Our Subliminal Mentor

Hello readers.  Welcome to my heart.  Let's begin.

I honestly don't know where I first heard this topic at, but it resurfaced the other day as I listened to a Matt Chandler message, lead pastor at The Village Church. The topic is this: there's a truth about the human condition that a lot of us learn things subconsciously--and even scarier--form our identities around.  You may not be able to see this, but I want to help you in this.  This is important that all of us realize this.

We have subliminal mentors.

Culture is discipling us every single day.  It is our subliminal mentor.  I remember this idea came to me when I was thinking about how much of parenting is more about how you act than what you say.  And I've heard countless stories of people being deeply encouraged by just being able to watch someone's life.  And we have to realize that the opposite is also true--we can be deeply discouraged by someone's life as well.  And the truth that a lot of us love our pastors so much that we will do whatever they say.  Am I right?  After briefly watching the documentary about Jim Jones and The People's Temple, and the horrid and tragic and terrifying truth of that time in our history and I felt my heartbeat racing, my face hot and anger boiling in my heart at this horrible horrible man that did this to these people---but then, my frustration got to the people---- why were you unable to see what was happening to you?  Why were you unable to recognize the manipulation and isolation and terror approaching you? Why were you not pursuing God for yourself and able to recognize truth?  How could this man do this to you?  And it hit me, people are easily influenced---so easily discipled.  And we don't even realize it!  Why are there commercials?   The companies are marketing their products.  Ha, I'm such a victim of this.  I saw one Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Tablet commercial and was hooked and went and bought it.  And I've countless times watched infomercials about getting fit with only 30 minutes a day and have bought into it, thinking could it be done foreal, just 30 minutes, that's no time at all.  We're being pimped and bamboozled everyday and don't even realize it.  Playing us for fools, because they know people won't research themselves, they'll just hear and go do.  Cows to the slaughter, daily, fully blind to we're being led to our deaths.

Okay, I'm ranting now, but please hear me.  Culture is discipling us every single day.  Many of us have habits and tendencies and we have no idea why.  I love listing, so let's go.

Where did you get your definition of beauty?
Where did you get your definition of love?
Where did you get your definition of grace?
Where did you get your definition of being a woman?
Where did you get your definition of how to treat men?
Where did you get your definition of how to handle pain?
Where did you learn how to treat women?
Where did you learn how to think about yourself?
Where did you learn how to spend money?
Where did you learn how to dress?
Where did you learn how to be a man?
Where did you learn anything you claim to know?

Was it from the Bible?  Or was it from our culture?  Many of us have been discipled so much by culture it's become much of our identities.  And sadly, we've brought it into our faith.  Our culture is so addicted to fast results and consumerism, and we've entered into the church seeking for the pastor to give us what we want, the worship band to sing the songs we want, and for it to be easy to find a parking spot, I can get in and out, I can get to lunch at a reasonble time, let me out the parking lot first, and on and on it goes.  And God is screaming at us in His word that we must change our minds.  Here's just one example.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing, and perfect will.  Romans 12:2.  

That verse is filled with words that we must have our minds renewed before we're even able to understand them.  I wish I had time to unpack it, but we will not understand God's good, pleasing, and perfect will if we have not allowed God's word to define for us what the words good, pleasing, and perfect means to Him.  Because to us, good means I get what I want, pleasing is it feels good, and perfect means nothing goes wrong.  And if you know anything about the Bible, this is not true the slightest bit.  Your prosperity gospel is lying to you, and, let's not even call it the gospel.  Your prosperity garbage is lying to you, and it's conditioning you to be unable to fully grip God's plan for your life, and that it is you get Him and in Him and through Him your overall hope is fully Christ reigning in your life and causing you to lead a life that is missional and sacrificial because your faith is in Jesus and in the hope of eternity---not the new car you're claiming.

Please my readers, hear me.  You're learning it from somewhere.  Even some of you will just take my word for it and run away with something I said, stop it! For God's sake, stop it.  Go and dive in His word, that by itself claims to be the inerrant and perfect word of God, God breathed and God inspired word of God that is ready and waiting to read you and transform you.  We have to open up ourselves to allowing the Bible to redefine things for us.  Culture has taught us what love means...and God's love is so much greater than what culture has taught you.  And you must go read it yourself.
 Thanks for your time.  It's such a honor for me to know people care enough about what I have to say to read these blogs.  I hope they're a blessing for you. Love you all.  Thanks again.