OBSESSIONS

    I am amazed at some of the extreme hobbies/habits folks can fall into.  By definition “obsession” is something like an idea, desire or emotion that haunts the mind to an abnormal degree and cannot be fixed by reasoning.  The strange obsessions below can show something bizarre about human nature.
    *  Imelda Marcos and her 3000 pairs of shoes.  (She admitted 1,060)
    *  Hugh Hefner and his mansion in Chicago packed with young beauties in bathing suits.
    *  How about the car collector with 50 antique autos kept in perfect condition but rarely driven?
    *  The lifestyle of keeping pit bulls, Harleys, and assault weapons is among us.
    *  Some folks hoard tons of junk in their house or scores of animals inside & out.
    *  How about the “fatal attraction” like keeping lions, tigers, wolves & bears until getting eaten by them?
    *  Thrill seekers who have to ride the biggest wave, base jump from the highest cliff or bridge, or get in           a sleeping bag with the most live rattlesnakes ever (24 of them.) etc., etc.
    *  A wise preacher would say nothing about the obsession some people have with food, booze, drugs, & 
        sex.   Those things can have addictive powers beyond haunting the mind. . . 
​    *  Workaholics grinding themselves into the ground working too much.
    *  F.J.S.  sometimes getting up at 3:00 am to write a "hot" G-note title that is preventing peaceful sleep.
    Now it is obvious to me that God has an OBSESSION with the human race.  He has busted Himself to reveal something of His nature and desires for our well-being and eternal futures.  And we can see a lot of the Divine nature in the pages of the Bible – how He dealt with the garden problem and the fall of the race (paradise lost.)  We see God’s frustration with the generation of Noah, and His judgment in washing them all away.   His preserving one family to continue the human race.   Choosing Abraham to be the start of Israel. Then dealing with the early judges & kings of that young nation.  Then His patience with David and Solomon is amazing.  Then continuing David’s seed through centuries of national decline & revival to ultimately revealing the messiah or savior.  And God inspired writers to record the history of His actions even beyond Christ until the early church was well established – about 300 A.D.  Then at the end of the record (Revelation 21-22) we see paradise regained by our race.  And I believe that record we call the Bible is quite accurate – see Psalm 12:6
    The above paragraph speaks of God’s OBSESSION to reach out to humanity and lift them to higher ground.  I admire His nature & patience to allow sinful creatures like us to exist in such numbers, THEN to be obsessed with bringing us to salvation.  Man is said to be fallen, and in need of God’s touch from above.  Maybe it's that “touch” that saves us from ourselves, and unhealthy obsessions.
    *  “You are not restricted by us (gospel salvation), but you are restricted in your own affections.”     
         2 Corinthians 6:12   
    *  “Beloved, I beseech you . . . to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your                    souls."     1 Peter 2:11   
    *  “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but              have eternal life.”   John 3:16
    *  “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into            him and eat with him, and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20
     Choose Jesus, He is alive.  Be blessed, and beware of unhealthy obsessions.  Our adversary has “tailor made” bad priorities for nearly everyone.  See Peter 5:8

Many other Gospel-notes go to:  www.gospelnotes.org                                                    *  *  F. J. Stone  *  *
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