CAREERISM - DEVOTION TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER, OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF ONE’S PERSONAL LIFE, ETHICS, ETC.
 What does it mean to be successful in life? The world around us believes that success is being wealthy, having popularity, having fame, living in the right neighborhood, and driving the right car. Anyone who takes a lower stress, less time consuming job in order to spend more time with family is considered lazy or at best just not ambitious enough. I want to suggest to you that God never intended for life to be lived the way many of us do today.

The Bible tells us that anyone who does not provide for his family is worse than an infidel, but what does he need to provide? The necessities of life are really not that many. Paul said that with food, and raiment we should be able to be content. I know I am not usually content with that, are you? We always want a little more than we have. Just when we think we have everything we want, some new invention or some new style comes along and suddenly, we are right back where we started. Jesus came that we might have life more abundantly, not that we might have things in more abundance.  We are driven many times by materialism that can only be fulfilled by practicing careerism. We somehow have been fooled into the belief that our lives won’t be fulfilled and our children won’t grow up ‘normal’ unless we buy everything that everyone else has. We constantly see people promoting ‘quality time’ but never ‘quantity time’. We need to have both.  I am going to start asking myself the following questions about my priorities, time, money, etc.:

1) Will this bring me closer to God or pull me farther away?
2) Will this draw me closer to my family or pull me away?
3) Will this encourage me to be moral and ethical or will it tempt me to be otherwise?
4) Will my life be better, really better, in any way because of this?
5) Will this interfere with something which would better help me in the above areas?

Not everything is clearly good or bad. Many of the things we spend our time and money on are neutral tools that become good or bad as a result of how we use them. Computers are a perfect example; they can be used for wonderful purposes like keeping in touch with family, friends and other Christians, or they can become destructive addictions that isolate us from life around us or draw us into sinful activities like pornography.

When I see how miserable the people who are supposedly successful by the world’s standards are I think to myself there must be a better way to live.  Let’s look to the Bible for guidance in life. After all God made us it wouldn’t surprise me if he knew what would make our lives worth living.
 

BOTULISM - DISEASE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM CAUSED BY BOTULIN IN SPOILED FOOD
What a topic for Friday the 13th, hope you know what you ate last night. If you have ever had any kind of food poisoning, you know how dangerous it can be. Our next door neighbor has had a baby in the hospital with it for the past week. I don’t know the statistics, but I know many people die from the different kinds of food poisonings. Amazingly, many of us may get food poisoning and never even know it. Our body fights it off in small enough amounts, and even in larger amounts a healthy adult can overcome most food poisoning if it is not a continuous occurrence. Since there isn’t really much danger of the church being destroyed as a result of food poisoning deaths, we must turn to a spiritual application.

The Word of God and the doctrines and teachings that come from It are referred to on many occasions in scripture as food. Of course we know that we can’t live on only the teachings of the Word, but Jesus also told Satan, and recorded it for us as well, that man can’t live without it either. Oh sure, people exist all around us without the Bible, but they aren’t really alive. We must have spiritual food to feed our souls, and without it we can’t have true life.

(1 Pet 2:2) “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
(1 Cor 3:1-2) “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. {2} I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
(Heb 5:12-6:2) “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {13} For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. {6:1} Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”
(John 6:31-35) “Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. {32} Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. {33} For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. {34} Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. {35} And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

We see there are many different spiritual foods: Milk for the newborn, meat for the full grown, and Jesus, the bread of life, for any who are hungry and will come. We were talking about botulism and food poisoning, however, and all of the above are free of any dangers. There is a type of food that is spiritually dangerous that we should watch out for. It isn’t referred to as botulism in scripture since the people of that time would have never understood that term. Jesus spoke to his disciples about dangerous teachings and likened them to leaven. (Mat 16:5-6 & 11-12) “And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. {6} Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
(11) How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? {12} Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

I think that if Jesus were teaching today he would find the food poisoning analogy to be a good one as well. When we consume false teaching, like food poisoning, it will make us sick. If we are healthy Christians, we will be able to fight off the poison, but if we are very young (spiritually), immature, or weakened we may succumb to the poison and the result could be the loss of our soul if we don’t find the cure. Be careful what you put in your spiritual mouth just like you are careful what you put in your physical mouth.

BARBITURISM - POISONING CAUSED BY USE OF A BARBITURATE
Compton’s Encyclopedia says, “Several types of chemicals induce sleep and cause intoxication. These chemicals also cause physical and psychological dependence. The group includes ethyl alcohol, barbiturates, methaqualone, and many related sedatives. Barbiturates, also known as downers, may be prescribed by doctors for insomnia and tension. It is very easy to become addicted to them, and they cause severe depression. Those taking barbiturates can easily lose track of how many they have taken. This can lead to a fatal overdose.” You have probably heard of these drugs and possibly known someone affected by them. In a spiritual sense we may be drugged like this as well. Satan wants nothing more than to destroy the church and all Christians, and to do that he will use any means necessary. One interesting thing about these drugs is that the person taking them often doesn’t realize the effects until it is too late.

Satan puts us to sleep with his drugs and if he can give us enough we slip into a coma and eventually die a spiritual death. Sin in our life is one of those drugs that the devil gives us, but Paul says that Jesus has the cure. (Eph 5:14) “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” Complacency and indifference to the cause of Christ, the true cause of Christ (reaching the lost), are both symptoms of an overdose of Satan’s drugs. We may be involved in lots of activities related to the Social Gospel, but we may be neglecting the essential part of Christianity. Many churches today fit this description. It sounds a lot like the church in Sardis as described by John, (Rev 3:1-2) ”And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. {2} Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Satan had the whole church at the brink of death and they were going along like nothing was wrong.

If we think that we can live as part of the world and still be pleasing to God we are truly intoxicated by sin. Paul tells Timothy the same thing concerning widows. Even though specifically aimed toward widows it applies to all of us, (1 Tim 5:6) “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” We need to check ourselves regularly with the Great Physician to be sure that we are not under the influence of Satan’s barbiturates.

BAALISM - WORSHIP OF BAAL
To most of us Baal is synonymous with idolatry. We also don’t often think  of idolatry as a threat to the church today. Sure there are still some  cultures that have their ‘statues’, but we know better. We would never be  tempted by something like that, right? Paul tells us not to be too sure of  ourselves, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he  fall.” (1 Cor 10:12). Even though we might not bow down to a carved image,  we do often allow other gods to come between us and God.

In Canaan there were many Baalim, and each one was supposed to serve a  different purpose. One Baal was for agriculture, another for controlling  flies, another for fertility and sexuality. The word Baal simply means lord  or master. Any time we allow something other than God to be our master we  are following Baalism in a sense. We don’t often name our idols today or  even build physical idols, but we have them all the same. Let us look at a  few.

Just as the Canaanites of old and the Israelites as well offered their  children to their idols, we do today. The god that we offer our children to  isn’t Molech or Chemosh or Baal, but Convenience. If a child is inconvenient  it is either aborted, left on a doorstep, pushed off on relatives, or as a  last resort we will pay someone to take this thing for the better part of  the day so that our worship of convenience is not interfered with. God laid  the responsibility of rearing children on the parents, not on the government  or total strangers. (Eph 6:4) “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to  wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  We sacrifice ourselves many times to the god of Pleasure, just as those in  that time did. They had orgies and thought they were doing what their gods  wanted them to do. We know God does not want that, but we figured a way  around that little problem. Though we would never engage in the horribly  immoral acts of homosexuality or fornication, or murder, rape, and  drunkenness; we really enjoy movies, books, and television shows that  glorify that type of behavior. We rationalize that we aren’t doing any of  those sinful things. Who do we think we are kidding? Paul admonishes us to  think on the good things not the evil. (Phil 4:8) “Finally, brethren,  whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things  are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,  whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there  be any praise, think on these things.” In Romans he tells us that having  pleasure in others who do sinful things is just as sinful as those doing it,  and it is even worse since we should know better. (Rom 1:32 - 2:1) “Who  knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy  of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  (2:1) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that  judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou  that judgest doest the same things.”

Time fails me to examine the Baalim of Popularity, Wealth, Pride, Science,  Entertainment, etc. We need to always keep in mind that not all idols are  made of wood, stone, and metal. Let us determine to serve God and Him alone.

ASCETICISM - AVOIDING ALL PLEASURES OF LIFE

Many Christians seem to have the idea that since we are to be in the world,  but not of the world that we must be totally miserable during our time on  earth. While it is true that we should not be too wrapped up in the things  of this world, we must also remember that God created this world for  mankind. When He had finished He declared it to be ‘very good’ and beyond  this He prepared a garden that was probably even a little nicer than the  rest for Adam and Eve to live in. There were those in the middle ages who  went so far as to beat themselves in order to avoid the dangerous sin of  enjoying life. We may not go that far today, but there are some who like to  beat down others at the first sign of enjoyment.

We must realize that even though it is possible to get too involved in this  life, most of the time the man made things are what we get to involved in,  not the creation itself. Paul warns us in Romans the first chapter that  there are those who worship the creature rather than the creator. He also in  that same section lets us know that we can know at least that there is a God  and a powerful one by examining the universe around us. (Rom 1:19-20)  ”Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath  showed it unto them. {20} For the invisible things of Him from the creation  of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,  even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Rom  1:25) “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the  creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Jesus pulled illustrations out of nature in order to teach spiritual truths  and so did many of the prophets. When God gave His children a land He didn’t  just give them any land, but He gave them a land flowing with milk and  honey. Solomon said: “ He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also  He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work  that God maketh from the beginning to the end. {12} I know that there is no  good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. {13} And  also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his  labour, it is the gift of God.” (Eccl 3:11-13). Paul also confirms this to  Timothy: (1 Tim 6:17) “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be  not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who  giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”. God created a marvelous world for us  to enjoy and we should enjoy it while we are here.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven and it will be more  beautiful and more spectacular than anything here. There won’t be any grumpy  people up there, so why not practice being joyful and enjoying what God has  created now in order to prepare yourself for Heaven.

AESTHETICISM - FINDING VALUE ONLY IN THINGS PLEASING TO THE SENSES
How many once faithful Christians have fallen prey to this sinful attitude? Many live by mottos such as: “If it feels good do it”, “Drink Sprite because it tastes good”, or the beer commercial “Tastes Great, Less Filling.” Our society is obsessed with feeling good, looking good, sounding good, smelling good, and having things that taste good. Sometimes the church is the same way, churches hire preachers that sound good and don’t pay attention to what they are teaching. Christian young people date attractive non-Christians and even marry them without paying attention to what disastrous consequences may come as a result.

As Christians, we must realize that there are limits on these things. We must at some point “deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus”. It may not look good to be lugging around a huge cross, and it certainly won’t feel good, but if we want to please God rather than men we must. If Adam and Eve had been able to resist the temptation of aestheticism, we might be in the garden yet. Think about how Eve was tempted. Moses wrote this concerning it, (Gen 3:5-6) “’ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.’ {6} And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Look at the aestheticism there: looked good, would taste good, would make her smarter (i.e. sounds good). God wants us to enjoy life, but he doesn’t want us to be indulgent. There are some things that may please the senses and not be wrong under certain circumstances while excessive or improper involvement would be wrong. For example: sexual intercourse is both pleasurable and pleasing to God inside the marriage relationship, but it is sinful outside the parameters set by God. Paul tells us that God’s grace was sent for the purpose of “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” (Titus 2:12)

Don’t compromise with the world by excusing and rationalizing the selfish and fleshly sins of aestheticism.