Taking Liberties

Since people have been taken liberties, their liberties have been taken... consider this, perhaps reread it, and let the double entendre soak in. I will do my very best to make sense of this sentence as you and I travel the dark alleyway of deceit.

The Bible is God's Word to those who count Him as Sovereign. It isn't just a bunch of words thrown onto a page, convoluted and confusing: therein is an intertwining and revealing of Who He is, and it requires time and meditation to have meaning sink into the spirit in the most profound and edifying manner. To change the wording in small or significant ways, can dim the brilliance it shines on hungry and thirsty souls that crave the pure bread and wine of the Saviour. In other words, don't mess with scripture; if you do, at is at your peril. 

Just for some ridiculousness, let's see if you recognize this famous prayer. I suggest you speak this out loud, like you're a rapper:

Yo Yo Daddy

Who lives on the clouds

Holy be your name

Your kingdom come on down

Your will be something we dig

Here, on the flat or round earth

As it is, somewhere high up there

Give us this day our sandwiches

Forgive us the stuff you know we done

And we will forgive them other guys what they done to us

Lead us not into bad stuff

Deliver us from them bad guys

For yours is the kingdom

You got da power

Da glory

For now till always

Ahhhhmen!

I have been watching false preachers and teachers do their motivational selling, lining their pockets, and presuming that using God as their front man is perfectly acceptable, so long as they pretend that they are His, that He sent them, that He speaks to them and through them, using them divinely as His mouth piece. When I first heard the terminology that there are many false Jesus's, I found it confusing. I had the concept clarified for me recently, and the simplicity is a relief to recognize. 

Here is how you know you are hearing from a charlatan: 

1. What comes out of the mouth does not even remotely resemble anything Jesus said, in fact, if you are inclined, you can get your hands on a Bible with Jesus's words highlighted in red or blue, and compare what you hear from the stage, to what He actually spoke

2. How the false preacher/teacher/prophet acts, what they do to make money, how they behave on and off camera, is as far from how Jesus lived as you are from the sun

3. Their mission is not to make disciples of men for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, their mission is to make you a follower, on all their SM accounts, so that you buy their products and proffered services. There isn't one instance where Jesus asked someone to pay for being His disciple... in fact, people gave up their work and income the moment they followed Him when invited.

4. Shenanigans... the smoother the talker, the faster the walker, the more energetic, exciting, engaging, the more eyes on them, the more money they make, and all the more people are misled into believing in yet another guy or girl with charisma, rather then meeting the humble, meek, Saviour that died for the sins of the world. He is tolerating miserable mankind... for a time. 

5. Do I add another, or are we understanding one another? Perhaps you can add to this list, believer, based on what you have observed?

To return to our theme, people have taken liberties with what God hath said, and this hath wreaked havoc from kindergarten classes to philosophy courses in universities; from tv time for toddlers, to story time in libraries with painted ugly pedophiles. The only way you and I, if we truly love God, can contribute to the world as citizens of His kingdom while we reside here on earth, is to take the liberties He gave us when we were born, to worship Him, honour Him, glorify Him with our words, but MOST importantly, with our deeds, seen and unseen by sometimes prying public eyes (your phone, iPad, computer are watching YOU, dear reader).

Last night, in the dark sky hours, I asked God, What can I do about what is happening? It was one of those moments that I felt disabled from taking action, because so much has gone so wrong. This morning, I read 1 Samuel, Chapters 15-16 and learned what I must commit to. Obedience. I must be obedient to God, living the life He describes in His Word. I must also commend you to do the same, believer; only then are we safeguarded mind, body, and spirit. 

I hope you know the famous prayer I hinted at above... not my silly version, but the One given by The One, to His disciples. When I don't know what to say or pray, I remember Him and His words, and they are a balm for my soul. I pray they are for yours too, dear one. 

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)