You will need to have read yesterday's post to understand this one. So if you haven't read it, please do so now. Don't worry I'll be here when you get back!
wee note - you do know that anything in blue and underlined in my posts are links? You just click on them and another webpage will open.
Ephesians 6:11-17
Yesterday we looked at how Colton Dixon on American idol, chose the song “everything” by lifehouse, as well as his life witness for Jesus. He has said after this, he wants to go into Christian music.
"I was just collecting myself and saying God use me I want Him to shine through first and foremost."
He said that in reply to Ryan (the host of the show) when Ryan asked him what he was thinking.
I need to be reminded of that, do you?
Today I want to concentrate more on the skit. Hopefully by now you have had time to watch it and think about it and look at the link to an article describing it. You may even know of someone that needs to watch it, or use it as an aid in describing spiritual warfare, showing someone what is going on in their life. Because it speaks to all of us, as we all go through temptation and battles in our lives, I thought it could be helpful for us to examine it further. If you look immediately under the youtube video in this link, the person gives a description of what each person represents.
If we journal our thoughts and bible verses then it can be helpful to us when we are under spiritual attack to stop, realise what is happening and pray, and go back and look at the bible verses we thought were helpful. I have noted down what struck me in the skit, what did you notice?
It opens with Jesus, dressed in white.
White depicts Jesus's purity and righteousness. In Mark 9:3 Jesus is dressed in white, but a white that no bleach on earth could get to be that white. Only God’s righteousness can take away our sin, whatever we do we will never be clean enough. Our best moral deeds is like filthy dirty rags compared to Jesus (Isaiah 64:6) But great news when we become Christians Jesus clothes us himself, giving us the clothes of salvation and the robe of righteousness. (Isaiah 61:10, Revelation 19:8)
Purple sash – purple depicted royalty as only the richest wore it as the dye was very hard to make. Jesus is the king of kings and lord of lords.
Jesus pours out His blessings, grace and honour and holds no good thing back (Psalm 84:11) and bestows them on the girl. This is the beginning of their relationship when she had a first love for Christ and was making Him Lord of her life.
She also “tasted and saw that the Lord was good.” (Psalm 34:8) She danced. (psalm 149:3 2 Samuel 6:14)
The girl when walking closely with God can and does imitate God. (Ephesians 5:1)
Then she allows herself to be distracted from Jesus and is ‘wooed’ away by the evil one, allowing herself to fall into temptation. Different temptations are portrayed, lust, greed, vanity, drugs, suicidal thoughts. We see her ‘cutting’ herself, eventually hitting the bottom considering suicide.
All this time we see Jesus never giving up, trying to get her attention but she wouldn’t or didn’t want to listen. This depicts in the bible how often we are told that God’s voice is a whisper and we have to be still and quiet to hear Him. (psalm 46:10)
Why are we encouraged to go away on our own? (Matthew 6:6) Jesus Himself gave us the example as He went alone to pray. Because he knew how easily we are distracted either by things we need to do or how quickly we can become enticed by our desires (James 1:14.) So by removing all distractions and being alone with God we can focus on Him. Then we can hear Him and be strengthened by Him.
Then the girl remembers her first love, how good it was walking with God. Jesus is at the side drawing her to him. This picture is describing James 4:8
A spiritual battle is being waged over her. There are different things that this illustrates -
God is drawing you to Him, either as a non Christian for salvation or as a Christian wanting a restored relationship with God.
(edit - due to further explanation needed - not enough space to do so now)
When the girl realised this (1 John 4:4) and had faith and trusted God, they were all held back. She humbled herself before Him again. This whole latter scene depicts James 4:7,8,10.
The falling of the evil one or power of temptations
Did you notice that it was when she went on her knees, giving everything over to God that was when Jesus held it all back?
She realised that at the cross Satan was “checkmated” he had no power over her, only if she let him. Christ is victorious. (1 Corinthians 15:57, Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 2:14)
I can go on, but do you get this important point?
If you are like me you need to hear it every day.
What also thrilled me was when the audience cheered at this point. It did me good, how about you? (bad English intended!)
I was thinking that it gave us the tiniest insight into what heaven and angels everywhere must be doing every time someone becomes a Christian. (luke 15:10)
Also it’s a picture of how we should be with other Christians. We have to be encouraging them cheering them on (Hebrews 10:24-25) and not be the opposite and tearing them down.
This skit represents a Christian but the middle of it can represent the non believer. If you are reading this and are not sure you are a Christian or are going through this, you can have the ending of this skit.
Would you like that?
If you do come to Jesus now and the ending is yours!
wee note - you do know that anything in blue and underlined in my posts are links? You just click on them and another webpage will open.
Ephesians 6:11-17
Yesterday we looked at how Colton Dixon on American idol, chose the song “everything” by lifehouse, as well as his life witness for Jesus. He has said after this, he wants to go into Christian music.
"I was just collecting myself and saying God use me I want Him to shine through first and foremost."
He said that in reply to Ryan (the host of the show) when Ryan asked him what he was thinking.
I need to be reminded of that, do you?
Today I want to concentrate more on the skit. Hopefully by now you have had time to watch it and think about it and look at the link to an article describing it. You may even know of someone that needs to watch it, or use it as an aid in describing spiritual warfare, showing someone what is going on in their life. Because it speaks to all of us, as we all go through temptation and battles in our lives, I thought it could be helpful for us to examine it further. If you look immediately under the youtube video in this link, the person gives a description of what each person represents.
If we journal our thoughts and bible verses then it can be helpful to us when we are under spiritual attack to stop, realise what is happening and pray, and go back and look at the bible verses we thought were helpful. I have noted down what struck me in the skit, what did you notice?
It opens with Jesus, dressed in white.
White depicts Jesus's purity and righteousness. In Mark 9:3 Jesus is dressed in white, but a white that no bleach on earth could get to be that white. Only God’s righteousness can take away our sin, whatever we do we will never be clean enough. Our best moral deeds is like filthy dirty rags compared to Jesus (Isaiah 64:6) But great news when we become Christians Jesus clothes us himself, giving us the clothes of salvation and the robe of righteousness. (Isaiah 61:10, Revelation 19:8)
Purple sash – purple depicted royalty as only the richest wore it as the dye was very hard to make. Jesus is the king of kings and lord of lords.
Jesus pours out His blessings, grace and honour and holds no good thing back (Psalm 84:11) and bestows them on the girl. This is the beginning of their relationship when she had a first love for Christ and was making Him Lord of her life.
She also “tasted and saw that the Lord was good.” (Psalm 34:8) She danced. (psalm 149:3 2 Samuel 6:14)
The girl when walking closely with God can and does imitate God. (Ephesians 5:1)
Then she allows herself to be distracted from Jesus and is ‘wooed’ away by the evil one, allowing herself to fall into temptation. Different temptations are portrayed, lust, greed, vanity, drugs, suicidal thoughts. We see her ‘cutting’ herself, eventually hitting the bottom considering suicide.
All this time we see Jesus never giving up, trying to get her attention but she wouldn’t or didn’t want to listen. This depicts in the bible how often we are told that God’s voice is a whisper and we have to be still and quiet to hear Him. (psalm 46:10)
Why are we encouraged to go away on our own? (Matthew 6:6) Jesus Himself gave us the example as He went alone to pray. Because he knew how easily we are distracted either by things we need to do or how quickly we can become enticed by our desires (James 1:14.) So by removing all distractions and being alone with God we can focus on Him. Then we can hear Him and be strengthened by Him.
Then the girl remembers her first love, how good it was walking with God. Jesus is at the side drawing her to him. This picture is describing James 4:8
A spiritual battle is being waged over her. There are different things that this illustrates -
- It can be hard for some people to give up things even though they want to.
- Non Christians are in this battle but don’t know it, whatever the evil one will think keep this person in darkness he will use.
God is drawing you to Him, either as a non Christian for salvation or as a Christian wanting a restored relationship with God.
(edit - due to further explanation needed - not enough space to do so now)
When the girl realised this (1 John 4:4) and had faith and trusted God, they were all held back. She humbled herself before Him again. This whole latter scene depicts James 4:7,8,10.
The falling of the evil one or power of temptations
Did you notice that it was when she went on her knees, giving everything over to God that was when Jesus held it all back?
She realised that at the cross Satan was “checkmated” he had no power over her, only if she let him. Christ is victorious. (1 Corinthians 15:57, Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 2:14)
I can go on, but do you get this important point?
If you are like me you need to hear it every day.
What also thrilled me was when the audience cheered at this point. It did me good, how about you? (bad English intended!)
I was thinking that it gave us the tiniest insight into what heaven and angels everywhere must be doing every time someone becomes a Christian. (luke 15:10)
Also it’s a picture of how we should be with other Christians. We have to be encouraging them cheering them on (Hebrews 10:24-25) and not be the opposite and tearing them down.
This skit represents a Christian but the middle of it can represent the non believer. If you are reading this and are not sure you are a Christian or are going through this, you can have the ending of this skit.
Would you like that?
If you do come to Jesus now and the ending is yours!
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