I did not come to bring peace but a sword. —Matthew 10:34
“If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has
something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but
would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is
impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down
deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and
resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t
stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.[…] Deal with people where they are, until they
begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for
their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home
with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you
have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13). There must be a sense of need created
before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to
be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus,
then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only
superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring…a sword” through every kind of peace
that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.” CHAMBERS
Before I was born again, the last thing I wanted to do is
have someone preach to me or at me about Jesus. If
it was a family member I tolerated it, but if it was someone else, I avoided
it. Why? Because there was no sense of
spiritual need in my life. I wanted
nothing to do with Jesus. In fact it stirred something up inside of me .. not anger but maybe distaste. It was the reaction of my sinful nature to the Creator God. Do you know
people like that? I am certain you
do. Most of the world is like that. Jesus divides … His message separates … (Matthew
10:35-38) “For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against
her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will
be the members of his own household. Anyone
who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who
loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not
take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Does that sound harsh? Well, think about this. What does it mean to obey Matthew 22:37-38 “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Can anyone come between you and God? I didn't say "should" because I am certain you would say "Of course not!" Are you willing to stand between God and
someone you love, just so they won’t feel bad?
What is your responsibility? Are
you willing to be rejected because you follow Jesus? Where is your true devotion? Why did Jesus say that? Because He knows the heart of man and the
struggles that we face. The temptation
is to soften the message to accommodate someone we care about or to avoid rejection. You must not.
Instead you must speak the truth in love. You are a messenger of the truth … how you
live must match what you say … as a Christian, what you say must be Truth which
will divide. How others respond is not
your fault … but it is your responsibility to be a faithful witness. And that not by your own power and intellect
but by the power of the Spirit.
Zechariah 4:6 “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel,
saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” ELGIN
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
Charley Elgin
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