Top Cat

Recently, God has been talking to me more and more about fear, in my bible readings.

Most people who know me, would probably say i'm not the fearful type. And i would agree, i cant really think of all that many things that i am scared of. And usually I'm not scared to approach and talk to people.

So why is it that I fail miserably to follow Christ's final commandment: The 'Great Commission'.

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" Mark 16v15

Sure pretty much all my friends know i'm a christian. But i know for a fact that they dont all know the gospel, or worse dont understand it.

While listening to one of my favourite speakers, I heard something very interesting, which was quite hard to swallow.

Fear is another form of Pride.

At first i was like, pffft, what are you on about. Fear isnt pride... it's fear, it's being scared.

But then I came across this passage which really stuck out to me, in John chapter 12 verse 42 to 43. Now what has been happening is that Jesus has been performing miracles and people have been believing that he is the Christ (which has become dangerous at this point in time, because the pharisees have now got a price on his head). And so we read...

"Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than the praise from God."

Now a bit of bible context, if you're put out of the synagogue, you are a social reject. You're not 'in' anymore, you are both physically and socially 'out'. No-one wants to be a social reject, but i think the important part here is the motive as to why they would rather stay silent. It's not merely because they're afraid of admitting they believe Jesus is the Messiah. It is because they loved human praise more than the praise from God.

And isnt that the perfect definition of pride?

Have you ever wondered how God can command us time and time again not to be scared? A quick search on biblegateway says that the phrase 'Do not be afraid' appears over 100 times! I used to think that we shouldnt be scared because we should always remember that God is bigger and in control, and of course that is true. But i'm starting to wonder if maybe this whole 'do not fear' thing goes deeper than that.

I think if i had to choose what my greatest spiritual weakness was, (even before this post) i would have said it was pride. Not arrogance, but pride. I'm very prone to be proud of who I am and what I have achieved in my life. Proud of my intelligence, my skills, my confidence. All the things that I can't take credit for. All the things that were a gift from God himself, and should be used to glorify him, instead of myself.

And so it would seem that ultimately, my struggle with actively sharing the gospel is all down to pride. Much as i hate to admit it. But half the battle is knowing the problem, and so I have peace in knowing that something can be done about it with the help of God.

ahh phew

So how does one stop being proud?

Well, if pride is all about self-preservation, and big-ing yourself up, I guess the way you stop being proud is by doing the opposite. And so here is a nice diagram...

Self-preservation ~ Selflessness

Big-ing yourself up ~ Humility

In other words:

Pride ~ Love

(Here's some original art work from yours truly)

STOP! Hamster Time

God is odd sometimes :P

Gives me the idea using an analogy with hamsters in it which is random enough, and then hey presto hamsters on an advert on TV

In a guilded cage, and a fun slide and swimming pool

My previous post mentions God making hamsters the best hamster cage there is.

(if you're lost, i suggest reading the post :P)

I had not seen this advert prior to writing the previous post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mgK_hDifx0

Are hamsters in the bible or something?

a quick search on biblegateway.com says no lol

I do wonder at God's sense of humour sometimes

Prophetic analogies involving hamsters?

You gotta admit, its original :P

(8) Are we huuman, or are we hamsters? (8)

For my Dad's birthday i got him Louis Giglio's 'How Great is Our God' and 'Indescribable' dvds. A big part of the dvd looks at the vast hugeness of the universe and the amazing things in it, and how they point to God.

It's really cool, i recommend you watching

It got me thinking about the series that is just about to come on BBC - The Wonders of the Universe. Professor Brian Cox (the host/narrator) has suggested in his past documentaries that with the universe being soooo big and so complex, then surely, surely, there must be other life out there. The universe is just way too oversized to believe that we could be the only things in it.

And to a certain extent i agree. The universe is too oversized if it is simply a place for living things to dwell.

But what if that isn't the prime reason for the universe existing?

What if the prime reason for the universe is to show God's Glory, and just how fricking huge and powerful he is. After all, as the psalmist says : The Heavens declare the Glory of God (Psalm 19)

Then the universe is probably just the right size

An interesting thing that Louis said was that sin has a way of puffing us up, and shrinking God down. And aint that the truth? Maybe that is what is meant when we are told to 'fear' the Lord. He's saying 'dont forget who i truly am. I am ma-HOO-sive'. Its the whole 'dont put God in a box' thing - once you think you understand, and you've 'got' God, you've probably broken to second commandment, so watch out for that :P (out of the 10 commandments that is)

I randomly came up with an analogy to explain the whole 'The Universe is for God's Glory' thing, if you're not sure what that actually means.

Say the universe is God's bedroom, the earth is a hamster cage and we are the hamster.

God is really fond of us hamsters. He's made us an amazing cage with his own hands (he was a carpenter after all) for us. We've got the latest, most expensive soft floors, drink, food, a hamster wheel, thousands of tubes that we love to explore, our own little house to sleep in. And he just loves having us there.

God places us near enough to the window that we get enough fresh air and sunlight, but not too close that we get cold. He's put us near enough the radiator that we stay warm but dont overheat. everything is carefully laid out in God's room.

And then God goes about decorating his room with wallpaper or paint. He choose the patterns, the furniture the colour scheme, he puts up his favourite pictures, he puts on his favourite CD, He just makes the bedroom his own.

Now it would be pretty stupid to assume that God had chosen how to decorate his room based solely on the hamsters. He loves his hamsters, but this is his room, not the hamsters. the hamsters are just privileged enough to be able to live in it and benefit from it.

[the analogy is of course completely out of proportion, what with God being able to fit the entire universe in the span of his hand (cant remember the exact reference but i think its in Isaiah..). I know i cant fit my bedroom in the span of my hand :P And then of course he lives in Heaven, but lets not be picky with the accuracy of metaphors]

So, i feel i am now supposed to finish this blog with a 'left hook' or a 'big finale'. erm...

God's HUGE! We're small. But despite this he treasures us with his life.

Yes that will do.

The Hills Are Alive...

Here's some of my favourite speakers:

Joyce Meyer - www.joycemeyer.org (or youtube, or itunes podcasts)

Gotta love her, what a woman.

Ray Comfort, and others - www.livingwaters.com www.livingwatersonthebox.blogspot.com

Really good for evangelism, funny too :P very dry humour - my type of humour

Louis Giglio - www.youtube.com (type in 'how great is our God' / 'indescribable' plus 'Louis Giglio')

Shows us how amazing God is in science, (get to see NASA images and stuff, it's cool!)

Nick Vujicic - www.lifewithoutlimbs.org (or youtube)

Truly inspiring.

Andy Stanley - www.youtube.com (type in 'north point ministries')

Good teaching of scripture, i would listen to this at work while sending 10000 couriers :P

and my latest favourite:

Cliffe Knechtle - www.givemeananswer.org

he's goooood. very knowledgeable and interesting. Tough questions as you may have guessed from the web link. forgive the cheesy openings and questionable jumpers, it's defo worth watching.

Ok i'm not gonna lie the theme music is making my ears bleed and cringe. maybe just fast forward on them :P

Anyone have any other favourites?

Anti-gravity

i feel it is time for something light-hearted

here is a limerick

There was a young lady called Jess

Who's hair was a bit of a mess

When she went home

She got out her comb

And ended up looking the best!

:)

<-----This is a picture taken for an application, whereas the above? yeah that was specifically taken for this post :P