Subscribe

RSS Feed (xml)

Powered By

Skin Design:
Free Blogger Skins

Powered by Blogger

Friday, May 8, 2009

GOD IS LOVE...1 John 4:8

This post is in response to what God recently called me to do. Loving facebook and reconnecting with friends in all places...I was becoming quite involved in letting everyone know my thoughts, deeds, ideas, actions... One day I was talking with my heavenly Father and He said for me to stop using facebook for my own story and use it for His. He reminded me just how many people read their home page religiously. (Remember that people use the word religiously when they are speaking of someone who is dedicated, convicted, never missing,..) He with great sadness even stated that we get on facebook way more than we even speak to Him or well alone read His word. How convicted I was. He asked me to use my profile post for HIS word. Daily...changing...quoting the Bible. No commentating...just placing His word for all to see and read. That sounded exciting and I couldn't wait. I was a little sad not to post about my life...but I found a way, through notes, to do so sometimes. Then came the surprise. I was to start in Romans. Ok...I like Romans. I posted Romans 1:1-2. No problem. Then I decided to read ahead so I could see what great things we would be reading over the next few weeks. PLEASE LORD NOOOOOOO!!! The first chapter was filled with Hard, direct statements towards the way a Christian should live his life. I knew that many Christians, well alone unbelievers, would NOT read this well. I just didn't realize how many.

The first comment was posted as a joke. I can laugh...I hope they did and that it was not sarcastic. I was asked if I was standing on facebook street corner yelling at the sinners? Ouch. This was by someone who is very close to me. It was then that I realized how tough this may truly get. I decided I would not follow through. I struggled because I wanted to obey God but I decided maybe I just didn't hear right. SOUND FAMILIAR? It was quickly that God reminded me of Jonah... in the fact that my daughter is doing a ballet dance to it tonight! Then person after person that I admire and am certain they are seeking after God's own heart, (Phil 2:21), began to make statements in my presence about 'going crazy for God' , 'stepping out to serve Him', 'not being luke warm', 'living our lives for God...even if we look crazy', etc. I felt as if God, again, was telling me..."go forward Tammy, do you not live for Me?" So after a few days of not changing my post, I went forward. The FIRST chapter of Romans is direct in stating God's stance on man's sins...especially sexual sins. The most consistent comment made to me... "do not judge for God is love above all things."

Lets think about this. Yes, God is love (1 John 4:8) is stated well in the bible. I am sure that will be posted at some time. I have been confronted by many of Christians NOT standing up for righteousness. Not standing against this world and the way they choose to live because 'it is their choice and we are to NOT judge and LOVE them." This, I see, is why my God is having me post the word. Those who claim to love Him and not reading His word and are beginning to use it just like Satan did to Him while He was in the wilderness pressing in deeper to God. They are using His word without reading it. As soon as Id came to Romans 2 where it talks about not judging lest you be judged (Romans 2:1-2), I received many of praises! How sad. I hear God saying to me... "Matthew 7:23
"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." My heart immediately took me to pray for them. How did they forget ALL the things that God is? How did they forget the rest of Romans 2. (They will read it soon!) We are not to judge lest we be judged...there is no meaning that we are NOT to stand for righteousness. In fact, if we should LOVE as God LOVES we will be willing to lay our life down to HELP others. Willing to die for their sins. Jesus did not just LOVE us, he brought hope, truth, healing, deliverance... He told us to "go and sin no more" (Matthew 8:11) Matthew 7:2 says.. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Our Lord is telling us to not be like the pharisees who judged to condemn, not convict... to lord over, not to set free... with hate not with love. Instead, we are to teach, train, encourage, lift up, hold each other accountable, in LOVE. God NEVER sat back and Loved us...He is always in the midst of us..loving, teaching, training, & forgiving!

Isn't it interesting that those who say "you are judging" do not see themselves judging those who they say are? Let me end with this for now. I absolutely care about each and everyone that made their feelings known to me. I was sad that they did not know me well enough to see what God had asked me. Just as Job's friends enticed him to turn his back on God... I saw many fall into that. It brought me to look at myself. Do I do that? God forgive me! Help me to be strong to encourage those around me to seek first the kingdom of God. To lift them up daily in prayer... to love them, not judge them, but to ALWAYS speak the word of God into their lives and to never turn away from the Righteousness of God.. our GOD.

I will post more....