Tom Branch - Roads of Faith

Here is what I am seeing now-a-days. Well in James it tells us that anyone that is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. Gods laws and rules really are simple. Too simple as you accept the first one and everything else falls into place. Much like an umbrealla, there is one point at the top and everything else under it is a part of it.

But the laws of man are many upon many. Better yet may we call it society rather than the wrold. And here society really does go against God in so many ways. Where God is teaching to love and to serve and the art of self-discipline where as society teaches us to be self centered and inwardly focused. Do what we want and whatever makes us feel good when we want it. So it is doing a great job of how to be alone. This is why we are seeing a growing numbers of singled out groups like nazi's, femenists, racists, homosexuals, godless, politics, rich getting richer and poor getting poorer, and even down to each man/woman just conceited and self-centered. The list does go on for a long time.

For a long time I had trouble with the "friend of the world" passage. I didn't know what it really meant. But it seems it is "be good to yourself" "Think of you and only you" "it feels so good, just do it" etc, etc. And then making friends also seems to be a self-satisfaction society wants us to have. Don't get me wrong its great to have friends but...

Are we really seeking friends for the right reasons? Are we doing any of these in the glory of God? Above all, me being one of them, we seem to forget that God should be our best friend, mentor, father, everything.

When I sit down and ponder these things I realize that the laws of Society have really blocked me. Even as I draw closer to God and start knowing and understanding his grace there seems to be a block or a wall that I cant get around. My worldly beleifs seems to not be letting me through. In fact it does a good job of hiding this wall under dense fog wheras I forget where it is at whenever I go looking for it. I guess here soon I may need to meditate upon what I seek. ANd my realtionships with my friends.

Are they drawing me closer to God? Are the influencing me away from him? Are they teaching me to be selfless or selfish? I just never thought that I would get to the point I would start questioning my friendships. Besides many had a good chance to accept my christian faith a few years ago and no one allowed it. In fact things only got worse and with no support...well I did get burned but walked away with the same core beielfs. But it has taken a while before I have got it back.

A very long time. I think I should write a book.

3 Comments:

Bobby said...: It is a thin line between our ability to influence nonChristian friends and are susceptibility to being influenced by them.; Tuesday, May 10, 2005 1:35:00 PM
Tom said...: A very thin line in deed. I can get a rock to buy a cookie, but I cant get people I know, my close friends, to belive in something I do or even a product or service anything it seems. But not looking they influence me.

I guess it was hard back in 97 where I had a serious leap of faith, or was that 98? Well it really was a huge backfire. I might as well have gone to afganistan and become a muslim becuase I was told I was wrong in my faith. And these were my close friends.; Tuesday, May 10, 2005 2:20:00 PM
Sage_Muse said...: Thank you Tom for posting this. You have read that I have been struggling with some issues, particularly around a relationship. I needed to hear (or shall I say read) this.

Read my blog...I have my comments there for you.; Tuesday, May 10, 2005 11:20:00 PM

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