Proving Yourself To The World

Below, I have shared a fellow sister's recent blog entry.  I encourage all of us who profess Christ to heed these words.  Whose side are we on?

Proving Yourself to the World

I have seen some Christians seemingly list a number of disclaimers prior to attempting to speaking the Gospel.

I am not trying to judge...I love everyone... I hate the sin, but love the sinner...I am not trying to push my beliefs on anyone...I respect everyone's rights... 

Why take such pains to prove that you align with what the world considers a "Christian"?

Why go to such lengths to prove that you are "loving"?

Why the preface to prove that you are not "judging"?

Why feel the need to prove yourself to the world?

I don't recall any disciple of Christ ever taking this attitude, and I have to think it is because they just didn't care.

I am not saying that they didn't care about the people.  Clearly they cared about the people anytime they took the time to tell them the truth.  I am saying that they didn't care how people responded to the message.  Why?  Because they trusted the Holy Spirit.  The trusted the Holy Spirit to guide them in what to say (and how to say it) and they trusted the Holy Spirit to give understanding to those with ears to hear.  And they knew that many would not have ears to hear.

There is a difference between explaining things vs. feeling compelled to apologize for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The motive behind that is fear of rejection.  Yet, if you cut allegiances with the world now, then you won't care about their rejection.  In other words, you only feel rejected from those through whom youstill seek acceptance.  Once you know you have been accepted in the Beloved, you will be whole and not require validation from others.

Some need to be reminded of the words of the Lord:

"Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee." Jeremiah 1:17-19

As the days grow more dark, we are sure to encounter fierce opposition.  In the days of Acts, people became so incensed at the Gospel that they would stone you to death.  Do we have any doubt regarding the level of hatred that people feel towards Christ today?  If you do not know, I assure you that it will become more apparent very shortly.

It is time to gird up your loins and proclaim the Good News with no regard for person.  The Gospel doesn't change, no matter to whom you are speaking; mother, brother, neighbor, stranger, president, king, pope, etc.  Pray to God to be able to speak His word will all boldness.

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus... 

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:13, 29-31

There is no way to show the world what a Christian is than to die to yourself and let the life of Christ manifest from within.  The lost (even in Church) don't need your impression of Christ or even the world's emulation of Christ; they need Christ.

Garment of Praise

The Lord recently brought me through a tremendous battle.  This battle spanned weeks, but these last several days have, by far, been the most trying for me.

When praying a few days ago, I said, "Lord, I need you to pray for me because I don't have the words."
That may sound strange, but He prayed for Peter, so I asked Him to pray for me - to guide me - to rescue me from the anguish of it all.  We are told in the Word that when we don't know what to pray, the Spirit will intercede for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:26).

I praise the Lord for His provision.  He began moving on my heart within a few hours or less after I asked Him to intercede for me.  I was led to pray shortly after that prayer, and even though I had felt so terribly broken due to this battle, I began praying about HIS power, HIS worth, HIS justice, HIS goodness, HIS ability.

I was led to completely PRAISE HIM in the prayer and didn't speak of "my woes."  It was a freeing prayer.  Do you know that within moments things in the natural world began to turn around?  Very precisely, events changed in my life.

The Lord's direction for me became utterly and miraculously clear in the natural and in the spiritual.

Later that night, I spoke to my husband and to another person about Isaiah 61:3 and how God will do exactly what that verse says!  We only need to cast our burdens at His feet.

Isaiah 61:3 - To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

I told my husband the LORD shows up in the presence of genuine PRAISE!

The story does not stop there.  Later that night, as I lay in bed, I heard:  "HILLEL."

I looked that word up.  It is this Hebrew word -->   הָלַל

Do you know what that word means?   It means PRAISE, namely praising GOD.

I ask you, WHO has an infinite understanding of every language spoken?  Who created all tongues?

Let us rejoice in this GREAT SAVIOUR, The LORD JESUS CHRIST!  Lift up your broken heart and praise HIM.  Ask Him to give you strength where weakness seems to abound.  HE WILL.  HE WILL.

Let us lift up His Name & His Power & His Glory!  We are NOT defeated IN Christ Jesus.  Rely on HIM.  It is His good pleasure to rescue us from the enemy.There IS Power in the Name of Jesus

I wouldn't change anything about these moments of affliction, these times of being threshed by the tribulum -- because it has always been during these times of trial that the LORD has made His presence apparent & His strength perfect.   It is all about HIS glory!
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I am adding this over 24 hours later, but it is further glory to God.  While I was sitting in my back yard watching my boys play, my mother pulled into her driveway.  She had my youngest sister with her. (I hadn't seen her in several days to weeks, for she doesn't live close by.) My sister walked over to me and handed me a book, which was a compact concordance.  I told her something to the effect of it being neat, and then she start walking away.  I said, "No, this is yours.  You should take it."  She said, "No, it's for you."  As she walked away, my eyes went to a pink post it.  I flipped that page open and saw this:

This is a picture of the actual page. The pink post it marked the page with PRAISE.  All verses with the word PRAISE begin on this page.  I called over to my mother's house when I came into my home and asked if my sister had any idea about the blog I had just written.  I asked if she had been on Facebook, etc.  But, you see, my youngest sister doesn't have Internet access.  I don't think she even knows that I have a "blog".

Even more profoundly, Satan had shown up just a few hours before she handed me that book, and he had attempted to steal the purity of this whole blog entry from me.  He had attempted to make me think that I should erase it and that I call on the Lord too much!  (I kid you not!)  We are told in the Parable of the Sower that the enemy (Satan) arrives soon after the Truth of the Word is sown in order to steal the Word that has been sown in our hearts.  But, The Lord, Bless His Holy Name put the brakes on Satan yet again.

Friends, let us abide in the Lord's Goodness.  Glory to His Name.  I am in awe of His Power.