Sovereignty

How would you like to be Mary or Joseph at about the time they are notified of the Roman census?

Mary is about nine months pregnant and no matter what Joseph tried to do to make her comfortable on that three day, 60 mile hike to Bethlehem over rugged terrain, it couldn’t have been very enjoyable. Then, to arrive and find that there is no place to stay and end up in the barn, surely must have added insult to injury. And to top it all off, give birth and lay your baby in a feeding trough to keep him away from the hooves of donkeys and goats.Still feeling “highly favored,” Mary?We often mistakenly think that only the right things, the comfortable things, the open doors and things that appear ripe for success, are a part of God’s design. When we encounter closed doors, inconveniences, and hardships we wonder what went wrong.Maybe nothing has gone wrong. Maybe it’s just perfect.

Do Seekers Exist?

The Bible seems to question the assumption that we should regard the typical unbeliever as a seeker of God.

In Romans 3:11, Paul says that there are none that seek God. Furthermore, in 8:7, he writes that the sinful mind is hostile to God.

In 2 Timothy 3:4, he speaks of a time when some even in the church will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

In John 3:19-20, John explains that men loved darkness instead of light and that those who do evil hate the light.

Church Marketing?

A marketing approach to church seems to view people as consumers.

Question:

If the church treats seekers as consumers before they attend a service, will the dangers which accompany a consumer mindset disappear when they join the church?