Was scrolling through my Facebook memories and this one popped up from two years ago. It's a bold in your face reminder of what this walk with Christ is all about. It's also one I needed to revisit. It's funny how life, impatience and world events get in the way of focusing on what's really important. #Ouch
Photo courtesy of Google images
My favorite scripture is Ephesians 3:20. I think about it all the time,
trying to wrap my mind around how powerful it is. “Now to him who is
able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to
his power that is at work within us.” Am I the only believer who feels
like because I’m a believer my life should be extraordinary? I mean not
necessarily fortune and fame, though some assignments/calling might
lead there. I’m talking about walking in power, anointing and spiritual
authority and God getting ALL the glory. I don’t feel like I’ll ever be
satisfied in my Christian walk until the fruit of my life has tangible
results in the form of people being healed, set free, delivered, and
changed. Well maybe it’s just me, but if Christ said, “Greater works
will we do, if we believe in him…um…yeah…it’s been like two thousand and
fifteen years. I ain’t seen these greater works…at least not with any
consistency or on any large scale. So then, why is that? Well that’s
on us, the Body of Christ…ALL of us. In all honesty, we’re just lazy,
selfish and fearful. We are too lazy to put in the work for our
relationship with God that it can be more than surface or just lip
service. That is spending one-on-one time with God daily, fasting,
praying, etc. We love to say we don’t have any time, but we got time to
complain and we got time to watch those around us perish. If God told
you to do it, he will give you the strength, time and resources to do
it. But that takes discipline… I think TV might be most of our problem.
We definitely waste so much time watching other ppl work… Ijs. We are
selfish because all we care about is our own salvation and our own
ticket to the pearly gates. We don’t care if our brother right next to
us is headed straight for hell. Which brings me to us being fearful… We
are afraid of what it will take for us to have that spiritual
authority. We are afraid about what we will have to give up to have that
spiritual authority. We are afraid of what we will look like to others
to have that spiritual authority. But aren’t we supposed to look
different from everybody else? Are we not supposed to stick out from
the crowd? We’ve become too accustomed to conforming to the world vs
transforming it. When did the church become such a hateful place? There
is a church with a website called “God hates fags.” SERIOUSLY?
SERIOUSLY?! I am not here to condone anybody’s sin…including mine, but
what happened to love? Not man’s made up definition for it…God’s love…
you know the 16 characteristics he laid out in 1 Corinthians? God hates
ALL SIN, but he LOVES every single person he created. I wouldn’t want
to come to a church where you are openly hostile to my struggle, and
think that your sin is less than mine because it yields a different
consequence. Ppl should read the whole Bible. Try Ezekiel 16:49 for
Sodom’s sin. Hmmm…sounds like America to me and it has nothing to do
with THAT sin. Meanwhile… people are so concerned with the sins that are
open for everyone to see, but not the ones hidden in our wicked hearts.
It was that kind of stuff that kept the Children of Israel out of the
Promised Land, Ijs. Yes our hearts are wicked and deceitful. What
about that envy, lust, bitterness, jealousy, un-forgiveness, malice,
RACISM, anger, drunkenness, complaining, selfishness, nasty attitudes,
and all the other stuff we’re walking around holding on to. (Please
note: I am ONLY talking to believers here) I have a question… Has
holding on to any of this stuff, made your life better? Has it enhanced
your life in ANY way, shape or form? Has it made you a better person…at
all? I’m thinking…no… let it go. There’s too much at stake. Why
would God put his anointing and power in us, when he can’t even trust us
with the basic stuff about our walk? We want to participate in
everything the world does and then we wonder why we have no power. I’m
not anti-fun. I have fun all the doggone on time, but do I lose my
WITNESS in this state of fun. That’s when the problem comes in. We are
so comfortable in our sinful selves that we don’t want anybody
correcting us. Some of us, can’t even FEEL the Holy Spirit’s conviction,
we’re so far away from God. We are SO QUICK to say…Don’t judge me or
only God can judge me… That baffles me. Have y’all read the Bible? Is
God’s judgment something you really want brought on your life?!
Seriously? 'Cause he won’t necessarily wait until the end of your life to
judge you. Galatians 6:1 tells us we who are spiritual are to restore
our brothers/sisters when fault has overtaken him in the spirit of
meekness. It also says to consider ourselves unless we are also tempted.
So…we GOTTA get that plank out of our eye before we come for the beam
in yours…but make no mistake…that beam still has to go whether the plank
remains or not. When we are judged we can’t say…well…well…what about
what so and so did…it was worse…Nah bruh, that’s not how this works.
See, we don’t have time to judge each other, but we do need to correct
each other and hold each other accountable. Ezekiel tells us, if we are
the watchman and we don’t warn, that blood is on our hands…Ijs… that’s
the Word. There has GOT TO BE MORE. But are we willing to live a life
of FAITH and OBEDIENCE to see it happen? Will there come a time when
people just walk up to a believer and say, “There’s something different
about you? What is that? Can you tell me how to get it?” Does our light
ever shine? There won’t be any arguing about whether or not our God is
real, because his signs and wonders will speak for themselves.
Miracles should be so common place that we walk around like my late
pastor saying “Who’s surprised?” Do you know there are actually
Christians who believe that miracles and such was only in the Bible
times? UGH!!! Listen…what is the point of this walk if all we do is
live and die. Why even make the choice if we’re not going to go all in?
Am I the only person who feels like there has to be more? But we must
be willing to do more. When are we going to stop asking for God’s hand
and seek his heart? When are we going to surrender our will to his?
When are we going to stop fighting the yes in our spirit and JUST
SURRENDER? I’m not saying it’s easy…'cause it’s not. But greatness never
is. If it was everyone would do it. It’s time to get to work. I don’t
know about y’all, but I want a life where evil has to stand down just
because I am there, with the spiritual authority God has entrusted to me
because I put myself in a position where God can trust me with his
power. Every time we turn on the news, tragedy, tragedy, tragedy…and it
doesn’t have to be. Anyways, those who have ears to hear, let him
hear.
MM
