Showing posts with label Sowing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sowing. Show all posts

Saturday, April 2, 2016

The Weight of Glory.

The following is a section from a sermon entitled, The Weight of Glory, presented on June 8, 1942 to the Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Oxford, by well renowned author C.S. Lewis, who authored such books as Mere Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia. In this message to the church, Lewis argues that there are no insignificant human beings, and no insignificant human encounters. That every single human being you meet will spend eternity in either suffering without hope or indescribable glory.
It may be possible for each to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbor. The load of weight or burden of my neighbor's glory should be laid daily on my back, a load so heavy only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken....It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities...that we should conduct all our dealings with one, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. 
 With that being said, should I as a Christian, "bear the weight or burden of my neighbor's glory on my back?" I don't think that Lewis regarded this entire burden to be placed on my individual shoulders. There are so many factors that come into play with a person's salvation. But if I were to ask him what he is getting at, I am pretty confident he would say he is trying to persuade the church to do the work of the ministry (  ). This should be one of the primary focus' of a Christian's thought, and motivation when gazing upon the human race; and gazing upon the Lord's glory when we are supremely focused on Him.

If you would like to download the whole sermon, you can find it HERE.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Harvest of Moral Relativism (and Everything Else Contrary to God's Word!)

I saw this article by Ken Conner on Townhall.com, and thought it worthwhile to share on the ISS website. He talks about what moral relativism has done to our society. Check it out by clicking HERE.

Our choices, and our beliefs, have consequences. You really do reap what you sow.

 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Galatians 6:7-8

"For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind...."
Hosea 8:7

You sow, you reap.
This is true in the natural world, and also in the supernatural.
And how does the saying go? "Adult choices have adult consequences." Something like that.
I doubt our society is able to recover from our choice to turn away from the one true God. King David tells us where a turning like that leads (Psalm 9:7).

And it is all so unnecessary! That is the really sad thing about this. Our society doesn't have to be this way. Our world doesn't have to be this way...and I meet some people who blame God for this!

God is so good.
It is hard to put into words.
It cannot be over-stated or over-emphasized.
Do you realize what God has done for us in the person & work of the Lord Jesus Christ?
It is so amazing...so awesome...so incredible.

Charles Wesley wrote out these thoughts in his hymn:
And can it be that I should gain, an int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued? 
AMAZING LOVE! How can it be? THAT THOU, MY GOD, SHOULDST DIE FOR ME!

And throughout the Scriptures, God demonstrates his amazing faithfulness and goodness, and calls for us to turn to HIM, to trust HIM, to listen to HIM...
to choose HIM!

But time & time again, man turns away from what is on the heart of God, and turns away from what is pleasing in his eyes (Numbers 15:39). It truly is the story of our lives. It surely was the story of mine. Glad that God from eternity past made a WAY for us to escape this mess, both in this life, and the life to come. "I am the way....", our Good Shepard told Thomas & the disciples (John 14:6). The one and only way. He is the answer to the world's problems. Tell someone about HIM today. Maranatha!