The Duggars, Church Sandals, And Digesting The Character Betrayal Of Others. UNITE Link Party

“He is so anointed”, they told me.  So, we drove nearly to Canada to see this tattooed man standing in a group of maybe a hundred people.

He walked up the isle right beside me.  Talked of his Rolex and how people in the congregation can give him another…or fill his pockets with money…if they wanted.

There was a strange laugh, some talk about getting “His mantle”, and then a prayer that left me saddened, because I never really understood how He reflected Jesus.

It felt strange, creepy; glorifying a man who clearly did have some spirit…A Spirit that wasn’t from Him.

I lost friends that day. People I loved because I sensed something unsettling, because I refused to believe this so-called man of God was anointed by The One who hung selflessly on a cross…

And because apparently “unbelief” in the circles I was running with, was contagious; an attribute close to heresy, worthy of rejection.

I hear of one amazing church. So many wonderful things seemingly coming from its people. Yet, there’s a scandal. I read about how hard things had happened there. It grieves me.

It’s not my church but can’t we all simply see it? The fall away happening…One church gone, others crumbling quickly?

People bickering, power battles, lust running rampant in churches so-called following the “Holy” Spirit…

Legalism, crushing the freedom of His goodness, keeping well meaning people in rule-keeping bondage?

Character taking time to see, pressures to refine, fiery trials needed for us to display ourselves like Jesus. And how do we expect to come out Holy, when comfort is more appeasing, itching ears all we long for, so may having a desire to serve a God mold-able into THEIR OWN image?

They were ever so famous. People modeling their life-style, the world emulating their public demonstration of purity…

But in the darkness, sin had stolen viciously something that can’t be restored.

The cover, a lie, the persona of many, twisted so that our eyes would see one thing…when in reality, life was much different, in secret.  Behind cameras not what was portrayed, in history.

And is it just me, or are many longing increasing more for authenticity?

Craving transparency in a world that tries to white-wash themselves with image and long skirted religion.

Young believers wanting to see people actually be who they say they are, churches standing strong in character, followers remaining ethical in a world that seems increasingly lost.

Isn’t it time God’s people do more than “play house”, holding micro-phones, walking about as if “good” people; when even Jesus told His disciples, “Why do you call me good, no one is good, except God alone.” (Mark 10:18)

I pour wildly over Romans. Over this grace-alone-book revealing to us…salvation is a free gift.

It’s all mercy, grace, the gift of His person, the one who took our place so that we could not live dead, but rise victoriously, like Lazarus.

And yet, how easy it is to parade titles, stand on podiums, and use the grace of God to earn Rolex watches, abusing platforms to grow attendance, entertain t.v. audiences flaunting just a shell of Christianity….

When only Jesus should be modeled as perfect in the first place.

I spill over the kitchen sink. Grieving. Crying out. Pleading.  He whispers these foundations to His reaching, “Humility”, “Sacrificial living”.  

• I see Paul walking out into the streets to preach though he knows he is about to be persecuted.
• I see a Gospel that went forth, not because it got jewelry, or audiences…not because it feels good to preach it…but because when fire gets in our bones, like Jeremiah, we can’t help but to preach it…Even if we hang on a cross upside-down or get thrown into a prison and get tortured because of it.
• I see Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  Humble.  Chosen for her meekness, her obedient willingness to please the Lord alone.
• I see David, the least in His family, forgotten in the fields by his father. Yet, chosen as King of all.
• I see a prostitute, a Leper, a tax collector, mocked Noah, outcast Moses, rejected Jesus coming as an infant…all unlikely candidates to walk out the call of God.

Scripture says, He picks whom He wants. It is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God having mercy on Him]. (Romans 9:16 amp)

Humility = Bowing lower at the cost of pleasing God.  

And I wonder why we shift, fight, think we can earn our place at all? Why do we boast over our branches and pride ourselves at others expense…When we would not have life at all, if it were not because we’re rooted in Him.(Rom  11:18)

Scripture calls….Stand in awe and reverently afraid, do not become proud and conceited that we are branches grafted into God. We must continue in His grace and abide in His kindness; otherwise we too will be cut off (pruned away).  (Rom 11:20-22)

The man I saw nearing Canada went on to lead the so-called, Lakeland Revival.  He cheated on His wife and it was revealed He had a drinking problem.  Many were broken, lost, disheartened….

And I have learned often since then…nothing good comes from boasting or inflating what we want; from shifting eyes to man’s three biggest temptations; the lust the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. (1 John 2:16)

So, friends…feeling discouraged, saddened, betrayed, or faithless?  Keep your Bible’s close and read it every second available.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, devour and commit to only walking where He leads us.  

And while the church shakes and rocks, false leaders disillusion us, families idolized disappoint us…

Look up.

For the day is coming when our Savior will scan the earth for the chosen remnant, those set apart, those living not for what they want….but as a fragrant offering to Him.

And let’s make sure we have not forgotten; even Christ did not come to please Himself, fulfill His wants. In fact, the amplified says, “He gave no thought to His own interests”, but simply lived for what God wanted… (Rom 15:3)

Can we be a people who do the same?  A people who don’t get caught up in fame, leaders posturing, some church building a monument to themselves who claims to be the “only ones” hearing the voice of God….

For Jesus told us, “My sheep will hear my voice”. (John 10:27)  So, do we even need to drift from The One who molded us from dust, breathed the breath of God into us? The one who called, and equips, and will use us…If we are willing to go lower…

Instead of living to bring ourselves glory?

UNITE LINK PARTY

UNITE all-inclusive Blog Hop/Link Party starts now! 

Who can join?  Anyone.  How does it work?

1) Add a family friendly post below.

2) Link back and will you considering subscribing and/or following on Facebook or Twitter, if you haven’t already?

3) Comment on the post before yours in the link up.

It’s because of YOU, we keep doing UNITE the Bloggersphere Link-UP.  Thanks for being part of this faith-filled, fabulous community!