Touch not God’s anointed?
Other than “judge not,” I doubt any other passage in Scripture has been so misused and misquoted.
As an attorney (now retired) and local elder, over the years I’ve voluntarily helped victims and their families by investigating and confronting more than a few predatory and abusive church leaders.
I even helped put some in jail.
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According to 23andMe, about 2% of my DNA comes from Neanderthals – which is more than average.
I guess that helps explain why I’ve been known to go caveman on abusive “church” leaders over the years …
And why such predatory narcissists and their cult groupies don’t tend to like me too much. 😎
Years ago, I was twice elected to local political office.
I was happy to serve, but it reinforced a basic truth that we ignore at great peril.
Healthy civilizations and societies are a Christian virtue …
Promoted to preserve liberty by those who heed Christ’s Lordship in all spheres of life and human endeavor.
Trying to use civil government to compel personal faith and piety, however, is a “Christian” vice …
Promoted by those who ignore God’s specific jurisdictional limitations for different spheres of life and human endeavor.
For example, God in the New Testament empowers civil government to protect good people from bad people …
Rather than empowering it to naively try to convert bad people into good people.
Biblical Christians understand these limits, and work to insure that government faithfully does the former …
While “Christian” nationalists and so-called progressives want to tyrannically give God-like powers to government in an attempt to do the latter.
Understand this difference, and you’ll understand the origins behind the intense political conflicts currently gripping our nation.
Let’s rededicate ourselves to civic engagement and preserving liberty …
But on God’s terms, as He defines and limits government.
In marriage …
In the church …
And in so many other circumstances …
Problems begin to clear up when we learn to prefer each other above ourselves.
And if you think you’re the leader and this is about others needing to prefer you over themselves …
It’s not.
Because with that attitude …
You’re the problem.
Where’s the virtue in not voting for the lesser evil …
If it allows the greater evil to crush virtue?
Those who refuse to exceed their comfort zones …
Often lack Godly joy.
Maybe that’s why Scripture says that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” —
Because lethargy brings despair …
But overcoming brings authentic joy.
God still raises up Deborahs.
If that offends you …
You might be part of the reason He chooses to do so.
When did the gifts of God …
Become the grifts of men?
When humble ministry by one another …
Became platforming and showcasing by the one.
God is not amused …
And judgement has begun.
Repentance is not about perfection …
But dealing with our imperfections.
Decades of ministry to people in emotional bondage from past wrongs (both to them and by them) have taught me a valuable lesson:
Experiencing God’s full and complete forgiveness and freedom typically requires open and complete confession.
Consider this:
Often – because of shame, pride or emotional pain – we won’t openly and verbally confess what we’ve been internally hiding or avoiding.
However, we can’t release to Him what we won’t acknowledge.
This is critical, because God is not a thief. He won’t take what we don’t give Him.
When we finally decide to give our wrongs to Him (including not only any wrongs we suffered but any wrongs we committed in response) by transparently confessing them out loud, asking Him to forgive us, and then releasing them to Him …
He always takes them from us and gives us wholeness in return.
Many, unfortunately, want the freedom of forgiveness …
Without the vulnerability and transparency of confession.
But God, in his infinite wisdom, wants both.
May we live our lives as sacraments of God’s presence before a lost and hurting world.
Jesus didn’t say that “peacekeepers” will be called the children of God …
But that “peacemakers” will.
Big difference!
Peacekeepers tend to tolerate deceit and destruction.
Authentic peacemakers seldom do.
Over twenty years of intense ministry to men in jail, and when they get out, taught me a fundamental truth:
Without healthy functional families – headed by solid, devoted men – everything else in a community breaks down.
Yup, God can redeem individuals from any mess – but that doesn’t change the underlying social relevance of Psalm 11:3 …
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
Sometimes it takes grace and wisdom to distinguish between God using a flawed person …
And a flawed person using God.
The older I get, the more I understand that God-centered gratitude, awe and stewardship …
Are essential antidotes to the self-consumed despair, hopelessness and meaninglessness that grip many today.
Sometimes, the smartest thing we can say is …
“I don’t know.”
Effective prayer is more about us hearing and doing what God wants …
Than Him hearing and doing what we want.
Faith presumes obedience …
Because without obedience, there is no faith.
I will continue to speak, work and stand for real solutions to real problems …
Rather than take the easy out of conspiracy paranoia.
The Sovereign God of Heaven and Earth …
Expects no less.
The fight these days is not between conservative versus liberal or Republican versus Democrat, but between:
Truth versus deception;
Reality versus destruction; and
Virtue versus depravity.
Fortunately, when it comes to what’s true, real and right …
Biblical Christians have the home court advantage.
So don’t give in or grow weary of standing firm for what is eternal and good …
Even if the heathen rage in response.
They’re only protesting their own failures and frustrations …
Born of their own irrational incoherence.
May we be less concerned with offending others by our words …
Than offending God by our silence.
The clamorous “declare” and “proclaim” crowd seems more driven by the anxiety of their own fears and insecurities …
Than by authentic faith.
Authentic faith, in contrast, quietly goes forth in the power of Godly confidence and assurance …
To actually redeem lives and the world around them.
These days, if you oppose the Leftist political views held by many (but certainly not all) black organizations, it is called racism – even if you oppose those views because you want the best for the black community.
Thus, according to how oppressive “progressives” have redefined the word, you are “racist” based on legitimate political differences even if you care deeply about what’s happening in the black community.
This twisting of language by the Left is insidious, and is used by the Left to stifle honest debate over their political policies that are actually doing great harm to the black community.
Don’t let the rhetoric of hate from the Left silence you:
Renounce their oppressive policies that are destroying Black lives, Black families and Black communities;
Proclaim with confidence those Godly principles – like worth, dignity and responsibility, in the context of faith, family and community – which offer true hope for all as we seek to heal our broken nation; and
Stand for virtue.
Only then will the true racists be unmasked.
As goes the Church,
So goes the Nation.
Repent,
While there’s still time.
According to the New Testament, civil government is ordained by God …
Not to make us good, but to protect us from those who aren’t.
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