"Bootstrap Faith"

Inaccurate theology may often be destructive theology. If there are degrees of such destruction, this video presents a deeply sad, but popular notion of the worst kind. http://www.godvine.com/Serena-s-Only-Wish-This-Christmas-is-to-be-Healed-123.html  Whether it is a scam video or not, we have an articulate young lady in an extremely sad and touching situation.

She is "spot on" when she trusts that God will always be with her, is very capable and able to heal her, and that one day God will heal her. However, someone has sadly instructed her that God's good actions are determined by the size and accuracy of her faith. If this girl's illness does not subside or if she passes from the effects of it, she believes, and others have told her, that her suffering and perhaps her death would be caused by immature faith or an inability to trust.

People use Matthew 17:20 to convince others that they are afflicted because their faith is too small; God is attentive and ready to burst on the scene like a divine Superman the instant someone's faith rises to the proper level.  Our Creator's action is not conditioned merely upon our faith. Jesus was identifying the human condition of unbelief which will only be relieved at God's own volition, timing, and purposes. Our systemic maladies will not be removed by one's "mustering" of belief and making demands. When all is said and done, our faith with God's timing will, in fact be large enough that whatever we ask or wish will be accomplished and all healing will be achieved.

Another verse on which this spiritual abuse rests is James 4. Note that with the promise of provision practicing   piety produces intentional submission to God's mind. Those who are wise and thoroughly faithful suffer maladies of this fallen sphere. Ease of life and absence of want do not, necessarily, telegraph perfect faith. Let us remind one another of God's faithfulness even as we encounter the antithesis of material and physical well-being.

Bah! Holidays

Do you not believe that holiday greetings are more appropriate than Christmas greetings? You are afraid to admit it because there are people who consider this season to be purely Christian. As a result, there may be more emotional, social, and physical safety in announcing your conversion to some terrorist organization than to say, "Happy Holidays".

As a Christian, however, take a good look at this holiday. Even in our churches there is little celebration over the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God. Oh there is lots of pageantry, singing, and talk of the true meaning and the "reason for the season". However, it appears that we have no tolerance for those who lead us from the manger and into the eternal significance of the event of Christ's birth.

Keeping Christ in Christmas is more than including the name of  "Christ". It is said that the "X" was a means of protecting early Christians and thereby making reference to Christ but not mentioning him. It was, by necessity, a stealth church. Perhaps we should keep the "X" in Christmas, so that believers may observe the celebration without the baggage.

In reality there is no need, necessarily, to change any outward celebration. We would be fooling ourselves to think that heart change other than by God the Holy Spirit would do the trick.