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Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts
This saying came about in reference to the trojan war when the Greeks offered their
enemies the gift of a Big and Beautiful Horse, to offer their Gods.
Then the Greeks sailed out of sight after leaving their parting love gift.
Well, their enemies let in the gift, partied, got drunk and then went into a deep slumber.
Then the Big and Beautiful Horse opened up and some Greeks stepped out and opened up
the gates to let the rest of the Greeks into the city and the rest is history.
But should the Greeks be the only ones that we should be wary of when receiving Gifts?
Of course not, there are many people that give gifts with ulterior motives.
If you have a computer you have to be wary of clicking links or receiving gifts from
the internet that could have dangerous viruses inside. They are also called Trojan Horses.
Some people give gifts just to be generous but some have other things in mind.
Some give to control, to pacify, to get your vote, to present a big and beautiful gift
on the outside but on the inside are things most dangerous.
Kahil Gibran spoke of the 'Silver plaited Turd', which was beautiful on the outside
but on the inside was a load of crap.
Have you received a Trojan Horse gift in your lifetime?
"The Bible says that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. (Acts 20:35).
This means that we need to allow other people the privilege of giving to us, so that they may be blessed. If we present ourselves
as people who need nothing from others, we deny them the blessings which they would receive by giving themselves and what
they have to us." (Power Delusion, Campolo, pg. 151)
How about this one, 'He is so nice, so generous, he couldn't possibly be lacking in
the spiritual department.'
Maybe by giving to others he has concealed his own deep needs.
People sometimes want to present one side of the story but not the other.
Some people want to pacify, just like politicians, those they are seeking a vote from.
They show up just long enough to present their best side.
Then when you vote for them and they get elected you find out what they are really
about.
The apostle Paul had trouble with super apostles that 'preached another Jesus' other
than the one he preached.
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your
minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive
a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily
enough.
5 But I do not think I am in
the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may not be
a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way." (2 Corinthians
11)
This is what he says about those that preach this other gospel which is a result of
the other Jesus.
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the
one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As
we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him
be eternally condemned!" (Galatians 1:8,9)
This is why the cults preach a Jesus that is less than God, and then have to take up
the slack with a works oriented gospel.
This is why the unbelieving Jews that rejected who Christ said He was, are still trying
to work their way to heaven. (John 8)
Because if Jesus is less than God, his sacrifice on the cross is not enough for our
sins. (Acts 20:28)
The super apostles charismatic ways may have exceeded the apostle Paul's but their
message was most dangerous.
But Yet Paul was noting that these gullible Christians were falling for it.
The super apostles presented a Jesus that was tolerant of false doctrine and sin, a
Jesus that could be the son of God but not God the Son, a Jesus that shone like the bright and morning star on the outside
but on the inside was only a counterfeit of the real one. (2 Corinthians 11)
But yet Christians let these super apostles preach another Jesus, another gospel
and even pray over our meals.
Satan is an angel of Light which means that he is not a silly red creature with horns
and a pitchfork but a beautiful being on the outside, maybe even hypnotic but the chief fallen angel that will drag you
down to the pit of hell if you follow him.
Some people even suppose that if one is successful monetarily on the outside that speaks
of their insides as well.
"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction
of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy
interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who
think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment
is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world,
and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food
and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who
want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
(1 Tim. 6)
"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes
of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not
the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the
ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?" (James 2)
Unlike the Movies, Jesus was probably not a charismatic and attractive fellow that
got a following through his Mel Gibson looks.
"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance
that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by
men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed
him not." (Isaiah 53)
But the world and worldly Christians continue to fall for the gospel according to Mel.
"For instance, isn’t it remarkable that the Jesus of The Passion of the Christ,
as in almost all physical representations of Christ, is tall, slim, and handsome? Why should not The Son of David (Luke 18:38)
have been a relatively small man like His great ancestor? It never seems to have occurred to most image-makers that Jesus
could be relatively short, or stout, or even have had a receding hairline. This is in spite of the fact that one of the few
details the Bible does give us about Christ’s appearance is that "He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2b). The fact that we have any concept of what Jesus looks like, and
that Gibson’s Jesus looks like the traditional Jesus, is a testament to the abiding impact of past iconography. While
the Gospels purposely leave out any description of Jesus that we might use to construct an idol, people have created an image
of Jesus that has become almost an industry standard, and it is solely for that reason, rather than any basis in fact, that
audiences would have been outraged had Gibson cast Danny DeVito and not James Caviezel in the leading role.
The Second
reason why all visual representations of Jesus are lies is that they can never hope to represent the glory of Christ in
His true nature. The best an image of Jesus can do is to represent Him as a man, and while Jesus was truly a man, He was
not merely a man. Jesus was also God, and no artist or filmmaker who has ever lived could hope to create an image that captures
the true Glory of Jesus as God. While this may not appear to be a problem to us, the separation of Christ’s manhood
from His deity is actually a grave heresy called Nestorianism."
This is why movies like 'The Passion of the Christ' which are really Catholic propaganda
tools really present us a Catholic Jesus that doesn't completely fit the biblical model.
A Counterefeit dollar bill looks very much like the real thing but only deviates slightly.
But if you are caught using one you will go to jail, go directly to jail, do not pass
go, do not collect two hundred dollars.
The stakes are higher when you receive and fellowship with counterfeit
super apostles and a counterfeit Jesus which looks a lot like the real thing but deviates just slightly.
The results here are go directly to Hell, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred
dollars.
So Beware of Greek bearing gifts that are really meant to get you on their side rather
than the Jesus of the Bible's side because if you accept this gift from them you just wont be sorry in an earthly sense, as
the Greek's enemies were but eternally.
Bj Maxwell
Copyright ©
10/02/2006
I went to a Christian Retreat to Glenwood Springs for a couple of days and enjoyed it
as far as fun is concerned.
Glenwood has those mineral pools.
I don't remember getting anything spiritual out of the Retreat except for one man
sharing how lustful he was.
We stayed at a Hotel that was promoted as an Old Timey Hotel, but in reality it was just
Old.
I slept in the same room with a guy that snored so loud that I couldn't sleep.
But there are Retreats that are actually good.
What is a Retreat anyhow and is it scriptural?
Retreat means:
re‧treat
–noun
| 1. |
the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing
of a naval force from action. |
| 2. |
the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion. |
| 3. |
a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy: The library was his retreat. |
| 4. |
an asylum, as for the insane. |
| 5. |
a retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation. |
| 12. |
beat a retreat, to withdraw or retreat, esp. hurriedly or
in disgrace. |
Dictionary.com
Now for a Christian, is Retreat a good thing?
In my Egroup, I encourage people going into other groups that need to hear the Word of
God, then coming back and reporting what has transpired, getting their batteries recharged, some encouragement
and then going out again to shine their lights some more.
REcharging ones batteries at a REtreat ought to be strategic and because one has
already shown their light so much that it needs recharging to go back out there again.
If one is recharging their batteries only to cover their light when they go back
into the world then the Retreat is only a Retreat in the negative definition of the word and a confession of defeat.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither
do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5)
If Retreats don't recharge peoples batteries, give them instruction in how to be a witness,
then overcharge for their services then they will have to answer for that.
Often ministries think that we are to equip them for the battle with our funds
and prayers, when they are supposed to equip us.
In Battle, often when the enemy sees their foes retreat it gives them hope that they
might win the war. If their foe then comes back stronger than ever or from behind, then they are to be feared. But if they
are only retreating then they have lost the battle.
So get your batteries REcharged, REplenish your supplies and then go back into the world
to Shine Your Light because the coming of the Lord is close.
If you have been a part of a Retreat that has equipped you to go out and shine your light
then you are blessed. 
I hope you are blessed.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good,
your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 "No one can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both
God and Money." (Matthew 6)
Bj Maxwell 10/30/2006
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