Bill’s Front Porch

Doug said something last Sunday that I can’t seem to get out of my mind (Usually that is God dealing with me, but sometimes it is just me hyper-focusing.  I think that this is the former.).  He read a quote from someone else that talked about how we realize how much we need Christ, how destitute we are, spiritually and start on that narrow road.  Then, as we mature, we get rid of the more obvious sins.  After a while, we start to feel that we are paying our own way spiritually, so to speak.  He talked about that fact that we need to continuously keep in mind that we are beggars, spiritually.  We have nothing, we are nothing, and we bring nothing to the table.  It doesn’t matter how long we have been a believer, how much we do, or even how many we have helped find the bread of life, we still bring nothing to the table.

We, as humans, don’t like the idea that we are spiritually and morally bankrupt.  I think that is why many don’t come to Christ.  They don’t want to admit that.  But I think that we tend to do behave the same way after we have come to a saving knowledge of Christ.  It makes us feel better if we start “paying our own way.”  I think that this is very dangerous ground to walk on.  We lose power because we are doing things on our own.  Sounds like a perfect strategy for Satan, doesn’t it?  What a great way to nullify the individual’s power or the church’s power.  God, I want to get back to my spiritual pauper attitude.  THEN, we can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens us.

Bill

I was looking at all of the garbage that people are trying to throw on the porch (thanks, Dolan for putting up the fence!).  I didn’t dare read any of them, the titles were enough.  There were advertisements for second mortgages to have more money, and a lot of stuff that I won’t even talk about.  But looking at the titles (just the few that I could stomach) made me think about how we are drawing the worst from the opposite sex instead of taking the best.  Here is what I mean…

As men, instead of learning gentleness from women, we go overboard and end up losing ourselves totally.  We are told we need to cry all the time, we shouldn’t be decisive, we need to be led by others.  That, to me as I read the Bible, is NOT what men should be.  We also are now being told that we should be concerned about certain aspects of ourselves physically, as if that is important.  I have constantly taught my daughters to be content with the way that God made them, now we need to help our sons with stupid physical characteristics.  I could go on, but I don’t want this to be too long.

OK, women.  Women are now being told that they need to be driven, assertive, and ruthless, just like the male morons that they work with . . . sorry about the moron thing!  Anyway.  Women are told to be sexually aggressive and that visual stimulus is important, just like men.  Again, I could go on, but you get what I am trying to say.

My plea to all of us is to stand firm!!  God has given plenty of examples of Godly men in the Bible.  They may not match up to the world, but thank the Lord for that!  There are also plenty of Godly women as well.  Let’s not take our mentors from the world.  Find God’s definition of a Godly man or woman and then follow that.  If you still need help, find one in your church to watch and emulate.  Men, let’s be the spiritual leaders in our homes and present your wives spotless and blameless before God.  Women, be submissive (bad word??) and remember that the backbone may give and move, but it still supports that entire body!!  God gave us certain roles in the family, let’s fulfill them and be satisfied with that!

And to all of the single families, God bless you and there is a special crown for you in heaven!

I’m done preaching.