JUNE 21 "UNASHAMEDLY UNAPOLOGETIC"

     You probably would never quote a New Testament Christian saying, "22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies." and then shortly thereafter also asking God to....23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me..,"  This is almost comical to a new testament Christian, that somewhat would come out and speak about his hatred for another and then in the following sentence ask God, "to search him to see if there is any offensive way in him....HELLO! We would say..."are you stupid?"  Hatred....this is what we try to conceal from God, is our hatred for others. Why would we openly admit it to God and then ask God to search us, as if we were as pure as the driven snow. Are Christians today confused about who they are and what they should feel? Are we trying "to be Christian" or is it more that we "simply are"....Christian.  David never tried to be Godly. David never forced religious thoughts and piety, he simply was David, a man after God's own heart and he did not try to be religious. Let's not try to be more "Godly" than God.  Let's not try to be more spiritual than Jesus. We are trying so hard to "be Christian" that we are running right over the Holy Spirit. I "hate" to speak for God, but perhaps God's response to David's reply in this psalm is...."yeah, I hate them too David and I will destroy them".  To many, this would be blasphemous to even speak this about God. In our flaky Christian world God just loves everybody.  "Didn't God say, "love your enemies"??? Well yes he did, and we cannot pretend like He (Jesus) didn't say that, but it is also the same God who says in Malachi,  “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated"  David is not trying to justify his own prejudices and hatred, he is simply confident that he hates what God hates. David hates the wicked, the unjust and the ungodly, he says himself, "1 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?"  We have gone gushy over love, and quite frankly we love those God would have us to hate; and we hate those that God would have us to love. We are trying to hard to force our Christianity, trying to force our piety, trying to force ourselves to be "who we think" or "what we think" a Christian should be, we actually hinder the Holy Spirit from moulding and shaping us into the man and woman of God He would have us to be.  Jesus didn't feel like He had to hide his anger and disdain for what was happening in the temple that day.  Jesus didn't feel like He had to hide his hatred, oops, I mean dislike for the Pharisees.  Jesus told them, "your father is the devil", but yet Jesus also showed compassion to Nicodemus who came in secret by night.  Do you know who you are in Christ? What happens is when we get disconnected from God we being to try to act Christian instead of simply "being" Christian, allowing and trusting that it is God who works through you and you don't have to fake or be pretentious, you can be you and still at the end of the day, have the nerve to say, as David did, "search me and see if there is any offensive way in me".  Let God's spirit move upon you, to love what He loves and unashamedly, hate what He hates.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FEBRUARY 8 "ABANDONED IN MY TIME OF NEED"

   This may end up being one of the greater indictments against The Church of Jesus Christ at our judgement; that we abandoned our brothers and sisters in their most dire time of need. In our reading today, the Psalmist eludes to a time of great anguish in his life and because of this his strength is failing; he then goes on to say concerning his friends, "I am a dread to my friends....I am forgotten by them". Unfortunately, it is when we are not at our best that our brothers and sisters in Christ seem to get turned off by us and often abandon us when we need them the most! Why is that? Is it because of selfish reasons, after all, who doesn't want to hang around upbeat people full of joy and victory, but are there not times that we need to also grieve with those that are grieving?! Another reason is their weakness probably turns us off, "why are you even struggling with this ....what's wrong with you!!?" Thence, we're turned off and leave them to struggl
Read more

OCTOBER 27 "THE UNIQUENESS OF THE DOVE"

                                HOW DOES THE DOVE DIFFER FROM OTHER BIRDS      They Differ Anatomically: Scientists have found the anatomy of Doves is very different from that of other birds. In fact, these beloved birds have no gallbladder, an organ that typically secretes bile.      The dove is the rare bird that has not bitterness, gall in it’s body but also displays no sign towards other birds. It is no surprise then that the Dove is what God used to represent the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus, a bird with no bitterness in it. It was imperative to Jesus' ministry that He never allow bitterness to enter Him; even to the very end, upon His crucifixion where He refused the drink, mixed with gall. Don't drink the cup of bitterness/gall,....ever!
Read more

AUGUST 8 "ARE YOU THE WELL RESPECTED CHRISTIAN?"

   There's always the exception to the rule, but I believe most of us struggle with wanting to be the respected and dignified Christian, as opposed to what Paul describes as "spectacle to the entire world-to people and angels alike. Our dedication makes us look like fools, but you are so wise (and well respected)".  I think Paul breaks it down "our dedication" makes us look like fools. When we are dedicated, sold out for Christ, we will look like fools. Street preaching is not dignified, passing out tracts and flyers at Walmart does not boost your social status, preaching at a public event doesn't make the Community you live in respect you. "Our dedication makes us fools....BUT, you are wise!" I wonder how many Christians reading this have never Street Preached, passed out flyers and evangelized in an open square? Just the thought of it makes them nausea and raises the hairs on the back of their necks.  Have you become the wise and respectable Chri
Read more