The Dark Cloud Over America - a spirit of offense and fear
We are living in a time in America where many people of all skin colors from different nationalities, gender, education, political view, economics, relationships, and health issues that are declaring that when their life is complete they are going to Heaven because they believe in Jesus Christ, yet they are the first in our country to bring forth a spirit of offense and fear in America instead of a Spirit of Christ that is manifested through love to your neighbor, love to the stranger. These believers in Jesus will justify offense through the past to pave the way for the future instead of allowing the past to be the remembrance of what paths of life's journey we should stay away from. When we begin to remove history to justify offense let us begin within ourselves.
Jesus told us to judge ourselves first before we judge others.
Are you ready to wipe away your past years of those bad relationships that were hurtful, or acknowledge the growth of being a better person because of those relationships?
Are you ready to wipe away the birth of your children because they are rebellious as teenagers, maybe living a non-Christian life from the way you raised them, or maybe they are part of the LGBTQ community which might go totally against your Biblical belief?
Are you ready to wipe away your family? The mother that held you in her womb and gave you life into the world through her body even though she gave you up for adoption?
Are you ready to disown your father because he verbally and physically abused you?
Are you ready to disown YOU?
Are you ready to get rid of everything history has given to us through the Bible, the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
The word OFFEND is asked by Jesus to His followers in John 6. Does this offend you (John 6:61)?
It is this word that will cause separation and division to America.
Life and blood have been shed historically in America because of the belief in One Nation Under God, indivisible and Liberty for ALL. A house divided cannot stand. If we allow this one word to have action against one another we don't need to be concerned about America being attacked from other countries.
Yes, we can stir up offense because of certain people throughout history, but what about those people that were born during those eras of time? Do we wipe away their lives also? Do their lives matter?
If George Washington offends you do you have the right to also remove his marriage, his lands, and the American Revolution?
If Martin Luther King offends you do you have the right to remove his great speech of Letting Freedom Ring for All?
If my position as a woman in ministry, and an Archbishop offends you, do you have a right in what God created and ordained to devalue me?
If this one word - OFFENSE - that is now in the hearts of believers in Jesus Christ in America, can bring forth a passion for hate, anger, and even death, how much greater and more powerful can the word LOVE! Should fear be the response Christians should be releasing to a spirit of offense?
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7). Are you one of the "us" spoken of in this verse? You are if you believe in Jesus Christ.
As great darkness covers the USA this Monday, let it be more than a historical moment, but an opportunity to examine the darkness of our own heart.
Maybe it is truly time to allow the power of the Love of God to do a great cleansing of ALL that is not LIGHT, LIFE, and LOVE in America. Let your LIGHT, Christ in you - the hope of glory - be the shining Son of God that radiates in the midst of darkness.
Selah