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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : Chapter 4: Accepting Christs offense.

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Buwa
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Joined: 2010/10/21
Posts: 14


 Chapter 4: Accepting Christs offense.

Friday, February 26, 2010


Ever since I started writing the things God teaches me, I have gotten different types of responses from different kinds of people including people I do not even know, I feel blessed and thank God for all. However while some people read and are very very blessed some read and get offended. The offense is a natural response so I do not mind.

Jesus said:

Then said Jesus to them, All you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.- Matthew 26:31

In this chapter, I hope to encourage those who hear the word and get angry even to the point of falling away and rejecting the true things of God, those who claim they are being judged or condemned. And I hope that even though you stumble (are offended) because of the word presented to you, if you hang in there God will acknowledge your humility and he will surely lift you up so that you can come to the knowledge of his truth in spiritual maturity even reaching forward to the mark of higher callings.

Just as Jesus had said, all of those who he spoke to where offended according to the prophecy, but they persevered and looked through the fog of the offense and we know that the word testifies about their works afterwards and how God Glorified himself through those who followed him and that none of them fell away from the true path of salvation except Judas.


As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.- Romans 9:33

Initially it worried me that some read and got offended at the things I said or when they heard the truth, but I later learned that sometimes the offense is only the beginning of brokenness for these people who didn't even know it but truly seek the truth about God and who he really is. Sowing the seed of the word caused some of them to be broken before the Lord afterward and some just hardened their hearts and rejected it, so it is either they allow the word to sink in in their offense and be saved or they eventually just outrightly reject it. God reminded me about Christ who was only able to convince 11 people out of all who where living in the towns he had been to in his time, to follow him with genuineness of heart! It tells you how much the world hates to know the truth, which ironically gives us freedom (I mean from every single vice produced by the corruption of our flesh).


Today there is so much deception everywhere even in the air we breath, nothing and no one is spared and there is so much hatred towards truth baring christians, and it is fast becoming a scandal to be associated with our lord Jesus! One may think this to be a bad thing but it is not, it is in fact proof that you are a child of God when you are despised for being associated with him. Before and even a bit after I came to know God, I too hated the truth so badly, I called my self a Christian because I was told I was one, even though in truth I was a wretched Pagan who God showed his grace and love, and made a true child of him through whom the Spirit of Christ now testifies of his truth. Same is the story of everyone else who reads this write up wether we like it or not, no one is born a Christian, no one born pure, none born perfect! We all have to get to a point where we accept and move past the offense we face when comfronted with Gods truth. After struggling for so long we should concede to the victory Christ won on our cross. Yes, I said "our cross" because it was us who was to be condemned there, and long before Christ came the cross had been used by the Romans as the highest form of Capital punishment for first degree offenders, the likes me and you!

If after we come into Christ, we are still getting offended at the truth of the undiluted word of God, then how will we behave when we are confronted with the offenses of this world? Quickly applying humility and moving past the offense is a sign of spiritual maturity, it shows God that you are becoming ready to carry out his will. If not when you go into the world you will be kicked, slapped and cheated and you will raise your hand in defense of your self, start fighting back and discourage those you are trying to preach to.

We all were first degree offenders from Birth, all wretched and condemned from conception awaiting capital punishment. Christ tells us to take up "our" Cross and FOLLOW him. He has made the burden of the Cross light with everlasting peace he has giving to us (Sorry but I have to add >> and not with money or carnal wealth) by the shedding of his blood, and his resurrection power so that when we preach we will be like one truly sent from God, because the gospel must be preached with life and power, there is no other way.


He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.- Hebrews 9:11-13

In order to enter the most holy place, we must come to a point where we are like our Great High Priest. Jesus says >>few-are-they-that-enter<<, wow!! And then he goes on to say, the kingdom of God suffers (allows) violence (not actual violence but a perpetual spiritual desire to be Christlike or taking advantage of the slightest possible opportunity to be like Christ= receiving and obeying the Spirit), and the violent (those who are thirsty for the truth) taketh it by force (rush for the truth with all their being or are attracted to the truth and will stop at nothing to find it wherever it is hidden).

Remember Christ is the kingdom because everything about the kingdom is in him. Isn't it amazing? This is why John the baptist said "the Kingdom of heaven is here", he was referring to Jesus! And as you will note, there is no sickness in the kingdom of heaven, no sin, no hunger, no thirst. And you will also note that everywhere Jesus (the Kingdom) went, people who believed on him got healed, also he would testify and say "I AM the bread of life, the living water, the door, the true vine, the good shepherd, the way (to the kingdom), the truth (of the kingdom) and the life (of the kingdom).


"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”40But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.f”43Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”- Luke 23:39

This passage is so amazing! Now why would I believe in someone who has been labelled a Criminal like me and has been condemned to death by lethal injection along with myself? What would be my reason for asking this person to save me? Of what good can such a person be to me if he cannot even save himself? Somehow this criminal developed a desire to be with Christ even to the point of wanting to be with him, where ever he was going. We must always have an ardent desire to be with Jesus as Christians. However this man was not a follower of Christ during his life time but when he believed and indicated that he wanted to be with Christ, his "fellow criminal",he was accepted.

Remember that this was a criminals most desperate hour, an hour when his whole life flashed by his mind. It was at this point that Christ accepted him! This is how much God loves us!!! But what did Jesus say to the other criminal? Absolutely nothing!

So you find that If a person does not have such an enthusiasm for the things of Gods kingdom, it will be very deceptive and unfair to tell such a person that he will have a part in Gods kingdom. This is because the ten virgins were given a mandate, but five of them slept while five of them went out to look for oil for their lamp in preparation for the upcoming banquet. "And while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tars amongst their wheat"!!!! Do not let the enemy catch you sleeping with the excuse that you are offended at something some church fellow said especially when what was said was presented to you from scripture containing Christ's words verbatim.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.- Mark 10:21

You see, Gods love will not always come as warm and soothing to your heart, but if you wisely and humbly accept and believe on it, it will always heal you...that is, if you obey what you have heared, accepted and believed on!In the above verse, we see clearly where it says Christ "loved him", but the man went away "sad and grieved"! Evidently Gods word and even his love has the most powerful potential to break and heal a mans heart but also cause a mans heart to be hardened so that he walks away from God and anything Godly. This is the nature of the word of God, very blatant but very balanced, extremely comforting and extremely convicting. Isn't it amazing? I say this so that you will know that as the word of God breaks you down in its severity towards your sinfulness, and if you preserver in patience to what you have been confronted with, the same word will build you up in the love of God and in Spiritual strength and understanding.

God kills and he makes alive, he himself set the first example of of death and resurrection for our regeneration through Christ, and this is what we all pass through who embrace the word of truth with everything that is within us, we die to the would so that we in our spirits may be made alive to Gods Spirit and presence. Though it is a painful process, no one comes to God without getting smashed to pieces and then rebuilt into an new everlasting image full of his beautiful attitudes (Christ). Old pots and old wine skins are of no use to new wine (the Spirit and his word is new wine). This is what makes a lot of people to reject God, they do not want to be smashed to pieces despite the fact that they are old and useless pottery full of holes.




God is only trying to rebuild them into brand new pots and use them for his kingdom but they do not know, they do not even know that this is the only way that they can have the peace of God in their hearts and this once and for all, and this is the only reason why Christ died to reconcile us to the Father, restore the peace that comes from reconciliation within us. For example if a man and his earthly father get into a quarrel that man looses his peace but when he reconciles with his father he gains back his peace. Now this is an example of and earthly quarrel which brings about temporary peace. How much more the eternal peace Jesus established between us and our heavenly Father to bring God glory.




the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.-Romans 8:7



The bible also says God's word is an offense unto the carnal mind but also says it is comfort to the soul of they that put their trust in him. This makes it indeed a double edged sword because when you hear it, it starts to tear you apart and I repeat it is not an experience friendly to the flesh. This is also why a lot of us become defensive when we are called to order by those who are more mature spiritually. The truth of Gods word mirrors your filthiness and makes you want to hide away when it is being shown to you. Is your mind carnal? Do you always get angry when someone preaches and says "the soul that sins shall die"? Well if you are looking for the truth and you know your bible very well, you will see that such a person has only handed it to you. Getting angry is prove that what God is saying about you is true, because in the first place he says that you are in enmity with anything Godly and Spiritually true, and every word which is truly Godly must follow biblical precedence and must be verifiable spiritually and scripturally, and if your getting angry makes God's word true, then let every man be a lair.



It has nothing to do with condemnation unless you just want to keep giving excuses and living in sin, not wanted to hear the truth at all, but you will hear it so that God may be acknowledged as a just God who accuses no one falsely and condemns no one without warning, on the day we stand before him in judgement. On the contrary, It is an act of condemnation to see a man headed towards a deep pit driving a 160 miles per/hrs (if that is possible) and just pat him on the back and tell yourself you have showed love. No! you have condemned him to death! But if you alert him and let him know his predicament, then you have shown love and God is your witness as you are his. If we do not say what we have seen and known, if we keep silent, then we call God a lair and deny that all things have been created through him and for him, there is no middle standing and there is no "let your attitude alone affect others" clause/cliche, but there is much power in confession of the word for the salvation of not only the hearer but he who confesses.


Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.-Job 16:18-20

Again see:

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.- Isaiah 43:9-11

Jesus said "my sheep hear my voice and they follow me, the voice of the stranger they will not hear". Are you his sheep? When you hear the word of God how you respond? Are you one of those who only want to hear the part of the bible that talks only about blessings for you but refuse to hear the part that actually purifies your spirit man because it sounds like a hard teaching? Know that as a Child of God you can not accept one part of scripture and throw away the rest, because all scripture is God breathed.


All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, REBUKING, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work- 2 Timothy 3:16

Even the devil preaches Love today, but his own version of love can not be backed up by a single word of scripture. Hence it becomes judgmental to tell a gay person that Jesus is lord and that God abhors homosexuality or a fornicator to stop and repent. Irony of it is that If we do not speak the truth of Gods word (which now means to judge but is perceived as condemnation according to the world) how can anyone know Gods love? And if I stay quiet about the truth then I miss my opportunity to share the gospel and become like the man with 1 talent who hid his talent and got his due recompense when the master returned. We are Gods witnesses, to what God has done, when he did it, for whom he did it and where he did it. But being a witness really means in greek to be a martyr for what we have seen, believed and speak about i.e to speak about it until we are killed (not everyone will be martyred, though it will be an honor to die for the gospel).

"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
-Luke 21:11-13

I thank God for your hearts that remains so open to the truth of Gods word, as we accept the truth of Gods word comparing the things said with the scriptures constantly, it becomes evident that we are his sheep and we will not hear the voice of strangers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayers so that God will make our joy complete.


I bless God for you all in Christ.

Love and Peace to you

 2010/10/21 11:58Profile
MyVeryHeart
Member



Joined: 2010/8/30
Posts: 449
Paradise, California

 Re: Chapter 4: Accepting Christs offense.

God bless you Buwa.
Grace peace and love to you in Christ Jesus.

Travis


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Travis

 2010/10/21 12:12Profile
UntoBabes
Member



Joined: 2010/8/24
Posts: 1035
Oregon

 Re: Chapter 4: Accepting Christs offense.

God bless you,
That was an excellent read.


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Fifi

 2010/10/21 14:08Profile





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