Psalm 50:14-15
OFFER TO GOD PRAISE AS YOUR SACRIFICE AND
FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE MOST HIGH;
THEN CALL UPON ME IN TIME OF DISTRESS;
I WILL RESCUE YOU, AND YOU SHALL GLORIFY ME.
Psalm 50:14-15
I will write in a broken hearted and distressed way. I wish you could actually feel what I feel and see what I see and understand what I understand.
The Bible verse I mentioned is a Bible verse that I heard a lot used to motivate people to give money (offerings) to the church. I heard the preacher say that if we would thank God and then promise Him an amount of money and then kept our promise then God would rescue us.
Now lets read a few verses before:
HEAR, MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL SPEAK;
ISRAEL, I WILL TESTIFY AGAINST YOU;
GOD, YOUR GOD, AM I.
NOT FOR YOUR SACRIFICES DO I REBUKE YOU,
FOR YOUR HOLOCAUSTS ARE BEFORE ME ALWAYS....
Psalm 50:7
Do you see? the first verse was taken totally out of context. In fact God is telling people that He is not at all impressed by their offerings..."i do not need your animals...for all animals are mine" is the continuing part of the previous verse. And if we continue to read on we discover that God was asking people to CHANGE their ways. NOT to give Him money.
"If you CHANGE your ways, then I will save you." That is the basic message.
TO THE WICKED MAN GOD SAYS:
"WHY DO YOU RECITE MY STATUTES, AND PROFESS MY COVENANT WITH
YOUR MOUTH, THOUGH YOU HATE DISCIPLINE AND CAST MY WORDS
BEHIND YOU?"
Psalm 50:17
I read about the reproach of God to the leaders of Israel...and it fits the present situation. Men of God, who have found Christ and have allowed God to deal with them to a certain point often become "blind men, leading blind men"
But the chaos we find in the church today is huge and my pain is just as big. People hate this topic...but somebody must speak up. Somebody must say "it is time we repent"
We ask for revival and invent millions of different strategies...but we do not take the ONE strategy that is needed. REPENTANCE. Loving discipline and taking God's word seriously.
Real seriously.
As leaders we do not do it. Some may preach it...but most do not even preach on holy lives. On loving discipline. We have focused on Grace and Love, and we have compromised. We do not tell people that they are sinning and that it is time they repent. Or they will be walking under the wrath of God. This is not a popular message.
The result?
Devastation.
That is all I seem to find on this journey of prayer. It seems to me that people are so hurt, so confused, so lost... I feel as if I were walking in the midst of a devasted city. Maybe a war, an earthquake, a tsunami...death, lamentations, confusion, fear, loneliness... and most of the people I am praying for are christians.
When I started to see all of these, I asked God "WHY..." and this was His answer. Leaders have not told people to repent. They have not shown people to read the word so people may know what is right and what is wrong. So God has not been able to move in their favor.
I watch in horror. I sit in the midst of destruction...
WORN OUT FROM WEEPING ARE MY EYES, WITHIN ME ALL IS IN FERMENT; MY GALL IS POURED UT ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THE DOWNFALL OF THE DAUGHTER OF MY POEPLE, AS CHILD AND INFANT FAINT AWAY INT HE OPEN SPACES OF THE TOWN.
Lamentations 2:11
This verse best describes my heart. What have we done? we= the leaders.
I do feel overwhelmed. I look at God and ask "will anybody listen to me?"... I am so small.
All these days, we have been picking people up from the rumbles. I see Jesus' serious face. I know that He too is mortified. As he picks each one of His sheep and takes them to a place of rest and protection, I walk in silence by His side.
As Jesus removed a huge stone that had fallen upon one young man, I held him in my arms...it was such a painful time, the young lad fainted in my arms. His agony to great to hear my words "you will be fine, you will be alright" my words of comfort to soft to be heard in the midst of his shouts of agony and distress. He will be alright...but he still needs time for recovery.
To find others we have had to walk long distances, for they were out of the city, it seemed to me that they had somehow tried to escape in time, but out there they were found by cruel beasts that tore them apart.
For twenty days we have been searching for the lost, many are still out there, incommunicated, hungry and losing hope of ever being rescued. I am sweaty, have had very little sleep, not hungry, and filled with mixed emotions. Joy as we rescue each lamb. Pain at the thought that there is still so much to do for them and for the ones tht are still out there. Overwhelmed at the truth that our rebeliousness as leaders has brought so much distruction into these lives. And feeling rather unprepared for the task of confronting leaders, so we might all change our ways. and truly love God's discipline.
I am supposed to be eating, but I haven't touched my plate.
Jesus notices and take a deep breath. He doesn't look at me in the eyes.
Which means they are filled with pain.
But He begins to speak soft words of comfort, and hope.
"you have been very brave, I just want to thank you for walking by my side all day,
it has made the job easier... you had better eat, you need the strenght, there is a lot to be
done.............. Bea, your words of comfort, were not just words of comfort...they are true,
These people will be ok...I just thought that you would like to know...they will be ok."
I sigh with relief. I look at my plate , I start to eat out of obedience...but His words have fed me, I am strong. I can carry on... my friends will be ok. I can carry on.
And in due season I will speak to the pastors... I will confront them with God's truth.
We will change our ways.
And God will move with mercy and grace and bring the desired salvation to earth.
His words have fed me, I have gained strength I can carry on.
FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE MOST HIGH;
THEN CALL UPON ME IN TIME OF DISTRESS;
I WILL RESCUE YOU, AND YOU SHALL GLORIFY ME.
Psalm 50:14-15
I will write in a broken hearted and distressed way. I wish you could actually feel what I feel and see what I see and understand what I understand.
The Bible verse I mentioned is a Bible verse that I heard a lot used to motivate people to give money (offerings) to the church. I heard the preacher say that if we would thank God and then promise Him an amount of money and then kept our promise then God would rescue us.
Now lets read a few verses before:
HEAR, MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL SPEAK;
ISRAEL, I WILL TESTIFY AGAINST YOU;
GOD, YOUR GOD, AM I.
NOT FOR YOUR SACRIFICES DO I REBUKE YOU,
FOR YOUR HOLOCAUSTS ARE BEFORE ME ALWAYS....
Psalm 50:7
Do you see? the first verse was taken totally out of context. In fact God is telling people that He is not at all impressed by their offerings..."i do not need your animals...for all animals are mine" is the continuing part of the previous verse. And if we continue to read on we discover that God was asking people to CHANGE their ways. NOT to give Him money.
"If you CHANGE your ways, then I will save you." That is the basic message.
TO THE WICKED MAN GOD SAYS:
"WHY DO YOU RECITE MY STATUTES, AND PROFESS MY COVENANT WITH
YOUR MOUTH, THOUGH YOU HATE DISCIPLINE AND CAST MY WORDS
BEHIND YOU?"
Psalm 50:17
I read about the reproach of God to the leaders of Israel...and it fits the present situation. Men of God, who have found Christ and have allowed God to deal with them to a certain point often become "blind men, leading blind men"
But the chaos we find in the church today is huge and my pain is just as big. People hate this topic...but somebody must speak up. Somebody must say "it is time we repent"
We ask for revival and invent millions of different strategies...but we do not take the ONE strategy that is needed. REPENTANCE. Loving discipline and taking God's word seriously.
Real seriously.
As leaders we do not do it. Some may preach it...but most do not even preach on holy lives. On loving discipline. We have focused on Grace and Love, and we have compromised. We do not tell people that they are sinning and that it is time they repent. Or they will be walking under the wrath of God. This is not a popular message.
The result?
Devastation.
That is all I seem to find on this journey of prayer. It seems to me that people are so hurt, so confused, so lost... I feel as if I were walking in the midst of a devasted city. Maybe a war, an earthquake, a tsunami...death, lamentations, confusion, fear, loneliness... and most of the people I am praying for are christians.
When I started to see all of these, I asked God "WHY..." and this was His answer. Leaders have not told people to repent. They have not shown people to read the word so people may know what is right and what is wrong. So God has not been able to move in their favor.
I watch in horror. I sit in the midst of destruction...
WORN OUT FROM WEEPING ARE MY EYES, WITHIN ME ALL IS IN FERMENT; MY GALL IS POURED UT ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THE DOWNFALL OF THE DAUGHTER OF MY POEPLE, AS CHILD AND INFANT FAINT AWAY INT HE OPEN SPACES OF THE TOWN.
Lamentations 2:11
This verse best describes my heart. What have we done? we= the leaders.
I do feel overwhelmed. I look at God and ask "will anybody listen to me?"... I am so small.
All these days, we have been picking people up from the rumbles. I see Jesus' serious face. I know that He too is mortified. As he picks each one of His sheep and takes them to a place of rest and protection, I walk in silence by His side.
As Jesus removed a huge stone that had fallen upon one young man, I held him in my arms...it was such a painful time, the young lad fainted in my arms. His agony to great to hear my words "you will be fine, you will be alright" my words of comfort to soft to be heard in the midst of his shouts of agony and distress. He will be alright...but he still needs time for recovery.
To find others we have had to walk long distances, for they were out of the city, it seemed to me that they had somehow tried to escape in time, but out there they were found by cruel beasts that tore them apart.
For twenty days we have been searching for the lost, many are still out there, incommunicated, hungry and losing hope of ever being rescued. I am sweaty, have had very little sleep, not hungry, and filled with mixed emotions. Joy as we rescue each lamb. Pain at the thought that there is still so much to do for them and for the ones tht are still out there. Overwhelmed at the truth that our rebeliousness as leaders has brought so much distruction into these lives. And feeling rather unprepared for the task of confronting leaders, so we might all change our ways. and truly love God's discipline.
I am supposed to be eating, but I haven't touched my plate.
Jesus notices and take a deep breath. He doesn't look at me in the eyes.
Which means they are filled with pain.
But He begins to speak soft words of comfort, and hope.
"you have been very brave, I just want to thank you for walking by my side all day,
it has made the job easier... you had better eat, you need the strenght, there is a lot to be
done.............. Bea, your words of comfort, were not just words of comfort...they are true,
These people will be ok...I just thought that you would like to know...they will be ok."
I sigh with relief. I look at my plate , I start to eat out of obedience...but His words have fed me, I am strong. I can carry on... my friends will be ok. I can carry on.
And in due season I will speak to the pastors... I will confront them with God's truth.
We will change our ways.
And God will move with mercy and grace and bring the desired salvation to earth.
His words have fed me, I have gained strength I can carry on.
posted by thisfool @ 3:17 PM
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