Does God Still Speak to us in Dreams?

I was planning to write a post about free speech as our open-air keeps getting shut down in Rochdale, then I thought about the importance of relevancy in evangelism because people don’t want to hear irrelevant news. 

Somehow, these topics didn’t inspire me and then last night, I had a dream…..

 In my dream, I was standing in front of a mirror in the toilets of a hospital, presumably washing my hands. A girl appeared at the wash-basin next to me and I saw her reflection in the mirror. Her head was shaved completely and she was dragging an intravenous drip containing medications. She was wearing a dressing gown and looked very unwell.

 On seeing my face in the mirror she immediately smiled and enthusiastically said my name. I looked closer but I didn’t recognise the girl. It was difficult to put an age on her due to the absence of hair on her head. Despite my lack of acknowledgement, she began chattering about things that had happened in the past. It was obvious that she knew me and knew me well. I concluded that we must have been good friends.

The girl told me that she had been given a terminal cancer diagnosis and only had two months to live. I felt terribly sad for her. She asked if I could come and visit her and proceeded to escort me to her ward.

At this point, I realised that I needed to say something rather than just allowing myself to be swept along by the girl’s excitement at recognising an old friend. I said simply, “You know that if I come and visit you, I will be speaking to you about Jesus.”

The girl hesitated and temporarily let go of my arm. Then, she nodded and quietly said, “I know I didn’t want to hear this stuff before, but now I’ve got nothing to lose.”

 Then, I woke up.

It’s fair to say that a dream like this is unsettling. Is there an old friend somewhere in the UK dying of cancer that I’m meant to share the Gospel with? Is that person actually in Southeast Asia or America or another part of the world that I’ve visited on my travels? Is it someone I knew in the UK who now lives elsewhere? 

If I start thinking like this, the possibilities are endless and could lead to panic as I try to identify them before it’s too late!
 
Perhaps, I should try to work out what my dream means by reading the Bible? After all, that’s always good advice, isn’t it? 

My Old Testament reading today states this:
 
    “When there is a prophet among you. I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.” (Numbers 12 vs 6)
 
According to this verse, the only one in my reading today that refers to dreams, if God sent my dream, I must be a prophet. Hmmm…
 
This may sound silly, but sadly this is how some Christians respond to every dream, sign or other seemingly miraculous event in their lives. They come up with their own interpretation of what God is saying and take Bible verses out of context to support their chosen path. I sometimes meet confused people who have done this and are still focusing on a dream wrongly interpreted and sometimes even confirmed by unwise church leaders.
 
If God had been wanting me to take some specific course of action in relation to an individual, the person would probably have had a face that I recognised. God doesn’t hide His will from us; He wants us to find it. The Bible passage that I read can’t be applied to this situation as, clearly, I’m not a prophet.
 
So, is my dream worthless? Did I eat too much cheese yesterday?
 
Well, God is in control and He allowed me to have this dream so it may be useful. I can take certain things from the dream, submit them to the Bible and perhaps take a less drastic course of action than frantically travelling the world to find my unidentified dying friend.
 
    -The theme of the dream is obviously the urgency of evangelism. The girl had been given two months to live which had put everything into perspective for her. The distractions of the world were no longer her focus as she faced death and eternity. Some here would object to Christians preying on the vulnerable, but the reality is that this girl needs to be offered hope for a future life in Heaven. Surely, telling a person how they might be forgiven of sin and find peace with God is the loving and kind thing to do at the end of their earthly life.
 
    -The dream could be a reminder that it’s never too late to make peace with God. In conversations on the street people often tell me that it’s too late for them which we know isn’t true because of stories like the thief on the cross who received forgiveness as he was dying. However, occasionally, someone asks a question like, “Can I do this at any time?” The answer is always, “Yes, but don’t leave it too long as we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.”
 
    -Another aspect of the dream might be that a person may be more likely to listen to someone they already have a connection with whether it’s current or from the past. My main evangelistic work is with strangers but I still have responsibility to share with people I know.    
 
   -We can also see from the dream that although someone has rejected God in the past, their circumstances might change and they may be willing to listen on a second, third or fourth attempt.  So, we should persevere and not give up even if they have previously told us they aren't interested. We must find the courage to try again.
 
     -The setting of the dream was a hospital. As a result of attending the FEW conference for evangelists a few weeks ago, I had already looked into the possibility of joining Good News for Everyone (GNFE). One of the reasons for this was to try and get Bibles into places locally, including hospitals and to have conversations with people in these settings. I had spoken to one of my church leaders, who is involved with GNFE and I’m hoping to attend a prayer meeting with local members soon. Perhaps, the dream was a reminder not to forget this ministry and to ensure I get to that meeting.
 
   -In the dream, I was also struck by how alone the girl appeared to be. Being given a terminal diagnosis with such a short time left, will make a person feel alone even if they are surrounded by friends and family, but we mustn’t assume people have a support network as there are plenty of people who don’t have anyone. We know this because of the tragic cases of people who die in their homes and lay undiscovered for weeks, months and even years because no one has missed them. You might be the only person who cares for someone.
 
   -The final lesson that can be extracted from the dream is the importance of taking every opportunity to share the Gospel. It would have been easy to enjoy reminiscing and there probably were plenty of memories that could have made the girl’s last days enjoyable enough, but her greatest need in that moment was to hear that Jesus saves and that she needs to get right with God. It was interesting that, in the dream, she responded as if she knew what was coming when she encouraged me to visit her. It wasn’t the reason she asked me, but she was open to the possibility in a way that she hadn’t been before. I only found this out when I braved the conversation.
 
Perhaps, you’re thinking that I’m over analysing my dream and that there’s no way God intended to communicate all of this to me or maybe that I come across as a bit too much of a hero. I did wonder this myself as, confronted with this situation in reality, I may not have been as bold as I was in my dream.  
 
However, all of the things that I’ve extracted can also be found in the Bible and are a good motivator for evangelism so I think they are profitable.
 
To answer my original question: Does God still speak to us in dreams? 

I don’t really know, but if He does, He will confirm anything He wants us to learn through His Word and it will always be in context.

Why “Imagine” is Not the Right Song for Armistice Day, or Any Day

I was driving along earlier today listening to the radio. There was a 2-minute silence at 11am to remember the Armistice at the end of World War 1, and to honour those that lost their lives.

Immediately after the silence, I recognised the first notes of the melancholic song, Imagine, by John Lennon. Probably one of the most well-known songs of all time, certainly in the Western world.

The first words, which people tend to mouth zombie-like as they let the music wash over them, “Imagine there’s no Heaven, it’s easy if you try. No Hell below us, above us only sky.”

As a Christian, I’m likely going to take issue with this lyric whatever the context. But the fact that many of the soldiers who lost their lives in the early twentieth century were also Christians who are now enjoying the Heaven that Lennon wanted us to imagine away makes this an odd song choice for the occasion.

In the next verses, Lennon describes a world without pain, suffering and death. A world of equality where everybody lives at peace with their fellow man. Dare I say it, a world without sin. This sounds remarkably like the Heaven God has prepared for those who love Him. I guess it’s not so easy to erase Heaven from our collective minds after all.

The fact that Lennon tells us to use our imaginations in the first place demonstrates knowledge that creative thinking is required because reality paints a different picture.

Similarly with Santa Claus, we create this fantasy world loved by children globally. Yet, we all remember the day we finally understood that it wasn’t real. The loss and disappointment as the final glimpse of the miraculous escaped our grasp and we came down to Earth with a bump (I’m not taking a position on whether or not parents should teach their children about Santa.)

Surely, we wouldn’t dream of attempting to do the same thing with adults, to try and convince them to determine reality through their imaginations. Yet is that not what this song tries to do?

If I imagine that I am the Queen of a country or imagine that I can fly, would you endorse or encourage? No, you would be afraid in case I acted on the craziness my imaginings had created and seek to stop me getting arrested, sectioned or killed.

Why, then is a song like Imagine that magics away the realities of Heaven and Hell, and the consequences of sin, so popular? Well precisely for this reason. If there is no God, there is no accountability, no judgement, no after-life, so we can live as we please. Lennon even says this, “Imagine all the people, living for today.”

Is closing our eyes to the evidence that there is a God and an afterlife, a Heaven and a Hell, a sensible way to live? Will creating a world of our own imaginations that doesn’t actually exist achieve anything at all?

The obvious answer is no as like the person who imagines they are Queen or can fly, a rude awakening beckons.

The reality is that there will never be peace on Earth, and suffering, sickness and death will continue, until the day God wraps things up, as a consequence of sin.

The good news, that we can discover not through our imaginations, but in the Bible which is 100% reliable, is that Jesus died for our sin on the cross paving the way for us to be forgiven and to spend eternity in Heaven.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather base my eternal security on reality than the imaginings of a famous dead musician, who now knows that God exists.

Revelation 21:1-5 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Revelation 22:1-5 ESV

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Helpless Addict or Slave to Sin?

In a previous post, I asked the question, “What are you living for?” I suggested various things that people live for and how these can become idols if we don’t keep them in their proper place.

What happens, though, when we find ourselves obsessed with things that seem to have the power to control us? When we’ve already succumbed to the temptation and find ourselves in the grip of an addiction from which it seems impossible to break free.

I’ve just finished reading, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Perhaps, some of you are already wondering why on earth I would be reading such a book. Don’t worry, I found myself wondering the same thing several times as I progressed.

I read this book because I wanted to see whether the perspective of the author on shopaholism is what had resulted in the crazy numbers of sales of this series. In other words, I was curious about how the author would deal with something that, judging by the title, she classes as an addiction. What solutions would Sophie Kinsella offer for those trapped in these situations?

I definitely set the bar too high by expecting to find anything really useful in a worldly book written to appeal to the masses. Kinsella takes a light-hearted, humourous, (and in places offensive), approach to the subject of shopping addiction. She recommends; ignoring debt letters until your cards are cancelled, continuing to spend like a crazy person whenever you feel unhappy or just whenever you see something you want, lying to all and sundry about anything and everything, including lying on your CV to get a job that you know nothing about, and borrowing from strangers. Oh, and sleeping with someone because they are rich and famous.

Kinsella’s message is not very subtle: poor Becky Bloomwood is at the mercy of her addiction and unable to do anything about it. First, she tries cutting down her spending only to find that she ends up spending more money by investing in things she needs in order to cut down. She abandons this plan and decides she needs instead to make more money. After a few failed projects, she eventually manages this by a stroke of luck, and that is the solution to her shopping addiction because now she can get out of debt and continue spending in a self-indulgent fashion.

I’m aware this is a fictional character, but the author is attempting to comment on the realities that some people face. This isn’t Alice in Wonderland where everything is topsy turvy and things get curiouser and curiouser in a nonsensical universe. Becky Bloomwood is, by all accounts, a relatively normal girl attempting to navigate life and struggling due to her addiction to buying things, whether or not she can afford them.

Kinsella turns her character’s very real obsession with spending and shopping into a joke, or at least something that is normal. She underpins and cements society’s erroneous belief that if they could just make more money, then everything would be okay, and they would be happy. She forgets that most people live to their income; they increase their standard of living according to how much they earn. It will always be the same people in debt and struggling to make ends meet however much they earn. Even those who win huge sums of money often end up bankrupt and miserable.

Money cannot buy happiness. The Bible tells us to be content with what we have and not to covet/desire the things we don’t. The more things we have the more we will want because eventually we will become dissatisfied and want something better.

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13 vs 5

As someone who has struggled with addictions to, among other things, gambling, alcohol and smoking. I can look back and see the point where I gave in to the temptation to play the slot machines, drink too much and buy a pack of cigarettes. Each time I did these things after that first wrong choice, it became easier, and I needed more of whatever it was to keep me interested and satisfied. The more I gave in, the more the thing began to take over my life and to control me. At times, I was living for my next drink/night out and the thrill of risking (losing!) some money to make more. It was all I could think about and my life revolved around the obsession.

This is how I know that, despite what the experts may tell us, addiction to anything begins with giving in to a sinful temptation. The Bible speaks about our consciences being seared with a hot iron or becoming dulled if we persistently ignore them. Ending up addicted to anything is not about genetics, or life’s circumstances, it’s about sinful choices. This is evidenced by the lives of those who come from terrible backgrounds but still manage to make something of themselves.

Kinsella’s book is full of bad language, in particular frequent uses of God’s name as a swear word. At one point, the character, Becky Bloomwood, even writes a diatribe about having become a “born again Christian” to her bank as a reason for not paying off her debts. The tone used in the reply from the bank is contemptuous towards the character but also towards God. I was surprised to find this mockery of the Christian faith in this book as it has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject matter.

On reflection, I realised that God has everything to do with this subject. Sophie Kinsella has thrown in a laugh at the expense of a God who she rejects and considers worthy of contempt. The fear of God, in generations past, has all but disappeared, leaving a dangerous irreverence and willingness to mock a Deity who is considered insignificant and irrelevant. These books have become so popular because the author’s modern-day readers feel the same way about God and are not afraid to join with her in expressing it.

Kinsella no doubt began by blaspheming as a child, she ignored her conscience telling her that it was wrong to speak God’s name in this way. It became more frequent and her conscience was dulled. Now, she has become a best-selling author and is helping to sear the consciences of her readers who soak up this material and allow the name of God to be profaned without a second thought.

I’m sure you can see the parallel between the willingness to use bad language and the way other addictions develop. It all starts by ignoring our God given conscience and choosing to give in to sinful temptations. (Of course, sin begins in our hearts which are corrupt, but that’s another topic.)

Do people end up at the mercy of their addictions? Yes, of course they do. We can see it all around us, whether it be addictions to shopping, drugs, alcohol or something else that has taken over our lives and become an unhealthy obsession that consumes us.

What, then, is the solution?

The first thing is to recognise that whatever it is that has enslaved you began with a sinful choice. Don’t blame it on someone else, or your background or circumstances. Take responsibility for it and face up to the consequences.

The good news is that there is hope. God created us and knows exactly how we are wired and how our bodies and minds function. He is the only One who can truly help us to break free of these addictions by enabling us to exercise self control. We may also need support and help from other people and practical advice about changing habits and behaviours, but it all starts with acknowledging that we have sinned against God and by asking for His help.

All sin is against God and the Bible says that we are all guilty. Giving in to temptation and allowing any substance, habit or material thing to take over our lives is a sin as it has become an idol to us. God sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sin. Jesus paid the penalty so that we don’t have to. He literally stepped in and took our place. It is through Jesus that we can be free of addictions and obsessions that are controlling our lives.

I read another book recently, From Alcoholism to Africa, on the subject of addictions, and extracted this quotation which sums up how all addictions, (including shopaholism), can be dealt with:

“Whilst I was reading the Bible I could not find any sin called 'alcoholism' or any reference to me being a sick person, it was called 'drunkenness' and the Bible said if I acknowledged, confessed and repented my sin I could be forgiven. Also in 1 John 1 it says that if I am without sin I am calling God a liar and the truth is not in me. The Word of God is the Truth and it is the truth that sets me free. God was definitely working on me as I read the Bible.”

Praise God that we are not helpless addicts, nor do we need to be slaves to sin, because Jesus died to set us free!

Why It's Not Okay For a Christian to Date, Court or Marry a Non-Believer

It's safe to say that the enemy is having a field day in the area of unequal yokes (believers becoming romantically entangled with non-believers.) I would go as far as to suggest that it is the biggest danger and strongest area of temptation a Christian can face, especially for younger people. I hear it all the time and the list of reasons is extensive. 

I succumbed as a teenager, so I’m also speaking from personal experience. After a painful break-up with a Christian, and having just been baptised, declaring my faith publicly, I fell in dramatic fashion. A man who seemed to be exactly what I was looking and hoping for appeared suddenly on the scene when I was still reeling and hurt from what had gone before. The only problem, he wasn’t a believer, well, not yet anyway, but that would change, wouldn’t it?

Determined that I wouldn’t make the same mistakes as so many of my peers, and thinking my situation was somehow different, I ignored the advice of everyone. I persuaded him to come to church with me. I resisted making the relationship official knowing what the Bible says about these things. But, my heart was committed and I was emotionally attached. I was walking the danger line and it was just a matter of time before I veered over the edge.

Six years later, my life a broken mess and a string of relationships with non-believers behind me, I woke up. I decided that enough was enough. Knowing the way home, I repented of my many sins, and returned to a patient and gracious God. That was twelve years ago, but, things could have been very different if I had heeded the warnings in Scripture or listened to those who were trying to get through to me. My life could also have been very different if I had married one of those men.

Let me ask you, do you recognise any of these? They may be spoken aloud or remain hidden in the heart:

·         “I’m the only Christian he knows. How will he be saved if I break up with him?”

·         “She was brought up in the church and our views are almost the same.”

·         “He’s from a good Christian family, his mother and sister are Christians.”

·         “God has told me that she is the one.”

·         “She’s willing to wait until we are married.”

·         “We’re just friends, I’m praying for her.”

·         “He’s been coming to church with me. I think he’s nearly ready.”

·         “Why would God have allowed our paths to cross if we weren’t meant to be together?”

·         “My pastor says it’s okay as long as we don’t have sex.”

·         “That Bible passage isn’t talking about romantic relationships.”

·         “I just have an inner sense that we are meant to be together.”

·         “I don’t think I’ll meet anyone else and I want to have a family.”

·         “My friends really like her, she fits in.”

·         “Everyone is getting married, I don’t want to be lonely.”

·         “I’ve waited for God and He hasn’t delivered, I’ll have to make my own happiness.”

·         “God can’t expect me to be alone forever.”

·         “My church leader said that sometimes God makes allowances.”

·         “I know of a couple where it worked out and he became a Christian. They are very happy”

·         “He is more moral than a lot of Christian people I know.”

·         “The Bible doesn’t apply to us today. Things have moved on.”

·         “She supports my faith and thinks it’s a good thing.”

·         “God knows my weaknesses and He will forgive me.”

·         “God wouldn’t want me to break the commitment I have made to marry her.”

·         “Once we’re married everything will be okay, she will believe because she loves me.”

·         “My situation is different and I know things will work out.”

·         “He accepts my faith and doesn’t want me to change.”

·         “We’re saved by grace, remember? God loves me too much to deny me this relationship.”

·         “My faith is strong enough to endure the temptation, I won’t fall away.”

·         “But, I love him and can’t imagine my life with anyone else.”

There are surely others that you have heard or maybe even wrestled with yourself. The devil has perfected his strategy having dealt with many subjects over the years.  He whispers lies and takes us captive to the feelings and emotions that are racing in our hearts and minds. It’s practically impossible to be objective when we are already in the situation.

All sorts of Christians, from all different backgrounds, with perfectly good intentions have slipped into sin by listening to one or more of the lies listed above. If we tell ourselves something often enough, we start to believe it, whether or not it is the truth. We can dull our conscience until the guilt that kept us awake at night becomes a dull ache and then fades away almost completely. Not totally though, provided we are really saved, there will still be a sense that things are not quite right. Believe it or not, that is God’s grace, reminding us that we cannot be satisfied or fulfilled without Him even though He has been temporarily side-lined.

I cannot address those who don’t believe the Bible or who don’t see it as authoritative. Those people have more serious issues and cannot be called Christians in any real sense. Take away the Bible and there is no foundation for faith. The Bible is God’s Word and we should seek to obey it.

If you do take the Bible seriously, you need to know that it is clear on the subject of relationships between believers and non-believers. In 2 Corinthians 6 vs 14-16:

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God” (ESV)

I think John MacArthur’s comments on this passage are helpful here;

“This passage identifies two opposing worlds.  The terminology is clear.  One of those worlds is marked by righteousness, light, Christ, believers, and the presence of God.  The other is marked by lawlessness, darkness, Satan, unbelievers, and the presence of false gods.  And these two worlds are utterly different and distinct, so much so that they are mutually exclusive. 

They cannot work together in common partnership; they cannot fellowship together.  They are not in harmony with one another.  One is old; the other is new.  One is earthly; the other is heavenly.  One is deadly; the other is life giving.  One is wicked; the other holy.  One is built on lies; the other is all truth.  One perishes and the other lives eternally.” (https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/47-45)

Personally, I never considered the arguments that the Bible passage didn’t apply or that God meant something different. I knew what the Bible said and that my decision to have a relationship with a non-believer was displeasing to Him, so I just stayed away from the church. Ultimately, I became a prodigal.

I wasn’t guilty of hypocrisy by claiming to live a Christian life—those that do are not just harming themselves but are also damaging the integrity of the church in the eyes of the world. Don’t claim to be a Christian if you are living in wilful disobedience and don’t try to justify yourself by blaming God. That’s what the religious leaders in Jesus’ day were doing and they were severely rebuked for it.

What about the occasional story about couples where one party was converted later than the other? From a different perspective, does God ever bless disobedience? The answer to that question is a definite “no.” So, those who believe that they have somehow been brought together by God and that He would have them disobey a clear command in Scripture are wrong.

There are instances where God is gracious to a person and brings good out of bad. He may forgive our wrong choices and use us anyway, but there are always consequences. Nine times out of ten, or maybe ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the non-believer ends up drawing the Christian away from Christ.

There are many sins in the mix in these situations but the main one is idolatry. We are placing a person ahead of our relationship with God. It is easy to become blind to the reality and irrational—the enemy makes us think that we must be with that person and it becomes the most important priority in our lives. Is another human being ever really that incredible, or have we been drawn into a fantasy world?

We forget that we serve a good God who loves us and knows the desires of our hearts. That He is all powerful and more than capable of leading us to the right marriage partner at the right time. We attempt to do God’s work for him and make a mess of it. We are impatient and impulsive and forget that our hearts are sinful and lead us astray. We think that we can handle it and that we know what we are doing. We place ourselves on God’s throne and suffer the consequence.

God’s commands are there for our benefit and protection. He didn’t make them up to ruin our fun or for the sake of it. Think of the long-term consequence of becoming emotionally entangled or even married to a non-believer; 

• Unless they see the truth, the partner you love is on their way to hell
• What about your children? How can you teach them the right way if you are divided
• Your priorities, values, focus and purpose in life will be fundamentally different
• Your hobbies, holidays and use of time will be at odds with each other 
• There may be arguments about financial priorities, career prospects, gender roles
  
•  In time, there will be fights about church, personal devotions, beliefs, the Bible 
•  Guilt—a nagging sense that you have sinned and are trapped in the situation
• Different views about love, marriage and relationships
• The loss of the opportunity for unity in a marriage with God at the centre
• Greater likelihood of divorce—a marriage that is divided from the outset may fail
• The church in disarray as disobedience is seen as the norm and others follow the example 
•  God is grieved and your relationship with Him is damaged

Again, I’m sure there are many more that only those who have suffered through them will know.

This post is really a warning to those that are not yet married not to fall into the enemy’s trap. Don’t shut out the voices of those who care about you or isolate yourself from other believers. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn away from your church family thinking you and your partner can go it alone. Listen to the advice of Christians who have made mistakes and heed what they say. You are not invincible and your situation is not different. Talk to your church leader by all means, but if they tell you something that contradicts the Bible, you must obey God rather than men. They will have to give account for their carelessness.

This is not a message about Christian dating, so I’m not going to offer suggestions in that area. I will just say, that it is better to be single than to be with the wrong person, and then either end up falling away from God, or in the middle of a messy divorce a few years down the line. 

Wait and pray, if God has someone for you, you can be sure that He will bring that person along when the time is right.

Why I Won't be Watching "The Shack"

Reviewing books on Goodreads, I find that many of my most popular reviews are actually those where I have given a one star rating. I have also observed that these tend to be the best-selling books, especially in the Christian book market. (The Purpose Driven Life, The Shack, Heaven is for Real)

The popularity could be because more people are aware of the books hence more likely to read a review about them, consider reading them, or have read them in the past. On the other hand, it could be that Christians are lacking discernment in the books that they buy, read and recommend. Therefore, these books end up clogging up the best-seller lists when they really shouldn’t be there in the first place. Tim Challies has written a good review series on Christian best sellers including The Shack.

I am sympathetic to those who act in ignorance or through naivety. I’m sure there have been books I have bought in the past that I wouldn’t want to read now and maybe books that I would read now that I will look back on with a different attitude. This is how the Christian life should be as we progress in holiness and sanctification. What I struggle with, however, is Christians who are aware of the error and decide to overlook it because they want to be entertained. 

The Shack is a book that I have warned a lot of people away from over the years. I was given it as a gift by a well-meaning friend and read just the first few chapters before throwing it away. I was annoyed by the profanity and don’t think it's ever okay for a Christian to swear or use blasphemy in their books whether fiction or non-fiction. My most popular blog post to date is interestingly on that topic.

Aside from the cursing, I couldn’t believe it when members of the Trinity began to appear to the main character as black women.  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about race, it is about gender and the representation of God. 

Representing God the Father as any image, or human, is a serious error even in fiction. We are not to build an image in our minds of God. We cannot reduce Him to our level of comprehension as He is so far above us in all things. Jesus had to die a painful death to reconcile us, as sinful humans, to God the Father due to His holiness. Jesus is the bridge and mediator, we cannot approach God apart from Him, let alone misrepresent Him in this careless way.

Why represent God as a woman? The Bible makes it clear that the authority structure is for a man to be at the head. The Shack is more dangerous because it feeds society's attempts to undermine the biblical gender roles and provides direct support for the feminist agenda. Christians should be standing against cultural trends where they conflict with the Bible, not promoting and supporting them.

And now, there is a movie. Hooray!

In the same way that Christian authors have a responsibility to ensure they are not promoting and advancing erroneous theology, even in fiction. Christian readers must exercise discernment in their reading. It is not legalism, it is necessary and biblical. Why should this be any different for a movie?

If enough Christians refuse to go and see this movie on the basis that the theology is erroneous, even dangerous, then it at least sends a message that the Bible cannot be undermined in this way. It also ensures that non-believers aren’t confused by the misrepresentation of the Christian message like some have been by the Da Vinci Code.

 

If you are not put off by the issues mentioned already, then an examination of the agenda of the author should be enough to make you think twice before reading the book or going to see the movie. This documentary from Paul Flynn is worth watching.

Sadly, I know that many Christians will still go to see this movie. They will go for the entertainment factor, and some will say it is so they can critique it afterwards, or start a Christian conversation with a non-believing friend. But, why start with something so confusing and potentially lead your friend down a blind alley from the outset, there are definitely easier ways to start an evangelistic conversation. Why not pray, then try—would you like to come to church with me on Sunday? or, have you read this Christian book?—Ultimate Questions by John Blanchard is a good opener and the PDF is free here.

God didn't teach us to walk along danger lines or to study falsehood in order to learn error. We should instead study the truth, in the Bible, so that we can recognise error. We are taught to resist evil and to flee from temptation. If we walk along danger lines instead of seeking to be more like Jesus by staying away from the lines, we will eventually veer across the line and fall into sin. It’s human nature and there is an active enemy seeking to devour us!

Christians who go to watch the movie are endorsing the errors in the teaching, undermining the Bible, funding this series and future projects, and encouraging other authors and movie makers to write more of this type of thing.

We need to remember that it is the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way to life. In the latter times, people will gather teachers that say what their itching ears want to hear and we are warned that many will be deceived. The popular way is not God's way. Simply put in this modification of a quotation from G. K. Chesterton,

"Wrong is wrong even if everyone else is doing it. Right is right even if no one else is doing it."

Christians, let’s boycott this movie!

Psalm 101 vs 3

I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.

Romans 16 vs 1

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

1 Timothy 4 vs 7

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;

Philippians 4 vs 8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

2 Timothy 4 vs 3-4

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Proverbs 4 vs 14-15

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.