  It’s easy to get tired, to give in to despair, and give up. Don’t abandon the God of hope and say, ‘There’s no use praying.’ Jesus reminds us in Luke 18, as He encouraged the disciples, to “pray and not lose heart." So pray. Talk to Him. From sunrise to sunset. Make Him a part of your life.

Until He Comes Again,

-Pat- 

If It Feels Good Do It

 

How does one determines right from wrong; good from bad; positive from negative. More and more of America has made the transition from making choices based on objectivity, logic, order, and preconceived standards to making choices based upon “interpreting the current situation”, “relational balance” and “context.” For many, this means that “right and wrong” no longer exist as clear lines of distinction. It has allowed the excuses for indulgence in the sixties to become the standard for decision-making in the new millennium. How many are familiar with the following:

• You only go around once in a life

• Are we having fun yet?

• Grab all the gusto you can get!

• What have you done for me lately?

• If it feels good do it

When it gets out of control we might use other clichés like:

• I couldn’t help myself

• The Devil made me do it

I present short blogs, long blogs, blogs of correction and reproof, and some that make you feel all warm and cozy. Not all my blogs are feel-good blogs though they seem to be the ones people itch for. That is not what I'm here for. I write what I am given and surely I will step on some feet and lose people along the way. So be it. The “feel good” philosophy of our day runs like a thread through almost every aspect of culture; including church! But Jesus may have something to say about that. Jesus may have something to say against that. Jesus may have something to say that isn’t … popular. That in itself is ironic since being unpopular means it won’t make us feel good which means we may reject it outright without hearing him out. So be it I guess. Doing what feels good often leads us down a path of ruin. We discover that life might be better understood by seeking a different mechanism for making choices than “If it feels good do it”. Jesus offers an alternative to the quest for sensual gratification that drives our culture and it is illustrated in the demonic man who was conquered and rescued in the book of Mark. The issue of demonic control (sin’s control over a human) is a very serious issue. It is one the Church must acknowledge and address. Mark introduces us to “Satan” in chapter one. Matthew and Luke call the enemy the Devil (Accuser). Mark calls him “Satan” (adversary). This understanding of the enemy can be seen in nearly every page of the Gospel he writes. For that reason, I will call him Satan (the Adversary) in this blog as well.

From the earliest introduction to evil in the Bible, we discover that: Satan desires to control, manipulate, and ruin people. Satan has no noble motives. Satan will use whatever tools we make available to him to trap us. As sobering as that is, there is “Good News!” That is why Mark wrote his Gospel – showing us Jesus’ defeat of the adversary and Jesus’ deliverance of those within the adversary’s grip. The Bible says that Satan should not get an advantage over us and for that reason, we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11). To understand Satan's ability to trap us we must understand a few things first. ONE: Becoming trapped is a result of the choices we make. TWO: At some point, in some way, we flirt, invite, and participate in sinful practices. THREE: Satan merely seized the opportunities and openings that we give him -Satan cannot force himself on us -we must be open to his presence. But, as I said, as sobering as that is, there is “Good News!” There is a Deliverer from sin’s grip. There is only ONE deliverer from sins grip … Jesus Christ. But that ONE is enough. I know because He set me free! Our free-will decisions to carry living-out sin almost always involves the lie "if it feels good do it”. That "thinking" was my mindset when I chose to sin. When a person chooses to follow Jesus (His Word and its instructions) a subtle, yet powerful, transformation of our decision-making process begins to take place. The Holy Spirit teaches any new convert not to follow his “instinct” or emotion but to submit to a higher standard … obedience to God’s known will. Notice I said HE TEACHES US, it is not something we have the power to accomplish on our own. This understanding of “costly service” as opposed to “comfortable service” is laid out very clearly throughout the remainder of Mark’s Gospel.

People seem to gravitate to that which is comfortable and easy. It takes a deep commitment to Christ to overcome such a position. Sometimes we would rather not be disturbed even if it is for the better. Sometimes we do not want to be disturbed because it shows our misplaced loyalties and misplaced priorities. When it comes to the welfare of a human or wealth, society seldom sides with the human being. Many people see the presence of Jesus as a discomforting presence that they want dismissed. It is difficult to follow Jesus because he demands (and empowers) a higher standard.  Christian people (and congregations) that acquiesce to an “if it feels good do it” philosophy are ineffective for the Kingdom. The Church, and thus the Christian testimony, are in jeopardy of becoming completely irrelevant because of our inclination towards a man-centered Gospel … a Gospel which focuses on what Jesus will do for you. That is an important part of evangelism but we must never allow the convert to remain a victim of seeking immediate gratification. You see, evangelism starts where people are at and with what they can relate to. Throughout the Gospels, people came to Jesus with selfish motives and he received them gladly—but then, if they were to follow Him, they had to leave their selfish motives and follow in obedience and love. Modern-day "Christianity" has ceased to ask people to leave their own patterns of self-gratification. Instead, we spin everything to focus on how it will make them “feel good” or “improve their quality of life.” That is not the whole Gospel of Jesus but with some preachers and believers, it has become their entire focus. To be fair, I believe the spirit of Jesus dwells within The Church and I see encouraging evidence of divine correction, but still many gravitate towards flesh-centered motives.

The call of God in discipleship is to holiness, self-sacrifice, and service. It is not a “bless me O Lord” kind of faith. It is not an “if it feels good do it” relationship.

When the Gospel and discipleship are properly understood it all comes down to the primary character -- Jesus Christ. PERIOD! Jesus Christ never operated from or promoted an “If it feels good do it” ethic. Never. This is illustrated in all Jesus did and explicitly addressed in chapters 8, 9, and 10 of Mark's gospel. "And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:44-45). Again, Jesus Christ never operated from or promoted the “if it feels good do it” ethic. In fact, Jesus delivers us from its trap just as he did the demoniac man with the unclean spirit.

Our society, like many societies, has reduced itself to a quest for gratification, and the more instant the better. But Jesus calls us away from that. I'm speaking to Christians. This is my calling. It is not to the world, but to The Church. Just like Esau, some of us neglect our rights and responsibilities as the children of God, the inheritors of an eternal kingdom, in order to follow our desires and pleasures wherever they lead. We tend to trust our appetites, our desires, believing they will lead us to happiness, to satisfaction, that if we do what we want to do, what we most deeply and strongly desire to do, then we will be glad. That's a lie wrapped around a profound truth, really, for, of course, the deepest desires of the human heart are all ultimately directed at God. Our desire for perfect happiness, perfect contentment, perfect pleasure, perfect peace - really, we desire Heaven. We desire communion with God. We are called to gauge our desires according to the teachings of Christ and His Church, allowing higher wisdom than that of our feelings, our desires, to guide us. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-