Thursday, June 5, 2014

Would you rescue someone only if they wanted to be rescued??

Would you rescue someone from:
  • Drowning?
  • Freezing?
  • Heat stroke?
  • Fire?
  • Auto accident?
  • Heart attack?

Would you attempt to stop someone from:
  • Jumping off a bridge?
  • Taking a drug overdose?
  • Kidnapping
  • Assault

Would you warn someone of a(n):
  • Armed gunman?
  • Tornado?
  • Hurricane?
  • Fire?

Would you discourage someone from:
  • Enlisting in the army?
  • Vacationing to a known terrorist country?
  • Golfing or swimming during a thunderstorm?


Would you advise someone not to:
  • Gamble?
  • Steal?
  • Cheat?
  • Get drunk?
  • Drive over the speed limit?

There are those who warn us ...stating we have to save our earth for future generations. Can we really identify the not so realistic fears??

There are fears that are real, which are being used for the sole purpose that it will get a response:

The boy who cried wolf.

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There are hysterical fears:

Chicken Little says the sky is falling.  A couple weeks ago there was a meteor shower, but not to be alarmed.  And this seems to infuriate some people, but I do want clean air and water ...yet, I think Global Warming is like the Chicken Little thing.

If we want to be concerned for future generations, then I think we could best serve ourselves and others by maintaining a good moral compass.  That is a big part of what could help future generations, but it is not the biggest part.

Several years ago, we saw a movie entitled, Time Changers.  As times change ...society's definition of morality often changes too. But, God's Word does not change.

The problem is, it is often difficult to fear that which we don't actually believe in. And the most horrific reality still exists whether we believe in it or not.

If the circus train derailed, and there is a roaring lion outside your door ...you may pray the lion goes away and have faith that you will not be injured, but having faith does not change the reality of the roaring lion being there, or having been there.

Believing in evolution is not a very positive, nor hopeful perspective on life ...and perhaps some people feel they can easily dismiss any wonderful idea of a pleasant afterlife, as long as they can also dismiss any horrific image of Hell.  But, irregardless of our motivation or feelings on the matter ...reality exists as it does.

Two subjects that I find most people don't like to talk about are: politics and religion.

With politics, it seems people are already committed to what their stand is ...or they feel they are powerless to change anything. Sadly, religion is not much different with a great number of people ...having committed to what little they believe, which can be spun into much belief.  Or they feel powerless to change anything.

But, as simple as it seems ...they have the power to stop angrily defending the falsehoods that are so plentiful, and they can change what they believe.

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the correct teaching from the false teaching, especially since most teaching comes from the ranks of ourselves ...imperfect people.  But, the correct teaching comes from the Bible, as those who view it as the Word of God ...are learning from God.

Yet, there is still an advantage and a disadvantage that usually come into play.  Though false teaching most often eventually reaches absurd levels ...so also does the mind of those who've so long believed the falsehoods.

So, though God wants us to commit to Him ...there are those who have committed to absurdity, and how can we expect them to respond in any way, except through absurd thinking. And the level of commitment often reaches a level of hostility ..accusing others of owning the image they are reflecting in the mirror.

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face."

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom ...but it goes beyond the beginning, to the love of Jesus.

Yet, if we don't think we needed rescuing, then how do we understand salvation without realizing our need, or our necessity to obtain it??