The Ultimate Experience...

Recently my three oldest daughters and I planned to go to a dinner theater. Not the kind with a stage play, the AMC kind of theater where they serve dinner, a new experience, the ultimate experience!

The theater was doing soft runs before their grand opening night, we were their guests. My daughter got us four free tickets off line for an entrée and a movie ticket. We were so excited! We felt like royalty when we walked through the door on the red carpet, the place was lined with employees just waiting to serve us. We went to guest relations, where we chose our seats and were handed a meal voucher. When we turned around to find out where we order our food, there was a fully stocked bar. Exciting to most maybe, startling to me.

The waitress came to order our soft drinks and let me know that we could order food inside while we watch the movie. Now, let me clarify, I am not talking about your run of the mill hot dog, warmed on a spinning rack, or popcorn drenched with artificial butter. I am talking signature items, Chicken Alfredo, Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad, shrimp or gourmet pizza. Once inside the theater we were greeted by an attendant and seated in large, red leather chairs, most of which reclined. The waiter was only a few paces away from the hostess, and was ready to take our orders on his wireless computer pad and send off directly to the kitchen.

Our server explained the call light located on the left of my table was to call him incase we needed anything. He explained that we could upgrade our seats next time to the suite, with fully reclining seats complete with a hot clothe for our faces once the movie was finished. Our food was served in a flash and we settled in, cozyed up, ate and drank in the lap of luxury while watching our movie.

Fancy call light

Meske, Cailee, Me and Coral

Coral and Meske

Me and Cailee

I am not going to lie, it was the ultimate experience! We were a part of the it and it was going to be fun! But it got me thinking. I started to think on what kind of lies we have bought i

nto as a culture. What is worse, what kind of lies have we bought into as Christians? In a world that says, we should indulge, “we deserve it,” or that, “money is no object,” or “everyone needs to have a little fun,” I began to wonder where we have been deceived.

Colossians 2:8 says; See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. This scripture is the essence of the lie that we, as believers, have fallen prey to, deceptive philosophy. Philosophy defined means: credo, beliefs, convictions, ideology, ideas, thinking, notions, theories. It left me begging the question, “What do we as believers believe?”

Do we really believe Matthew 6:19-21: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. I wondered, what if? What if we did actually believe that our treasure was in heaven, would we then be so self-indulgent, and callous to the ways of the world? If we truly believed the word of God cautions us against being taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophy of this world, then would we be cautious?

“We have prioritized our comforts over the needs of the world around us, and we need to repent.” - Dr. David Platt. The population of India is over 3.5 billion people. Of that number over 88% do not know, or have never even heard of the name of Jesus! In the United States there is one trained Christian Pastor for every 250 people. In the rest of the world, there is one trained Christian Pastor for ever 450,000 people.

We have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to India, to help train, encourage and equip Pastors and leaders so that they can more effectively reach and disciple their people for Christ!

William Burns, a 1800 century missionary to China, said; “I am ready to burn out for God. I am ready to endure any hardship, if by any means I might save some. The longing of my heart is to make known my glorious Redeemer to those who have never heard.” This my friends is true conviction true belief. This is “The Ultimate Experience”!