Not Philosophy but Christ

Today I was encouraged by this verse:

(6) As you therefore have recieved Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (8) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Colossians 2:6-8

As a believer, I am not proud to admit that throughout my Christian life, sharing the Gospel with a non-believer has been a scary thing to me. I am certainly not ashamed of my faith in Jesus Christ. My issue was fear of being attacked with atheistic philosophies that I don't have the "head-knowledge" to refute. Come to think of it, I don't even have the "head-knowledge" to prove that what I believe is true, let alone disprove what I know to be false.

Here's the part where I found encouragement in the passage above. Through these verses and prayer, the Holy Spirit reminded me that even though I don't have any logical reasonings or scientific theories that could convince anyone of anything, what I do have is my testimony. I can share about the blessed refinement that God has done in my heart and mind. I can share about the prayers that God has answered and the miracles by which He has revealed His glory and sovereignty to me. I can share about the joy and peace I have found in the midst trials and brokenness. And the only reason that I can share any of this is because of the cross.

And in saying that, the point of sharing the Gospel is not to prove the existence of God (although it wouldn't hurt), but to present salvation from the wrath of Almighty God through Christ Jesus alone, after all simply believing that there is a God is empty without the saving knowledge of Jesus.

(17) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. (18) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:17,18

Listen young women -- boyfriends are not mini-mission fields...

I think it's obvious by the title of this blog what verse I will refer to at some point, so I'll just get it over with:

(14) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (15) And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God... (17) Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. "Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-17

It has become so incredibly cliché to me: Christian girl meets "a really nice" non-believer boy. Christian girl starts dating non-believer boy in hopes of converting him. Non-believer boy doesn't change. Christian girl thinks she has "fallen in love" after giving so much of herself emotionally, spiritually, and to be frank, sexually to non-believer boy. Christian girl strays from the faith because "she can't help who she loves". Every single girl I know who has travelled this course has ended up straying from her Christian walk. Not one has ever brought her boyfriend to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Not a single one.

Not only do I want to emphasize the words in the above passage, but also the punctuation. After "do not be unequally yoked to unbelievers" what do we find? A period. Period. Not comma "unless he's really nice", or comma "unless you have a lot in common", or comma "unless you think you can convert him". Just the commandment "do not be unequally yoked to unbelievers". The end. No exceptions.

Proverbs 12:26 warns about chooing non-believers as close friends:

The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.

If the Bible so clearly cautions against having close friendships with non-believers, how much more careful should we be with choosing a potential spouse? 1 Corinthians 11:3 paints a perfect picture:

But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

That is what a God-honouring marriage looks like, and if Christ is not the head of the man there is only one other option for who is: Satan. So who then is the head of your "unequally yoked" relationship? You guessed it: Satan.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from sharing the gospel with non-believers of the opposite gender. What I am discouraging is compromising God's holy commandments thinking that it's going to be for the greater good. How can you possibly convince someone that what you believe in is true if you are so readily willing to go against it? Think about it.

And young women, I am pleading with you. Don't dabble in this. If you can't share the gospel with someone of the opposite sex without falling for them, then direct them to someone who can. Save your heart, your emotional attachments, and your virginity for a future husband who loves Christ the same way you do.

If you are a young woman in an unequally-yoked relationship, I pray that the Holy Spirit is making you very uncomfortable right now.

"An Unclean Spirit Returns"

This morning I studied a portion of scripture that, to be completely honest, I had only ever skimmed over in the past: Matthew 12:43-45 which says

(43) When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest, and finds none. (44) Then he says 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. (45) Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.

As I read these verses, I couldn't help but have a heavy heart for my friends who once seemed to be such zealous Christians, but are now living downright sinful and fruitless lives that are worse than the way they were before they were "saved". I wonder, did these friends ever truly accept Christ? Or did they just empty, sweep, and put their lives in order as it says in verse 44? In his commentary, Matthew Poole describes it perfectly:

"(The soul) may be swept from the filth of flagitious sins, and garnished with the paint of religion or some habits of moral virtue; but none of these will keep out the devil."

I have to admit that I carried a burden of resentment toward these friends thinking, "They call themselves Christians and now look what they're doing. Bringing so much shame to real Christians like me." Wait a minute, Felicia... real Christians like me?? That's a whole new issue in itself. I could go down a rabbit trail right now, but instead I'll just ask that you pray for God to give me some humility in this area of my life. I'm actually kind of embarrassed now that people might know that I tend to think this way...

But after reading this portion of scripture, my heart grieves for these friends, knowing that they are probably not living each day thinking, "How can I be more spiritually apathetic today?", but in reality they are being blindly ensnared and misled by the enemy. I do feel blessed however, in the sense that the Holy Spirit has moved me to pray more for these friends, rather than sit by and shake my head in disappointment.

What if they never really accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour? What if they claimed salvation, but really only cleaned up some of the conspicuous sins in their life and "painted on some moral virtues"? What if they're being plagued and deceived by seven wicked spirits? What if their souls are still damned to eternal separation from Almighty God?

This breaks my heart. So shall we pray for this wicked generation.

You are so precious to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine.

Let's go the other way with this...

Things I am NOT for:

sin
Oprah Winfrey
olives
the flu
freeloaders
abortion
believers dating/marrying non-believers (especially when it's to try to convert them)
disrespectful kids
mushrooms
feminism
homosexuality
the silent treatment
centipedes
excessive public displays of affection
weeds in my flowerbeds
this terrible economy
sexualization of little girls
bee stings
convicted sex offenders ever getting out of prison
deadbeat dads
bullying
this list getting to long

Centipedes, centipedes... ughh

I had never even seen a centipede until we moved into our first house (the house we live in currently) and since we moved in, I have had a total of three traumatizing experiences with these nasty little monsters, all of which have made me look like a complete fool. I suppose this is more of a confessions blog...

Experience #1

It was about a month after we moved into our house and I was in the washroom with intentions of taking a shower. I looked into the tub and laid eyes on the most creepy, crawly, utterly disgusting thing on 100 legs: a centipede. I fled from the washroom hollering, "John there's the biggest bug in entire world in the bathtub!!! KILL IT! KILL IT OR IT'S GONNA EAT ME!!!!" John came to investigate and ever so nonchalantly said, "Felish, it's just a centipede" and he turned on the water and washed it down the bathtub drain. "There, it's gone. Take your shower." However, I was convinced that this thing was invincible, so for the next week (or two) I showered with the plug in the drain just in case the centipede decided to make a comeback. Yes, ridiculous, I know.

Experience #2

It was early summer of last year. I was hanging up the garden hose after watering my flowerbeds when I thought I felt something tickle my foot inside my croc. I just ignored it until I knew for sure I felt something. I screamed and kicked my crocs off as quickly as I possible could and saw (you'll never guess) a centipede come slithering out. I screamed again (this time it was more of an attack cry) as I attempted to spray it with the hose... that I had already shut off. I hope none of the neighbours saw me.

Experience #3

This took place just yesterday. I was starting a load of laundry and when I picked up my bottle of 2x concentrated Purex "After the Rain" detergent, guess what reared its ugly head at me. I don't even have to say it. Once again, I fled the scene shuddering "John! KILL IT! KILL IT! IT'S GONNA GET ME!" And of course, my calm, cool, and collected hubby lumbered over with a paper towel and indifferently muttered, "That was a big one."

It never ceases to amaze me: How does something so miniscule and harmless manage to give me the heebie-jeebies so effortlessly? It makes me wonder if God was chuckling while He created centipedes because He knew the reactions people (especially myself) at the mere sight of them? Hmmm...

Smuggling a bowling ball??? What are you talking about?