Field Of Dreams: Delay– Familiarity

And the children of Israel said to them, 'Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full!'

Exodus 16:3 (NKJV)

'Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.' But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'

Luke 9:61-62 (NKJV)

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:26 (NKJV)

The truth of God is pure and beautiful, hard and mysterious. It demands faith. Some of Christ’s teachings pierce me to my core.*

Does God want us to hate our families? Surely, He doesn’t. But our Lord does want us to love Him FIRST--preferring His Will over everything.

Consider the similarity of 'family' and 'familiarity.' Hanging with our homies doesn’t free us to follow Jesus. He hung once, for all… so we’d be free to…

  • 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15).

  • 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations' (Matthew 28:19).

Therein, if God tells us to move, we move--trusting that His care of our families will be fuller and better than our own. 

We don't ignore them, but we prefer Him. We trust in His vision of the future… not just for us, but for our families.

When their freedom journey got difficult, God’s children regretted leaving Egypt. Perhaps Pharoah’s food kept their bellies full, but their hearts got hard and their eyes grew dim, prompting them to choose…

  • A God-forsaken familiarity above a God-directed adventure. Why? Every great adventure requires FAITH!

Actors, models, and talent for Christ: Be faithful. Choose newness. Follow God’s lead. Communicate God's vision to the world. Why?

Right now, countless people live in bondage… to unnumbered harmful things, including:

  • Debt, depression, addiction, seduction, idolatry, and materialism. 

2 CRUCIAL FOOTNOTES:

  • Either directly or indirectly, entertainment supports these ties that bind.

  • Either directly or indirectly, you’re commissioned to broadcast God’s freedom.

Field Of Dreams: Delays– Familiarity (Part 14)

* God's Word cuts the hype. Consider Hebrews 4:12:

'For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart' (NKJV).

'His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it-no matter what' (The Message).

Check out the commentaries on Hebrews 4:12: http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/4-12.htm

NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.

Carey Arban