April 23, 2007

Resist

In the season opener of the Sci-Fi Channel’s Stargate Atlantis, the evil Asurans probed the minds of captives Gen. Jack O’Neill and bureaucratic Richard Woolsey. With his unconventional thought process, O’Neill’s mind gave up very little information. However, on discovery that Woolsey’s mind oozed vital information to the enemy, O’Neill turned to him and said, “Way to resist!” What a great line - and so appropriate for believes when we fail to resist the devil. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 NIV

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Gail;
-----I have always wished that one small statement from some philosopher-type was actually from scripture, "No man is an island unto himself." Paul came close in Rom 14:7-8, "For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord..." But it does not quite capture the same flavor of that subtle effect we have upon each other. Yet, there are many ideas conveyed in the Bible that taken together form the truth of this principle. And careful observation of life bears it out. We need each other as well as effect each other.
-----The old addage, "What goes on in my bedroom is none of your business," has always made me seethe with anger. What goes on in your bedroom is the practice that makes you what you are. And bringing what you are into the society that I must live in effects me as much as does the kid who secretly uses the swimming pool for a urinal. It might be slight, but it is real.
-----I hear people whine and fuss at the concept of God's annihilation of His foes. "It's not fair!" "Who's to judge?" "What's wrong with that one?" But His willingness to do such a "ghastly" thing is the demonstration of His caring love for all those who have chosen Him rather than "not Him". They have the greater right to live in an existance unaffected by all the pool-piddling and bedroom bantering of those who are too ignorant to recognize the effect they have upon others. But one effect, that thank God is certain to come, is that effect of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. From that point on there will be no more argument against His authority.