Cliche'

As I was considering prospective titles for this post it occurred to me that all of the idea's I had were little more than just tired cliche's. Then, upon further reflection I realized how many of my other titles were also cliche's!

(note to self: Try to be more creative/interesting)

What makes this post different is that this time I'm intentionally writing about cliche's so therefore I've concluded that the only logical title is well, cliche...

Since I'm being predictable, I might as well start out with a proper definition of said title.

cli·ché

–noun1.a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.

Ouch, that hurts! Especially that first word "trite" which seems to me to indicate something unimportant. Isn't it enough to be boorish, must I be insignificant as well? ~sigh~

For all of you newcomers, this is the part of the blog where I turn off of the main highway and steer you back along the small meandering pathway that eventually leads to the "profound" point I'm trying to make. And as is the case in both roads and reasoning, the more untraveled either of them are the more likely it is that you'll find a few pot-hole's in them. So try to insulate yourself from any hard or unyielding surfaces or belief systems you might be injured by and read on!

Why do so many anointed men of God seem to do a wipe out at some point in their life?

How many can you think of ? Of course most of us have either read or heard the story of King David, and of course there's Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Baker as well! Here's a few more that you may not be familiar with that I found interesting, people like Alexander Dowie or maybe Finis Jennings Dake. All of these men were used mightily by God and had incredible ministries only to fall prey to temptation and various publicly observed sins. It's happened so much that it's a cliche', man seeks God, God finds man, Gods Spirit empowers man, he get's a big head, takes advantage and starts believing in his own abilities granting himself certain "indulgences". It was pride that got Adam, apparently not much has changed in that pride still comes before the fall!

Solomon had this to say...

Ecclesiastes 8:14

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

If you're trying to figure out who's good and who's not based on the circumstances of this world you may find them in it probably won't make good sense! Perhaps That is the real vanity!

The great apostle Paul had a lot to say about mans weaknesses, and God's strength,

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

I've been told by people that they don't believe in using doctor's or medicines because they feel it makes a mockery of the atonement of Jesus. That it basically amounts to idolatry because it's putting those things in place of the healing that Jesus' victory over sin, sickness and death obtained for us. I agree that when Christian people are sick they should first do as the bible instructs us to do, be anointed and prayed over by their church elders but if you don't begin to get some relief pretty quickly I think you ought to see a doctor. Even though both drugs and doctors have been known to be BAD, I believe that God can work through them if He chooses to, and I don't think you can toss out the whole of medical science because you feel as though God is limited to healing us in any certain way. It seems spiritually prideful to me, like the guy who sat on top of his house during the flood waiting for God to rescue him...he turned away three different people trying to help him escape and of course he eventually drowned! Before God he asked, "where were you, I was waiting?" and God said. "I sent a guy in hip waders, then a boat, and even a helicopter! Why didn't you get in?'

God can't work through evil? Doesn't seem like He has much choice in this world!

1 Corinthians 1:27

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

I've heard this next one a lot, that all other versions of the bible besides the King James are basically heretical. Look into it, the research is compelling, lots of critical verses are severely butchered or omitted entirely. I personally prefer a KJV, because I believe it is the most accurate translation, but does that mean that the Holy Spirit can't move in a persons heart when they read the NIV or the Living Bible? I don't think so!

As stated in the definition a cliche is an expression that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse. If we're not careful our spiritual lives can also become just a cliche! We pray at certain times or in certain ways which are mostly just routine's that lack the vitality that having a real relationship with Christ should have. Inevitably, this superficial level of faith spreads to every aspect of what our Christian life is supposed to be about until even the most sacred becomes ritual and then a cliche'. That sounds horrible, and for sure it is, but even when we're at our worst, we serve a God that can clean the dirt, sticks and rocks out of the clay he wish's to use and then form it into a vessel suitable to be filled with His Spirit. It's never redundant or routine for God to love His children. Nothing God does is just a cliche', He causes the sun to rise every morning in a special way, He created each of us totally unique! I don't know about you but I'm bored with the cliche', I'm tired of the spiritual circle I seem to be running in and I want more! I don't just want to merely run in a "bigger circle" unless it's big enough for me to be able to continually step out and walk in places I've never been and do things I've never done! None of that will ever happen as long as our faith is a cliche' or until we drop the self righteous legalism and understand what it means to love!

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