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By Paula Marolewski, December 28, 2009 8:46 am

We think of indoctrination or brainwashing as a horrible, negative event. And, oftentimes, it is. But in many circumstances, indoctrination can be extremely pleasant.

Consider Daniel – a Hebrew captive in Babylon:

“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding, and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abednego” (Daniel 1:3-7).

Don’t kid yourself – the king, Nebuchadnezzar – had in mind one thing: to indoctrinate these Jewish lads into Babylonian (Chaldean) culture so that they would be useful to him. What did it look like to Daniel and his friends?

• A new name.
• Good food. 
• Shelter.
• Education.
• Authority.

If you were a captive in a foreign land, fully expecting a life of menial and perhaps painful slavery, this list would sound heavenly.

But Daniel saw immediately that this was a program of indoctrination. He was fully willing to serve in his new home and to honor his new king, but he would not compromise his convictions – and that started with protesting the food, since it had most likely been offered to idols on an altar prior to being set on the table as dinner.

His convictions carried the day … as they did throughout his life, culminating in a night spent in the lions’ den for refusing to worship anyone other than the LORD God.

Of all the many, many lessons we can learn from Daniel, spend some time considering this one today: is our culture and are the people around us trying to give us a pleasant indoctrination into beliefs, attitudes, and actions that are contrary to our convictions? (Phrases like, “Appearances are everything,” “The one with the most toys wins,” and “If it feels good, do it” come to mind …)

Remember – indoctrination can be a very enjoyable experience. It’s the final exam that can prove fatal.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

Like this? Read more at: 

• Good vs. Evil: The Discipline of Discernment
• The Deceitfulness of Sin
• How Does Deception Begin?

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By Paula Marolewski, December 21, 2009 10:14 am

The question is not . . .

     Do you bow your head before you eat?

but rather,

     Do you bow your knees before your Father?

The question is not . . .

     Do you curse when you’re mad?

but rather,

     Do you bless when you’re angry?

The question is not . . .

     How many times did you go to confession last year?

but rather,

     Have you confessed your sin today?

The question is not . . .

     Do you go to church on Sunday?

but rather,

     Are you the church every day?

The question is not . . .

     Do you read your Bible?

but rather,

     Do you obey God’s Word?

The question is not . . .

     Did you take communion this month?

but rather,

     Do you have communion with Jesus?

The question is not . . .

     What did you do for Christ last year?

but rather,

     What are you doing for him today?

The question is not . . .

     What we do not do.

but rather,

     All that we do.

The question is not . . .

     How little we can get by with.

but rather,

     How much we can sacrifice.

The answer is not . . .

     Whenever it is convenient, and whatever is easy.

but rather,

     All that I have, all that I am, every day of my life, with every ounce of my strength.

For we must live for God –

     And God alone.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

Like this? Read more at:

• Kaleidoscope: A medley of poems, musings, drama and devotionals.
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By Paula Marolewski, December 16, 2009 5:01 pm

We’re very big about control in our culture … namely, we want to be in control of our lives. Master of our fate. Captain of the ship. But true power comes from handing over that control to God and becoming obedient.

It’s interesting to think of obedience as a powerful position. Typically, we think of it in terms of subordination or even as inferiority. Slaves obey. Servants obey. Employees obey. But God says that obedience is the key to victory and power over sin. And that is because we are obeying the one who has a divine strategy for winning – and who has the power to back it up.

Perhaps if we thought of obedience in military terms, it could help. If each soldier did his own thing and what he thought was best, the battlefield would be chaotic. Ammunition would be spent uselessly. Soldiers would be out-flanked. Dangers that would be apparent from a higher vantage point would be walked into blindly. They would lose their lives and the war.

However, if each soldier in the army obeys his commanding officer, the army will win as long as the commander knows what is best to do and has the firepower to rout the enemy. And that is what our Commander has – knowledge and power. In that context, obedience makes perfect sense if we want to win. Obedience puts us in a position of power over the enemy.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

Like this? Read more at:

• Running the Race: A Look at the Life in Christ from the Book of Romans
• Meditations of a Slave
• A Bond-Servant of Christ

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By Paula Marolewski, December 14, 2009 4:42 pm

The Bible teaches that God has a plan and purpose for us – here are some of its highpoints:

• God calls us to become like Christ. We see that in verses like Romans 8:29: “For whom [God] foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son.”
• God calls us to spread the Gospel. The Great Commission states it clearly in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.”
• God calls us to love the world. I Corinthians 13 describes that love, declaring in verses 7-8, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
• God calls us to serve the church. In Ephesians 4:12 we are told that we have received spiritual gifts “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.”
• God calls us to stand firm against the devil. Ephesians 6:10-12 exhorts us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Consider it: Our goal is to become like Christ. Our commission is to spread the Gospel. Our command is to love the world. Our privilege is to serve the church. Our battle is to fight the devil.

This is a great calling. This describes a life filled with purpose!

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

Like this? Read more at: 

• Running the Race: A Look at the Life in Christ from the Book of Romans

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By Paula Marolewski, December 10, 2009 9:23 am

Just a short comment today: sometimes I hear people talk dreamily about how wonderful heaven will be, and how amazing it will be to see all that God has for us there. But all too often, those same people never stop to admire the flowers or pause to drink in a sunset.

You know, the creation we are living in is not God’s “factory second.” It’s not like God made this universe as a trial run. Genesis 1 doesn’t read, “And God said, ‘Oops! I’ll do better the next time around!’”

God said this creation was very, very good. Have you stopped lately to really see it? Considered the beauties of the trees and flowers, the wonder of the night sky, the miracles of modern technology (remember, God made everything that makes your computer, iPhone, and iPod work!), the intricacies of the human body, the splendor of the sciences like mathematics or chemistry?

Will heaven be even better? Yes – because it will be without sin.

But the best way to prepare yourself to appreciate the new heaven and new earth is to fall in love with all he has given us – right here.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, December 7, 2009 12:32 pm

Hebrews 11:2 points out something very interesting:  “This is what the ancients were commended for.” What were they commended for? Their faith.

Isn’t that curious? They weren’t commended for doing great deeds. For being intelligent or even wise. Yes, elsewhere their good deeds and wisdom are indeed praised, but it is interesting that in Hebrews 11 the focus is solely on one thing: they were commended for their faith.

I like that, because we often get wrapped up in programs or success or money or numbers … but God says, “No, the root of it all – the thing you have to have before anything else – is faith.”

In fact, we can jump to verse 6: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” It is impossible to please God without faith. Your good works won’t do it. Your programs won’t. Your ministering won’t. Your giving won’t. Your preaching won’t. EVERYTHING is empty if we lack faith.

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:22-23? “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” If we don’t have a right relationship with God – which is only based on faith – then nothing else matters.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski

www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, December 3, 2009 9:45 am

I’m concerned about a situation I’ve come across multiple times in the past, and recently came across again. It is this: members of a congregation complain because the pastor’s sermon is “running too long.”

Now, this is not a case where the service usually lets out at 12:00 and the pastor is expounding in the pulpit until 2:30. I mean cases where the pastor may be preaching for 30 minutes when he is allotted 20.

My concern here is not with the pastor.

It’s with the complaining members of the congregation.

Is 10 minutes of your time really so important that it is worth disrupting church life, causing a division in the church, or embarrassing or hurting the pastor?

Is 10 minutes of your time really better spent watching football than learning the Word of God?

Is 10 minutes of your time really a make-or-break reason to stay or leave a church?

Are you putting the pastor on a time clock?

Or are you putting God on a time clock?

Think carefully before you answer.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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