Forgiveness

   Earlier this week, someone came to me and said some things that made me HEATED. I mean, I was ready to disown a person I was so mad. Now, I know to expect persecution for righteousness sake, but when certain things are suggested subtly, and when innocent people are attacked, or I'm told I'm something ungodly by another Christian... I was hot! So, I had been fuming since that conversation.

    Now don't get it wrong - I've never tried to present myself as perfect, as holier-than-thou, or Pharisaical before men. I'm striving toward perfection, but I also believe that there's a standard that a Christian ought to uphold, in word and in deed. Ok, sometimes people fall short, sometimes change is slow to occur; but the standard (holiness) is still the standard.

    But for someone to try to say I'm hypocritical - another Christian at that - it hurt, it offended, it had me ready to come up out of the Spirit on a person.

   But, as I was doing some cleaning around the house today, God reminded me to defeat the devil with forgiveness. By walking in forgiveness truly, the enemy can't try to bind me with offense, bitterness, hate, or any other form of ungodliness. Just as my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ walked in forgiveness, even while on the cross ("Father forgive them for they know not what they do"), I too must walk in forgiveness.
    God also brought to my remembrance II Corinthians 10:3-5 (The weapons of our warfare are not carnal...) - basically, I can't defeat carnality with more carnality. That would be like bringing a can a gasoline to a 3-alarm fire. So, I had to also remember Romans 12:21 - Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with  good. So, God reminded me that to overcome the attack from the devil through that person was to fight carnality with spirituality. So, I used forgiveness to defeat the devil.

    Naturally, within our own selves, we want revenge. We want for others to know the pain that they've caused us. But, God is calling for me (and all Christians) to respond supernaturally (above what the natural response may be). So, I forgive. I hold no ought.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you  

(Matthew 6:14)

Day 12 in '12 (Love God/Standing)

    I was just sitting here with my thoughts and Jai singing "Stand Alone" in the background when I had something of an epiphany. I thought about what the first commandment said; in Matthew 22:36-40 it is written

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments". 

     Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

    Honestly, I've felt pressure implied/applied to me to accept certain things. People and situations that I care about in varying degrees have challenged me with the above-quoted verses. I love people, but I've had to wonder how far to go in my love for my people.
    However, looking up the scripture was/is a relief for me. No matter what, I have to love God first. I have to love God before I love my neighbor. I have to love God before I love myself.
    People love to talk about how we have to love our fellow man; of course this a true statement - the Bible says so! But, honestly, I believe that people overlook the first part of the passage - Love the Lord Your God... .
   
    I'm wondering if God is requiring/calling me/forcing me to love him on another level; or maybe, to show my love for him on another level. If I say I love him, I know that I can't approve of certain situations. I know that I can't fellowship with people who approve of certain situations (or who are in certain situations). I know that many may say that I'm doing too much. I know that many may not want to be around me... .
    Not just dealing with outsiders, but internally - If I say I love him, I have to even put him above me. In so many ways, I have put him above me (after all, I'm in ministry - which I didn't ask for, I'm in Cincinnati - even though I'd love to leave, and so on). But, is there anything about me that contradicts my love for God? Is there anything that I refuse to let go of that, in some way, would compromise my love for God? Do I truly love God first?

    So yeah - this is what I'm thinking about today... .

   I'll holla.

Day 12 in '12 (Disappointment)

    I'm very contemplative in 2012 so far. I'm thinking very hard about some things... .

    You see, over the past few days, I've seen, read, and been told things that... on one hand, I knew, and on the other hand, it's still a bit jarring that I've seen/read/heard certain things.

    Yes, jarring is the correct word. The conversations, the words, the sights have indeed had a harshly disagreeable and disconcerting effect on me. I had high hopes when it came to certain people and situations, and thus far, I'm 1-4 in 2012.

    I'm not saying that I wanted people and situations to conform to my will, my desires, and/or my standards, but I thought that... .

    Well, let me use an illustration to describe what I'm trying to say. It's as though someone I love has fallen and is barely hanging on to the edge of a cliff. I throw out a rope for them to them to grab hold on and climb to safety. Yet, they refuse the rope.
    Or like telling someone not to drink iced tea laced with arsenic. Even though I've told them that "Hey, that iced tea is laced with arsenic - if you drink it, you're putting even your life in jeopardy"; they respond with "Un-uh - I can't see or taste any arsenic" or "You must mean some other glass" or "You're doing too much".

    Basically, I expected to see more thought, more spiritual maturity, and more humility from people and situations. At the same time, I'm hurting over certain people and situations. I care about people, I want the best for people. It hurts to see people who are/have been hurt, and their responses to hurt. It hurts to see people who don't see unseen danger. It hurts that people don't even care about the danger, and don't want me to care, seemingly.

   I know I probably sound vague, since I'm not identifying people and situations. But, I just had to express my feelings at the moment, and I decided to just share "off the dome"... .

I'll holla.