THE POWER OF WORDS
AND LABELS
The world would have us believe that there are many types of
Christians. Christians have been given
many labels, such as: Conservative, Liberal, Charismatic, etc. The world uses labels to identify division
within religion. Christians, followers
of Christ, should have no division; nor should we practice religion. These labels have helped to further the gap
between God’s people. Darkness wields
its power to separate Christians from God and attach them to love of the
world. They not only find identity in
the world, but a sense of security and power in belonging to a group that
carries their same values, that may or may not line up to the word of God.
There is no denying that the connotation of words, as well as the names of
groups and people, have changed over the years.
Originally, the name Christian, was given to the followers of Christ in
Antioch (Acts 11:26). When Jesus spoke to the people, He referred
to them as His brethren. We are sons and
daughters of God; for we originated from Him.
Therefore, there should be only one type of Christian—sons and daughters
of God, who follow and abide in Christ; recognizing Him as the head of the Body
of Christ, and God as the head of their lives.
There is no division in the Body of Christ; for its members
could not function together. Christians,
who claim separation in Christianity, claim separation from the Body of Christ
and accept institutionalized thinking that lacks faith and trust in God. They
find no fault in hardness of heart
against their brethren and a love of pride, status, and superiority.
Yet, do they even realize that they have given their minds and souls
over to the world?
Words have power over us, only if we allow them. If we do not know who Christ is and who we are
in Christ, then, we will attach ourselves to words and labels. Christians, who continue to find their
identity and self-esteem in the world, embrace worldly labels. They are confused by what Christianity really
is. Their lack of faith makes them feel they
must control, not only their lives and environment, but the lives of others.
Much to the satisfaction of the darkness, we
find that the institutional church has developed its own agenda, in order to
align itself with worldly principles.
False doctrine and agendas continue to divide and turn Christians
against one another. Yes, we must live
and function in the world. We must make
our voices and opinions be heard in the political arena. Yes, we must, but we must shout as one voice. We stand as Christians united under the mind
of Christ, always to the will and way of God, even when it hurts. Can this be done? Yes, if we die to self and live in Christ, we
can speak boldly His will for all people; not accepting labels and titles for
the benefit of a specific group. We
should speak boldly in spirit and in truth, with unhardened hearts; free of
prejudice, covetousness and condemnation.
Others will not accept this, you say, so why try? We do not follow man, but, God. It is He alone we must please. (Acts 4:18, 19
NIV)
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!
It is time to speak comfort to heal the hurt and pain which has caused division. We speak with God’s wisdom to close the gap and mend the breach, so that, as in Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV):
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For
Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more
than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor
any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Satan is happy when our minds are divided and carried to and
fro, like leaves in the wind. As the
world of darkness closes in upon us, Satan will use every trick, every ploy to
distract us from our work; to try and make us fight his battle for him; and
fight his way—divide and conquer.
We are already divided and if we remain so, will we allow him to
conquer, also?
Where is your faith?
Where is your love? We allow love
of self, family, home, city, state, country and the pleasure of the world to
take precedence over our love of God and Christ. We believe we must protect self and home
first, then, we will worry about God’s Kingdom later. Many believe there is always time to die to
self and live in Christ. “I’m a work in
progress,” they say, “…meanwhile, I’m in control.” But, without God, we would have nothing. Without, God, we can do nothing. Without,
God, we would be
nothing. Therefore, how do we plan to limit
the power of God and take control? Will
He allow you to work against His plan?
Are we ready to truly take up the cross and follow in the
footsteps of Christ? Or are we
vigilantes or rebels only concerned with vengeance, rebellion, power, overthrow
and control? Has self-righteousness
blinded us from holiness?
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| Lead them to Jesus |
We can not be weak or weak-minded. Satan has led us to believe we must function
like the world, because he does not want us to know that Christians have
power…the power of God inside them.
Christ and His followers changed the face of the world. And through Christ; with Him as the Head, the
body of Christ can change the world again.
Christians need to understand that they work against the body when they
choose division. We must do the work we
have been instructed to do; first we must change the hearts of the people; for
where their hearts lie, their minds will follow. We lead their hearts to Jesus. This is discipleship. This is Christianity. Show them how to reach the Kingdom first, and
the rest will follow.
The world shows us problems in society, but it is more
concerned with controlling them, than getting to the root or cause of the
problem to prevent it from reoccurring.
Likewise, those Christians who have been indoctrinated into
organizations, can do no more than offer band-aid therapy; another law or
restriction that does no more than deter or detour behavior. Without the wisdom and love of God, the world
provides worldly solutions. As a result,
laws are made or taken away. The problem
does not go away. People are not
changed. Society is still faced with
frustrations, confusion and worst of all…fear. Fear that creates new problems and
division. The rich are turned against
the poor. The poor are turned against
the rich. Christians are turned against
Christians, and all other religions. And
Satan is pleased. Without the love of God
within them, the hearts of the people and their beliefs will not change. God’s love has the power to create and
transform; just as He created the universe.
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| IS THIS WHAT CHRIST DIED FOR? |
So, how do we function within the world, without being of
the world? …By representing Christ,
first and always. We are quick to cut
others down by thought, word or deed, but the sword is not ours to wield. But, but, but there are so many fires to put out! You say. Yes,
there are a lot of fires to put out now, because Christians have not been doing
the work they are called to do. Instead
of loving the people, we’re finding reasons to hate them, ridicule them, tear
them down, discriminate and separate ourselves from them. Oh, the world has changed for the worst,
everyone says. It’s a dangerous
place. It’s not safe for our kids. Many Christians believe separation and
segregation is the answer.
As we voice our opinion, as we vote, as we look upon others,
what is truly in our hearts: fear; judgment; condemnation; stereotyping;
profiling; pride; rationalization; self-preservation; arrogance; pity;
self-righteousness; gloating; back-biting; gossip; rebellion; prejudice;
vindictiveness; jealousy; hurt; selfishness; hatred? Are we influenced by the opinions of others
who share similar sins and weaknesses or are we listening to the Word of God? Are we consumed by status, labels, political
parties, categories, territory, money and materialism? Do we say we are humble but we have an
elitist mind? Are we in denial about our
attachment to the world and what we feel it has to offer? Or, even more, what we feel it should offer?
Are you truly informed about your world? And is your information based on what you
have read, seen or heard in the media, or word-of-mouth? Or, are your actions based on God’s
commandments; that we love one another and do unto others as we would have them
do unto us? Can we separate from those
commandments when dealing with worldly problems?
Does voting give us the right to judge others? Judgment is condemnation without hope or
reprieve. God’s truth and love always offer
hope, redemption, grace and mercy, and free will. Are your decisions based on hope, trust, and
free will? Ah, free will…what a
dangerous word to some Christians. We’ll
have all kinds of fires to put out if we start talking about free will. We love it when God gives it to us, but we
dare not trust anyone else with it. Can one risk making decisions based on hope
and free will?
Did someone force you to become a Christian? For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God hoped that we would
believe and not only risked, but gave freely His only begotten Son to die for us;
so that we could have free will to decide, if we want to accept Him and have
everlasting life. Would you, as a parent,
sacrifice your child, and then have no guarantee that he was not dying in
vain for someone?
Like it or not, we are all the same; made in God’s image;
and given dominion over earth and animal.
God gave us all free will, but, when you try to have dominion
over the free will of others, there will be rebellion and more fires to
put out. Only God can finish the work that He
began. That is why He sent His Son and
the Holy Spirit; to change us—transform us, from the inside.
God was willing to take the risk. Now, as Christ’s disciples, we are to take up
our cross and take risks. We are to lead
others to follow Christ; to have love for one another and reverence and
obedience to God; that we may live full and abundant lives. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth
as it is in heaven.” Put your mind and
efforts into bringing God’s Kingdom here, now, on earth. How can you expect someone to know what God
wants for His children if they don’t see you living right and making
sacrifices; or if you never try to have a relationship with them to tell them?
THE POWER OF BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS
Like a drop of rain, everything and everyone has a beginning
and a journey. Every effect has a cause. Everything
we do affects everyone around us.
A thief did not begin life as a thief.
An adulterer is not born an adulterer.
Many believe that most poor people abuse or take advantage of
charity. We know the effect, but what is
the cause? Does poverty make some people
thieves and liars? Then, why are some
wealthy people thieves and liars also?
Perhaps, you would be surprised to
learn that those types of
people are just like you and
their journey was to help bring you closer to God.
Some might say, “I am a good Christian. God is good to me because I am a good
Christian. Or maybe, God is good to me
because I am a better Christian than most.”
They might even believe that it is up to them to see that others are
punished or denied privileges, because they know what is right. They may have heard about or seen some poor
person abusing charity. So, they believe
they must see that none of them have the opportunity to abuse or take advantage
of them; their family; or their country, again.
Inside their minds, they may believe that God is not good to others who
are not like them or those types of people are undeserving. This may even lead them to believe that,
because they are a good Christian, they should not have to take care of others
who they know are not trying to help themselves, or obey God. However, they have not lived the life of that
person. They did not have their beginning. They will not have the same journey. Perhaps, they have not seen or been
introduced to Christ to change and altar their journey. Perhaps, their journey will never change,
because you refuse to follow the path God has set before you. Perhaps, you would be surprised to learn that
those types of people are just like you and their journey
was to help bring you closer to God.
Many claim to know the word of God, but they do not practice
it. Most Christians do not know how to
recognize darkness and/or they refuse to die to self and live in Christ, so,
they operate in the flesh and not the spirit.
They fight flesh instead of the adversary. They would rather blame people, organizations
and things to satisfy their own fleshly sin.
All the while, Satan and the world are pleased that Christians have
fallen short of the mark. These Christians
remain in bondage; weak and powerless and are blind to their vanity and having had done nothing to change the world or the
hearts of God’s people, because their heart is hardened.
OVERCOMERS
A wise man once told me, “We overcome the Accuser by applying
the blood of the Lamb, by declaring the Truth of God’s faithfulness, and by
courageously facing the death of our own lives in the interest of the Kingdom’s
agenda.”
This is your time now to wake up and stand! To say enough is enough Satan! Get thee behind us! You have NO authority here! We are the rulers! You are alive, here, right now, on this day,
this year, and in this century… for a reason.
Because, YOU can make a difference!
You could have been born at any other time. But, God wanted you here and now, because of
your potential. You may believe you have
options, but the options are running out.
No one can deny the overwhelming darkness in the world today.
Let us not be caught up in the skirmishes of the world, led
blindly into fear; the tool of Satan and those like him. Fear is not of God. Fear ushers in that which we are afraid
of. Fear is full of deception. It creates a monster in your mind and when you
try to overcome the monster, you become a monster. Fear is Satan’s’ vehicle to use us by means
of addition or subtraction in order to altar an equation in his favor. In the world, fear insights blame and
accusation and increases fear; fear produces hatred; a hardened heart;
hypocrisy; prejudice; discrimination; distrust; judgment; condemnation; loss of
faith; covetousness; idol worship; lies; violence and war; segregation and alienation;
and weakness that leads to sins of the flesh.
All the while, you are blind to your sins because fear has given you
rights without righteousness. .
We are not of the world.
And, if we be of God, whom shall we fear? We prepare for a different kind of battle,
knowing God has already provided; whether there be drought or famine. Satan’s game is to divide and distract the
people while they are robbed of rights, riches, peace, joy and life.
Christians must be careful not to allow politics to become
their religion and live their lives under its doctrine and labels. Such as these, who claim to be children of
God, are also lovers of the world; lovers of darkness and enemies of God; for
they do not walk in the Light, trusting God. No one man or group can overrule the power of
God. God uses rulers. He allows them to rule. He sees what is ahead and uses them to set things
in order for His plan. Who can
understand the wisdom of God? Why even
try? In politics, the players change,
but the rules remain the same. There are
no winners. No one can claim the
prize. God will have the glory and Jesus
will claim His kingdom and wear the crown.
Again, God says we must prepare for a different kind of
battle; for an upheaval is at hand. God
is strategically placing His watchmen at the gates. His soldiers stand ready. His generals are making plans. And, when the gates are opened, His Light
will gush out like the blare of a trumpet; like a mighty wind; a hurricane upon
an ocean of darkness. A tempest rises
and sets a tempo---a beat that tempers the hearts of the righteous to battle and
quickens the heart of darkness with fear.
Father, we thank you for the runners who have passed the torch, that others might see and be enlightened. We thank you for the watchmen and the soldiers who have stood their ground and fought the good battle.
But, now, you do a new thing, Father. A new soldier is born, who can move between the spiritual and physical. Satan has no hiding place and the darkness is cast out by the Light. We are awakened to who and what we are--spiritual beings--born of Your Holy Spirit--fortified with your power and saturated with Your Love. We thirst for the Water of Life, the Holy Word of God. We pour out Your Love upon your people and awaken the sleeping, from the darkness. Use us Lord, to help your children and build your Kingdom. We love you, Father, because of who You are.
Through hurricane, earthquake, and flood, You are in control. Through death and heartache, there is hope, because of Your Light--a beacon for the battered, homeless, and those in despair. In your arms, they will find mercy and comfort to endure loss, strength to stand on their feet, and even hope for a new beginning. Amen
By the Grace and Mercy of God, Our Loving Father, and the
sacrifice of His Son, our brother and Savior,
Your servant,
mishael
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