A frightening thought for me is that the same thing that makes me up is the same thing that makes up people who can go into a Baptist Church on Sunday with a rifle and randomly kill 26 people and wound 20+ others, or shoot and kill people while hiding in the trunk of a car, or shoot and kill people from a hotel window, or blast a bomb and kill people at a Marathon. The same stuff that cause some people to have no respect for life and kills innocent people from babies to elders without any reason at all. It's the same stuff that disregards morals, disobeys God's rules, and totally lives for oneself and dismisses the feelings and beliefs of others. It's the "I Can Do Whatever I Want" Syndrome and it is spreading like wildfire these days and everyone is at risk of catching it because the seed is within all human beings.
The only difference in me is that I made an intentional decision to have a "Yes I Can/No I Can't switch
installed in me that is plugged into the Conscience Button that God originally installed in me. When those feelings that I can do whatever I want come, and they do come, I switch from Yes I can to No I can't, because God said so. The commands are His, but the choice is always mine.
Most of the time being a follower of Jesus and one who walks with God is a most wonderful thing for me. Surrounded by His Presence and enjoying all of the fruit of the Spirit...there is nothing sweeter or more delightful. But there are times when it is the most difficult thing to do. Those times are when I can't do the bad things I want to do, things that go against what God would have me do and has told me not to.
The ICDWIWTD Syndrome is a conflict of wills and it is always mine that must be surrendered. That isn't easy to do. Knowing that I have control of the "Yes I Can/No I Can't switch makes it even harder. The choice is mine and so are the consequences.
This week it wasn't the normal wanting to do 'bad things', like steal something. It was harboring a vicious, revengeful feeling against someone who senselessly killed people and got away with it by killing himself. People who cause that much havoc and suffering in the lives of innocent people deserve The Smite Button, in my opinion, and I want to push that Smite Button and do unto him as he did unto others, in spite of what I know to be true about God and the teachings of Jesus. I just wanted to turn in my "Christian Card" for awhile and imagine all the ways I could make this guy suffer and feel the pain he inflicted in others. That is what was going through my head for awhile until I came to my senses.
All that imagination really showed me is that this senseless killer and I are made up of the same stuff. The only difference is that I eventually pushed the "No you can't" on the switch inside me and then settled down and tightened the Yoke that I freely and willingly wear as I walk along side of Jesus.
I realized that this is the area I most need His help in and He is there to give it, because He grieves right along side of me.
All killing affects me deeply but the killing of innocent people affects me most of all. Abortion and terrorist acts are so common today, and it all pains me deeply. The thing that helps the most is that God, very clearly one day, told me He truly understands the pain of violence forced on innocent people. He watched His innocent Son suffer a senseless death at the hands of human beings, so He gets it.
I eventually find my way back to where I should be and want to be, in my heart and in my head. Back to that place of compassion and knowing God is ultimately in control of how things work out in the end. My soul finds that place of silence and trust in the situation. But it is never easy. The temporal present clouds over the everlasting eternal where all things are consummated, and made right.
I believe God created us with a conscience. But a conscience can be influenced by outside forces. The Yes/No switch is totally in my control. God told Cain, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?" It is my my choice, and I choose to do well, using the Yes I can/No I can't button responsibly and pleasingly to God.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Sunday, November 5, 2017
YOU WERE SERIOUS ABOUT THAT?
When I was the Director of Transportation at Camp I handed out the Routes to the Bus Drivers on Saturday and told them they had to be worked on and handed back to me ASAP, the following Friday at the latest, since Camp started that Monday. Everyday I received routes and kept reminding the ones not handing them in of the dead line. On that Friday I went to the one driver who had not turned in his route and asked him for it. He looked me in the eyes and said, "Oh, you were serious about that?" I
responded with three words...."Yes. You're Fired" and walked away. Any other response would have been wrong and would have created consequences for me and the Camp in the future.
A lot of the preaching in many churches these days is that God is Love, and a God who is Love cannot be angry, will not punish people, and is not who the Old Testament says He is. It's all about Jesus and so the Law of the Old Testament can be reinterpreted and put aside. To me this sounds like distorted truth. I agree people should not be scared into a relationship with God by the threat of going to hell. But I don't agree that we should neuter God and soft soap His message or His warnings in order to "get people" into the church either.
It's all too easy to "sell Jesus" to people because nothing is expected of people; there is no way of accountability to trusting and obeying Jesus. He is just "cool" to hang out with cause He loves people. I believe Jesus is "cool to hang out with", but I also am very aware that He is God...Yes, a God of steadfast love, but also a God to be feared , revered, and obeyed. There will be a time of judgement. We are all held accountable for our relationship with Him as well as our words and deeds.
Much of the teaching and preaching today shows the ease of the Christian Life. It is all about good times and peace. Surely life with God is one big come as you are party...But is it? When I read Jeremiah and Malachi I know they are talking to the Israelites in the past, but it sure sounds similar to todays world.
"Everyone is given to covetousness, to greed for unjust gain; from the prophet to the priest every one deals falsely. They have healed also a wound of the daughter of My people lightly and neglectfully, saying Peace, peace, when there is no peace. They are not ashamed of the abominations they committed." Jeremiah 6:13-19
'The Lord is wearied by our actions, by when it is said 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them." Malachi 2:17
God is clear. "I am the Lord, I do not change." Malachi 3:6
It has been said by many of the church's leaders today that everything must change...God must be relevant to Today, and so they are busy changing what God has said and done recorded in the Bible. The things written and spoken of by the Holy Spirit are meant to change US, not the other way around so people can live how they want to live.
Very early in His ministry Jesus made one thing very clear. "Do not think that I have come to do away or undo the Law and the prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo, but to complete and fulfil them."(Matthew 5:17,1). At the end of His ministry He spent time with with His disciples. "Beginning with Moses and throughout the prophets, He went on explaining and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself." Luke 24:27,45
God is Love; in Jesus we have reconciliation and forgiveness, if we receive it and believe it. Following Jesus is enriching and exciting; He is truly a "cool" friend to be yoked to. But to walk with Him is not easy because it means dying to self, to my way and taking up my cross and living His Way. The Old Testament shows the consequences of not living His Way and they are there to warn us, not simply explained away. Final Judgement will come in the end. If our response is, "Oh, You were serious about that?" His answer will be "Yes".
In the end the Preacher of old speaks Truth. "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion to the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13.
responded with three words...."Yes. You're Fired" and walked away. Any other response would have been wrong and would have created consequences for me and the Camp in the future.
A lot of the preaching in many churches these days is that God is Love, and a God who is Love cannot be angry, will not punish people, and is not who the Old Testament says He is. It's all about Jesus and so the Law of the Old Testament can be reinterpreted and put aside. To me this sounds like distorted truth. I agree people should not be scared into a relationship with God by the threat of going to hell. But I don't agree that we should neuter God and soft soap His message or His warnings in order to "get people" into the church either.
It's all too easy to "sell Jesus" to people because nothing is expected of people; there is no way of accountability to trusting and obeying Jesus. He is just "cool" to hang out with cause He loves people. I believe Jesus is "cool to hang out with", but I also am very aware that He is God...Yes, a God of steadfast love, but also a God to be feared , revered, and obeyed. There will be a time of judgement. We are all held accountable for our relationship with Him as well as our words and deeds.
Much of the teaching and preaching today shows the ease of the Christian Life. It is all about good times and peace. Surely life with God is one big come as you are party...But is it? When I read Jeremiah and Malachi I know they are talking to the Israelites in the past, but it sure sounds similar to todays world.
"Everyone is given to covetousness, to greed for unjust gain; from the prophet to the priest every one deals falsely. They have healed also a wound of the daughter of My people lightly and neglectfully, saying Peace, peace, when there is no peace. They are not ashamed of the abominations they committed." Jeremiah 6:13-19
'The Lord is wearied by our actions, by when it is said 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them." Malachi 2:17
God is clear. "I am the Lord, I do not change." Malachi 3:6
It has been said by many of the church's leaders today that everything must change...God must be relevant to Today, and so they are busy changing what God has said and done recorded in the Bible. The things written and spoken of by the Holy Spirit are meant to change US, not the other way around so people can live how they want to live.
Very early in His ministry Jesus made one thing very clear. "Do not think that I have come to do away or undo the Law and the prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo, but to complete and fulfil them."(Matthew 5:17,1). At the end of His ministry He spent time with with His disciples. "Beginning with Moses and throughout the prophets, He went on explaining and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself." Luke 24:27,45
God is Love; in Jesus we have reconciliation and forgiveness, if we receive it and believe it. Following Jesus is enriching and exciting; He is truly a "cool" friend to be yoked to. But to walk with Him is not easy because it means dying to self, to my way and taking up my cross and living His Way. The Old Testament shows the consequences of not living His Way and they are there to warn us, not simply explained away. Final Judgement will come in the end. If our response is, "Oh, You were serious about that?" His answer will be "Yes".
In the end the Preacher of old speaks Truth. "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion to the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13.
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