2:1 [10.19.2006]

two thoughts: one point
Thomas Fuller said that “seeing is believing”

Jesus said that, “the coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed."

Whether it is Thomas Fuller or pop culture, the premise that “seeing is believing” is prevalent in our world. It’s the driving force behind any kind of marketing – whether it be TV commercials, newspaper ads, you name it – and because of that, it pretty much tells us what we think we need.

To believe, according to Merriam-Webster online, is to: accept as true; to have a conviction about; or to hold an opinion, to think. We believe (we think) we need this and so it goes that: we see it, we think (or believe) we need it and we buy it. No faith required, just your credit card number. ☺

It sounds so shallow and honestly, I don’t really enjoy writing it, but we are all susceptible to this belief system. And yes, it is a belief system. If an idea is able to permeate our economy as this has, then, we need to understand that it is a belief system. It’s a belief system that runs contrary to the belief system of ‘faith’ being certain of what we do not see. (Hebrew 11:1 PAR) If a precursor to believing (or putting your faith in something) is that we must see it or be sold on it to believe it, then it requires no faith. As followers of Jesus, we are professing allegiance to unseen Savior, who is the King of an unseen Kingdom. Haven’t we all heard it said that the best source of advertising is word-of-mouth? Why shouldn’t that apply to following Jesus?

Jesus didn’t need a marketing plan when He walked the earth and I’d venture to say He doesn’t need one now either. In a society that has to see results, see the figures, see progress and so on and so on – it’s no wonder that we plague Christianity with the same disease of needing to see results.

How many people got saved?
How many baptisms did we have?
How big is our building?
How many programs do we have?

Paul wrote that, “creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:19 TNIV) We, the children of God, are the marketing plan – a word-of-mouth, grassroots, ‘tell all your friends’ plan – that will initiate God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven”. However, not in what we say, but who we are. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pig." I don't know. But what I do know is that I want the truth.

2:1 [10.4.2006]

2 thoughts 1 point:
Oswald Chambers said, "Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means."

Oswald Chambers scored those words many years ago and like many of the fathers of our faith, they thought deeply about their reality - their human condition. The human condition is one thing, but your human condition is another layer to the equation. Right?

Shakespeare said, "This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."

Was Shakespeare a prophet or just a creative person who had eyes that could see the human soul? It makes sense that the more truthful we are with ourselves and who we really are, that we will be more truthful with others. Truth beget trust, trust beget love. Love is eternal. Eternal is the treasure, Jesus.

point: God sees more in you than you see in yourself and He desperately wants you to see that reality of who you really are. Embrace the reality, that you (and your life in God) is the answer to someone's question. Pray that God will show you this reality. "The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed." (from Paul's letter to the Romans - TNIV)