Heaven's Guide to Proper Fashion: Week beginning January 18th
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Anonymous
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Pg. 63: “It is obvious that given the moral pollution in our society and the extreme sexuality common in much of the fashion industry, Christian men and women who want to please the Lord often will go against the tide.”
Cymbala spends most of his time in this chapter using the metaphor of dressing like Christians. The object of a metaphor must be as true as the lesson of the metaphor. I don’t think he is speaking from legalistic terms stating that one fashion or another is inappropriate for church other than those that cause a fellow brother or sister to have wandering eyes.
Before going on one of the youth retreats when I was young, our youth minister told the girls that they could not wear t-shirts that had something written across the front. We all thought that was silly. However, I must say that I see the point very clearly now. If I am sitting in a Bible study and in big letters across a woman’s chest is some writing, where do you think my eyes will be drawn? Also, have you seen those pants and shorts that girls wear that has writing across the backside of the shorts. Tell me what they are trying to advertise? I think our youth minister was wise for his time.
Colossians 3:12-14 "... clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... and over all these virtues put on love..." On Page 65, Cybala makes this statement: "how unseemly it is for us as Christians to be dressed like something we're not while we decline to put on the beautiful wardrobe the Lord has provided for us". As I read through this chapter, at first glance, I actually thought I was doing pretty good. My dress is certainly modest on the outside, yet I try to look as professional as possible most of the time. And as I read the Scripture in Colossians, all of those things, at some point in time in my life, I have clothed myself with. But then God struck me with the difference. I have treated my "spiritual" clothing just like my physical clothing: Something that I put on and take off, dress up and dress down, depending on my situation. When God says clothe yourself with compassion, gentleness, etc. I realized that these are to be put on and never taken off, never changed out, never hung in the closet again. He hasn't called me to a "wardrobe" change, but to a total life transformation, and to never look back. "When we come in Christ, we become a NEW CREATION. Old things are gone and everything become new". God's not impressed with how fancy I can make myself look in certain situations, but how consistent that look is, day in and day out. I've got a LOT of work to do men: A LOT!
If Cymbala is right, and I think that he is, I am going naked spiritually most of the time! At the very least I am only half dressed! The spiritual clothing that Cymbala cites from Collosians (pg 64-65) is usually missing an article or two on my person. However, there was one piece that stuck out to me as applicable to my life and the life that I see many Christians around me leading. PATIENCE. I feel that an entire book could be written on this one "article" of spiritual clothing. I see that Cymbala mentions patience in many different contexts. However, the mention patience brought something to my mind. More and more I see members of my church, family, friends, and even myself become disgusted with God when he fails to meet our timeframe. We pray to God, become enraged, and turn our backs on Him when the answer to our prayers falls behind the earthly schedule we have set. Cymbala mentions that over the many years God has had patience with all of mankind. Why don't I have patience with Him? Have I been so conditioned by the society of "now, now, now" that I will not let God answer my prayers and take care of me in His own time? God chose to answer the Israelites prayers in Egypt over generations. The Bible gives us examples over and over of how God blessed people over years and decades, rather than days or even hours. As christians living in today's society, I believe we have become impatient. God has recently been teaching me that He will work in the time frame that He decides. No matter how hard I pray, or how much inner turmoil I build up, God is not on my timeframe. For those of us control fraks, type A, alpha dog personalities out there, this is a hard pill to swallow. But i believe that without this particular "article" of spiritual clothing, a Christian may not even recognize the blessing and answers God pours upon their lives!
Pg. 77 “Surely the angles stand perplexed that sinful people to whom the holy God has shown such patience could be so resentful of others who have “failed” them and then justify their silent bitterness on top of it!”
Can’t you visualize the angels standing at the pearly gates looking down scratching their heads? They say Jesus before He came to Earth, the treatment He received while on Earth, and witnessed His return from Earth. Then they watch us behave the way we do in our families, workplaces and church.
Lord, help me to remember the daily forgiveness you offer me. Help me to dress more like you.
COACH TAYLOR, can you imagine the patience required in "Bible days." Years upon years, generations upon generations were required before God's plan was fulfilled.
At the beginning of the new year I started reading through the Bible again and came across the familiar story of Noah. The numbers stood out to me. 40 days of rain. 120 days on the Ark. Talk about patience. Talk about cabin, no "ark fever." Wow! I imagine I miss many blessings because of my impatience.
Sorry I got behind, long story. I did like the comments that Brad made about dressing up and dressing down spiritually. I sometimes find that my attitude and general spirit will be different depending on the situation or the environment where I find myself. I've even asked, "If I REALLY believe God and trusted in Christ, then why would my situation or my environment even matter". One thing I have noticed, (especially at home where its easier to take off those "spiritual clothes")is that this usually happens when I am not keeping my connection with God open through prayer. Paul said we are to "pray uncessingly". I take that to mean keeping oneself in contact with the spirit. Today people talk about being self-aware but we should really be praticing spiritual awareness. Spiritual awareness is exactly the opposite of self-awareness. It leads us to fulfill 1/2 of our divine purpose, to focus on our neighbor and not ourself. When my attitude goes sour it is usually when I am focused on me, when I am being selfish and concerned with my needs. Focusing on myself and my needs leads me into spiritual depression. I have found that if I pray, and then immediatly follow the up by looking for ways to serve others my attitude quickly becomes more Christlike. Now, if I could just keep it there I might become more the man God wants and not the one I see in the mirror every morning. Thank God, His GRACE is sufficient!
In chapter 12 the writer of Hebrews issues Christians a challenge to run the race of faith. In order to do so we must lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily entangles us. We have to learn to run with endurance and keep our eyes fixed on our example, Jesus Christ. How do we accomplish this in our society? We lock arms with other men of faith and run the race.
This blog is dedicated to a “technical” approach to locking arms. This blog is dedicated to online book studies for men. We will read certain chapters from chosen books. Then we will post comments to encourage, inspire, and in some cases stir up other men. So, you are invited to join our online discussion. More importantly, will you accept the challenge to run the race of faith?
7 comments:
Pg. 63: “It is obvious that given the moral pollution in our society and the extreme sexuality common in much of the fashion industry, Christian men and women who want to please the Lord often will go against the tide.”
Cymbala spends most of his time in this chapter using the metaphor of dressing like Christians. The object of a metaphor must be as true as the lesson of the metaphor. I don’t think he is speaking from legalistic terms stating that one fashion or another is inappropriate for church other than those that cause a fellow brother or sister to have wandering eyes.
Before going on one of the youth retreats when I was young, our youth minister told the girls that they could not wear t-shirts that had something written across the front. We all thought that was silly. However, I must say that I see the point very clearly now. If I am sitting in a Bible study and in big letters across a woman’s chest is some writing, where do you think my eyes will be drawn? Also, have you seen those pants and shorts that girls wear that has writing across the backside of the shorts. Tell me what they are trying to advertise? I think our youth minister was wise for his time.
Colossians 3:12-14 "... clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... and over all these virtues put on love..." On Page 65, Cybala makes this statement: "how unseemly it is for us as Christians to be dressed like something we're not while we decline to put on the beautiful wardrobe the Lord has provided for us". As I read through this chapter, at first glance, I actually thought I was doing pretty good. My dress is certainly modest on the outside, yet I try to look as professional as possible most of the time. And as I read the Scripture in Colossians, all of those things, at some point in time in my life, I have clothed myself with. But then God struck me with the difference. I have treated my "spiritual" clothing just like my physical clothing: Something that I put on and take off, dress up and dress down, depending on my situation. When God says clothe yourself with compassion, gentleness, etc. I realized that these are to be put on and never taken off, never changed out, never hung in the closet again. He hasn't called me to a "wardrobe" change, but to a total life transformation, and to never look back. "When we come in Christ, we become a NEW CREATION. Old things are gone and everything become new". God's not impressed with how fancy I can make myself look in certain situations, but how consistent that look is, day in and day out. I've got a LOT of work to do men: A LOT!
Brad
If Cymbala is right, and I think that he is, I am going naked spiritually most of the time! At the very least I am only half dressed! The spiritual clothing that Cymbala cites from Collosians (pg 64-65) is usually missing an article or two on my person. However, there was one piece that stuck out to me as applicable to my life and the life that I see many Christians around me leading. PATIENCE. I feel that an entire book could be written on this one "article" of spiritual clothing.
I see that Cymbala mentions patience in many different contexts. However, the mention patience brought something to my mind. More and more I see members of my church, family, friends, and even myself become disgusted with God when he fails to meet our timeframe. We pray to God, become enraged, and turn our backs on Him when the answer to our prayers falls behind the earthly schedule we have set. Cymbala mentions that over the many years God has had patience with all of mankind. Why don't I have patience with Him? Have I been so conditioned by the society of "now, now, now" that I will not let God answer my prayers and take care of me in His own time? God chose to answer the Israelites prayers in Egypt over generations. The Bible gives us examples over and over of how God blessed people over years and decades, rather than days or even hours.
As christians living in today's society, I believe we have become impatient. God has recently been teaching me that He will work in the time frame that He decides. No matter how hard I pray, or how much inner turmoil I build up, God is not on my timeframe. For those of us control fraks, type A, alpha dog personalities out there, this is a hard pill to swallow. But i believe that without this particular "article" of spiritual clothing, a Christian may not even recognize the blessing and answers God pours upon their lives!
Pg. 77 “Surely the angles stand perplexed that sinful people to whom the holy God has shown such patience could be so resentful of others who have “failed” them and then justify their silent bitterness on top of it!”
Can’t you visualize the angels standing at the pearly gates looking down scratching their heads? They say Jesus before He came to Earth, the treatment He received while on Earth, and witnessed His return from Earth. Then they watch us behave the way we do in our families, workplaces and church.
Lord, help me to remember the daily forgiveness you offer me. Help me to dress more like you.
COACH TAYLOR, can you imagine the patience required in "Bible days." Years upon years, generations upon generations were required before God's plan was fulfilled.
At the beginning of the new year I started reading through the Bible again and came across the familiar story of Noah. The numbers stood out to me. 40 days of rain. 120 days on the Ark. Talk about patience. Talk about cabin, no "ark fever." Wow! I imagine I miss many blessings because of my impatience.
Sorry I got behind, long story. I did like the comments that Brad made about dressing up and dressing down spiritually. I sometimes find that my attitude and general spirit will be different depending on the situation or the environment where I find myself. I've even asked, "If I REALLY believe God and trusted in Christ, then why would my situation or my environment even matter". One thing I have noticed, (especially at home where its easier to take off those "spiritual clothes")is that this usually happens when I am not keeping my connection with God open through prayer. Paul said we are to "pray uncessingly". I take that to mean keeping oneself in contact with the spirit. Today people talk about being self-aware but we should really be praticing spiritual awareness. Spiritual awareness is exactly the opposite of self-awareness. It leads us to fulfill 1/2 of our divine purpose, to focus on our neighbor and not ourself. When my attitude goes sour it is usually when I am focused on me, when I am being selfish and concerned with my needs. Focusing on myself and my needs leads me into spiritual depression. I have found that if I pray, and then immediatly follow the up by looking for ways to serve others my attitude quickly becomes more Christlike. Now, if I could just keep it there I might become more the man God wants and not the one I see in the mirror every morning. Thank God, His GRACE is sufficient!
Scott
Scott
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