During my morning reading, I realized something that I never would have thought true of me. I have been taught to think, act, believe, of the ideologies of slavery. Yes, that is a heavy statement, but it is true. I am sure there are many more than myself and we do not even realize it. It is the very core of concepts we have been taught our whole lives. Here is the statement that made me go...ugh...my whole life I have done this, been apart of this, led this, taught this, received this... You get the picture.
"Let's be very clear, slavery is an abomination; it's a mindset against the revelation of Jesus. Slavery is a fallen-world system birthed from a theology of control. It didn't exist before the fall and doesn't exist in heaven. It is a reality in absolute opposition to sovereign love."
-Jason Clark, God Is (Not) in Control
There are two ways to live out our lives. Control or Love. Aside from our relationship with our Creator, or our God, which also will show evidence of our life theologies, the basis always will stem from Control or Love. Out of those life theologies comes two types of surrender in our lives, forced or voluntary. Think about all the things you do...your job, family, church, friendships etc. Are they forced or voluntary? No matter the circumstances forced surrender demands control, a system of slavery. Love does not demand control it is voluntary surrender. It empowers freedom, kindness, and trust.
Here is my personal confession. If I have lived out areas of my life by forced surrender, a thought system of slavery, then I have also produced and projected that same system in that area of my life without ever realizing it. Yikes! Ouch. Ugh. Thinking back at pivotal moments in my life, almost ALL were geared by control and in the moment of almost total take over and dominance my life then changes direction. Interesting? Call it luck, God, rebellion, or revelation; No matter what you deem it, truth is now in my journey I see it.
To Be Continued...
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
The Truth Shall Set You Free
I guess this morning something needed to be settled in my spirit. Maybe, it has been for quite sometime, and there is someone out there in internet land that needs to hear it. There are the beliefs of the the Bible that have been told to us that skew our thinking of the world around us. I have found it probably one of the most difficult things to deal with as I sort out faith and beliefs in my journey. I call it deprograming. I desperately want to see the Word and know God in an un-skewed way. I do not believe those who have tainted scripture have meant for it to happen or that it was intentional. I would like to hope not, anyway. They were just doing their best. I always find myself in conversations with others that challenge what Great Papaw, Sister Mary, or good ole Brother Paul (all made up people) said about scriptures to innocent immature believers which take every word as TRUTH. I use to be one of those. However, there was always this part of me that wanted to challenge things said to me that felt like attacks at me more than setting me free. I have always tried to hold tight to scripture as I muddy through the waters of the world. At times it is/was like a record playing over and over. "The Truth Shall Set You Free." Funny how the record that gets played is in King James Version, and I would assume I should thank Appalachia for that. Nevertheless, my challenging typically was deemed REBELLIOUS.
Seventeen years ago, there were words spoken over me that at different times have crept up to beat me down. Call it the devil. Call it conscience. Call it truth. It doesn't it really matter what you want it to be, but it would just happen. It is like a nagging child singing and pointing, "Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah." Here are the words, "Worthy of Repentance." Those words changed the whole course of my life. I was at a Missionary School, which was a diving board to do ministry around the world, and those words were spoken to me about my life. I displayed, "NO FRUIT OF REPENTANCE." Therefore, I was not worthy enough to stay. I use to continually play it in my head, "How can I have fruit of repentance when I do not believe I have sinned? How can I repent about who I am or what God made me to be?" None of it ever made sense to me. I really for seventeen years have chucked it up as crazy religious talk until this morning. I was coming down the stairs and there it was again, playing like a favorite record, "Fruit of Repentance...Worthy of Repentance." First question that came to my mind was, Why is this happening? Surely, I am way beyond this?" Then, "Maybe this isn't for me? I must give it away." The Truth Shall Set You Free.
I ask that you stay with me for the rest of this blog don't stop reading even if it challenges your thinking, faith, or beliefs about the Word of God. I know it is hard Appalachian Bible Believers, please feel free and actually I want you to go to your Bible and check what I am saying. Okay, here we go....
John the Baptist was referenced in Matthew 3:8 and Luke 3:8 in saying, "Bear fruits worthy of repentance." He was talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees in reference to not being worthy to God just because of your ancestors. That it is a heart change not a lineage. Now if I take it out of context and focus on WORTHY OF REPENTANCE, then it takes on a whole other attack. If you continue to ready Matthew 3, John the Baptist goes onto say, "He is not worthy to even hold Jesus' shoes. So hold on... We must be Worthy of Repentance, but John is not worthy to hold Jesus' shoes? Hmmm? I also would argue John the Baptist speaks from a Law stand point and not a Grace stand point, because our Grace had yet to come. Hear me when I say, "WE WILL NEVER BE WORTHY." What we have gained by Christ we never will be worthy of... we do not deserve the due reward. NO ONE. NO WHERE. Stop standing over people like you deserve something that others do not. We are all the same. You show grace and mercy because you know grace and mercy have been shown to you, because you did not deserve it. You show love no matter what, because love has been shown to you when you did not deserve it. We are all the same. The drug addict, prostitute, Bible thumper, prayer warrior, gay, black, white, brown, American, Muslim, WE ARE ALL THE SAME. God loves a thief as much as God loves the pastor. Stop treating people shitty. Paul writes in Romans 3 because he understood he did not deserve anything... (He killed Christians, yet God made him a mouth piece to change the world.) There is no one who is righteous, not even one. (v.20) "For no human being will be justified in his sight...(v.22) the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for ALL who believe. For there is NO distinction, (v.23) since ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (v.24) they are now justified by HIS GRACE as a gift.... Stop in Heaven's name trying to steal a gift from others and even taking yours away. We will never be Worthy of Repentance not today, not tomorrow, not ever. My only worthy is Christ. Christ is for all. And when you get it, there will be no dividing lines of anything. THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE! So instead of walking around standing over people stealing their gift of worth, maybe just maybe, you realize your own, and then give away the gift.
Seventeen years ago, there were words spoken over me that at different times have crept up to beat me down. Call it the devil. Call it conscience. Call it truth. It doesn't it really matter what you want it to be, but it would just happen. It is like a nagging child singing and pointing, "Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah." Here are the words, "Worthy of Repentance." Those words changed the whole course of my life. I was at a Missionary School, which was a diving board to do ministry around the world, and those words were spoken to me about my life. I displayed, "NO FRUIT OF REPENTANCE." Therefore, I was not worthy enough to stay. I use to continually play it in my head, "How can I have fruit of repentance when I do not believe I have sinned? How can I repent about who I am or what God made me to be?" None of it ever made sense to me. I really for seventeen years have chucked it up as crazy religious talk until this morning. I was coming down the stairs and there it was again, playing like a favorite record, "Fruit of Repentance...Worthy of Repentance." First question that came to my mind was, Why is this happening? Surely, I am way beyond this?" Then, "Maybe this isn't for me? I must give it away." The Truth Shall Set You Free.
I ask that you stay with me for the rest of this blog don't stop reading even if it challenges your thinking, faith, or beliefs about the Word of God. I know it is hard Appalachian Bible Believers, please feel free and actually I want you to go to your Bible and check what I am saying. Okay, here we go....
John the Baptist was referenced in Matthew 3:8 and Luke 3:8 in saying, "Bear fruits worthy of repentance." He was talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees in reference to not being worthy to God just because of your ancestors. That it is a heart change not a lineage. Now if I take it out of context and focus on WORTHY OF REPENTANCE, then it takes on a whole other attack. If you continue to ready Matthew 3, John the Baptist goes onto say, "He is not worthy to even hold Jesus' shoes. So hold on... We must be Worthy of Repentance, but John is not worthy to hold Jesus' shoes? Hmmm? I also would argue John the Baptist speaks from a Law stand point and not a Grace stand point, because our Grace had yet to come. Hear me when I say, "WE WILL NEVER BE WORTHY." What we have gained by Christ we never will be worthy of... we do not deserve the due reward. NO ONE. NO WHERE. Stop standing over people like you deserve something that others do not. We are all the same. You show grace and mercy because you know grace and mercy have been shown to you, because you did not deserve it. You show love no matter what, because love has been shown to you when you did not deserve it. We are all the same. The drug addict, prostitute, Bible thumper, prayer warrior, gay, black, white, brown, American, Muslim, WE ARE ALL THE SAME. God loves a thief as much as God loves the pastor. Stop treating people shitty. Paul writes in Romans 3 because he understood he did not deserve anything... (He killed Christians, yet God made him a mouth piece to change the world.) There is no one who is righteous, not even one. (v.20) "For no human being will be justified in his sight...(v.22) the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for ALL who believe. For there is NO distinction, (v.23) since ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (v.24) they are now justified by HIS GRACE as a gift.... Stop in Heaven's name trying to steal a gift from others and even taking yours away. We will never be Worthy of Repentance not today, not tomorrow, not ever. My only worthy is Christ. Christ is for all. And when you get it, there will be no dividing lines of anything. THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE! So instead of walking around standing over people stealing their gift of worth, maybe just maybe, you realize your own, and then give away the gift.
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