"Little children, keep yourselves from idols." - I John 5:21 (ESV)
For the longest time, I didn't understand why John ends his letter with this warning. I mean, I know the warning is true and valid, but why did he throw it in here at the end? As I get older and I perceive more of the world around me, the more I understand why he did this. The whole letter has gone through to check our relationship with Christ, to really know where we are with him. Are we loving one another? Are we in fellowship with the brethren? Are we proclaiming the true Christ (Son of God who came in the flesh)? Are we staying away from sin and praying for one another in this same way? It is a challenge, all of this! And John know we get easily distracted. He knows that, despite our best intentions, we pick up idols and then wake up to find ourselves in a mess. Idols (whether it's a person, a hobby, a product, or a paycheck) are sly and slippery. Our walk with the Lord is serious, and the enemy knows it! So John says, avoid what you know will get you into trouble. It's obvious but it's deceptive. It's not enough to just run away, but we must be vigilant and keep our guard up against such things. It's a matter, brothers and sisters, of life and death.
My Books on Sale!
.JPG)
Hey guys, thanks so much for following this study! It all wraps up today and we start into a new endeavor on Thursday. You may notice a picture of an ant just to my right - your left - of the blog. It goes with a story that will begin this week at vanchandler.net - an epic story about a colony of ants in search of sugar from the heavens. The format will mimic that of a webcomic, in that I will post a few paragraphs every Tuesday and Thursday and you may follow along as you please. I really love this story and look forward to sharing it with you over the next several months. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff! In a lot of ways very appropriate and timely for me to think about these things right now... I have achieved So Much in such a short time by fully giving myself to Christ and stepping into His light! ...All this after years of living in So much fear and darkness... I have recently reconnected with a woman whom I have always loved and who I have always wished I could have been stronger for. She is a Good woman! A Christian woman & she has always represented the way of life I desired but was afraid of for so long. Anyway, I became too quickly & overly confident and eager to make things "right" again... And, suddenly my heart was on my sleeve, I put her on a pedestal, and things got weird... My first reaction was to run from her. (Just as I always did in the past...) But, she was not doing anything but, being a friend -a sister in Christ and helping me by affirming my transition. (The one she has prayed for years to witness.) It was Me making idols all along. And, it was Me I was running from! It was just my old patterns moving back to haunt me... I still believe she deserves a good man and partner... I still want to be a good man... I still pray for both of our happiness, but I have stepped back from returning to the obsessive,desperate and insecure person I once was. God has a plan and I need to allow that to happen and not fight it... Only God! & no matter what, if I keep the relationship strong with The Father, Son & Holy Ghost, All Things Will Be Right! (No matter if it differs from my former selfish ego-driven "plans"...) So, now the relationship between me and this lovely lady has strengthened. I don't know where it will lead but, that's okay, I'm not worried or anxious. I am happy to have her in my life again, no matter what. The burden has been lifted. The expectations are gone. It takes constant work but, it is good! I am learning how awesome it is to grow in Christs Love with others as well as in myself! God is Good!
ReplyDeleteBut, I am also realizing that after years of deeply founded, fear based idolization of so many things (the list is long!), I must be aware that they will continue to rear their evil heads and once again try to knock me off balance... They will even change form, take new shapes & assume new identities, so I must be forever vigilant! Satan lurks so close, promising such magnificent and false rewards. There is One Way to the Kingdom of Heaven and Only one!
Kevin, thank you so much for all you have done &continue to do in the Name of Christ! I look forward to the next Bible session & in the meantime, I'll check out your other work! In Thanksgiving, Jubal
Thanks so much for your support, brother. It means so much
Delete