Worthy is the Lamb: TRYING SOMETHING NEW FOR MY BLOG CALLED "LET'S TALK!"

Saturday, April 15, 2017

TRYING SOMETHING NEW FOR MY BLOG CALLED "LET'S TALK!"

Two things about me, one is I love to talk..a lot. I feel I am oh, so enlightened and everyone wants to hear my newest insights, lol. Naw, I'm not THAT bad but there are some things that's been on my mind a lot lately, not doctrinal questions but why questions. I don't know how the Holy Spirit speaks to you but I'm sure it's not the same as it is for me. Oh, certain aspects and ways are the same but I do believe since our relationship with Christ Jesus is personal, so it must be with what I call "SpiritSpeak". He definitely speaks to us through the Word of God. Like Justin Peters, a true believer and man of God, we both believe that the Bible is inerrant, infallible and each verse has one and only one "literal" meaning. However, we believe those verses have multiple applications, depending on who, what, where, etc. It may mean one thing to you today, something entirely different the next but the underlying meaning never changes. Thou shalt not lie. Maybe it speaks to me as I tend to lie either not to hurt someone or to keep an argument for starting. Ten years ago, lying came as natural as breathing. Same meaning, different reasons and lessons. Truth is truth but at times it also can be subjective. What if I don't like the dress you're wearing but it's a matter of taste. Should I be brutally honest and tell them I hate it, it's ugly and they should burn it, even if that's what I think? Yet the person next to me thinks it's gorgeous. Which one of us is lying if we tell them our opinion? Neither. Nor do I believe that's what God is warning us about. I like pastel colors for me but on some, reds and oranges look awesome but I wouldn't dare wear it. What should I tell them? Be self-righteous and say well, it's okay for YOU but I wouldn't get caught dead in it. What's the purpose? Isn't there something I can say that's 100% TRUE without hurting them? Absolutely. I would say something like, "wow, I sure wish I could wear clothes like that and be as beautiful as you are." I'd put it on ME. Who am I to tell someone what to wear and to what gain would it do to anyone to be honest about my personal opinion, especially since I am not the fashion police.

But...doesn't the world hate "peculiar people?" Yes. "You will be persecuted for My Name's Sake but remember, the world hates YOU because it FIRST hated ME." Be thankful for being found worthy to be persecuted for Jesus Christ's sake. It may make you peculiar to the world but we are not of this world. Our new citizenship is in the Kingdom of God!

We worry over such minor things such as...is choosing not to be 100% brutally honest over a dress a friend just bought that we personally do not like but it's a personal opinion, not a fact because many others may think it's beautiful. Yet we seem to have NO PROBLEM with compromising our beliefs, God's HOLY and righteous standards that never have, never will change and especially the Word of God and our own pitiful "morality." We know living together outside of marriage is a sin but I bet if your pastor is doing it and you like him, somehow you'll find a way to "justify it" rather than demanding he get right or gets fired. Yes, I do believe we are to hold our Spiritual teachers (not leaders, rulers, etc. but guides or teachers) to a higher moral standard than the members of the flock. I had a boss once that claimed to be a man of God and he sure went around telling everybody what sin they were doing. He was great at it but there was a problem, he didn't see the disgusting sin in his own life but we could. His wife always came to work drinking beer and was really into debutante balls and the wealthy and "affluent" members of her world. So much pride and vanity, self-righteousness and sin so great that we are stunned when they don't get it. So, I came up with this slogan that I live by to this day and hold everyone who calls themselves followers of Christ Jesus to the same standard...do NOT preach to me with a Bible in one hand and a beer in the other. Maybe if we started holding ourselves AND our fellow brothers and sisters to this standard, we'd be a huge voice. However, we have become pleasers of man rather than pleasers of God and the Church is to blame. Stop blaming television, "devil" music, books, etc. for all the unbelief in this world and put it where it belongs, our hearts. What do we do for Him? He died for us so He owes us nothing (yet He gives anyway) so here it is now, almost the anniversary of that glorious day of Victory over death, hell and the grave and I've yet to be invited to church OR even asked if I know Jesus. I wish I could say I'm shocked but I'm not. I was just wrong about who is to blame. We, the Body of Christ, are failing this world and I fear in my heart we are going to be held accountable for it. Think hard about this, please. BE HIS VOICE ON EARTH!

I wasn't living for God at the time, but by His Grace, when I gave Him my heart around 6, He saved me right then and there without conditions. I sure didn't know everything I committed to but I knew there were going to be things that, as a woman after God's heart, I wouldn't be allowed to do and get away with it. I never stopped believing in Him. Oh, I got angry with Him, which is pure idiocy and a waste of time and energy BUT maybe necessary. It changed my life. I told Him I didn't believe in Him anymore but I continued yelling at Him. One day, I heard this small, still voice say hey, you down there, you don't believe in Me? Nope, I don't and accept it or not, blah blah blah. He allowed me to be angry and say whatever I wanted for a week or so. Boy was I angry. Then I heard that same voice but not quite as small nor quiet. "Brenda (you silly human) HOW can you be mad at Me for your bad choices but even worse, silly girl, HOW can you be MAD at ME when you say I don't exist? My word is stupid but...silly girl, you can't be mad at what does not exist. I was stunned. Totally and completely awed as I KNEW those words were not my imagination. Whenever I hear my name in my heart or head, I know exactly Who it is. I don't use my name when I think of something but He always does IF there's time. Sometimes it's automatic. No time to "think" but act. It's not instinct, you just have this sense of knowing. Next time try to disobey the Holy Spirit in THOSE rare moments and see what happens. I didn't KNOW it was HolySpiritSpeak for a long time and I know of two times I tried to disobey (not willful) and if God wants something done by you, it will be done. Now, I believe in free will too. I think we are all predestined to accept Him and I go by a scripture that tells us all have been born with "a measure of faith." Therefore, all of us are free to accept Him any time we want. We will be used by God and although I cannot really explain why I feel this nor can I really back it up but in several verses we see that it tells us the right answer. Again, my best guess and could be wrong. John 3:16 and 17 backs this up. It is NOT God's will that ANYONE should perish....Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord SHALL be saved...and more. But this predestination seemingly takes away our free will (we are going to believe in Him or not, we have no say in the matter) so then why would we need to evangelize and spread the Gospel to the outermost parts of the earth? If they're going to or not going to get saved, what would be the point? None.

We are all predestined for God's purposes. What I believe is that WE have 100% say on whether He uses us for His GOOD will or for the bad. IF you choose God, those 25 people you would have killed at some point in your life (just an example) or that 5 year prison sentence you were to serve for theft or drugs, you just got pardoned, set free from the wages of that sin you WOULD have committed. God's will WILL be done and you are as much a part of that plan as King David or Saul (Paul). Unfortunately (no FORTUNATELY) you do not have to choose evil and can choose good. The unfortunate part is, for everyone who does choose God's way rather than their own, there's 100 plus more that WILL choose evil. Someone will be willing and so not needed. It is just your choice on the part you will take in His plan. Rather than serve a 5 year prison term, maybe you'll be called to minister to the men or women in that very prison during that time you'd have served. We don't know. All I know for sure is what God said in Romans 8:28..."For as we know, ALL things work to the good, to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes." Good or evil....your free will choice. This is not doctrine, my thoughts only and very well may be way off, it seems right. I have other things and verses to add if you want them. This is just a sample of something new I want to do to get us out of our comfort zones, step out in faith and LEARN TO DISCERN THE WORD OF GOD. Challenge ourselves to think and go to the source in prayer. You WILL be heard and answered, just be open to some amazing and, at times, hilarious ways in which He chooses. Laughter...great gift and I KNOW He loves it when we play with Him. He is our dad, right?

You guys have an awesome Sunday and if you do celebrate Easter, thank Him for what He did for you. Find a way to give back to Him today. Oh, and where do we get the word "Easter," anyway? It is mentioned once in the KJV and some say it is an intentional mistake by William Tyndale and others say it was an accident but he was actually referring to the pagan god diana. I don't know a thing about paganism and have no real interest in knowing but if anyone knows and cares to tell me, fine. Otherwise, it's just our day of Victory...yesterday, today and tomorrow!