Monday, March 22, 2010

Deceptively Good

Is Pete Wilson right in this post? Are "good things" taking us away from God? The beach, the lake, little league, dance recitals, etc?

We’re in a series at Cross Point entitled “Seriously” where we’re looking at some of the tough teachings of Jesus. This past Sunday (you can watch the message HERE) we talked about Luke 14 where Jesus says…

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Now clearly Jesus is not condoning hating those closest to you. He’s purposefully using hyperbole to help us understand that we must love everything else less. Following Him must be our number one priority. We can’t allow good things (even family) to become ultimate things.

As I meditated on this passage last week I felt God impressing this on me:

Your greatest temptation will not be to chase after what is ridiculously evil, but what is deceptively good.

I have a tendency to allow good things (money, success, family, ministry, etc.) to become ultimate things.

How about you. Where are you tempted to take something that is good and make it ultimate?

1 comment:

  1. I believe we have a problem with our distinction of want vs. need! We get so caught up with the pressures of having to live a certain lifestyle or having certain things.
    I believe ALL Christians should be mandated to go on some form of mission trip (not just local missions). Only then can some people truly appreciate and understand what others have and don't have.
    I've always said that the trips our students go on benefit them more than the people they are serving! There's something about Sacrificial Love, giving of your self to someone else with nothing in return, that really opens up your heart. Our hearts get so full of self that we have to pour some of it out to others to make room for someone else. Only then can we truly understand what God's Love is!

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