Pastor's Ponderings, October 11, 2016

Want a Great Life, Try God

In the 1988 film They Live, the main character finds a pair of sunglasses that gives the wearer the ability to look past the glitz and glamor of modern society and see the subliminal messages.  In the movie, a predatory alien race has infiltrated modern society to put the citizens to sleep and to mindlessly follow their directives.  However, while wearing the sunglasses, one can see that magazine covers and billboards are actually commands such as, “OBEY“, "NO INDEPENDENT THOUGHT", "CONSUME“, "CONFORM", "SUBMIT", "STAY ASLEEP", "BUY", "WATCH TV", "DO NOT QUESTION AUTHORITY”. When the main characters sacrifice their lives to destroy the system, mankind begins to see the controlling and exploitive system for what it actually is. 

The Bible says this system actually exists under the management of the devil (Ephesians 6:12). He attempts to blind us (2 Corinthians 4:4) to his underlying intentions of killing, stealing, and destroying us (John 10:10) through persuading us to make wrong choices such as drugs, promiscuity, anger, and other evil things.  Many have been persuaded by the glamorous lifestyle of ungodly behavior only to find out that it was a mirage leading only to heartbreak and disappointment.  Thank God that Jesus sacrificed His life in His mission to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8).

Jesus does not want us blinded to this world’s temptations but to have faith in Him who wants the best life for us (John 10:10).  In fact He has provided everything that we need to live an overcoming, successful life in Him through His great sacrifice (2 Peter 1:3).  We have no need of the temporary pleasure of hedonism, revenge, or unrestrained behaviors that lead to permanent damage to one’s body and soul.

Today, when many are doing self-destructive things, let us remember that Jesus wants us to have His abundant life.  He wants us to have His love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, and kindness (Galatians 5:22, 23).  Because He loved us, He sacrificed His life for us. Let us turn away from the allure of the temporary worldly pleasures and seek our great life in Christ.

Ephesians 6:12
New International Version (NIV)

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2 Corinthians 4:4
New International Version (NIV)

4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

John 10:10
New International Version (NIV)

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

1 John 3:8
New International Version (NIV)

8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

2 Peter 1:3
New International Version (NIV)

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Galatians 5:22-23
New International Version (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control...