On a day to day base, there is that pious person instructing the indoctrinated and yearning masses on how to get what they want from God. There are many of us who began our day feeling alienated or rejected by God because we are not enjoying the blessings that other are proclaiming. We are being told that we have entered a season where God is pouring out his blessing upon his wayward children. Yet, many of us fail to see that beacon of light radiating out from those who professes to be enjoying those special blessing of God. Is it because the meaning of a blessing has been dumbed down and we are blessed because we woke up this morning?
There do not appear to be a fence of protection separating the righteous from accidents, death, disease and suffering. Oftimes we are left wondering, "why do God allow bad things to happen to good people?" Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. There appears to be a great difference between what God wills and what God allows. It is not God's will that anyone should perish, but God will allow us to perish. Matthew 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
There are many great testimonies of how God is blessing financially and there are many great messages of how to reap these blessings, but at the root of receiving these great blessings, there is always the need to plant a seed. Is God like an ATM machine, where you punch in the right code and receive what you requested? If our prayers are not answered within twenty-four hour, is it because much of what we consider to be prayer does not fit within God's definition of prayer. Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. It is interesting that the disciples would ask Jesus to teach them how to prayer. He gave them a model prayer in Luke 11:2. Another interesting point is much of what we pray for today is missing from the model Jesus gave to his disciples.
The trivialization of God has resulted in that which is Holy is being invoked in many unholy situations. On Facebook this morning I was encouraged to type "Amen" and my house would be free from financial worries. Matthew 6:5-8 tell us how not to pray, and Jesus ends with Be, not ye, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. If this is true why are we using the social media to collect "Amen". After reading many of the postings, I usually end up with the uneasy feeling that my spirituality has been raped.
The focus of today's prayer services is blessings and miracles. Then, there are those prophets that are predicting the outpouring of God's wrath upon an unrepentance world. Salvation and financial blessings have become synonymous. I along with many, in and out of the organized church have begun to secretly wonder if we are making this stuff up as we go along. We cannot openly question the cute cliches and proclamations, by doing so would expose us to the wrath of the Christian community. Cute cliches and proclamations without substance appear to be one of the reasons the believability of our God is suffering.
Understand how God works and what to expect from God is two of the important elements of our Christian journey. Made up promises and making vast and vague claims that God is not about to answer is not in the best interest of promoting Christianity. In Matthew 21:22 Jesus said, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." The key and operative word is prayer. What is a prayer? Is asking God for one million dollars an act of prayer? Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave richness. Maybe we should simply pray for the fruit of the spirit.
In Matthew 5:3-12 Jesus expounded upon the attributes of being blessed in such a manner that that it should be impossible to misunderstand the meaning. Yet, we still consider waking up to be included in the list of blessings. I can and should be glad I woke up this morning because it will give me another day to work for Christ, but the blessings I should expect to receive is in the kingdom of Heaven. This was Paul's reason for wanting to stay here. Philippians 1:23-24, For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Simply put, going home to get our reward should play an important part in our daily walk.
To make the Christian walk more attractive, why is it necessary to redefined blessings and make them collectable on a daily base. There are those who are standing by prepared to teach us for a fee, how to collect our blessings and count them, naming them one by one. The blessings that Jesus expounded upon did seems to indicate that there was a reward pending, but this reward was in Heaven. Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. In the Old Testament when the old patriots blessed a child, it merely empowered them to act in the name of the father. In today's society, collecting freebies and blessings is a way of life many.
Often, in the midst of our pain, in the midst of our suffering the message is to wait on our deliverance or it's already done. Many will speak with conviction and authority as if they have the Word of God in their mouth. You will be left with the belief that the only thing standing between you and your deliverance is you acceptance. Often there is an urgent need for the fruit of the spirit to manifest itself. There is a need for a message of joy and peace and this message will shift our focus from our condition, it will allow us to glory in our Christian walk. The fruit of the spirit will become our most important asset.
The type of messages that focused on our healing even as we go into the hospital often leave many feeling confused and rejected. The reshaping of the message to indicate that God is using the hospital or the doctor as instruments of his healing power is no longer persuasive. At the end of the day, we still wonder if God has rejected us. In my sickness and in my suffering, in my search for God, I cried out, don't tell me what God can do. If you cannot help me accept what God is doing, or what God is not doing, then hold your peace.
As I walk through the valleys and the shadows of death, I rise to the occasion to speak like the three Hebrew boys, "Wheather God deliver me or not He is still God." Because of my acceptance of that concept, that ideology, I do not pray for financial gain, I do not pray for healing, I pray for the fruit of the spirit. With joy and peace, whatever my situation is, I will fear no evil for thou are with me...
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