Father in heaven,
This is the first time I am using the word chauvinism. One of its meaning is showing 'excessive or prejudiced support for one's own cause, group, or sex'. That's what Google says!
Anyway, recently, I met this man, and You know him. He claims to be one of Your special anointed/appointed ones. He has an international ministry in various African and Asian nations. He oversees several churches. And he wants to go to the West too, I think. Since this is on the internet I will keep his name anonymous. But Lord, You know who I am talking about.
He seems to be a mix of many things. At first glance, he looked like a humble person. When he first preached Your Word he reminded me of the time when I first started preaching - wanting to pack my sermon with so many things related or unrelated. I was a little embarrassed for him. But he did say a few things that were encouraging. I thank You for these. But I could see other ingredients in the mix.
Lord, forgive me if I misinterpret what I observed and if I misrepresent him. One of the ingredients is chauvinism. What made me think of this negative word for this person was the fact that, in private conversation, he used the account in Genesis to say that a man must find a wife for himself and should not allow parents to find a wife for him. He went so far as to imply that the root for the fall was because You gave Eve to Adam (found-made her for him and gave her to him instead of allowing him to find one for himself). Explicitly, he said that You 'learnt' something from what happened and since then, You prefer men to find their own wives for themselves. Isn't this some kind of machismo or male chauvinism? Besides that, he stated that You learnt something new from the Genesis account of the fall. Father, You are omniscient, how can You learn something or learn something new? Has he said these things in public? If, yes, then someone should have corrected him. My only conclusion is that he needs a lot more to learn about You. I also feel that he needs to read and study more of the Bible and do self-judgement/assessment.
Incredibly, I saw him say a few things about other people that he could not have known without You (Your Spirit) or a demonic spirit telling him. I am inclined towards the latter and not the former since these were some simple observations that demons can easily channel through to him. Without him knowing it he could claim that it is Your Spirit's work. I don't know Lord. I might be wrong and please correct me if I am wrong. I remain ever humble. If there is any pride, demonic influence and jealousy in me, forgive me and deliver me, Lord.
If I interpret what I saw correctly then what gifts he has may go to his head, if they have not already, and make him more proud in the days to come. This will eventually destroy him. Lord, help this brother.
Another thing that really irritated me was the fact that he essentially condemned the dominant culture in our country for depending on parents to find spouses for them. He ignored the fact that there are many arranged marriages that are as successful or unsuccessful as love marriages. There are as many misunderstandings in one type of marriage as there are in the other. Granted, there may be more spousal abuse in arranged marriages but I am a fool to think that love marriages don't have some black marks on them. Emotional or otherwise!
I married my wife by convincing my parents and her parents that I loved her and she loved me. We had a love marriage. But we have our share of problems. One wanting to dominate over the other. One misunderstanding the other. I am convinced that it is not arranged marriage or love marriage that is the issue. The issue is learning from the Bible and learning in general what love is and how to be a husband or wife that will eventually brighten marriages everywhere. Well, anyway, he said that the marriage culture in my country that even influences our churches and Christian is unbiblical. So, I submit to You Lord, that I do not agree with him. The twisted modern or post-modern culture that he seems to propagate, in private and through his version of chauvinism, is also not biblical. The culture of love, effective communication, understanding, humbling to each other and a host of other teachings from the Bible and Biblical common sense is true.
Yet, that is not what irritated me most, Lord. He stressed on being 'biblical' on this marriage issue. But he would not eat at believers houses where he visits (at least in the house I visited with him). In the conversation in the car, he said that in his culture they do not eat at other people's houses. If there was ever an unbiblical culture this would be one. Even the angels who met Abraham in Genesis ate what he offered them (18:8)! Not to mention Jesus himself in Luke 10:8 told His disciples to eat whatever was placed before them! So, Lord, I see an issue/ingredient of 'control' in this man also. What he can control like choosing his spouse he can say that it is biblical but not what he cannot control, like the food offered to him by sincere believers. No true believer will give him poison. Yes, even I have rejected food sometimes because I had an upset stomach. And I know there is grace in these matters. But, Lord, to condemn another's culture as unbiblical and not assessing one's own unbiblical culture in the same hour and, that too, done by the same person, just anger's me.
Lord, forgive my anger. If there is any pride in me. forgive me. If it seems that I am jealous then strike these words down and help me grow up.
Lord, You know better who is on the wrong side here. Help this brother realize his mistakes if this is a true assessment of him by me. I do not claim that I am perfect either. Help me avoid any chauvinism and control issues in my personal and public life. Help me not be a hypocrite.
Lord, help this brother to grow more in his knowledge of You and Your word.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Amen.
Readers: Please pray for me, and also for this other person.
Readers: Is this a good way to rant and pray? I am open for correction.
This is the first time I am using the word chauvinism. One of its meaning is showing 'excessive or prejudiced support for one's own cause, group, or sex'. That's what Google says!
Anyway, recently, I met this man, and You know him. He claims to be one of Your special anointed/appointed ones. He has an international ministry in various African and Asian nations. He oversees several churches. And he wants to go to the West too, I think. Since this is on the internet I will keep his name anonymous. But Lord, You know who I am talking about.
He seems to be a mix of many things. At first glance, he looked like a humble person. When he first preached Your Word he reminded me of the time when I first started preaching - wanting to pack my sermon with so many things related or unrelated. I was a little embarrassed for him. But he did say a few things that were encouraging. I thank You for these. But I could see other ingredients in the mix.
Lord, forgive me if I misinterpret what I observed and if I misrepresent him. One of the ingredients is chauvinism. What made me think of this negative word for this person was the fact that, in private conversation, he used the account in Genesis to say that a man must find a wife for himself and should not allow parents to find a wife for him. He went so far as to imply that the root for the fall was because You gave Eve to Adam (found-made her for him and gave her to him instead of allowing him to find one for himself). Explicitly, he said that You 'learnt' something from what happened and since then, You prefer men to find their own wives for themselves. Isn't this some kind of machismo or male chauvinism? Besides that, he stated that You learnt something new from the Genesis account of the fall. Father, You are omniscient, how can You learn something or learn something new? Has he said these things in public? If, yes, then someone should have corrected him. My only conclusion is that he needs a lot more to learn about You. I also feel that he needs to read and study more of the Bible and do self-judgement/assessment.
Incredibly, I saw him say a few things about other people that he could not have known without You (Your Spirit) or a demonic spirit telling him. I am inclined towards the latter and not the former since these were some simple observations that demons can easily channel through to him. Without him knowing it he could claim that it is Your Spirit's work. I don't know Lord. I might be wrong and please correct me if I am wrong. I remain ever humble. If there is any pride, demonic influence and jealousy in me, forgive me and deliver me, Lord.
If I interpret what I saw correctly then what gifts he has may go to his head, if they have not already, and make him more proud in the days to come. This will eventually destroy him. Lord, help this brother.
Another thing that really irritated me was the fact that he essentially condemned the dominant culture in our country for depending on parents to find spouses for them. He ignored the fact that there are many arranged marriages that are as successful or unsuccessful as love marriages. There are as many misunderstandings in one type of marriage as there are in the other. Granted, there may be more spousal abuse in arranged marriages but I am a fool to think that love marriages don't have some black marks on them. Emotional or otherwise!
I married my wife by convincing my parents and her parents that I loved her and she loved me. We had a love marriage. But we have our share of problems. One wanting to dominate over the other. One misunderstanding the other. I am convinced that it is not arranged marriage or love marriage that is the issue. The issue is learning from the Bible and learning in general what love is and how to be a husband or wife that will eventually brighten marriages everywhere. Well, anyway, he said that the marriage culture in my country that even influences our churches and Christian is unbiblical. So, I submit to You Lord, that I do not agree with him. The twisted modern or post-modern culture that he seems to propagate, in private and through his version of chauvinism, is also not biblical. The culture of love, effective communication, understanding, humbling to each other and a host of other teachings from the Bible and Biblical common sense is true.
Yet, that is not what irritated me most, Lord. He stressed on being 'biblical' on this marriage issue. But he would not eat at believers houses where he visits (at least in the house I visited with him). In the conversation in the car, he said that in his culture they do not eat at other people's houses. If there was ever an unbiblical culture this would be one. Even the angels who met Abraham in Genesis ate what he offered them (18:8)! Not to mention Jesus himself in Luke 10:8 told His disciples to eat whatever was placed before them! So, Lord, I see an issue/ingredient of 'control' in this man also. What he can control like choosing his spouse he can say that it is biblical but not what he cannot control, like the food offered to him by sincere believers. No true believer will give him poison. Yes, even I have rejected food sometimes because I had an upset stomach. And I know there is grace in these matters. But, Lord, to condemn another's culture as unbiblical and not assessing one's own unbiblical culture in the same hour and, that too, done by the same person, just anger's me.
Lord, forgive my anger. If there is any pride in me. forgive me. If it seems that I am jealous then strike these words down and help me grow up.
Lord, You know better who is on the wrong side here. Help this brother realize his mistakes if this is a true assessment of him by me. I do not claim that I am perfect either. Help me avoid any chauvinism and control issues in my personal and public life. Help me not be a hypocrite.
Lord, help this brother to grow more in his knowledge of You and Your word.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Amen.
Readers: Please pray for me, and also for this other person.
Readers: Is this a good way to rant and pray? I am open for correction.