It took a child to straighten me out...or was it #somethingOnTelevision
Holding a new born changes your perspective...
I mean, to look down at this creature...this alien being that has come over to this side...and although a million thoughts could run through your mind about what it'd be like for them to grow up in this world; all is peaceful...
"How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!"
...
Isaiah 59:19b (NKJV) #verseOfReflection
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
In our last two entries in the CORE series (pt1 & pt2), we talked about some heavy stuff. At various intervals with our wrestle with truth here at #imdatruthblog it may have come across that I was playing Devil's Advocate (maybe I read the newspaper too much in highschool). Truth be told no matter what I advocate for, speak on behalf of, it will be very tough to deny I "go hard". You see, the way God made me...its kind of what I do.
When we set out to really seek the Truth we accept a certain level of risk, namely being wrong. But(!) God is faithful (and patient). He has encountered me on a number of occasions in a variety of ways to not only set my crooked paths straight but also to "renew my mind" such that those parts which were seared are operating as if brand new (more on that to come later; gonna be a sizzlin good time). Imagine trying to sum up everything that has happened to you over the course of 4 years in a blog entry...that is essentially what happened in CORE pt 1.
Moving forward we'll keep these past interactions with Truth in mind as we continue to seek what God says and is saying about today's world...and as is apparent there's more than enough to talk about.
But if I could play Devil's Advocate...one...last...time. I want you to see how we got here as a people because I don't think it's highly evident or at a minimum, most people aren't taking a step back to try and see IT for what it really is.
If I were the enemy...I'd constantly entice you to find ways to be at each other's throats over issues that should've been resolved a long time ago (See: Race Issues in America). I might also sow seeds of discord in your family by purposefully causing many of your family members to become same-sex attracted as a result of confusing (and sometimes inappropriate) interactions with other members of the same sex throughout their childhood. While we're at it, let's go ahead and have those men and women who are called by God to do a great work, interpret the scriptures in such a way that it goes directly against what God has said, yet this or that "prophet" in the church has spoken it, so perhaps the tides are changing. Oooh, you know what would be REAAALLLY goood?!?!?!? I'll just raise up my OWN prophets, ministers, and pastors to speak what I want them to say.
But wait...there's more!
Slowly but surely, I'd use the gift of rhetoric, argument, and oratory skill to have you all but believe the leader that you've been waiting for has finally arrived, only to practically destroy the legacy he could leave by having planted false doctrine / theology into his mind earlier in his Christian journey. And lastly, but certainly not least, I just might inspire someone to create a popular sitcom that all but compares the journey in one's struggle with their sexuality, to a people's struggle with their ethnicity and skin color, because after all if we are all from minority communities surely we can rally together by pimping the framework of a great nation-wide movement that itself was founded on a mixture of principles, and not Jesus alone.
But wait...there's more!
Slowly but surely, I'd use the gift of rhetoric, argument, and oratory skill to have you all but believe the leader that you've been waiting for has finally arrived, only to practically destroy the legacy he could leave by having planted false doctrine / theology into his mind earlier in his Christian journey. And lastly, but certainly not least, I just might inspire someone to create a popular sitcom that all but compares the journey in one's struggle with their sexuality, to a people's struggle with their ethnicity and skin color, because after all if we are all from minority communities surely we can rally together by pimping the framework of a great nation-wide movement that itself was founded on a mixture of principles, and not Jesus alone.
These are the issues of our day: Race, Human Sexuality, Identity, Integrity of Ministry, etc. The funny thing is there is one reason and ONE reason only that these problems continue to persist: SIN.
...
In CORE pt 2 I spoke of how if I could have lunch with any character from the Bible it would be the Apostle Paul because of our similarities in what the Lord calls us to do (and more specifically the spiritual experiences, which are available to all but not necessarily common to every/the average believer). In CORE pt 1, I attempted to describe what "it was like" and in pt 2 I drew up a framework to help you better understand what was going on. One thing I hope we can achieve together through this journey is learning (and challenging ourselves) to think on multiple levels at once. In doing this we are better able to see and make the connections. This means that in my presentations of certain stories, ideas, etc I'll go from a macro (big picture) perspective to a micro (smaller / sometimes more detailed) perspective and back to a macro perspective all within one thought. Next, as a teacher I won't always explain everything straight up. I don't spoon feed, but it'll be enough to get you started. After all "the Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6), that's why some things were "hidden" from others but not the disciples. You have to want to know God and what His Word says for yourself.
In closing, there is an importance of having intellect (being smart, talented, etc) but also knowing when it's okay to lose it (i.e. Understand its place). One of the reasons we are so messed up today is because we rely on our ability to think moreso than anything else. Even in the church (sometimes) we rely less on the Spirit of Truth and more on what our minds can come up with by way of logic and reason.
In essence many of us, especially Christians would faithfully be charged with "aiding and abetting the enemy". Last time I checked that's treason; felonious assault on the grace of God to the Nth degree. I know I unintentionally may have led people astray in my effort to seek truth, this is why we must be careful when handling the Word of God especially in today's "culture wars".
When the enemy comes in like a flood, God raises a standard...but first we must accept the standard that he has called us to and begin to raise it ourselves through our prayers, petitions, and posture of our everyday walk in Christ (for those who believe). Then and only then will He answer our cries to him through the model prayer Jesus taught....
In essence many of us, especially Christians would faithfully be charged with "aiding and abetting the enemy". Last time I checked that's treason; felonious assault on the grace of God to the Nth degree. I know I unintentionally may have led people astray in my effort to seek truth, this is why we must be careful when handling the Word of God especially in today's "culture wars".
When the enemy comes in like a flood, God raises a standard...but first we must accept the standard that he has called us to and begin to raise it ourselves through our prayers, petitions, and posture of our everyday walk in Christ (for those who believe). Then and only then will He answer our cries to him through the model prayer Jesus taught....
"...thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."
Sumthn2Ponder (s2p):
- How have I contributed to the work of the enemy?
- Am I responsible for what's happening in the world right now?
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