Desk of Dennis PillerFearlessly Courageous2 27 2023Click for Audio Version
Chasing Fantasy – Finding Biblical Principles In Renewal
What does that mean to you? We all have fantasies, dreams, wishes, and goals, but what are the godly principles to guide you along life’s road? I have often wondered what my principles and moral filter looked like as I navigated each of them over my life. Honestly, in retrospect, I don’t recall a high level of intentionally sifting them through a godly filter. Rather I think it was more my own fantasy of what I wanted and desired at that moment that often led me through many undesirable seasons of disappointment, bad habits, friends, and rotten roots that didn’t die easily while some still live within me.Biblical principles come from the great law of love. This law of love means Christians are to show love to God, others, and themselves because God loves them. (the two greatest commandments.)How do you know if your intentions are flawed?Pastor Hal Meyer gave a sermon that gave a heavy slant to dating but I think that his principles go far beyond that. We have good intentions to cover many different areas of life. It’s far easier to choose good intentions than a God-filtered legacy. So in effect, we are choosing fantasy… our ever-changing emotions and desires, over a God-centered legacy of his standards, principles, morality, and character all wrapped up in the love of Christ.
In our fantasy, we simply follow our fleshly wants and desires – an easy walk – no thinking required – A feel-good movie, person, easy acceptance, a forbidden fruit that’s easy to enter because of a particular friend or upbringing.
God’s way to Christ centeredness is a narrow path that requires obedience – faithfulness, unselfishness, sacrifice, and holding out for God’s best versus settling for the easier more traveled road.How do we know our intentions are flawed in dating:– We go after the big moments over someone we can build a Godly future with– We taste the emotion without paying attention to spiritual red flags.– Fantasy looks great for the moment – a legacy builds the foundation of a secure godly future.
We do that with our health, our relationships, dating, marriage, our casual friends, coworkers, work, our past times, passions sports, and TV. The truth is the fantasy and legacy principle applies to all of these, and everything else.
What happens when we build our house and our life on sand?Why do we repeatedly choose to experience an unfiltered life for ourselves instead of listening to wise counsel? The truth is we aren’t listening to the right people around us that love us, We need to take a step back and let those godly people and God's standards back into our lives. For too many it means searching them out. Joining a small group or bible study. It won’t happen without you. – In dating, we too often look to fill a void and not a Godly spouse.– We know that because our standards are constantly relaxed.– You lower your standards to go out with this person in dating or selecting the correct friends. Legacy is the principle of living in every area of our lives and not just dating.– Unhealthy attracts unhealthy.You ask them more frequently to come to your house – to eat – to the beach – then to church.What does that say?Bottom line: The problem is we aren’t looking at or filtering Godly principles. We have let down our guard! The only answer is to let God renew our minds and our hearts.
Renewal doesn’t happen with a prayer, a commitment, or a promise. Renewal is a process that takes time. It takes a lifetime.
Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will."Without renewal our actions will not change Proverbs 26:11 "As when a dog returned to his own vomit and becomes abominable, so is a fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin".
If we choose not to spend time in renewal, we will always return to the same practice over and over again.
So what do you look for in a potential friend, companion, or spouse?Someone devoted to God… not just excited about him…or just someone who goes to church.
One Corinthians 4–7 says, "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did?"
We are not looking for perfection but progress.
– We’re looking for people who have a heart for serving others.– That’s what maturity is– We are called to do what God wants us to do and move forward… In that, we will discover his eternal promises of peace, joy, strength, love, and forgivenessJohn 15:13 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."- We are looking for someone…friends and acquaintances who have a Godly community.- We need a community to show us the truth- – It should be you and me with the church against the worldProverbs18:1 " Whoever isolates himself pursues selfish ends; he resists all sound advice. … He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire,"We need to be running after our legacy and foundation with God and look next for our partners and friends that comprise our critical inner circle of conscience, support, and faith.Each of us needs to be looking for someone – a group – a community who is going in Gods direction, who will reach out and extend a hand to help us walk. We should all be looking intentionally for someone – and more than that …. a group and community and family to finish the race with. That is renewal! Casting Crowns Voice of Truthhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaP8fKAR2Og&list=RDmH9kYn4L8TI&index=6
