... a weekly letter of encouragement.
1 April, 1998 - Singapore
Good Morning!
CREATING GOD IN OUR IMAGE
As our society continues to slide into its moral and spiritual
abyss, We believers tend to follow suite by calibrating our view
of God downward, in order to insure the fact that the stark
contrast between our duplicity and God's holiness
is not too obvious.
After all, it's tough to keep one foot in each camp if the contrast between the two is too great!
In truth, the gap between man's perception of God
and the reality of the true God is shockingly greater
than most of us can ever imagine. Isaiah the Prophet, for
example, when visited by the Holy One declared,
"Woe to me!...I am ruined! For
I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean
lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
(Isaiah 6:9)
ONE WAY WE CALIBRATE OUR VIEW OF GOD DOWNWARD IS THROUGH
RATIONALIZATION:
- We rationalize the filth we regularly drink into our system through "entertainment". God's standard however is that,
"[You] will set before [your]
eyes no vile thing...If anything is excellent or praiseworthy
- think on these things." (Psalm
101:3a; Philippians 4:8a)
- We rationalize our self-indulgent life-style. Christ's calling however is that,
"If anyone would come after
Me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for
Me will save it." (Luke
9:23, 24)
- We rationalize our work ethic. Christ's warning however, is that,
"...Unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,
you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 5:20)
CREATING GOD IN OUR IMAGE
by rationalize our flesh-driven behavior?
The word of God does not allow us that option:
"Make every effort...to be holy." Because, "without holiness no one shall see the Lord." (Heb.12:14)
My prayer is that you are having a great week!
1 Coleman Street #02-34, The Adelphi - Singapore 0617
Phone: 337 6498; Fax: 336 9913
© Copyright 1996 Dwight Hill. Unlimited permission to copy or
use is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
