April Fool!
Many of you have seen the movie “Ground Hog Day”. For those who have not and for those who have; but have forgotten, because of “senioritis”, I include a brief summary, courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day
Self-centered and sour TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Bill Murray), news producer Rita (Andy MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott) from fictional Pittsburgh television station WPBH-TV9 travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities with Punxsutawney Phil. Having grown tired of this assignment, Phil grudgingly gives his report and attempts to return to Pittsburgh when a blizzard shuts down the roads. Phil and his team are forced to return to Punxsutawney and stay in town overnight.
Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one else aware of the time loop, and only Phil aware of past events. At first he is confused, but, when the phenomenon continues on subsequent days, he decides to take advantage of the situation with no fear of long-term consequences: he learns secrets from the town's residents, seduces women, steals money, drives recklessly, and gets thrown in jail. However, his attempts to get closer to Rita repeatedly fail.
Eventually, Phil becomes despondent and tries more and more drastically to end the time loop; he gives ridiculous and offensive reports on the festival, abuses residents, eventually kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil and, after a police chase, drives into a quarry, evidently killing both himself and the groundhog. However, Phil wakes up and finds that nothing has changed; further attempts at suicide are just as fruitless as he continues to find himself awaking at six o'clock on the morning of February 2 with the clock radio on his nightstand playing "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, as on each previous day. Phil then goes through each of the seven deadly sins as the days repeat.
When Phil explains the situation to Rita, she suggests that he should take advantage of it to improve himself. Inspired, Phil endeavors to try to learn more about Rita, building upon his knowledge of her and the town each day. He begins to use his by-now vast experience of the day to help as many people around town as possible. He uses the time to learn, among other things, to play piano, ice sculpt and speak French.
Eventually, Phil is able to befriend almost everyone he meets during the day, using his experiences to save lives, help townspeople, and to get closer to Rita. He fixes car tires and people's backs, saves several townspeople from certain death, and crafts a report on the Groundhog Day celebration so eloquent that all the other stations turn their microphones to him. That evening, Phil and Rita attend the town's Groundhog Day party, where the two of them dance while all the townspeople whom Phil did tasks for that day line up to thank him. The party holds a bachelor auction, and bids for Phil grow higher until Rita, amazed by his selflessness, declares her winning bid. Outside, Phil presents Rita with a lifelike bust made of snow and they kiss. It is true love, and it conquers all: Phil is surprised as snow begins to fall, which is a departure from his recollection of the day's events. They retire together to Phil's room, and he wakes the next morning to find the time loop is broken; it is now February 3 and Rita is still with him. Phil is jubilant. He looks out the window and sees that everything's empty. After they go outside into the freshly-fallen snow, Phil lifts Rita over the gate as if over the threshold into a whole new life, and floats the idea of the two of them living on in Punxsutawney.
Sadly this is the tale of the spiritual journey of most people alive today and those who have ever lived. In fact it is a Biblical fact that as time goes on, it will become more the norm.
Paul tells Timothy:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
The world’s knowledge base grows daily and with the internet, it is widely available. The quest for knowledge is the lifeblood of today’s secular humanist. It has invaded our “christian” churches. I put quotation marks around the word “Christian” and intentionally did not capitalize it because I do not think that many are “Christian” or have anything in common with Christ. It is even sadder that it has also invaded the “Christian” churches. It is sad but expected and prophesied. That does not mean that it should be accepted. The apostasy of Israel was predicted and prophesied; but God always wanted them to repent. God still wants men to turn to him. One of the reasons that God removes His blessings from societies and individuals, is to bring them to repentance.
Many people know about God. Fewer know God. Boston, Harvard, Duke and Yale are considered top universities in the field of theology. You will learn a lot about God there but I fear that you have a better chance getting to know God sitting on your back porch than sitting in one of their classrooms. I fear that the same can be said for many of today’s churches.
Even the demons know about God and they fear Him; but they will never be saved because they will never accept Him as Lord.
The last blog dealt with God spitting out the Laodicean church because they were lukewarm. The church Paul describes in 2 Timothy is the lukewarm church. It is the church that has lost it’s saltiness described by Jesus in Matthew 5:
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
How useful am I? How useful are you? Are we worth more to God, dead or alive? (see previous blog)
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