The God Of All Comfort

A lot of people love milk toast, I hear.  I read it’s kind of like a bread pudding which you eat for breakfast.  It’s made by taking a piece of toast and letting it sit in milk for about 30 minutes, and then topping it with cinnamon sugar.

Basically it’s a piece of soggy bread, with very little firm substance.

But what’s a milk-toast Christian?

Dictionary.com defines the adjective of milk toast as easily dominated; extremely mild; ineffectual; namby-pamby; wishy-washy.  

The Urban Dictionary says a milk toast person is spineless, lacking backbone or not standing up for oneself.

In other words, a milk-toast Christian would be just like the breakfast recipe:  soggy with very little firm substance.  Like a person who says they’ve been a Christian for years, yet still don’t know what the Bible says; or how they’re supposed to be living.

Then there’s the people who say they believe in parts of the Bible, but don’t believe everything.  “I mean really, back when the Bible was written people certainly didn’t deal with the same things we do now!”

I say:  “HUMPF!”

We must believe the whole Bible is true, or else Christ’s death was in vain.  The Bible says that God does not change (Hebrews 13:8) – He stays the same, and because of that, His truths do not change either.

But sometimes even mature Christians start to veer off the straight and narrow path (Matthew 7:14) a little bit, don’t we?  Then the more we wander off, the more we think it’ll be okay to go a little bit farther.  “After all, I’m not really doing anything wrong.  I still love Jesus – I still believe in Him.”

Then the excuses come.  “You just don’t know what I’m going through.”  Those are the times we need someone to come alongside us and get us back on track (James 5:19-20).

There have been times during my walk with Jesus when I’ve had to confront someone.  It was hard.  I don’t like confrontation, and knew it would hurt their feelings – but felt strongly that the Lord wanted me to.  Yet it must always be done with love.  Timing is everything!

One time it was how a friend was treating her husband.

Another time it was a single friend who kept trusting the wrong guys, and then got into bad situations.

Friends who just don’t think their particular sin is that big of deal.

Others who just don’t feel they need to attend church – it’s easier just to stay at home and watch online.  Being around other believers is so important (Hebrews 10:25).

But just in case you’re sitting there thinking how spiritual I am, hold on!  There have been numerous times that I’ve had friends come and confront me on issues, as well.  One that will probably forever be at the forefront of my memory was when my mentor nailed me on a pride issue (Oh, Baby – I’m Cruisin’ Now).  Ouch, that really hurt!

Friends, it says in Hebrews 5:11-14 (NAS):

Concerning [Jesus] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

It’s so easy to be swayed.  A lot of times we just sit and listen to our pastor teach us Sunday after Sunday, trusting that what he says is the truth.  How do you know for sure unless you read it for yourself (Acts 17:11)?

Be careful!  I had a gal tell me a couple years ago that she stopped going to church because she “just didn’t agree with everything,” but she “in no way has turned her back on Jesus,” and as a matter of fact, “talks to him all the time.”

But who was she really speaking to?  She doesn’t want to talk to me anymore, so I grieve for her soul.

Scary.