Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: CHILL (11/24/22)
-
TITLE: Have You Chilled? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
11/29/22 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Perhaps attending Church was something you did without ever giving it much thought, since it was the thing to do for sake of family or social standing.
Some are more driven to spiritual awareness by the fear of Hell than the promise of Heaven!
Perhaps you experienced some disappointment(s) that numbed the feelings of intimacy that you once did experience in your walk with the Lord.
Most cultures have religious ceremonies and rituals that begin as early as infancy, and continue on throughout the course of one's lifetime. The objective is to secure earthly and Heavenly blessings.
Some religions promote the erroneous idea that religious activity at a funera or afterwards can change the location and experience of a departed loved one.
. . .
Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day of His life. As an early teenager, He made His bar mitzvah. Without having done so, He would have never been accepted as a member of His religious-social environment, and He would not have been permitted to read or to comment on the Scriptures in the synagogues.
Growing up, He and His family were socially perceived to be like everyone else in His community.
“Is (Jesus) not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and (the *half) brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His (unnamed) sisters here with us (Mark 6: 3 NASB parentheses mine?”
You would think that people would have at least found it odd that throughout His entire upbringing and adult life, He never sinned by thought, word, or deed (1) Heb. 4: 15).
I often wondered what His private thoughts were as He observed the animal sacrifices being made on the Temple altars that foreshadowed His own destiny.
He was baptized in water by John in order to publicly identify Himself with the work of righteousness (2) Matt. 3: 15) that He came to do.
When it came time for the start of His public ministry, things began to change, as did the Mark 6: 3 public opinion of Him in the village (Nazareth) where He had grown up (3) Luke 4: 29).
Interesting enough, God the Son (Jesus) coming from the tribe of Judah (and not of the tribe of Levi) could have never become a priest in the Old Testament Temple.
He was recognized and addressed by some as Rabbi, a title given to a teacher (4).
As His public ministry progressed, some would come to adore Him, hanging onto all the words that He spoke.
Some recognized the miracles that He performed as a testament of who He was, and what He came to do. His critics would accuse Him of being a glutton and a drinker; practicing demonic activity, and associating with crooked tax collectors and sinners (5). He was to be falsely convicted of blasphemy by religious authorities.
Many of the religious activities and practices that had evolved leading up to the time of Jesus were held in high esteem, but amounted to no more than traditions of men.
“But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men (Matt. 15: 9 NASB).’”
Likewise, here in the Church Age, religious leadership within the Christian Community has likewise established rituals, ceremonies, and activity that are no more than the traditions of men, as well. It will only get worse as we come to the end of the Church Age (6) 1Tim. 4: 1/2 Tim. 4: 3, 4).
The devil can do nothing to undo the work (7) of God the Holy Spirit that takes place at the moment of salvation, but he and the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil can do much to reduce one's desire to produce divine good (8).
It matters not (to the devil) rather he accomplishes this objective by way of blessing (9), adversity (10), or distraction (11).
A diminishing interest in participating in the Great Commission (12) is an indicator that the devil has succeeded in having one's thermostat turned down.
In the secular realm, turning up the thermostat can be a costly decision in light of the price of heating fuel. But in the spiritual realm, it can be a costly (13) decision, NOT to do so!
____________
(1) Heb. 4: 15 (2) Matt. 3: 15 (3) Luke 4: 29 (4) Matt. 26: 25, 49/Mark 9: 5/Mark 11: 21/Mark 14: 45/John 1: 38, 49/John 4: 31/John 6: 25/John 9: 2/John 11: 8 (5) Matt. 11: 19/Matt. 12: 24 (6) 1Tim. 4: 1/2Tim. 4: 3, 4 (7) Titus 3: 5/Eph. 4: 30 (8) Mark 4: 19 (9) Luke 4: 6 (10) 2Tim. 3: 12 (110) Mark 4: 19 (12) Matt. 28: 19, 20 (13) 1Cor. 3: 15/Rev. 3: 16
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
