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“Hath God said?”

Posted on Wednesday 14 November 2007 by Greg @ 11:19 pm
Filed under: Rants

Someone asked me the other day what I thought of “so and so” (a certain communicator in the hip blog-God underworld of overtones.) I said something like, “He seems like a good guy but….”

“But what?” he shot back.

“Hmmmm…” I thought to myself, “How do I put what I am feeling into words? Ah, I know…”

I told my friend, “Sometimes when I hear certain people speak I get a mental image of a beautiful serpent wrapped around a branch of a fruit filled tree whispering ‘Hath God said?’ in my ear. And, to images.jpgbe honest, I get that image when I hear him speak.” My friend nodded knowingly, almost as though he had had the same mental picture without realizing it. Have you ever had the same slithering portrait in your mind when hearing someone preach his or her musings over all things eternal?

Often when I hear these philosophizing gurus of all things relevant I ask myself these questions with that sneeky snakey in mind:

“Does what this person say line up with Scripture?”

“Are they quoting more philosophers and humanly appointed ’saints’ than Jesus and the Christ appointed apostles?”

“Do they only use the parts of Scripture that seem to line up with their opinions and avoid the rest?” (i.e. the gospels verses the epistles…as if they were in conflict!)

“Are they seeking to undermine my faith or strengthen it?”

Listen to every preacher, read every blog, study every book (including mine) with these questions in mind. See if the mental image of a slitering snake jumps up and bites you or not. Then measure their assertions by the Word of God.

Don’t buy the lie that Eve did. Make some rattlesnake boots instead.

Signed, Greg Stier

14 Comments for '“Hath God said?”'

  1. On November 15, 2007 @ 6:53 am Becky said:
    • Thats a very interesting thought.

    • Permalink to Becky's comment

  2. On November 15, 2007 @ 11:28 am Janna - Laurel UMC Montana said:
    • That gave me chills.
      In every decision I have to make (from pancakes or waffles and to do or not to do) I think of the dialog between Screwtape and Wormwood in C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters.”

      You are right. It’s important to remember that Satan is out there with his band of demons trying to undermind our daily lives. They are out there with the intent to disillusion the faithful and promote sin. They want us to take the forbidden fruit but they also take joy in every step we take closer to the tree that holds the forbidden fruit.

      That snake has a name for me. His name is Screwtape.

      Thanks for the thoughts — a great reminder.

    • Permalink to Janna - Laurel UMC Montana's comment

  3. On November 15, 2007 @ 6:21 pm Shane Vander Hart said:
    • I feel that way whenever I hear anyone who buys into the prosperity gospel.

    • Permalink to Shane Vander Hart's comment

  4. On November 15, 2007 @ 6:29 pm Will Bratina said:
    • Hey, Greg.
      Isn’t it cool God instructs us in 1Thessalonians5:21-22,”Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil.” I LOVE it when my Sunday school class or the kids in youth group call someone on the carpet (most of the time it’s me) for a statement or action and test it scripturally. They are starting to do that more and more. It scares the snot out of me to think they may begin to avoid me.
      Janna - Nice to read a fellow-sister Methodist with a burning love for Christ, believes Satan is real, and knows the enemy’s strategy.
      Please pray for me as I pray for you, gang. Hurtin’ a little right now…a friend and suicide..

    • Permalink to Will Bratina's comment

  5. On November 15, 2007 @ 11:25 pm Gary W. Cox said:
    • Greetings Greg, it’s been a while since I’ve commented, over a year I recall. Any way, I was just curious which preachers you have in your mind when imagining the elegant snake in the tree of fruit? I have many I imagine myself. Any way, Dare 2 Share was fun…I particularly enjoyed the overall theme-the overall question of how we would react if Jesus were to return at any moment…because He will. I used that very question earlier today out at Broomfield High School during an “outreach” we do every Thursday. The student I asked that to was quite taken back by it. Secondly, I can’t find the Spiritual Starbucks script anywhere, if in fact you don’t mind myself and a few others performing it for a coffee house/concert ministry we do here in Broomfield. If that’s permitted?
      Blessings.

    • Permalink to Gary W. Cox's comment

  6. On November 16, 2007 @ 9:46 am Greg Stier said:
    • Hey Gary,

      Thanks for your e-mail. That Spiritual Starbucks skit is actually in the Venti Jesus Please book and in the Dare 2 Share field guide for sharing your faith book as well. As for those preachers…I don’t usually like to call guys out by name unless I’ve confronted them in love first. Sometimes blog world seems to give we who have blogs a license to gossip and slander against others. I don’t think that’s right. There may be a time that I bring someone up who I feel is a danger to the body of Christ but it will only be after I have sought to communicate with them first and find them genuinely unrepentant. Speaking of gossip, do you know who gossips alot?….Just kidding! Anyway, I think the Spirit of the Lord and the Word of God is more than enough to identify those whose teaching is false and, well, slithery. Glad you enjoyed Dare 2 Share this year Gary! Thanks again for coming!

    • Permalink to Greg Stier's comment

  7. On November 16, 2007 @ 3:06 pm Gary W. Cox said:
    • Hey, I didn’t mean to seem gossipy but was just curious which teachings you dissagree with. It’s a subject, doctrine that is, that I hold very dearly. Doctrine efects everything else in our lives…the way we view people, life and above all God. It influences everything about us. If we believe God is like a drive thru, that’s how we’ll treat Him. Maybe you can give me a quick list or some false doctrines you’ve run accross, no names, just false teachings in the church? Take your time on it, no hurry neccessary. Thank you too for the location of the script…I read somewhere when I was searching for it that you didn’t like that one so much? Well, I loved it and that’s why I want to use it.
      Blessings Greg.

    • Permalink to Gary W. Cox's comment

  8. On November 18, 2007 @ 4:00 pm Janna - Laurel UMC Montana said:
    • Will — Praying for you here and now. We have a bout of that same poison going through our group right now. Satan is definately real and he is definately picking at a few of my youth. We will be touching on the topic of the fears and realities of sin and temptation tonight at youth group — praying for some good medicine from our Savior in the hearts of hurting teens (and adults).
      I know that with God we are stronger than Satan…but we have some open wounds to tend to right now and I pray I am strong enough to help in the healing process.
      I am praying for you and everyone who comes face to face with demons.

    • Permalink to Janna - Laurel UMC Montana's comment

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