In this show, God shows up and speaks to Joan, a teenage girl, in different ways through the guise of different people. One minute God could appear as the school lunch lady, and the next minute as a teenaged guy.
While talking to Joan, God never comes right out and tells her explicitly what to do to solve certain dilemmas. Instead, He gives her cryptic little nudges and incomprehensible suggestions, points of which are not clear to us, the viewing audience, or to Joan at that point in time. As the drama reaches the end of the hour, almost everything if not everything is now crystal clear to Joan, and why God had placed her in certain situations at the time. Does it portray real life resolution? Not hardly. But I still like the show, and think more of this type of programming is needed. But as seen on the show, if our problems were always resolveable in the inside of one hour or even over the span of a day or so, we would probably would not feel like we needed a God.
Strangely enough, (I have not watched the show often enough to know absolutely for sure), but I have never heard mention of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or scripture quoted on this show. Hmmm. Maybe that would scare away too many viewers, and keep people of the Jewish faith, Islamic faith, and countless other religions from watching. Ah, the almighty ratings. Money works in mysterious ways.
In real life, does God not speak to us and confirm things through the scriptures, the Holy Spirit, other people and different situations? Of course, the person in your life speaking to you, is not going to identify themselves as God as they do in the show. Most likely the reason for that is because they may not even be mentally aware that they are being used as an instrument for Him, doing His bidding at that time. They live so yielded to God and His Spirit and therefore do as called without giving it a second thought. The Holy Spirit speaks to us all the time. But we have to be listening with 'spiritual ears' to hear Him.
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John14:25-27
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
John 16:12-14
Here's one of my own "L of East Coast" experiences:
I remember as a birthday present to myself, I wanted to straighten out my spiritual life. The very first Sunday after my birthday, I attended the church I now belong to for the first time seeking some answers. I was actually looking for God to tell me something. I was scared, desperate, and in need of many things that only He could provide. How God was gonna deliver this, I did not know- but even though I actually did not expect Him to give me answers that day, I figured since I was on the right track with my heart finally looking towards Him, that He'd somehow answer me. I figured He had to, I had no where else to go but to Him.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" Jeremiah 29:13
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:5-7
Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. Psalm 71:1-3
Imagine my surprise when the Pastor gave his message and it seemed as if the message was tailored soley to me and my situation. The title of the message alone was enough to knock my socks off! I was BLOWN AWAY! But by mid-week, me and my hard-hearted, doubtful self had all but written it all off as a fluke...but still I came back the following week to test the waters again. Nah, it couldn't be God! Gee, could it be God?
"A double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways. " James 1:8
And that indeed I was. A part of me wanted change, and desperately needed change. Another part of me wanted to remain just as I was: selfish, hard, cold, unfeeling, that way there be no guilt when I did or said something completely contrary to God. (The fire and brimstone messages had thoroughly smoked my brain, and I knew nothing [comparatively speaking] of His love and grace). If I had actually understood a very small measure of grace back then, I probably would still be doing my own thing, thinking, "Heh, heh, what the heck! He's gonna forgive me anyway!"
"...All things work together..."! Ya, know! (Romans 8:28)
The next week, the very same thing happened. I asked my girlfriend who was with me, "How could this be?" We both felt like the Pastor was talking directly to each of us. Weird! Uh! Get that spotlight off of me! I felt like a bug under a microscope! I was still confused as to how the Pastor could be speaking directly to me. How could this be? This has NEVER happened in all my years of 'Churchanity' before. This was somewhat uncanny, amusing yet frightening all at the same time!
The third Sunday, I went arms folded, thinking, "Ain't no way this is God" I was thinking still, that it had to be a fluke of a fluke, and there was no way a fluke could happen a third Sunday straight. And guess what? (Drum roll please....) Again, on the third Sunday, the words from the Pastor resonated within me so, that all I could do was cry, and weakly ask, "Um, okay, God...is that You?" (Doh!) Then it became, "Okay, God, I know it's You. Tell me what You want me to do."
Later on, I had a brief conversation with the Pastor about how the messages 'spoke to me' then, and still 'speak to me' now. He explained that if you come with an open heart, and ears attuned spiritually, that you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work within you and speak to you, in areas that you need. I remember that he mentioned in a message once, how different people would mention to him about how the message he gave on "ABC1" had really minstered to them. The Pastor said he'd be flabberghasted thinking, "I never talked about 'ABC1' in my message! I spoke on "DEF2". But the people had all listened with spiritual ears allowing the Holy Spirit to take that message and minister to them revealing the precise area(s) that they needed for their lives. Oh! So that's what's been going on!
And it's not just me - I've spoken to several of my friends at the church and they all have confirmed having the same experience of the message speaking directly to them too. God, in His infinite wisdom still speaks to us through the Holy Spirit in this day and time...if we'd only open up our spiritual ears and listen...are you listening?
"He who has an ear, let him hear." Revelation 13:9
\0/ Halleluyah!
================================
Names in the comments were removed to protect the innocent:
==================================
At Monday, February 28, 2005 11:45:00 PM, 
A Heart of Worship said...
L, originally wrote:
"In real life, does God not speak to us and confirm things through the scriptures, the Holy Spirit, other people and different situations?"
LAL commented: Sure God can do these things and most likely does things of this type as the Holy Spirit, but what many believers end up doing is making God their personal magic 8 ball. Most christian television has become like the Psychic Friends Network as a result of this type of thinking in pop christian culture. God knows us warts and all and we end up trying to interact with him as the idealized perfect christian we have created in our heads. Joan of Arcadia is a fictional television show and unfortunately that is what most of us, including myself, have offered to God as a relationship: a fictional show. I don't think he is impressed.
L, responds to LAL:If you are offering a 'fictional show' to God as your lifestyle, you are right. He is NOT impressed with your outward actions. God is more concerned with the condition of your heart on a daily basis, not the outward show you present to others. There were groups of people mentioned in the Bible who were named for their displayed of acts of kindness, and other actions done to be seen by men. These actions were not done out of a pure love in the heart. It is the motive in your heart, the love in your heart that impresses God. Our whole lives are to be a form of worship of God, bringing glory to Him.
L, originally wrote: "Of course, the person in your life speaking to you, is not going to identify themselves as God as they do in the show. Most likely the reason for that is because they may not even be mentally aware that they are being used as an instrument for Him, doing His bidding at that time? They live so yielded to God and His Spirit and therefore do as called without giving it a second thought. The Holy Spirit speaks to us all the time. But we have to be listening with 'spiritual ears' to hear Him."
LAL commented: Well, there are instances in the bible where people do God's will without believing in him and are in direct conflict with God. Pharoah comes to mind when God hardened his heart to break his hold on the slaves of
L, responds to LAL:I did not intend for that to literally mean that an unyielded person cannot be used by God. This goes back to believing that God is in control of everything and everybody all the time. Whether a person is yielded or not, God's purposes WILL BE SERVED in all things, at all times.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
LAL commented:As for spiritual ears tuned to the holy spirit...I know what you mean, but I don't know what it means. This is the kind of thing that most believers hear said, shake their head in agreement, and then have no idea how to tune in their ears. If they could tune in their ears then they would have no idea what it was they were supposed to be hearing When they hear nothing or themselves talking in their heads they aren't sure what to think.
L, responds to LAL:This is not something that you can really try to understand cerebrally. This is done moreso in the Spirit realm, and has to do with your heart's genuine seeking of God's will for your life. Having an active prayer life (nothing more than communicating with God on a regular basis) goes a long way towards 'attunement,' while spending time in God's Word wouldn't hurt either. Cultivating an intimate relationship through these means with God is usually how you attain these 'spiritual ears'.
LAL commented: I think this is why so many seek the experience of a worship service with a great band and powerful speaker. It is like a rock concert and political rally all rolled into one. It creates the atmosphere for something that passes as supernatural because they have no reference for a real supernatural experience.
L, responds to LAL:Maybe LAL... But people searching and seeking something for inner fulfilment makes sense. We all have an emptiness inside that cannot be fulfilled by anything or anyone but the Spirit of God. We can seek all we want, trying to fill it with manmade activities that will never quell that inner thirst for the Spirit of God inside of us.
LAL commented:Sure Jesus performed miracles, but not always. The supernatural display was not always required to change the human heart. In fact, for many the miracles did nothing to change some people's minds. Today many christians feel shorted if the worship service didn't blow their socks off and I wonder who were they there for.........God or themselves. Just my flawed point of view.
L, responds to LAL:Absolutely. Some people were there for the miracles, some only for the food, and some were genuinely there to get to know Jesus, miracles or not. And you are right, some people still did not believe after witnessing miracles first hand, or even after seeing someone they knew who had been healed. Some people seem to be born doubters.
As for the worship service, it is not supposed to be about flash, show and performance as it seems more and more churches are displaying these days in attempt to be more 'seeker friendly'. Worship is supposed to be soley 'all about Him.' The worship of our Lord and Savior...nothing more, nothing less. Worship service is not about what you did or did not do, or what you did or did not feel, experience, or see.
Excerpt from "A Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman"...You search much deeper within
Than the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, all about You Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, it's all about You Jesus"\0/
At Tuesday, March 01, 2005 8:54:00 AM, 
said...
We love the show, "Joan of Arcadia."
It is a refreshing change of pace, in the cesspool of what we call entertainment. Even though they never mention 'Jesus' everything we have heard "God" say on the show has been truth.
Lucy
At Tuesday, March 01, 2005 1:10:00 PM, A Heart of Worship said...
You are right. The few times I watched the show, what they had God say was truth.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-33
No comments:
Post a Comment