Brad,
Great post!
Lots to digest here.
Thanks for sending it to the list.
Virgie and Hoshi
----- Original Message -----
From: "MV" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 6:29 PM
Subject: Did I do that? ... last time think got it


> Hope I got it now.
>
> "It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows
>
> to make inquiry" --Proverbs :25
>
> If any of you were watching TV back in the 80s on Friday nights, there
> were
>
> a couple of shows yet with some moral value and lessons that were pointed
>
> at the listener. One of those shows was a show called "Family Matters" One
>
> of the characters was a skinny, sort of gangly early Afro American teen
> with large glasses, suspenders that hiked his pants a good four inches off
>
> the tops of his tennis shoes, postured himself quite awkwardly and if that
>
> posture was animated, would be represented quite well as a question mark.
> He spoke with a squeaky nasal voice as if words came straight out of his
> nose, and laughed with an infamous snort if you were familiar with the
> show. A completely geeky yet lovable character. He also however had a
> brain
>
> the size of his geekness, a prodigy genius. And even though his genius
> saved the day many times at the end of the show, he yet still managed to
> find himself in trouble as a product of his clumsy bungling of common
> sense
>
> resulting in a disaster, mostly in trouble with the TV shows father figure
>
> Carl Winslow, a Chicago police detective trying to raise a family with
> integrity and morals. The phrase that best noted this young geeky teen
> named Steve Urkel was the words "Did I do that"? Knowing full well what he
>
> had done but presented his unintended victim with an innocently spoken
> phrase hoping to lower the sentence of verbal thrashing or punishment
> about
>
> to befall him. What in the world does that have to do with the above
>  scripture?
>
> As Christians have we ever been given something holy from God and used it
> for our own devices? Devoured it unto our own purposes or will? And
> afterwards inquire as if to say "Did I do that?". Looking at this
> scripture
>
> I see two facets. One being the use of that which God has given us for
> godly use, and we full well knowingly utilize it for our own selfish
> pleasures or uses. Secondly to vow we have heard from God on an issue,
> follow through on it and then question whether we are doing right, as if
> to
>
> question God's direction. One translation called it a sin to do such, and
> although I don't see the inference of sin in the definition of the words
> here explicitly. No doubt it is not something we want to do, it is not
> something God wants us to do, but the scripture doesn't call it sin here.
> However, if we superimpose or interpret the scripture above with the
> scripture that states that it is sin for those who know what to do but do
> not do it, yes it indeed is.
>
> "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to
> him it is sin." -- James 4:17-5:1
>
> But the word "snare" or "trap" as is translated in some versions caught my
>
> eye as it were. The word is defined as a noose for literally or
> figuratively catching an animal, or a ring for the nose. Ouch! Well I
> guess
>
> teens of today are piercing and putting rings in just about everything,
> and
>
> on their own free will, but I digress from that rabbit trail. The point or
>
> implication I see from this word "snare" or "trap" is that of a
> uncontrolled leading, a sense of being "led up the garden path" as an
> Aussie might say. Imagine having a ring in your nose with someone's finger
>
> through it pulling, or a rope tied to it just as those actions of using
> gifts of God for selfish purposes, to devour it for yourself, futile
> gratification, or financial gain trap or snare you. Who do you think is at
>
> the end of the rope pulling you along? Clue. It isn't the Father, Son or
> Holy Spirit. As I listen to Rich Mullins, an integretous and respected
> Christian singer/songwriter who seemingly prematurely had been thrust to
> be with God as a result of an auto accident in the mid 90's, as I write,
> I'm reminded of a part of an interview I heard with him on the radio. He
> said he of course loves to sing and write and etc., but that is not why he
>
> is motivated to do it as he does, it is out of a sense of responsibility
> for the gifts he has been given. That spoke volumes to me and I think is a
>
> great representation of one of the precepts this scripture teaches. To not
>
> devour what God has given for our own satiated appetites. Recently I was
> listening to the hearings by Congress as they interrogated Judge John
> Roberts, the nominee for the Supreme Court justice. After they read a
> quote
>
> of his regarding the empty spaces in law, and how that affected the
> courts,
>
> the congressional questioner sarcastically asked him if it ever occurred
> to
>
> him that perhaps Congress purposed those blank spaces in law. They asked
> him if he thought that the position of judge ought be to change those
> blank
>
> spaces in law by the courts rulings, or uphold law and judge according to
> the existing law. He said that his job was to judge the cases in light of
>
> the law, but when the court has been presented with a case where the law
> is
>
> silent, he has no choice by his appointment and position but to make a
> ruling, and if that ruling does in fact change the trend of law, he can't
> help that. He has a duty and is responsible to find a ruling whether there
>
> is law applicable to that particular case or not. Sometimes as Christians
>
> we are faced with similar. We aren't necessarily out to judge, but
> sometimes we are faced with a question, situation or event in which we are
>
> forced to make a ruling, or for a better perspective we might call it a
> discernment. In years past I've been faced with an invitation to attend a
> Jamaican mission trip with a particular ministry. And while I'm sure there
>
> are non-Christians in Jamaica, and there are folks in need, I clearly got
>
> the impression this was not just a mission trip. I got the impression this
>
> is an excuse for a vacation. There is a difference in perhaps taking a
> vacation and for a vacation's purpose, and yet use it for God's use and
> will, yes. It is quite another when you utilize a tax-exempt mission trip
> for an excuse to have fun in the sun. For example, "God has told me to go
>
> on this mission trip", yet in the heart see sandy beaches, sun tan lotion
> and ethnic eateries. Because I was approached with an invitation, in light
>
> of scripture, and knowing the ministry, the doctrine, the facts and etc. I
>
> was forced to make a judgment or ruling in this presentation to me. I felt
>
> if I had gone, I would have used what God gave for my own pleasures, and
> the ministry in which I would have been associated with would have as
> well.
>
> I didn't want to be in a position of asking God 85 "Oh. Did I do that?".
>
> Just as offensive is the making of a vow and then inquiring or questioning
>
> it. I can't help but think of the scripture of "Let your yeses be yes, and
>
> your noes be no. Vows are not taken lightly by God, and ought not be with
> us as well. If we proclaim we are hearing from God on an issue and act
> upon
>
> it, we had better made sure we are indeed hearing from God and follow
> through. Pity the person who uses the Holy Spirit as excuses to carry out
> a
>
> self-created plan. Imagine holding a Holy Spirit badge out in front and
> perform or proclaim something that is not within God's will. That could be
>
> likened to a police officer showing a badge to a person at the door of
> their home, them letting them in, and the police officer stealing their
> goods as if to confiscate evidence where there was no crime or need for
> confiscation. When a person says he or she has heard from God, and
> proclaims that, it does not come free of responsibility because with that
> statement carries the interpretation of God's character by those within
> hearing distance. Paul praised God in the midst of his prison cell, and
> scripture says the prisoners were listening. They were affected because of
>
> what a godly man had done and proclaimed. How much more then does that
> affect others when we say "God has told me 85" This type of proclamation
> joins both parts of this scripture that of a questioned or questionable
> vow
>
> and the devouring for selfish indulgences of that which God has given.
> Equally is it a snare if we begin to question direction we've heard from
> God. Granted we are human, we make mistakes, we in fact do have to suffer
>
> what we invite upon ourselves, we sometimes are left to "sleep in the bed
> we've made" as they say. That is a type of discipline God performs and if
> we weren't legitimate kids of his, he would not discipline us. However, I
> do also believe that because of our faithfulness, even in those times of
> missing God, when we honestly and earnestly believe we are following God,
> and if in fact perhaps we have missed his direction or walked off the path
>
> yet holding good and godly intentions to please God, I believe he will
> apply Romans 8:28, making good on all things for those who love him and
> for his good. Are we excused from having to sleep a night or two in the
> bed we made? No. But we are assured we are able to get up the next morning
>
> knowing God is with us and that we are forgiven. As I often find myself
> saying, and is reflected in David, "it is a matter of the heart". That is
> what Jesus was trying to get across to the Pharisees while they touted
> their legalistic rituals. God looks at the heart of man and not the
> outward
>
> man. That is detrimental to some, to those who try to deceive and fool
> potential followers, and use that for their own satisfaction. And yet so
> great for those who screw up yet have a heart that is pointed towards God
>
> and honestly and truly want to please God and receive not only
> forgiveness,
>
> but those mistakes are not imputed or added up against us.
>
> So there is much we can look at in life and match it up to those few words
>
> in this Proverbs and hopefully we will not find ourselves saying "Oh. Did
> I
>
> do that?".
>
> Brad