Comments on: “Chocolat” http://martinwinter.com/blog/2006/02/03/chocolat/ Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:31:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Renee http://martinwinter.com/blog/2006/02/03/chocolat/#comment-19 Renee Sat, 25 Mar 2006 22:35:27 +0000 http://martinwinter.com/blog/2006/02/03/chocolat/#comment-19 <p>I think what struck me the most about the movie was how joy and personal satisfaction or fulfillment of desires was completely found outside the confines of the church. Because the townspeople were not taught the whole message of the gospel, they believed that their lives as good religious people had to be based on pretense, boredom and gloominess. Some of them found joy and satisfaction through other means (chocolate) because they had no idea that the Source of all joy is actually Jesus. The Jesus they knew was still hanging crucified on the cross and had no power to bring transformation to their lives. Their religious knowledge in this case actually led them away from Jesus.</p> <p>I believe that it is a very clever tactic of the Enemy to deceive the church by making us believe that our lives in Christ are dull, lifeless and hypocritical. If this is our mindset, we truly will miss the kingdom of God and probably take others with us down this deceptive path. If only we as the Bride of Christ would wake up and find that our God sings with delight over us (Zeph. 3:17) and because of joy endured the cross for us! If only we would realize that all of our longings are met in HIM, not in temporary pleasures, then we would actually have something to offer to our world instead of the dead religion so well portrayed in this movie.</p> I think what struck me the most about the movie was how joy and personal satisfaction or fulfillment of desires was completely found outside the confines of the church. Because the townspeople were not taught the whole message of the gospel, they believed that their lives as good religious people had to be based on pretense, boredom and gloominess. Some of them found joy and satisfaction through other means (chocolate) because they had no idea that the Source of all joy is actually Jesus. The Jesus they knew was still hanging crucified on the cross and had no power to bring transformation to their lives. Their religious knowledge in this case actually led them away from Jesus.

I believe that it is a very clever tactic of the Enemy to deceive the church by making us believe that our lives in Christ are dull, lifeless and hypocritical. If this is our mindset, we truly will miss the kingdom of God and probably take others with us down this deceptive path. If only we as the Bride of Christ would wake up and find that our God sings with delight over us (Zeph. 3:17) and because of joy endured the cross for us! If only we would realize that all of our longings are met in HIM, not in temporary pleasures, then we would actually have something to offer to our world instead of the dead religion so well portrayed in this movie.

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