Friday, December 20, 2013

By All Outward Appearances

By all outward appearances, he was a humble man, quiet spoken, and somewhat timid. But he showed another side at home behind closed doors. His family knew him to be a monster, a bully to the most vulnerable inflicting immense terror to children without remorse. My friend shared with me the true man behind the image. I had simply commented to her how I always had an image of him as being so gentle and loving. She gave me such a bewildered look that he could be so perceived in the public view. 

His image and reputation were so important to him to the outside world. But she said to us, he was a monster. We could never do anything right; we were never good enough; we never measured up. There was no correction when we made a mistake it was more like, you opened a new bottle of ketchup and didn't see the one in the refrigerator, "I ought to shove this down your throat!" He said this to an eight year old. Every sentence started with G. d. 

And on top of all this he demanded respect. She said one time she was forced to stand in front of him while he yelled at her at the the top of his lungs uttering all forms of profanity and she got the bright idea, "if I find out what I am doing wrong, maybe I can stop doing it." So she said she decided she would ask why she was in trouble. She was so hopeful with her new revelation and belief that she could and would certainly stop doing whatever it was that was causing her to continually end up in this predicament with this man. Unfortunately, asking what she had done wrong was NOT the right question. She was supposed to know! She barely got out from his wrath with her life. She did learn to never ever ask why she was in trouble though.

I didn't really know how to respond to my friend. I just sorta stood there with my mouth open.  I don't know why some people get families who love them and care about them and others grow up with monsters. And I certainly am astounded that there are those living among us receiving all manner of praise and respect from us...when behind closed doors they behave like monsters. I noticed her eyes were intense like she was trying to make me see him as he showed himself to his family. To his family he demanded respect. He took it by force. Of course he didn't get real respect. He got the phony heart and attitude from his family... like the one he showed to the outside world.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

I CAN'T DO IT!

I can't do it! I can't do any of it.  I try to do good; but I cannot. I come to You Father, confessing that I cannot, by my own power, follow you in obedience to your commandments.  But I thank you that you are beginning to show me that You already know that I cannot do the things I so deeply desire to do; but as I surrender my weaknesses, shortcomings, and even lack of faith to You, You rise up within me and do the things I cannot do. 

 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 NKJV

"For by You I can run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall." Psalms 18:29 NASB

"For You light my lamp; The LORD my God illumines my darkness."
Psalm 18:28 NASB

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Don't Compromise the Word of God

It's the little lie that puts us most at risk. When we hear our beloved minister, friend, family member, or neighbor proclaim something that sounds so good and so loving and so inclusive, how can we fault them? Is that where our compromise begins?

What about taking every thought captive and making it line up to the word of God? (2 Corinthians 10:5)


"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Corinthians 10:5)


But is Christ about including every thought and seeming nice belief? How often do we get side tracked by nice sounding teachings?


Did Jesus give us an example that all beliefs are equal and acceptable? 


Do we have ANY examples of Jesus rebuking anyone? 


He called others to repentance and the disciples did the same thing.


He came to give His life so that through His blood we could be free from the bondage of sin. He gave His life so that we could be joint heirs with Him. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for our atonement. We have been bought with a price. Surely we won't cheapen His sacrifice with inclusion of  those who reject Jesus as God (the Word made flesh). He died for their sins also, but they, like us, need to confess their sins and repent. 


We need to lay down our idols and turn to the one true God. We need to be bold and not compromise the Word Of God to be politically correct or go with the flow. The gospel doesn't change to fit into society. Society needs to change to fit into the gospel. 


"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6


"Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness." 

Luke 11:35