I've been seeking God on showing me the disconnect I see in church today. As I read the Word, I often don't see it being repeated correctly by Christians. New ones and old ones, too. Their lives do not reflect what Jesus said. I know the Word, but I don't know why when I explain it, it isn't the same when applied in our lives. I've even heard other Christians say things like I give too much credit to the devil. Huh? Not a new Christian either. Someone who grew up in the church. If an outsider was to explain what a Christian looks like, they would say-- a person gets Saved, then spends the rest of their lives battling things they can't overcome in bondage to the devil. They live a life consumed with obsessive thoughts for various sins and prayers to God to please change their life, begging for change, begging for Him to do something, exhausted in anxiety, depression, and fear never getting out of this cycle...then accepting that this is life in Christ. Along with being told that victory is sometimes a 20 year process. Seriously, is that what it looks like????
Colossians tells us that our sinful nature is cut away. We are buried with Christ and raised to NEW life. You were dead then MADE ALIVE. God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them ON THE CROSS. Done. You have died with Christ and He has SET YOU FREE from the evil powers of this world. <---- That actually happened!! (Col 2)
I actually believe all of that fully. If I am struggling in a sin, the problem is me. I have available to me power and authority, but my pride, insecurity, selfishness, fear--name the SIN, is the problem. Not Jesus. He is FAITHFUL. He has made me complete, lacking nothing and has equipped me. When I am tempted, He will provide a way out to endure. THIS does not mean He will never give you things you can't handle. In Jesus, it is ALL about HOW WE CANNOT handle any of it! NONE on our own. That is WHY we need Him. It has nothing to do with being a strong person. Why does life feel like it's out of control? You are trying to handle it and you can't. Mother Teresa was a liar to say that "God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He wouldn't trust me so much." It has nothing to do with trusting in yourself, but TRUST in Him. When your little baby dies from no known reasons, you can't handle it. When your spouse of 35 years dies, you can't handle it. When you are diagnosed terminally, you can't handle it. When you are sick and no one can diagnose what the problem is, you can't handle it. When your dad kills your mom, you can't handle it. When you have no place to live and you're a young adolescent, you can't handle it. You know Who can? Jesus. Thank, God.
So, as I was praying and asking God to show me what the church looks like, He put a girl on my heart that was a part of an American therapeutic house here in the DR. I notice the longer I am a Christian, the more God puts certain people in my heart that I connect with in a special way. She was one of them. I sent her message asking what she thought about church people. Her response blew me away and opened a door. When the convo ended, because I had to drive a long distance, I felt pulled to tell her to keep her eyes open. The whole convo was a bunch of information that was not true of God's character, but somehow taught. I said listen, and be on the look out for something from God. I spent Friday praying incessantly for the Lord to do some miracle. Nothing happened. Come Saturday the same. Then today she sent me a text with a photo of a dollar bill. On it was a message from God. I cried. She cried. In our convo this week, she referred to God's Word as shit. I wanted to be shocked but I wasn't. I loved her rawness and truth! I mourned her lack of Truth but actually thinking she knew Truth. As I drove, the Lord showed me that what she said is actually common. Did your mouth drop at her calling God's Word shit? Do you spend adequate time daily in the treasure He has given us? Not that email Bible verse and call it Bible reading, but actually sit down and ask God what He wants you to do and how He wants to use you? No? Then couldn't we really say that you think it's really just crap, too? Not worthy to be read. Not important. Jesus is super bold in the book of John. If you love me, you obey me. How can you obey if you don't read and know what it says? You can't. If you don't read and think on His words, you probably aren't being convicted by the Spirit. So would Jesus say you don't love Him? If you don't feel conviction, then you aren't repenting. If you aren't repenting, then you are not being renewed and changing. Could this be the reason you aren't seeing any change in your life for many years? If you aren't changing, then how are you doing what John the Baptist said about becoming less and Jesus becoming greater and greater? John 15:8 says that "My true disciples produce much fruit." There is no fruit produced outside of the Spirit. If people call you patient and God isn't glorified in that through His Spirit, you are doing it. He isn't sharing the glory for you to have. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God! No room for you. You must be connected to the Vine. You must be reading, repenting, and growing.
Even after this young lady said His Word is garbage and "He does nothing to help"... She begs and pleads, and He won't change anything. He still chooses to go after her and sends her a sign this weekend. How do you not cry at that?? We do not understand that forgiveness. We can't, but we can offer it to others when we are connected to Him. AND only in Him alone can we offer forgiveness to those that have done things so very wrong. That's love. Read John this week and focus on how Jesus talks to His people, or those that want to say they are religious. You might just be shocked how He talks and is kinda in-your-face, not so much codling to please come and join the group, but more like count the cost. The COST IS SO HIGH. It's your life. Not just one death. There must be two deaths to complete this. Jesus and yours. Did you ever die? Or is everything still revolving around you?
So, do you really love Him?
All I ever think is, isn't that the life of the NOT Saved? What's the difference? And so, I have realized that others don't see the difference in us either. Why? Did you know Jesus Christ, that Guy we call Savior said--
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:48)
They do not belong to this world any more than I do. (John 17:16 )
I actually believe all of that fully. If I am struggling in a sin, the problem is me. I have available to me power and authority, but my pride, insecurity, selfishness, fear--name the SIN, is the problem. Not Jesus. He is FAITHFUL. He has made me complete, lacking nothing and has equipped me. When I am tempted, He will provide a way out to endure. THIS does not mean He will never give you things you can't handle. In Jesus, it is ALL about HOW WE CANNOT handle any of it! NONE on our own. That is WHY we need Him. It has nothing to do with being a strong person. Why does life feel like it's out of control? You are trying to handle it and you can't. Mother Teresa was a liar to say that "God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He wouldn't trust me so much." It has nothing to do with trusting in yourself, but TRUST in Him. When your little baby dies from no known reasons, you can't handle it. When your spouse of 35 years dies, you can't handle it. When you are diagnosed terminally, you can't handle it. When you are sick and no one can diagnose what the problem is, you can't handle it. When your dad kills your mom, you can't handle it. When you have no place to live and you're a young adolescent, you can't handle it. You know Who can? Jesus. Thank, God.
So, as I was praying and asking God to show me what the church looks like, He put a girl on my heart that was a part of an American therapeutic house here in the DR. I notice the longer I am a Christian, the more God puts certain people in my heart that I connect with in a special way. She was one of them. I sent her message asking what she thought about church people. Her response blew me away and opened a door. When the convo ended, because I had to drive a long distance, I felt pulled to tell her to keep her eyes open. The whole convo was a bunch of information that was not true of God's character, but somehow taught. I said listen, and be on the look out for something from God. I spent Friday praying incessantly for the Lord to do some miracle. Nothing happened. Come Saturday the same. Then today she sent me a text with a photo of a dollar bill. On it was a message from God. I cried. She cried. In our convo this week, she referred to God's Word as shit. I wanted to be shocked but I wasn't. I loved her rawness and truth! I mourned her lack of Truth but actually thinking she knew Truth. As I drove, the Lord showed me that what she said is actually common. Did your mouth drop at her calling God's Word shit? Do you spend adequate time daily in the treasure He has given us? Not that email Bible verse and call it Bible reading, but actually sit down and ask God what He wants you to do and how He wants to use you? No? Then couldn't we really say that you think it's really just crap, too? Not worthy to be read. Not important. Jesus is super bold in the book of John. If you love me, you obey me. How can you obey if you don't read and know what it says? You can't. If you don't read and think on His words, you probably aren't being convicted by the Spirit. So would Jesus say you don't love Him? If you don't feel conviction, then you aren't repenting. If you aren't repenting, then you are not being renewed and changing. Could this be the reason you aren't seeing any change in your life for many years? If you aren't changing, then how are you doing what John the Baptist said about becoming less and Jesus becoming greater and greater? John 15:8 says that "My true disciples produce much fruit." There is no fruit produced outside of the Spirit. If people call you patient and God isn't glorified in that through His Spirit, you are doing it. He isn't sharing the glory for you to have. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God! No room for you. You must be connected to the Vine. You must be reading, repenting, and growing.
Even after this young lady said His Word is garbage and "He does nothing to help"... She begs and pleads, and He won't change anything. He still chooses to go after her and sends her a sign this weekend. How do you not cry at that?? We do not understand that forgiveness. We can't, but we can offer it to others when we are connected to Him. AND only in Him alone can we offer forgiveness to those that have done things so very wrong. That's love. Read John this week and focus on how Jesus talks to His people, or those that want to say they are religious. You might just be shocked how He talks and is kinda in-your-face, not so much codling to please come and join the group, but more like count the cost. The COST IS SO HIGH. It's your life. Not just one death. There must be two deaths to complete this. Jesus and yours. Did you ever die? Or is everything still revolving around you?
So, do you really love Him?
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