Serving God, especially through serving one another, can sometimes be thankless, unappreciated and quite frankly seem unrewarding.
Most of the good that we do may go unnoticed. This can be hard when your sacrifice your time, your money…even your reputation for the sake of God’s kingdom.
If we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves in our human moments regretting the good that we do or done, especially when we see those who could care less about God prospering and even mocking believers. Or, we see those who are looking at God as a genie in a bottle brag about their prosperity is due to their faithfulness, so what’s wrong with you.
God allows us the space to have brief human moments, and even ask Him as we would our parents…
“Why?”
“How Long?”
“Why me?”
“Why us?”
“Why do THEY deserve such good ‘fortune’?”
Notice what Psalm 73:12-14 says…
Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches. 13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
The Psalmist laments saying in so many words, “Have I repented for nothing?” “I’m still troubled all the time!”
God knows we are flesh…dust…human and will feel weak sometimes (Psalm 103:14, Matthew 26:1)
But, pay close attention to how strong Psalm 73 finishes. We are reminded that God will eventually deal with the ungodly. The Psalmist then repents and then…
TURNS HIS PITY PARTY INTO A PRAISE PARTY…
Psalm 73:18-28 (NKJV)
Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand. 24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. 26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.
When you feel discouraged about the good you do, let me encourage you with the word of God…
Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Even those who don’t believe in God have heard of it. The mark of the beast. The ‘mark’ that many will submit to showing that they have rejected Christ and accepted the antichrist.
Revelation 13:16 (KJV)
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark IN their right hand, or IN their foreheads:
The purpose of this quick post isn’t to discuss whether or not the church will still be on earth when it takes place. But, what will it actually be. This could be a long post, but I’m going to keep it short so you can digest it…and pray about it.
There are those who talk about a chip being implanted, a bar code that will be required for buying, selling and living everyday life. There are others who speak of a literal mark or tattoo on the hand and forehead. How many warnings have you heard in sermons or seen posted on social media or in sermon?
I say neither. That’s too simple. That’s too literal. Check out this verse…
Jeremiah 31:33 (NKJV)
33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Notice that God says, “I will put My law IN their minds, and write it ON their hearts.”
If you take an x-ray, will you find actual words written on your brain or heart? Of course not.
When God places something in your mind, it affects your thinking. When He places something in your heart, it affects what’s most important to you.
It’s the same with Revelation 13:16…
“In their right hand…” In the way you do things.
“In their foreheads…” The way you think.
John told us that the spirit of the antichrist was already here way back then…
1 John 4:3 (NKJV)
3 and every spirit that does not confess that[a] Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
The spirit of the antichrist has been at work for years affecting how Christians ‘do things’ and ‘think’. Convincing us to compromise when it comes to our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ.
Here’s a quick example…think about Easter. What does the name ‘Easter’ have to do with Jesus? Nothing. What do bunnies and eggs have to do with celebrating His resurrection? Nothing. But, you can’t convince well-meaning Christians to celebrate without calling it Easter because it has been to deeply ingrained in the way they ‘do things’ and the way they ‘think’. Why not celebrate His resurrection without calling it by a pagan goddess’ name?
Think of all the ways that the enemy is convincing the people of God to compromise.
Think of how the thinking of this world is changing to accept what God has forbidden.
It’s not what what you accept in or on your skin…it’s what you accept within.
This is word of admonition to those who call themselves to be believers.
The image of modern-day Christianity has been perverted by people who where pride as a necklace and their arrogance masquerades itself as confidence. Many of these people mean well, but they have been seduced by their passion against some obvious sins (namely abortion and homosexuality)…
1 Timothy 5:24-25 (NLT)
24 Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. 25 In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.
…to excuse, justify and even indulge in the sins that aren’t as obvious or politicized such as pride, arrogance. They don’t share their faith in love. They are accused of hating those whose lifestyles they reject, while they themselves accuse others of hating the proud and arrogant personalities they support.
God used proud and arrogant nations ( namely Assyria and Babylon) to punish His people because of their idolatry, hypocrisy, assimilation, refusal of justice, violence and their arrogant leaders.
However, after using these clearly ungodly nations and ungodly rulers to punish His people, He later harshly punished Assyria and Babylon. Go back and read Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel through this context.
The problem with many people in America who call themselves Christians is that they never see America as Assyria or Babylon…only as either persecuted or victorious Israel.
God has made a promise to those who have succumbed to pride and arrogance…
Jeremiah 50:31-32 (NASB)
31 “Behold, I am against you, [a]arrogant one,” Declares the Lord [b]God of armies, “For your day has come, The time [c]when I will punish you. 32 The [d]arrogant one will stumble and fall With no one to raise him up; And I will set fire to his cities, And it will devour all his surroundings.”
Jeremiah 50:31-32 (NKJV)
31 “Behold, I am against you, O most haughty one!” says the Lord God of hosts; “For your day has come, [a]The time that I will punish you. 32 The most proud shall stumble and fall, And no one will raise him up; I will kindle a fire in his cities, And it will devour all around him.”
You can’t fight against one sin by accepting and engaging in another.
Remember, pride is the first mentioned among the seven deadly sins because it is the parent sin to countless offspring sins.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV)
16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to [a]Him: 17 A[b] proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)
18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before [a]a fall.
James 4:6 (NKJV)
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Many of those who call themselves evangelicals do not represent the true image of Christ any more than the Scribes and Pharisees them. The fact is that Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ warned to beware of their hypocrisy and teaching…
Luke 12:1 (NKJV)
In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the [a]leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Remember that the LORD’S scathing rebukes WERE NOT FOR THE ‘SINNERS’ but those who called themselves to be religious leaders!
Think about Jesus’ response when the woman was caught in adultery. Think about how He dined with ‘sinners’. Then think about His responses to those who called themselves to be ‘religious’…
Matthew 23:13-36 (NKJV)
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 [a]Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of [b]hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that [c]sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who [d]swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who [e]dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and [f]self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and [g]adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’
31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.33 Serpents, brood[h] of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
You can’t ignore this powerful connection. The book of Enoch is referenced in the books of Jude, Peter and The Revelation..,and connected to the entire bible. It was never omitted from The Ethiopian bible.
Many people in America suffer from a spiritual epidemic of pride and refuse to acknowledge or address it.
One way this abomination manifests itself is through how history is perceived and presented.
Too many Americans feel they have the right to define which history is appropriate and which is not.
For example, when speaking of the Confederacy or the flag that represented that rebellious effort that fought against the United States…many will not only claim it’s history, but will boastfully say, IT’S HERITAGE NOT HATE. They will quickly tell you they don’t care WHO is offended by the Confederate flag or honoring that history. It doesn’t enter their mind that it’s in any way divisive or stirs up hatred.
However, when little-known history and atrocities committed by Americans is shared, such as the Tulsa Massacre of 1921, some of the same people consider this history to be ‘race-bating’, stirring up hatred, and divisive.
What?
Are you that hypocritical?
How arrogant, selfish and quite frankly entitled can you be?
One of the most beautiful things about the bible, both Old Testament and New Testament, is that it reports the SAME HISTORY from more than one perspective, From the prophets, to the synoptic Gospels compared to John. Study the bible and look at how prophets who were contemporaries conveyed the same story from different perspectives.
God doesn’t try to hide the ugly things Israel did, or paint them as glorious, but instead shows His anger at them, tells how He rebuked them, and left a lesson for generations to come.
Telling people that history they don’t prefer is inappropriate is a text-book attitude of entitlement and privilege. But, people aren’t that stupid. When they’re honest with themselves…they know that. These people get pissed off because they want complete control of the narrative of American history. You don’t get to define what’s HATRED and what’s HISTORY based on the history that you value.
“Too many people in America only see America as always the HERO or the ‘HOLY VICTIM’. I love America, but we (none of us) have not ALWAYS been the hero.
Too many people only see America as:
Israel and never Egypt…
Joseph and never his brothers who sold him into slavery…
Esther & Mordecai and never Haman…
Israel/Judah and never Assyria…
Israel/Judah and never Babylon…
Jesus and never Judas…
Jesus and never the Pharisees…
Jesus and never Herod…
Jesus and never Pilate…
Israel and never the Romans…
And, even when America sees itself as Israel, too many in America never see themselves as REBUKED ISRAEL which God is holding accountable for their sins, but only heroic, victorious or restored Israel.
The bible is full of accounts of Israel being rebuked for not only their sins, but not rejecting the sins of their ‘fathers’. Instead, too many sins of America’s past are celebrated as ‘history’ and ‘heritage’. God has proven that everything about our past should not only go uncelebrated, but should be confessed and repented…
Leviticus 26:39-42 (NKJV)
39 And those of you who are left shall [a]waste away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; also in their fathers’ iniquities, which are with them, they shall waste away.
40 ‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,
41 and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—
42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember;
I will remember the land.
Remember this, for restoration, God called for those who call themselves to be His to repent, not the ‘overt’ sinners in the land…
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land
To many, so-called patriotism has become a form of idolatry. Pride will destroy American before anything else does.”
It’s impossible to ignore the presence of slavery in the bible. Many people wonder if slavery is evil, then why is it in the bible, both Old and Testaments. To fully explain this concept would take a series of lessons, which I do intend to publish soon, as I get time to responsibly put them together. I will however give you a brief answer for general understanding.
First and foremost, we in the 21st Century have the tendency to view things only from a 21st Century perspective, but Yahuah (God) exists outside of time and relates to us holistically throughout time, beyond time and the cultures we have created. Yahuah deals with us from and through the lens of HIS prospective. We must look at the many aspects of servitude throughout history.
IT’S CLEAR AMERICAN SLAVERY WAS EVIL
Slavery and servitude have existed in numerous cultures, in many forms throughout history. Yes, slavery as it was in America was evil. In fact, Yahuah strictly forbade kidnapping people and selling them into slavery…(Exodus 21:16)… 16 “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death). It’s clear Yahuah forbade this and it was punishable by death. So, how do you explain Exodus 21 that outlines regulations for Hebrews who choose to buy a slave? Or how do you explain Ephesians 6:5-9? (5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him)
As for Exodus 21, these were not SLAVES; the word is more properly translated servants. These people were not enslaved for life. They were indentured servants, who served a period of seven years and were then to be set free, unless he or she chose to stay with his or her ‘master’. Now, as crazy as this may seem to us in the 21st Century, in ancient times there was no government support as we have in the recent past. Social structure and societal roles were strictly set in many cultures. If a family was poor or destitute, then it would most likely stay that way for generations. To some, servitude was a means of supporting families and sometimes preventing homelessness and starvation. If you read Exodus 21, there was no separation of families as took place in the southern United States. You will also notice in Deuteronomy 15:12-18 that God commanded that servants were not to be sent away empty-handed. This was a means for families to be lifted up from poverty and being destitute, unless they CHOSE to stay. This was not the equivalent to American slavery. (Deuteronomy 15:12-18) 12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. 16 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you, 17 then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. 18 It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.
There is however another aspect of slavery, the evil aspect. Sometimes during war, people would be captured and subjugated. And, yes sometimes people were and are kidnapped and sold into slavery. Remember, God allowed His own chosen people to be slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Remember in Exodus God said He hardened Pharaoh’s heart so He wouldn’t listen to Moses? (Exodus 9:12 But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.) This was for the purpose that God could show His power to the Egyptians and for our example. In Isaiah 10:5-6 God tells how He used Assyria, a heathen nation, to punish His own people. (5 Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!) 6 Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder,). Remember that God allowed His people to be taken captive by the Babylonians, that at the time of Jesus Israel was under Roman rule and in A.D. 70 they destroyed Jerusalem. Remember also that God used the Romans, a pagan, non-believing nation, to crucify His only Son. Throughout the Old Testament, even though war is evil, God used to discipline His people, and as judgment on unbelievers…for our example.
GOD USES GOOD AND EVIL FOR HIS PURPOSE
My point is this…both good and evil exists in this world, and God used both good and evil for His ultimate purpose. It’s obvious God won’t use good people to do evil, so He even uses evil people to discipline, and execute judgment on both His people and unbelievers. Afterward, the evil people will be judged. It’s not that they’re cursed, as Jesus said in John 3:18 says they are already condemned due to they’re own unbelief. Notice in Isaiah 10 that God says even though He used Assyria as a rod of correction against His people, he will still punish them for their evil that were predisposed to do anyway.
The fact is that God often used the existence and reality of something as evil as slavery to discipline His people or judge unbelievers. In regard to Ephesians 6:5-9, God made provision for His people’s behavior if they happened to be servants. His Godly character and holiness must be maintained in all situations…good and bad.
Notice this, any group enslaved never remained enslaved. God always heard their cry and set them free…hopefully to show His power to the oppressor and love to the oppressed.
Also notice in the book of Philemon, that God encouraged his friend Onesimus to return to his ‘master’, but He also encouraged Philemon to do the right thing and set him free upon his return.
SO WHY DID MOSES INCLUDE IT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
One more thing is worth your consideration. In Matthew 19, the Pharisees confronted Jesus, asking Him is it lawful for a man to divorce His wife. Notice Jesus’ response in the NKJV… “4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Isn’t interesting that even though the book of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 permits divorce, Jesus makes it clear that just because Moses put it in the law during that dispensation of history, that it was never God’s will. Malachi 2:16 confirms this in saying that God hates divorce. This slight departure from the topic is to prove that just like slavery, just because there was provision made in the law, doesn’t mean that God condones it in it’s most evil form. Remember the ‘servants’ in the New Testament were indentured, and Paul urged Philemon to release Onisemus was he returned. It’s possible that Onisemus decided to stay beyond his seven years…no one knows.
THERE’S MUCH MORE TO SAY…
This is definitely not an exhaustive summary of all the verses concerning slavery, and there’s still much more to be said, but I think it will give you an idea of the concept in the bible. I know there are many who will not agree with this analysis, which acknowledges the reality, of servitude, as well as harmonizes, Old and New Testaments. I welcome comments and thoughts. You may expand upon the content of this article, or express why you disagree. I only ask that all comments are positive and respectful.
One of my greatest disappointments in ‘growing up’ was realizing how much we really don’t. You can look at some adults and sometimes easily tell who was the cry baby, the know it all, the spoiled child…the one who took their toys and went home when they didn’t get their way.
You can work in an office, school, store, restaurant, or even a church and you’ll find the same thing…proof that some of us never really grow up. Many work places aren’t much different from high school…
You have the so-called…
Popular/Cool kids
Nerds
Jocks
Preps
Bullies
Loners
You have those with aggravatingly high levels of ‘school spirit’ and those who ‘smoke in the bathroom’ and could care less…those who are ‘company people’ and those who spend most of their day in the designated smoking area.
You have those who ‘remind the teacher (boss) we have a test’…those who can’t wait to remind the boss of that meeting that no one wanted to have.
You have those who are always late for class and never have their assignments…those always late for work and hold up the process, the line…progress because they haven’t done their part.
You have the teacher’s pet…those who love ‘kissing the bosses behind’ trying to get noticed or get ahead, and you see it sometimes backfire on them at work just as it did in school.
You have those who keep their ‘desk’ in perfect condition…those whose desk is an organized mess…and those whose desk is a disaster area.
School should be a place where all children can go to learn in peace and safety…be challenged and enjoy rewarding friendships.
Our workplaces should be places where we can earn a living for ourselves or our families and be respected as adults.
Does any of this sound familiar to you?
Both school and workplaces are ruined by the same things…
Selfishness
Immaturity
Over Ambition
Arrogance
Untrustworthy
Cliques
People who forget the real reason they’re at WORK.
God’s word tells us that we should always be mindful to treat others not only as we want to be treated…
Matthew 7:12 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
But, also better than ourselves…
Philippians 2:3 (NKJV)
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
God also expects us to do whatever it takes within us to get along with others…
Romans 12:18 (NKJV)
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
The bible teaches us that God expects us to be ‘perfect’. But, perfect in the bible does not mean without fault. It means ‘mature’ (according to Strong’s Concordance Greek teleios means mature or consummated).
Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect
Philippians 3:15 (NKJV)
15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
When you’re in fourth grade, you should be at that proper level of development…intellectually, emotionally, behaviorally and socially. You aren’t expected to be in the fourth grade on an eight grade level…or vice versa. If you are on your appropriate level of development, according to the bible you are ‘perfect’ or mature.
The problem is that in our workplaces…too many people remained at the ‘forth grade’ level even though they have moved to ‘high school’. God expects us to grow up.
If we take God’s work serious enough in our homes to instill it within our children, we will find our schools much better places to learn, which will create adults who make our workplaces better places to work.
The enemy doesn’t mind you going to church as long as you take him with you. He wants to distract and infect your worship. One way he achieves this is through division in the local church. Division in the Body of Christ is strictly forbidden, and is sin…
Galations 5:19-20
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, FACTIONS
1 Corinthians 1:10
10 “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be NO DIVISIONS among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
We as people tend to want to be in groups of people with either common interests, or people who can benefit us. Sometimes these groups can form in the church with an unwillingness to let others in…that’s a CLIQUE (FACTION) .
Church can become like high school – The Cool Kids, The Jocks, The Nerds…
Church can become like the outside world – The Haves and The Have Nots…
Church can become like the secular (or Christian) music industry – Pastor, his Entourage, his Groupies and Fans…
Are you in one of these CLIQUES?
These are all distractions from the enemy to make our churches carnal, unfruitful and unproductive.
Don’t let your small group, your ministry group, your choir, your circle of friends be a CLIQUE in disguise.
Clique- ‘ISH’ even tried to creep into the early church…
1 Corinthians 11:18-22
18 “For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.”
The Body of Christ is one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12:12) and EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY!
Even though we as people have a tendency to be CLIQUE-‘ISH’…. we need to keep that CLIQUE-‘ISH’ out of God’s church.!
1. Slang term often used to replace “s**t.” Derived from the process of editing the vocals of rap-songs by revershing the curse words so said song could be played on radio or television.
Years ago I used to do nursing home ministry. I would visit two nursing homes, once each month. As I walked down through the halls I would see the same faces. There were some residents who had regular visits from family and friends, but unfortunately, there too many who never got a visitor…ever.
There were also varying levels of mental health. One lady in particular at one of the nursing homes would say the same thing during every visit. She would sit in her wheelchair in the entrance to her room as I walked by…smile and say, “I’m going home today”. No, she wasn’t going home. She was one of the residents who never had visitors, and her family had moved on with their lives. At first I felt sorry for her because her situation seemed so hopeless…but then God gave me an awesome revelation.
In her hopeless situation…her dementia was a blessing!
Blessing? How was her dementia a blessing?
In reality, she woke up every morning WITHOUT hope of going home.
But through her dementia, she woke up every morning WITH hope of going home.
God gave her a reason to smile EVERY DAY.
God gave her something to look forward to EVERY DAY.
God gave her HOPE in a HOPELESS situation.
She spent her last days with HOPE.
What many may think of as a CURSE, was actually a BLESSING to her.
God’s wisdom is amazing!
He can can pull HOPE out of HOPEless…
FORTUNE our of unFORTUNALTE…
Stop and give God praise for His unfathomable wisdom. Paul was right in Romans 11…
Romans 11: 33-36
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?”
35 “Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
When you stop and take look, you can see God’s wisdom in everything…and I mean EVERYTHING!
God’s first institution established in His Kingdom was the family. He put man and woman together with a plan. He told us to be fruitful and multiply because God wasn’t going to continue creating men from dust or women from men’s ribs.
God gave us the gift of physical intimacy (sex) to bring children into the world, and to enhance our marriages. God wants us to enjoy one another just as much as he wants us to enjoy Him, and that’s very clear in the bible.
Proverbs 5:19 (NKJV)
As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be enraptured with her love.
Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)
4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
He even told husbands and wives to ‘take care of each other’ intimately so that neither is tempted…
1 Corinthians 7: 1-5
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
God made sex a physical crescendo that builds to a climactic, brief culmination of intense pleasure sought after by both those who are married and unfortunately, unmarried….We will use the euphemism ‘THE BIG O’. Everything God did has a holy purpose. It’s not God’s fault that we misuse His gift…and what a perfect gift!
Here’s where God’s wisdom comes in.
God knew…
If we were going to ‘be fruitful and multiply’…
If we were going to have long, healthy marriages…
Our gift would need to be something we look forward to…something we crave and not something we dread.
Few people want the physical crescendo without the ‘BIG O’…
And, few people want the ‘BIG O’ to come too soon…
But, dig this!
As much as we enjoy…
As much we anticipate the ‘BIG O’.
As much as we enjoy reaching that brief moment of euphoria…God was wise enough to make it brief.
It’s brief enough for us to look forward to it, but it’s short enough for us to enjoy it.
Think about it…no one would be able to withstand 5, 10, 15 uninterrupted minutes of the ‘BIG O’. I don’t even know if our bodies could take it.
If the ‘BIG O’ was too big or too long…we would dread it.
If the ‘BIG O’ was too big we would avoid it.
There would be no ‘be fruitful and multiply’.
There would be a strain on marriages due to lack of intimacy.
Even the most holy person can admit that a well-timed ‘BIG O’ is just the pressure release valve needed sometime to relieve us of the stresses of life.
God knew just how good to make it…Just how strong to make it…and just how long to make it.
I told you when you stop and look at it, you can see God’s wisdom in EVERYTHING.
It’s easy to see why the apostle Paul proclaimed…
Romans 11:33 (NKJV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
Too many people who call themselves Christians have a perverted view of strength.
They equate being proud, angry, loud, aggressive, insulting, retaliatory, impulsive, impatient, mean, ruthless, hard-hearted, violent and unforgiving to being strong…
While equating being humble, meek, quiet, patient, kind, gentle, self-controlled, merciful, willing to yield, soft-hearted, forgiving and turning the other cheek to being weak.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
James 3:17 (NKJV)
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
On social media and verbally, people brag about how easy it is for them to…
Cut people off…
Hold onto a grudge…
Revert back to their less patient, less forgiving, more hard-hearted and ready to ‘strike-back’ self.
They say, “You don’t know who I used to be” with pride rather than regret.
They boast, “I haven’t always been saved”.
They assert, “I can come down to your level.”
They lament about not being able to ‘cuss you out’, and brag about how they would have ‘back in the day’.
They infer that in some situations, they have to let Satan handle it instead of God through their behavior.
All-the-while these people who claim to be in the Body of Christ are impressed by people who ‘keep it real’ and say ‘just what’s on their mind’, even though the word of God prohibits that behavior…
Proverbs 29:11 (NKJV)
11 A fool vents all his feelings,[a] But a wise man holds them back.
When called out on either engaging in or celebrating overly assertive behavior that clearly doesn’t meet God’s expectations, they quickly want to call out Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) turning over money changers in the temple…as if that was an example of strong behavior, but allowing Himself to be beaten and hung on the cross wasn’t.
But, even when the Lord was turning over money changers, He didn’t strike one person. New Testament Christians love to revert to the violent Old Testament to justify their visceral behavior rather than the New Testament that doesn’t give ONE example of Jesus allowing us to violently respond…
Matthew 5:38-40 (NLV)
38 “You have heard that it has been said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not fight with the man who wants to fight. Whoever hits you on the right side of the face, turn so he can hit the other side also. 40 If any person takes you to court to get your shirt, give him your coat also.
When challenging so-called ‘strong words’, too many people mention when Jesus was calling the Pharisees hypocrites, a brood of vipers and sharply rebuking them, as if remaining silent before Pilate wasn’t strength.
People brag, “MY CUT-OFF GAME IS SO STRONG!”
People are competitive about how assertive and aggressive they can be to ‘get ahead’ in the world.
What if people bragged, “MY FORGIVENESS AND KINDNESS GAME IS SO STRONG!”
What if people were competitive about how gentle and willing to yield they can be to ‘get ahead’ in the Kingdom of God?
God doesn’t conform to the demands of our culture and standards…
We conform to His.
Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
Notice what Jesus prayed for before He went to the cross in John 17. Notice how many times He said,”ONE”.
John 17:20-23 (NKJV)
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Now, notice how many times He said I and my father are ONE.
John 10:30 (NKJV)
30 I and My Father are one.”
Think about what who bears witness in heaven.
John 5:7 (NKJV)
7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one
What did Jesus Himself say about marriage?
Mark 10:8 (NKJV)
8 and the two shall become one flesh’; [a] so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Notice that we’re told to speak the same thing and there be no divisions in our churches…
1 Corinthians 1:10 (NKJV)
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
NOW…
Also notice something significant about the demons cast out of the man in Mark Chapter 5.
Mark 5:9 (NKJV)
9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”
Take note in Matthew Chapter 12 what demons do when they find a comfortable dwelling.
Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV)
43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Notice what atrocities Hitler was able to accomplished by getting people to agree with His agenda.
Look at what the LBGT community has been able to accomplish contrary to the word of God by banding together in agreement.
Why?
Because no force other than God and His love is more powerful agreement.
Oneness. Agreement. Unity. Works for both GOOD and EVIL. RIGHT and WRONG.
Think about it…
Marriage…agreement.
Family…agreement.
Church…agreement.
Street gang…agreement.
Mob…agreement.
All are only successful through ONENESS. AGREEMENT. UNITY…a force so powerful, it works for good and evil.
Why do you think the devil works so hard at trying to divide people who love one another…people who have so much in common?
God is love, and satan is not (yes, lower case on purpose.) Love covers all and conquers all…
1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
God’s love is all powerful, but think about this…
UNITY, (AGREEMENT or ONENESS) is the only force and power that the enemy can use to try and RIVAL the power of God’s love on earth to accomplish his agenda.
That’s why in John Chapter 17, after praying for Himself, then praying for His disciples…He prayed for us (vs.20), and He prayed that we are ONE in Him and in one another.
Because other than love, there is nothing more powerful on this earth than UNITY.
Yehovah Yireh provides perfectly through our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
We must always be careful that we never dishonor Him because we have our wants confused with our needs.
It didn’t take long for Israel to get tired of the ‘bread from heaven provided by God…
Numbers 11:1-20 (NKJV)
11 Now (A)when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; (B)for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the (C)fire of the Lordburned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people (D)cried out to Moses, and when Moses (E)prayed to the Lord, the fire was [a]quenched. 3 So he called the name of the place [b]Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.
4 Now the (F)mixed multitude who were among them [c]yielded to (G)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: (H)“Who will give us meat to eat? 5 (I)We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now (J)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
7 Now (K)the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and (L)its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. 9 And (M)when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.
10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and (N)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 (O)So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the [d]burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, (P)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (Q)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You (R)swore[e] to their fathers? 13 (S)Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 (T)I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and (U)do not let me see my wretchedness!”
16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me (V)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and (W)officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. (X)I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 Then you shall say to the people, [f]‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (Y)in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 (Z)but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have (AA)despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, (AB)“Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”
How many times have you looked in the refrigerator, pantry or cabinet and said, “There’s nothing to eat” because it wasn’t what you wanted?
How many times have you complained about the job you prayed for and God is using to sustain your life this season?
How many times have you complained about the spouse, children or family that God gave you because they don’t always see eye-to-eye with you? Remember the children of Israel complained in the wilderness against Moses’ leadership over and over again.
Complaining is one of the sins that pisses Him off the most…
1 Corinthians 10:10 (NKJV)
10 nor complain, as (A)some of them also complained, and (B)were destroyed by (C)the destroyer.
Remember, complaining is the opposite of thanksgiving.
serving one another, can sometimes be thankless, unappreciated and quite frankly seem unrewarding.
BE BLESSTIFIED! 