Seth! good to see ya.
If you proclaim the Gospel at your age, then you would be a better man than I. I can only wish that I answered His call when I was your age.
A true Christian will warn people of God's standards. God's standards ultimately come down to love and keeping ones self unspotted from the world. The LORD is looking for people to love like He did. But, the only way to love, as the LORD defines it, is in Christ.
There's a lot of people that say they 'love'.... but, do they love like He did? If Christians can scarcely drive down the road without cursing someone, calling them idiot, how are they going to love someone who is killing them?
Can we all join together in prayer for this kind of love? The kind of love that would not put up a fight but would let someone hit them over and over again? All the while proclaiming God's love?
Everything that is "right and wrong" would be corrected if we had that kind of love. There would be no one hitting anyone.
Have you guys ever been in a situation like this:
Once I was at the pizza place with my kids and their friends for a birthday party. There was a little boy there that allegedly hit one of the little girls in our group. The girls mom told the boy to leave them alone. This wasn't a little hit either, I was told that he punched her full on in the nose. So, I started watching them a little closer, and sure enough the little boy was antagonizing them again.
I walked up to the little boy and told him that he needed to go play somewhere else, to leave my group of kids alone. He flipped me some sort of sign and went off cursing under his breath... a little 5 year old boy! So, I went over to his table where his parents were at. I told them that they needed to keep their boy away from by kids because of his behavior. The mother was ok with it and was compliant.
However, the father stood up in a rage. He said, 'how dare you come over and tell my wife what to do with my boy.' At this point his wife was trying to calm him down and was apologizing to me. At that instant I could see the same 'behavior' in this very big dad, that I saw in his little boy. I didn't back down though. I told him the same thing, that I just wanted them to make sure his boy was separated from my children. He got even more in a huff and started to try to intimidate, like bullies do saying all sorts of things that he would do.
I calmly took off my glasses and said, 'if you need to hit me, then hit me.' I stood my ground and he got so upset. Soon enough he started swearing. At this point I calmly smiled and went back to my seat. Security was soon there and escorted him and his family out. I went back to my seat, with all of the children there, who saw the whole thing. I could tell that the little girl was scared for me. She's about 10 years old.
I gathered the children and the adults and said, 'let's pray for that man and his family.' In the middle of the restaurant we prayed for him. And those children will never forget how I behaved that day when confronted by that man.
Are we, as Christians, especially in America, at this point yet? Because there's a lot more race ahead of us. For those who read this, if a bully picks on you at school, are you at the point of standing on God's Word?
I know that it seems weak, but, when you understand that people don't know what they are doing when they do wrong, that we don't fight against flesh and blood, it is easier to love the people and hate the Sin conceived by Satan and lust.
Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
People need to be reproved, don't get me wrong, but, it's by God's power and not our own (as Christians). There is a point in Christian growth where our words, standing on GOD's Word, become more powerful than our fists.
Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him,Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Act 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Act 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Act 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Act 5:6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
Act 5:7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
Act 5:8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Act 5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Act 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
Act 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
I've had this happen in my Christian walk to, more or less. When people are confronted with truth, or a rebuke, it can suddenly become difficult to stand. If their house isn't built on the Rock of Christ, it will come tumbling down as they are condemned in their inability to justify themselves to the storm.
Most of the time, people end up committing suicide. Whether it's attempting to justify a rebuke or trying to fight off cruel sayings from school bullies... everyone needs a Rock to stand on, because those storms can come in fast and unannounced.
The kind of love that we need though is only something that God can do in us, and it takes prayer. If we all pray for this kind of love, the same kind of love that Stephen had when he was being stoned to death... as often as we can and with other believers, then we might be able to get on the right track, as a church, and maybe even as a nation.
If we can stop calling people idiots and trying to one up everyone else, that would be a great start too.
Will you guys agree in prayer with me? If so, I will post a prayer on the prayer board. All you have to do is say something like: I agree in prayer, in Jesus Name, Amen.
1 Corinthians 13
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
