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Preaching by: John J. Malone, Sr - JABSBG*
Faith vs. “Make Believe” - Comments (3)
Category: Articles,Doctrine
Author: John Malone
Date: 20th September, 2005 @ 05:20:37 AM
I think we are all guilty, at one time or another, of “make believe.” Another term for “make believe” is willing self-deception. I will admit to my own share, and perhaps then-some.
We are perverse creatures indeed! I don’t REALLY know why we elect to deceive ourselves into thinking things are such-and-such a way when clear evidence leads to a contrary conclusion, but THAT WE DO is something we simply need to discern, and deal with.
Often, I think, we use self-deception to have a more comfortable life: specifically, a more relaxed mental state.
This can be true for the Christian engaged in the spiritual warfare, especially in light of the attendant “hounding” and incessant pressures that go with it. The beleagured believer, so engaged, can either face the hostility of spirtual forces in every forum – public, church, home – or can “make believe” that things are as they should be, and try to “fit in” fellowship and worship in that “made up” context.
After 30 years of Christian life, I am persuaded that this “make believe” leads us to catastophic crises in our Christian life. It upsets our normally peaceful and restful spiritual state, replacing it rather with periods of a false and soulish “care free” attitude, suddenly broken by periods of depression that arise from “reality checks.”
And that is because “make believe” is not faith, but {it is sin|Rom 14:23}.
Faith comes (only) from the {report of the Word of God|Rom 10:17}. Whatsover (every Word) proceeds from the mouth of God is {what sustains|Mat 4:4} us. For this reason, we are {taught to pray|Lu 11:3} that every day, God would give us this “coming down, going upon (epi-ousiov, not ‘daily’) bread”: we need it to live.
Without this bread to sustain us, we live according to the dismal dictates of our fallen minds, which being informed from the senses, formulate conclusions and directions based on the “wisdom” of this world, which is {soulish, and demon-like|Ja 3:15}.
Merely “purposing” to maintain a spiritual mind is powerless. But daily seeking that bread which sustains “real life” will keep us from a world of make-believe.
Comment by Chad » 11th October, 2006 @ 10:23:07 AM
Thanks for this. It’s very concise, efficient. Nails the important points without getting wordy and you’re not getting all impressed with your own flowery language, a vice that detracts somewhat from, for one example, C.H. Spurgeon’s work sometimes. I needed this reminder. Also, it helps me to word things to others who need this reminder, in, as I say, more concise language than I might have been able to come up with.
As a result of reading this, I’m intending to check out the rest of the site. God bless you.
Comment by Gail Olney » 13th October, 2008 @ 05:22:51 AM
Every day God gives me a word after saying the Lord’s prayer and sometimes a vision! Today the word was “make believe”. I was very moved by the way you handeled this topic. I was asking God? What am I making believe about? and Does this have anything to do with the relationship I am in or think I am in? Well it was very amazing that the Lord said to me all the running away from truth or the confronting situations and having to know what is going on was replaced by a peace of a “quiet stillness” and rest in Him… Without God’s grace I would never understand anything nor would I ever hope to see clearly! The smoke and mirrors of life turns our heads to the want to have to’s or else beleiving in the make believe of the battle that stands in front of us (FEAR, False Evidence Appearing REal) versus the beautiful reality of a dream of believing in what we don’t see! And the Love we experience as a result helps us to be better than we ever were before knowing that the closer we are to our Lord and Savior the more “clearly” we see!!!!
p.s. send me some scripture to back this up please.. make believe = world… reality = God’s kingdom the things we do not see but believe with all our hearts!
Comment by donald brown » 25th August, 2010 @ 11:41:37 AM
I appreciate clearness which gives anyone who reads you a distinct advantage over those who do not read.