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[#35] Genesis 2:25 – Naked and Unafraid

By Jeremy Myers
3 Comments

[#35] Genesis 2:25 – Naked and Unafraid
http://media.blubrry.com/one_verse/feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/261038627-redeeminggod-35-genesis-225-naked-and-unafraid.mp3

Today’s One Verse Podcast is rated PG-13. Well, maybe PG. But either way, when you hear what I am talking about in this episode, you might be encouraged to gather your children around anyway and have them listen to this episode as well.

If you have been struggling about how to have “that talk” with your son or daughter, this episode might just provide the encouragement to stop being ashamed and afraid, but instead to revel and rejoice in one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind.

Let’s stop hiding in the shadows and living in fear, and instead go boldly forth, naked and unafraid.

Genesis 2:25Well, maybe not literally. But you’ll see what I mean.

The Text of Genesis 2:25

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

In this discussion of Genesis 2:25 we look at:

  • Six ways I could have explained Genesis 2:25
  • What is really going on in Genesis 2:25
  • How the Gilgamesh Epic shows us that sex is in view.
  • Why we Christians should not be afraid or ashamed of sex.

Resources:

  • Theology.fm – Helping you and your Theology Look Like Jesus
  • Gilgamesh Epic
  • Sex, Food, and Animals
  • Subscribe and Leave a Review on iTunes

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

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God is Redeeming God, Redeeming Scripture Bible & Theology Topics: fear, Genesis 2:25, One Verse Podcast, relationships, sex, shame

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Do We Suffer from the Illusion of Control?

By Jeremy Myers
16 Comments

Do We Suffer from the Illusion of Control?

Illusion of ControlI wrote the second post for the “All About Eve” blog, and as I was writing it, I was pretty sure that most of what I was writing was … well … not quite what I wanted to say. But I published the post late last night anway, and went to bed.

When I woke up this morning, I knew where I had gone wrong, and am now writing this post…

It is not that what I wrote was wrong; it just was not helpful. “Eve” was grappling with issues of control, and I basically told her that she needed to get in control of her desire to control.

That doesn’t make any sense does it?

When we try to control our desire to control, all we do is amplify our sense of control.

We often call it “letting go of control” but really, all we are doing is trying to gain more control over our life.

Here is the vicious cycle that happens: A person recognizes that they are trying to control others. They see this as bad and feel guilty about this control. So they try to “let go of control,” but when they fail at this also, they now feel guilty about the control AND feel guilty about failing to let go of control. Now they have a double whammy of guilt, which only exacerbates the problem.

You see? When we try to let go of control, we are trying to control control, and since we can neither control people and events, nor let go of control, we walk around in an ever-increasing state of guilt about how we are always trying to control others and how we wish we wouldn’t do this.

What is the fix for our issues with control?

Well, this is where I don’t have many answers. I know for a fact that I am still trying to exert great control in my own life, and I become quite fearful when I see that I cannot.

However, these wise words from Master Oogway to Shifu were helpful:

But here is what is interesting … If you have seen the movie, you know that when Shifu trained Thai Lang, he did exactly as Master Oogway has suggested. He believed in Thai Lang. But Thai Lang’s lust for power led him down a path toward darkness that Shifu never wanted nor intended. This is partly why Shifu is now trying to control the situation. But he cannot.

And I think that this is my problem as well. In the past, when I have believed in God for my future, and believed in the best of others, it has only led to great heartache and pain. Since I do not want to experience that pain and heartache again, I try to exert control over others in my life, and over life itself.

And lest we think we can disregard Master Oogway because he is only speaking some sort of Eastern mysticism crap, the Bible pretty much says the same thing. Passages like James 4;13-17, Proverbs 16:9, and Proverbs 19:21 all reveal that when it comes to control of what happens in our life, control is an illusion. Sure, as Shifu points out in the video clip above, there are a few things we can control, but in the grand scheme of our life, these few things are so insignificant, they amount to having hardly any control at all.

Illusion of control Calvin

controlling othersAs Perry Noble has written:

It is amazing when we sit back and begin to understand how little control we actually have in the world.

  • I did not control the day I was born! /li>
  • I did not control who my parents were!
  • I did not control where I was born!
  • I did not control the color of my skin, eyes and hair.
  • I will not control when and where I step into eternity.
  • I cannot control other drivers on the road.
  • I cannot control what other people think about me.
  • I cannot control my daughter’s future. (I can try to direct it…but I can’t control it!)
  • I cannot control the weather.
  • I cannot control how fast (or slow) my food gets to me in a restaurant.
  • I cannot control how fast (or slow) the person in front of me is driving.
  • I cannot control whether or not someone I know and loves prays to receive Christ.
  • I cannot control the fact that my body is breaking down (I heal/repair MUCH slower at 40 than I did at 20!)
  • I cannot control God by my religious performance.

Freedom, TRUE freedom, is understanding how out of control we are and then placing our faith in a God who has NEVER ceased to maintain control over what He has created.

So… to everyone who feels like you are out of control…it’s because YOU ARE!!! And, the more we try to control the more likely we are to live in complete rebellion to the one who is in control, who has all things in His hands and who constantly calls us to surrender to Him so that we can experience the joy of living under HIS Sovereignty rather than having to constantly discover that we have none of our own!

So If Control is an Illusion, How Can We Live Without Fear?

I don’t have all the answers on this, and as I stated above, this is all new to me as well. But I am learning, to the best of my ability, to just “enjoy the ride.” Life, it seems, is little more than a wild roller-coaster ride and nothing we can do will control the twists and turns of the track, the slow climbs up the hills or the terrifying plummets into the valleys. We may scream. We may cry. We may even throw up.

But after a couple time around the track, you begin to just enjoy it. Throw up your hands and laugh every time your stomach jumps into your chest.

How can we learn to do this? Because we know a few things:

  1. God is the builder of this roller coaster called life. No matter what, we won’t fall off the track.
  2. God loves us, our children, and our spouses MORE than we ever can.
  3. Jesus is riding in the seat next to us, and He’s hootin’ and hollerin’ with hands raised to the sky.

Based on these three things, we can KNOW that God will guide us and take care of us, and He will do the same for our children as well. Our life (and theirs) may not look the way we wanted or last as long as we think it should, but trying to control life or even trying to control our sense of control only causes us to lose all the enjoyment of life with God.

So don’t simply try to stop controlling people. Also stop trying to control your sense of control. Simply recognize that there is no control, and then sit back and enjoy the ride.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior … Fear not, for I am with you (Isaiah 43:1).

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: All About Eve, children, control, Discipleship, faith, fear, life, marriage, parenting

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What REALLY controls and guides Christians: Fear and Guilt

By Jeremy Myers
34 Comments

What REALLY controls and guides Christians: Fear and Guilt

Christians like to claim that we are guided by Scripture and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

But I was recently talking to my insanely wise and beautiful wife, Wendy, and she pointed out that the two things which seem to guide and control Christians are actually fear and guilt.

We are guided by fear and controlled by guilt.

fear and guilt

My wife used the example of a typical church-missionary relationship. When raising support, some missionaries use guilt to get others to support them. They shows pictures of starving children, or tell stories about how people without the gospel are headed for hell. But then, when they are on the missionary field, and not much is happening through their ministry, they feel compelled to embellish what they are doing so that it the money which people are spending on them is well-spent. They are afraid that if they “tell it like it is,” the money will stop.

But when they send glowing reports of all that God is doing on the mission field back home, those in the pews feel even more guilty because they don’t see God “working” in their own life in the same miraculous ways. They feel guilty that they are not following Jesus overseas.

The missionaries also get put up on a pedestal so that when they return home on furlough, they have to conform to a certain standard of holy behavior which matches the pedestal that has been built for them. Furthermore, even though the missionary may be exhausted from working overseas, they feel compelled to visit people in their homes and go speak in a myriad of churches just so that they can maintain their financial support.

And on and on it goes, in an endless cycle of fear and guilt.

Fear and Guilt in Church

Of course, this cycle goes beyond just the relationship between churches and the missionaries they support. Guilt and fear are at the heart of preaching, of doing what our pastor says, of attending church regularly, and of putting on the smiley face for Sunday services.

The pastor wants to prove that he is worthy of his pay (even though he is afraid he is not), and so must use manipulative practices to keep people coming to church and giving their money. He fears that if he does not keep this up, he will lose his job. He also fears that his sermons are not as good as the ones the pastor down the street preaches, and fears he will lose his people to that other church. The pastor, robbed of life by fear and guilt, uses fear and guilt to control others.

People fear displeasing their pastor, since his is “the man of God,” and so often do what he says without question, because he speaks for God and knows what God wants better than they do themselves. The people, living under fear and guilt of what will happen if they do not obey, do not have the freedom to follow Jesus for themselves.

People are afraid to miss a Sunday service because of what others will think or say about them. Fear and guilt keep us returning to situations where only more fear and guilt get piled upon us.

People are afraid to let others know about their sins, temptations, struggles, and doubts, and so put on a smiley face for church services and Bible studies. Since everybody is doing this, nobody realizes that everybody is afraid that others will discover who they really are, and feel guilty that they seem to deal with issues and temptations that nobody else faces. Fear and guilt keep us from being honest and from opening up to others about our struggles.

fear and guilt

What’s the solution?

I think we all struggle with fear and guilt in numerous ways. We experience fear and guilt in our jobs, our marriages, our families, and our finances.

But I also believe that Jesus wants to free us from both. I do not think we were meant to live life wrapped in the chains of fear and guilt.

How do we break free?

We follow Jesus.

He will lead us into freedom. The journey is long, but it is a journey worth taking. As we walk with Jesus, we will discover that the one person who knows everything about us is also the one person who loves and accepts us completely. When we come to that realization, the fear and guilt begin to wash away, and we are able to begin to live in freedom with other people as well.

If you are struggling with fear and guilt, let me recommend three things.

First, don’t become fearful or guilty about struggling with fear and guilt. Just recognize the fear and the guilt.

Second, let Jesus know that you want to be led by Him instead. Just tell Him. And keep telling Him.

Finally, trust that Jesus will lead you. Over the course of the next couple years, as you learn to live in recognition of your fear and guilt, and as you learn to trust that Jesus is leading you to where He wants, you will look back over your life and see how much more liberated and free you have become. You will be shocked at how much more forgiven, loved, and accepted you feel.

Do you struggle with fear and guilt? Do you even know that you struggle with it? Do you use it to control others? What sort of strategies have you found helpful in seeking to liberate yourself and others from fear and guilt? Please share below!

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: church, Discipleship, evangelism, fear, guilt, missions

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5 Heartbreaking Search Terms People Use to Find my Blog… (I cry when I see them)

By Jeremy Myers
10 Comments

5 Heartbreaking Search Terms People Use to Find my Blog… (I cry when I see them)

pain and loneliness search terms
I sometimes cry at the search terms people use to find my blog.

They remind me that there is so much pain and loneliness in the world.

I use Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools to learn a few things about the people who visit my blog and how they find me, and sometimes, my heart breaks at what I see.

Today, I saw that someone visited my site by searching for the term

Should a man call his wife a fool?

I do not know whether this was a man or a woman searching for this, but I suspect that it was a woman who is feeling hurt and betrayed after her husband called her a fool. Most tragically of all, the day I saw this was February 15, the day after Valentine’s Day.

On a day when a wife should be reminded how precious and lovely she is, here is a woman who apparently was told she was foolish. And apparently, this sort of treatment is so commonplace, she is wondering if maybe it is okay.

So she searches online for whether or not it is okay for her husband to call her a fool.

She found this page: Call Someone a fool and go to hell. Sadly, I went and read that post, and am not sure she found it so helpful. I should rework it to be more encouraging…

pain and lonelinessAs I wrote this post, I went and watched the search terms roll through the real time reporting screen of Google Analytics. Over the course of twenty minutes, I saw these search terms come across my screen:

If I commit suicide will I go to hell?

The person landed on this page: Suicide is not the Unforgivable Sin. I really hope that person found some encouragement and love in that post to give them the desire to keep on living.

Can I be forgiven if I commit adultery?

The person who searched for this landed here: Is Adultery the Unforgivable Sin? I went and read it again and asked myself…. did that post encourage the person to stay faithful to his or her spouse? I hope so. Of course, if they have already committed adultery, it tells them that they are forgiven by God. But at the same time, I don’t want to encourage people to commit adultery. Did I say enough about the damaging consequences of adultery while still emphasizing God’s grace, love, and forgiveness?

You are probably seeing a pattern here on various sins. As I was writing the previous paragraph, I switched over to Google Analytics, and saw this search term pop up:

Is abortion forgivable?

The person who searched for that landed on this page: Is Abortion the Unforgivable Sin? Reading over that post, I think the woman searching for this was probably not helped so much. I say that abortion is forgivable, but I spend too much time on how horrible the sin of abortion is. That may not be as loving as I would want…

If that woman was sitting at my kitchen table with my wife and I, and asked that same question, I imagine there would be lots of tears and hugs, and not much else. That is what she needs, not a theology lesson on the forgivability of murder…

One search term I have seen a lot of recently is this:

Am I possessed by a demon?

or

Is my _______ [wife, husband, child, mother] demon possessed?

People who search for those terms end up here: Signs of Demon Possession. Do you know the personal and relational anguish someone must be going through to search for that? It breaks my heart.

people are in bondage

That is why for me, blogging is pastoral work. Through my blog, I hope to help people all around the world understand how much God loves them, that they are forgiven, that He cares, that He is with them, that they are not alone. I hope people are freed from the bondage, delivered from captivity, and set free from the dark chains of sin.

As I write, I often pray for the people who will read the posts. As I watch these search terms come across my screen, and the tears roll down my cheeks, I pray for the people who are searching for truth, love, hope, and forgiveness, and I pray that they will find such things in Jesus.

And for you who are reading this, I thank God for you as well. Thank you for reading this blog. Thank you for sharing it with others on Facebook, Twitter, Google, and by email. Thank you for interacting with each other in the comments. Thank you for being gracious, loving, and kind. Together, we have a little online community here that is helping tens of thousands of people around the world every single month.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Blogging, blogging, Discipleship, fear, grace, loneliness, love of Jesus, pain

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Is there Fear in Faith?

By Jeremy Myers
12 Comments

Is there Fear in Faith?

fear in faith

I know that “there is no fear in love, for perfect love drives out fear” but is there “fear in faith”?

Some might say that “If you believe in God and believe that God is love, then you won’t be afraid to do what He asks.”

That sounds great, until God actually asks you to do something risky…

Then there is great quaking in the boots.

Have you ever experienced this, or is it just me? What has God asked you to do recently that caused great fear and took great risk?

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, faith, fear, love, risk

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