The recent news about
the state of the Christian church in America sounds troublesome. Fewer young
people are attending church or even profess to be a Christian. They may claim
to be spiritual but don’t see participation in a Bible believing church as part
of their spirituality. Even some of the definitions people attach to their
self-described spirituality can differ vastly from the Bible.
There is much
debate on how we have gotten to this state.
James, in his epistle,
points out several ways in which a person can redefine one’s personal spirituality
… not necessarily for the good.
We deceive ourselves when
we believe a redefined view of the character of God. James reminds us in chapter
1, verse 17: He (the Lord) never changes
or casts a shifting shadow.
We deceive ourselves when
we listen to God's Word without taking action. James reminds us in chapter 1,
verse 22: But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says.
Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
We deceive ourselves when
we accept our own rationalization of our belief system despite what we read in
the Word of God.
James reminds us
we can fool ourselves into wrong thinking in chapter 1, verses 23 to 25::
For if you listen to the word and don't
obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk
away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect
law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you
heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Why not take a long and honest look in the mirror? And be open to where the Lord is drawing you!
Robert Parlante
June 2015
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