#Revelation #endtimes
Rev 3:1-6 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Pursuing gifts and the pleasure of having and gaining can look a lot like being alive, but it is spiritual death. The more we pursue our own pleasure in what God has given the more we are drawn away from the giver of the gifts. He is the only true lasting joy and treasure worth our focus.
J. I. Packer writes; "That joy is deeper than and not dependent on pleasure is the first thing that needs to be said. Until this has been established, discussion about pleasure in Christian life is premature. But once it is established that joy does not depend on pleasure, then a positive theology of pleasure becomes possible....p 73
Pleasure, like joy, is God's gift, but whereas joy is active (one rejoices), pleasure is passive (one is pleased). ... pg 74
As God made us for pleasure, so he redeems us for pleasure- ours, as well as his. ... p 74
Pleasure (conscious enjoyment) has no intrinsic moral quality. What makes pleasure right, good, and valuable or wrong, bad,and sinful is what goes with them. ... p 74
In the order of creation, pleasures are meant to serve as pointers to God. Pleasure seeking, as such, sooner or later brings boredom and disgust. ...p 75
Hot Tub Religion Tyndale House Publishers 1987
Are you tired of pursuing pleasures, but dying of lack of satisfaction. Come back to the joy of Absolute love.
Rev 3:1-6 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Pursuing gifts and the pleasure of having and gaining can look a lot like being alive, but it is spiritual death. The more we pursue our own pleasure in what God has given the more we are drawn away from the giver of the gifts. He is the only true lasting joy and treasure worth our focus.
J. I. Packer writes; "That joy is deeper than and not dependent on pleasure is the first thing that needs to be said. Until this has been established, discussion about pleasure in Christian life is premature. But once it is established that joy does not depend on pleasure, then a positive theology of pleasure becomes possible....p 73
Pleasure, like joy, is God's gift, but whereas joy is active (one rejoices), pleasure is passive (one is pleased). ... pg 74
As God made us for pleasure, so he redeems us for pleasure- ours, as well as his. ... p 74
Pleasure (conscious enjoyment) has no intrinsic moral quality. What makes pleasure right, good, and valuable or wrong, bad,and sinful is what goes with them. ... p 74
In the order of creation, pleasures are meant to serve as pointers to God. Pleasure seeking, as such, sooner or later brings boredom and disgust. ...p 75
Hot Tub Religion Tyndale House Publishers 1987
Are you tired of pursuing pleasures, but dying of lack of satisfaction. Come back to the joy of Absolute love.
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