For years I have noticed an event that happens in the lives of certain people that has always intrigued me. It is with those who like to drive 4 wheel drive vehicles. Not just your typical trucks but those who buy them and then proceed to jack them up higher, put on super sized tires and suspension upgrades. Now don't get me wrong, I too love to go off roading and mud slinging with the best of them. But one thing I have noticed which has always baffled me.....Have you ever noticed how many of them have for sale signs in them. A bunch.
Think of this, they buy this nice truck. They really like the way it looks, drives and handles. Then they begin to "mess" with it. Got to have some alleged upgrades. After they finish their "upgrades" they notice that the gas mileage has dropped from marginal to bad. The hassle factor enters as they crawl in and out of their new "beast" of the road to the point where they can drop their gym membership because of the work out they get just going for groceries. And the handling.....yep it will crawl over the rocks of the road but to head to work day by day simply becomes a fight to the point of exhaustion.
Before it is completely done they have become dissatisfied and want to sell their precious treasure that has become the beast from the who knows where.
What started as a simple exercise of liberty has now robbed them of the pleasure of what they once saw as their blessing.
Today's verse is a bit like that....
2 Corinthians 11:3....But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
As I look around christianity today, I can see this. It is no longer about Sin, Death, Christ, Life and Salvation. It has become so much more. In fact there are mega churches today where their leaders (albeit false teachers) have stated publically they will not preach on sin as it is not popular. Ten's of thousands line up to receive from their pulpiteer a message from god. Can I simply say that they are receiving a message but it is not from the GOD of the bible.
The arch enemy of Christ and christianity has no doubt sown these seeds of deception. His one goal is to keep people from coming to a knowledge of the truth, regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ. When technology, popularity, style of music, worship style, attire, frequency of services, and on and on become the main event then we are deceived. These things of themselves are not wrong but when they are elevated to a place beyond preference and surpass the beauty and wonder of Christ, His message (aka His Word), His Spirit and simple obedience to HIM in EVERY area of life there IS a problem.
Then before you know it church has become more of a popularity contest, a place where what I think I want/need is more important that hearing from Heaven and we are then ready to put the for sale sign in the window cause it is no longer going like it used to. We blame many things and many people, but we only need to look in the mirror cause we got what we wanted only to find it wasn't what we needed.
Instead of forsaking that which is crucial to our survival how about we just get back to where it all began...the Cross, Christ and loving and living for HIM!
Now that is simple!
Blessings
Bruce
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