Saturday, February 17, 2007

Disputable matters...

When making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it is most important that you spread the peanut butter on first to create a proper base for the jelly to rest upon.



True?  Nah!  Whether you put the peanut butter or the jelly on first, or whether you even eat PB&J sandwiches is a disputable matter.



When putting on panty hose, it is imperative that the left leg enter first for a right-handed individual, but the right leg must enter first for a left-handed individual to avoid the dreaded twisted panty hose leg effect.



True?  Nah!  Which leg you put into panty hose first or whether or not you even wear panty hose is a disputable matter. 



When wanting to know God to learn about Him, His will and His instructions for life,....funny, I don't believe this is a disputable matter.  Why then has Christianity today increasingly blurred the line between how God has told us to know Him and how we think we would like to know Him?



There is a whole plethora of ideas floating around out there on how to "know" God, "experience" God, and how to "discover" God.  Whatever happened to the original Book, the BIBLE, for reading His revelation of Himself?



If I buy a Cuisinart and want to learn how it will chop, slice, and dice, then hadn't I better read the original instruction manual?  Reading articles about Cuisinarts, listening to other people talk about their Cuisinarts, or even watching someone else with varying skill level use a Cuisinart, will provide me with information about a Cuisinart.  But if I'm really going to be able to use my own Cuisinart and understand its workings, then of necessity I must take the time to study the manual and apply its instruction.



God is not a Cuisinart.  Neither is Christianity a Cuisinart.  The only reason I use that example is because some teaching today, and many professing Christians, treat God and the practice of a Christian lifestyle like some optional suggestion regarding diligent study of the Bible. 



I can read about God in all manner of books and blogs.  I can listen to other people talk about God with all manner of education or lack thereof, and I can watch other people worship, pray and sing to God with all manner of wisdom or not.



But if I'm going to truly apply my own confessed Christianity, if I'm truly going to know the Lord, whom I confess, then I must take the time to study, practice and apply what the Bible says.  The Bible is the only true revelation of God given to me.



Otherwise, I might as well worship a Cuisinart.



How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
Psalm 119:103-104

6 comments:

  1. Oh so true! I keep trying to tell my teens this. They not truly know God through others experience and stories. They must get to know Him themselves through the Word and their own relationship with him!

    Excellently written!

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  2. Applause! We are commanded to grow in knowledge of Him, so that we will not be taken captive to deception. The Word is life!

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  3. Great post about the indisputable Word of God.

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  4. Secondhand relationship is just that, only secondhand.

    Great post!

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  5. I came here via a link from Susanne's blog. This kind of thing has been on my heart the last several days, too. I enjoyed your thoughts, and what you had to say is so very true. God has given us the treasure of His Word, yet we flock to second- and third-hand information about it more than we do the source.

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  6. So very true. The Bible is God's instructions, comforts, promises to ME. I'm glad Susannne pointed the way to your blog. :) Have a blessed day.

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