SelahV Today by hariette petersen

Religious Liberty: the Real Issue, and the Battle for Christian Bloggers Like Me

It's not easy to discern the battles worth fighting sometimes.

After I wrote my post last week entitled, Should Jesus Be None Of My Business, I was cautioned by a commenter that quoting someone is "risky" and could lead to "gossip". Suffice it to say, when bloggers write, bloggers battle all kinds of things.  Some worthy, some not.

The conversation that sparked my critic's comment involves a column in USA Today written by Kirsten Powers in which she quoted Andy Stanley advising a Christian baker: "Jesus died for a world with which he didn't see eye to eye. If a bakery doesn't want to sell its products to a gay couple, it's their business. Literally. But leave Jesus out of it."

I beg to differ. This is not some obscure philosophical, political debate; it's a genuine spiritual dilemma for all Christians.  It pierces the core of an individual's conscience and targets the personal freedoms this country holds dear.

The "real issue" is Religious Liberty.

Yes.  Religious liberty.  For those who are unconcerned about such liberty, I suppose they could "leave Jesus out of it" all.  For Christians who have valued, and until lately, felt free to express and practice their faith without fear of retaliation from society and punishment from government, this is crucial.

This is about religious discrimination, not homophobic bigotry.  Never, in all 65 years I've lived have I seen such intimidating cultural disdain for Christians and people of faith in America.  Ridicule, silencing, rejection, and censoring.  Schools, media and government. This is real.  It's not our imagination.  Businesses, and citizens alike, are feeling the pressures and the strident straps of retaliation.  We do not live in some third world country.  This is the United States of America.

Yet, our country is changing at break-neck pace; we can barely keep up with the issues being thrown in our faces. As President Obama promised in 2008, he is  "fundamentally transforming America". Religious liberty in America is in peril--especially for Christians.

Just yesterday, a story broke regarding two Muslim truck drivers who didn't want to deliver alcohol for their employer because it is against their religion. The government defended them against the trucking company. The trucking company is sued and must compensate them with back pay and who knows what all else before this is over.  Yet, a self-employed Christian baker cannot make a personal religious decision to refuse to bake a cake for a wedding they believe violates their religion?  Where is the equality?

To own a business without freedom to provide services as a conscience demands, is tantamount to being shackled to a government's dictates and consequences.  A Christian photographer, who refused to use god-given gifts and talents to photograph a gay nuptial, was fined 7-thousand dollars.  Should that Christian photographer be forced to photograph a porn-star's portfolio, also?  Should an African-American Christian baker be forced to bake a cake that has a black man hanging from a tree to celebrate a KKK rally protesting Martin Luther King Day?

The Seattle Christian bakers are not forcing their view upon the gay couple who demands a wedding cake-- they are upholding their belief in a biblical view of marriage.  They refuse to serve mammon by sanctioning an act they view in conflict with deeply held faith beliefs.  They're exercising their guaranteed right to practice their faith as they see fit. Would they be forced to bake Halloween cupcakes for Satanists, too?  Where does is stop?

Violating their right to practice their heart-felt faith, rapes the conscience of man. The government usurped their conscience, destroyed their business, and impaired their right to make a living.  How many more businesses will this effect?  Will they have to add mal-practice insurance to their already strapped operating budgets in order to protect their religious liberty and conscience?

There is a message being sent by the liberal courts of this land today-- religious liberty is either extremely costly--or worthless.

Make no mistake, here. Either Christian business owners acquiesce and submit, or they are punished for holding their beliefs.

If government can force us to serve others in a free-enterprise system, then we are not under a free-enterprise system.  We are under a totalitarian regime-- under which the government decides what we do, say and think. If government can dictate that a baker bake a cake, it can dictate that a Christian publisher accept and publish books by atheists and other religions in direct contradiction to their mission in life.  It follows government can force any business to do anything for anyone, or face discrimination penalties.

Have you struggled with where all this is leading?  Will homosexuals progress to a point someday wherein they try to force churches to officiate or host their weddings under threats of discrimination law suits?  Will churches lose tax-exempt status for refusing?  Will they have to cower in upper rooms?  Time will tell.

This threat isn't new, nor is the conversation, but it has reached high-pitch chatter status in the social media, news coverage, and legislative branches of government. It's backed up by a United States Attorney General who tells state attorneys general that they do not have to pay any attention to enforcing laws of the states if they feel it is discriminatory.  Free pass; don't bother.

This is no longer about "letting homosexuals do what they want in the privacy of their own bedrooms," or legalizing their unbiblical unions. It's escalating to legalizing that men be allowed to walk into ladies bathrooms if they feel more like a woman than a man.  They are protected.  Who protects me and my grandchildren in restaurants and movie theaters?  Will businesses have to hire restroom guards?

Friends, our voice is being silenced in a world in need of higher volume.  Fear. Intimidation. Threats of removing income from states which seek to protect Religious Liberty.  He who shouts loudest wins. Business owners are being sued out of existence and jobs being lost as a result.  Patriots intimidated and badgered by the IRS to answer questionaires that ask who they are praying for and what they are praying about.  Do you sense the fear and tension?  I do.

Will all Christians someday be forced by law to withdraw from society as the Amish and Quakers choose to do in order to practice their faith?  Will the internet be closed down to our ponderings on this issue and any other issue the government deems hateful or intolerable for us to discuss? I have little doubt anymore.

Seems anytime any Christian takes an opposing viewpoint on most any issue, they are labeled a bigot of some kind or another.  In Kirsten's column at USA Today she likened the Christians' mindset to Jim Crow lunch-counter racist bigotry. I liken her arguments to that mindset in reverse. It appears it is Christians who are being forced to the back of the bus and out of the business market. And if things don't change, we will soon see religious liberty as a thing of the past. 

When Bloggers Like Me Are Cautioned About Gossip

should we take it seriously? Other bloggers have to speak for themselves.  As for me???

In a previous article I wrote (here), a commenter, Mike, cautioned me about how "risky" quoting someone can be and how it can lead to "gossip". Actually, he didn't like much of what I had to say, at all.  He even assigned an ulterior motive to the purpose of my article.  Unfortunately for my commenter, that part of his critique proved totally false.  In his critique, he included a quote, which he attributed to me, but was actually written by someone else, from another website-- Erick Erickson. It can happen. When folks read a lot of sites covering the same subject, folks can get confused as to what they read and who said what.  That aside...

I do think personal criticisms need to be taken seriously. One-- because it's prudent.  Two-- because I may need to repent and apologize (which is expedient to be done as quickly as possible--like Mike did when I pointed out his error).  Three-- because I may learn something.  In this case, with Mike, I found his caution unfounded.  Rather than let his critique simmer on the back-end of my article, I'm using it for an example to consider as a guide in discerning the value of a critic's criticism and the validity of what I say.

Firstly, we disagreed on premise. "Gossip", to me, is passing on private information about someone with malicious intent. I had no malicious intent, nor do I think Kirsten had any. One author says this about gossip:

"The Hebrew word translated 'gossip' in the Old Testament is defined as 'one who reveals secrets, one who goes about as a talebearer or scandal-monger.' A gossiper is a person who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who have no business knowing it." [To read more on gossip, go here/link]

So, did I really gossip about Andy Stanley? did Kirsten Powers? I don't think so, the information I had was not privileged, nor private. It was public knowledge.  Also, Kirsten Powers is a well-respected journalist and popular news analyst. It's  presumptuous to consider she'd attribute a private personal quote to someone that is not hers to reveal or was not freely given--she's a credible writer.  Journalists protect sources--they don't expose them.  She went to Andy in an interview situation to acquire his opinion.  He gave it.  She quoted it to reinforce her position on what she deems homosexual discrimination, albeit others, including I, see as a religious discrimination issue. So, given how many people have written about Andy Stanley's quote to Kirsten, I felt quite safe in re-quoting it after I found it at the source of her own article/here.

Given the ripple of public scrutiny and troubling confusion created, a retraction would be in order if it weren't true. To my knowledge, Andy hasn't requested one, nor has he walked back the statement.

Anyone can say something they wish they hadn't (Mike regrets his mistake with me). I'm a bit snarky at times (I'm working on it).  I don't think I erred when I lamented my mental and soulful weariness regarding Christians who try to live as Jesus would want in all areas of life (as in the case of the Seattle bakers), only to have their concerns tossed aside as irrelevant by a brother-in-Christ with prominent status.

Since the issue went beyond that of the bakers in Seattle to the bill in Kansas, which inadvertently coincided with the Arizona law, we must recognize this as a much larger issue in our country.  Even Eric Metaxas, a minister instrumental in Kirsten's recent conversion to Christianity, disagrees with Kirsten and Andy; he said so on his facebook page when Erick Erickson's rebutted Kirsten's views:

"I'm afraid that in this my dear friend Kirsten Powers and pastor Andy Stanley are mistaken. I believe their hearts are absolutely in the right place, which is perhaps the most important thing, but in their ultimately standing aside so that the Religious Freedom of Kansans and other Americans can be disregarded, they are missing something very important, something crucial, and with great ramifications for all. Let our conversations on this subject be civil and respectful, but let's have them."

So, folks, I make no apologies for writing about a subject I find most "crucial" as Metaxas affirms.  As a blogger and a sister-in-Christ, I saw a need to support fellow Christians and defend their position. 

As Christian bloggers grapple with issues of the day, we must engage with caution, in a spirit of grace, but we must not sit silently on the sidelines while religious liberty is crushed beneath the feet of rulers who usurp the constitution and the conscience of man, either.  

So I wrote about the quandry of it all. It was not gossip.  It's a matter of exhortation, similar to what my commenter tried to do with me in his critique and caution.  We learn, we share with one another...then Christians must pray.  We offer apologies, ask forgiveness wherein we err, and move on.  Most importantly, we must look at Scripture and stand on it, and it alone, to make decisions when we speak, think, or write.  For me it's all about Jesus and I won't leave Him out of my conversations. Without Him, I am nothing. ~hariette petersen @SelahVToday

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When Will Revival Come to America Again?

We're so sick, Lord.

Our country is desperately in need of You.  We are so broken.  We're so far away from You.  We battle battles not worthy of consideration.  We uphold things unworthy of thought, let alone action. We turn our heads at sin and wink at that which appalls You.  We sit silent when we should rise up and shout.  We play with all that's unholy and pretend we're clean... we're protected, after all, by Your blood, Your grace, Your mercy. 

We strain at gnats and swallow camels.  We are like the whitewashed tombs that pretend we care when we do not. We all want front row seats...to be first in line... to be bathed in the blessings of this world and to have our rights upheld in every way--for self-serving gain.  We seek Your favor for a tasteless lifestyle.

We fight for religious freedom to do nothing with it.  Why should You grant us grace to overcome this evil, sinful, immoral culture?  We wallow in sin and expect You to move against the evil policies of this government-- the rulers of darkness.  We water down the gospel of Christ, refuse to get our hands dirty and help the down and out.  We shun the least of Yours and give less of ourselves to those less fortunate, and more of ourselves for our own pleasure, comfort and entertainment.  We're more concerned with our manicures than the widow struggling to pay for insulin.

We shake our heads at those kids with pants hanging down below their knees whose noses, ears, eyebrows and tongues are pierced with studs. We shudder in disgust at scantily clad punk-rock singers and pray our children never look to them as examples even though we bought all their clothes lines when they were rising up as child-stars. We wonder what this world is coming to. Our mirrors could speak volumes if we dared to look.

Yet, we do nothing in and of ourselves.  We complain, we tweet, we argue, we debate.  We point fingers and write essays of angst.  We cannot do this anymore, Lord.  We need You.  We deserve the mess we are in. Our apathy has led us down this path.  Our trust in feckless leaders, our resignation to the status quo. 

Satan's like a prowling lion, traveling this country, invading homes, destroying families, dividing churches.  It is time to clean our houses.  It's time to clear out the trash in our homes, our hearts, and minds.  It's time to refrain from doing business as usual and be unusual in the world. 

We need to resolve to be the best You can make us to be.  To turn away from wickedness, denounce filth and decadence and debauchery. We need to stand with courage and speak of Your holiness, purity and righteousness.

"Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?  They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not cry.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:31-35

Jesus came to show the world what was necessary. John the Baptist to sacrifice his all to preach repentance of sin.  The world shunned him and said he had a demon... was not real... his words demented and full of worthless talk.

Do unbelievers do this with God's prophets today?  With those who are living sacrificially and set apart from the lies of the world. Those who live circumspectfully as Christ has called them to live-- holy, set apart, concerned with things of Christ and not things of this world.  Yes, we tell them to hush.  To be still and not rock the boats of political correctness.  We do not want to hear truth-- they are too offensive. We put them in boxes and tell them to shut up-- quiet down.

THEN Jesus came and showed by example how to live among the world, to show the world that we can live in the world among temptations without succumbing to those temptations.  But when He did, He was ridiculed and rebuked and condemned for reaching out to those gluttons, drunkards and sinners.  They played the pipes their way.  They looked at life their way.  They chose to ignore the warnings of John the Baptist, the message of Christ, the acceptance of God.  Then they simply ignored that which could give them life. Real life. Happiness.  True happiness.  Hope.  Real hope. They crucified Him, instead.

Our generation stands on the precipice of life. Our country is teetering on the edge of destruction.  Our churches are playing pipes and singing dirges.  People are not dancing to our happy tune-- our choruses of joy and peace and grace.

Why not?  perhaps it is our countenance at fault.  Do our actions, attitudes and word belie the emptiness of our own hearts, the selfishness of our spirits, the lack of joy in our Lord? the hypocrisy of our attitudes of lust, discouragement, and whining?

Why aren't people crying when we sing our somber song expressing sadness and sorrow for the lostness of this world?  do we sing without tears? without true brokenness of spirit?  Is it because we are more concerned with what we feel about the sin and evil in this world, than we are the sin within our own hearts? Does the world see the hypocrisy of our faith walk?  where we are willing to compromise with the world and give in to culture pressures in order to gain materially?  where we allow society to dictate our walk with God?  can they see our unconcern-- that we are dancing with the devil, rather than mourning the lost in sin?

"Wisdom is proved right by all her children." Where are the children of Wisdom, Lord?  Lord, bring a revival.  Let it begin in me. 

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When We Give Him Grief (a bit of a rewrite)

Several years ago, I wrote for a collaborative blog with some ministers in which I posted daily devotionals and scheduled opinion pieces.  That blog is now defunct.  However, I did a google search of my name and the following post popped up (you know how it is, google saves everything).  As I read it, my words hit me in the gut.

Then, in the heart.

Ouch! 

Bear in mind, this was written before Facebook and Twitter hit the cyber waves of space.  So... I thought, maybe you'd benefit from my refresher course on the subject of Damage Control and Grieving the Holy Spirit:

Each time we writers compose a blog-post, we chance it being received, rejected, or simply ignored. Some folks think the success of a post is determined by how many hits the page receives. Others think success is determined by the amount of comments garnered by their carefully worded thoughts. Many bloggers rack their brains for a topic that will accomplish both. Some do not even care how controversial or inflaming their subject matter becomes. They just want folks to read them. Today, I’m not at all concerned about putting together a post to do any of the above. However, I do have a few things that have popped into my mind and wonder if you’d have any thoughts to offer in response.

When do Christians grieve the Holy Spirit? 

Ephesians 4:30 says: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30.

Preceding that verse there is a list of things that are quite offensive to the Holy Spirit: "foul or polluting language, evil words, unwholesome or worthless talk". In fact, it states that our conversation be “only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.” Eph.4:29

Following verse 30 are a group of things which give us a clear idea of what grieves the Holy Spirit of God. “Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander be banished from you, with all malice, (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).” Eph. 4:31.

Do you think recent posts (of for that matter statuses on Facebook or Twitter) you have read were a blessing to others? Have your comments been “beneficial to the spiritual progress of others”?  (Lord forgive me...no not always.)

“And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving of another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32

How can Believers who are sealed by the Spirit until the day of redemption continue to participate in blogs, facebook conversations and twitter rants avoid grieving the Holy Spirit as they converse? Any ideas? Personally, I think I've failed miserably of late. selahV

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When We Mess Up

do we give up?

No.  We all mess up.  We are not perfect.  We fail at times.  We get our priorities all out of whack and wake up and find we need to back track and correct some things.  When NASA launched our astronauts into space and pointed them towards the moon, they were not left on their own.  There were constant corrections to the flight pattern in order to keep it on course and allow them to reach their destination.  Such is our life.

As Believers in Christ, we have a final destination and that destination is to be with God forever.  We, too, must make corrections in our lives, in our attitudes, our actions, and habits.  When we stumble down and fall down, we need to get up and remember what caused us to trip.  We need to repent and move on in the right direction.  We need to reset our course from where we were when we first became a Christian.  We need to be better mothers, fathers, wives and husbands.  We need to be better examples of our faith and truer ambassadors for the One who saved us from our sin.

Is there some word you said yesterday in the heat of a moment?  Is there some attitude you fostered, some grievance against someone you have not forgiven?  Is there some activity you have allowed to take you away from God's perfect plan and purpose for your life?

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first..."  ~Revelation 2:5a

Notice it does not say to "remember from where you have fallen" and then wallow in a sea of regret and remorse.  It says to repent.  Change directions.  Turn around.  Resist any temptation to remain where you are and continue in that sin of apathy, of disloyalty, of whatever sin you are committing.  Instead, do what God intends for you to do.  Love Him, love others and love yourself.  Live justly, mercifully, and humbly.  Do what He's called you to do, then rest in Him and His grace to see you through another day.  selahV

I AM...

i am lowly and meek because i want to be;

i am mild and at peace because i'm conditioned to be;

i am brave and courageous because God tells me to be.

i am saved and sure because He died for me.

i am satisfied now, because life happens to be

                           totally fixed on eternity.

i am set apart as Christ sanctifies me;

i am chosen in HIM to live righteously.

i am grateful He keeps me consistently;

i am blessed to rest in Him peacefully.

i am happy to know He abides in me.

i am less than another who yearns to be

                    totally free of hypocrisy.

i am full of the faith God gave to me

        to hope in tomorrow's destiny.

i am granted peace that assuredly

        each morning brings more of His mercies for me.

i am all i am because God created in me

        a love for the cross that has set me free

        to worship the King, His Majesty.

"I AM", so you don't have to be...

whoever the world says you need to be." selahV

Who do you say i am?  Who are you?

[Who you are and who "I AM"/link]

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY...WHERE ART THEE, O HOLY

Holiness is not how much we appear to live in accord with the Word of God, but how much room the Word has to live within us.  We crowd Him out with our whims, our baubles, our pleasures and displeasures.  We cover His glory each time we choose to follow our own way, to yield to our own deep-seated desires.  We do this just as surely as storm clouds cover the sun.

Holiness is less complex than we make it out to be.  It is not I who needs to be holy, it is I who needs to die and let I AM live more freely.  It is dying to the I of pride and self-sufficiency and my all-knowing will, then living to the great "I AM" Who dwells within/link and surrendering my will to His.  One day, one hour, one moment at a time.  selahV

Finding the Holiness of God./link

I Am Sure Glad God Loves Me, Because

I am a bit dissapointed in myself.

I know some folks think the human race is totally and completely depraved, but I don't.  I believe if I were totally and completely depraved, then I would never entertain a single thought of praise, or acknowledge the Hallowed Holiness of the Most High God. A depraved soul does not hear the convicting voice of the Shepherd.  A depraved soul is a soul without kindness, without goodness, without mercy, love, or peace.  I have those things.  I exhibit those things...and to be clear, it's not because I am some goody-two-shoes who walks around toting my bag of benevolence and purity, either.  It's not because I wear a cross, or get dressed up on Sunday morning and go to church while others mow lawns, pack golf-bags in their trunks, or snooze till they feel like getting up and beat me to Cracker Barrel to have their breakfast while I order lunch.

I have virtuous characteristics and exhibit them because Jesus saved me from myself and gave me new life in Him.  In Him I am not depraved; I am holy.  In Him I am pure and complete. In Him I am righteous.  Yet I do get a bit weary looking in my mirror and seeing a chubby face staring back at me.  She's a feeble-minded ding-dong at times.  She disappoints me to no end.  But, still, there's hope.  She's sanctified, set aside, blood-bought and worthy to stand in the sight of God, and bow before the King of Kings.  Her life is secure...her destiny certain.  And for that I am so very grateful.

However...I get tired of seeing her fleshly carnality rear its ugly head.

Yesterday a salesman (actually he looked about 18), came to my door.  He smiled great big and handed me a pretty hot-pink laminated card that described what he was, uh, not selling.  Kirby vacuums.  He said he wasn't selling them; he just wanted to demonstrate it on one of my carpeted rooms.  I explained I had no carpets to clean and I was moving anyway, and would only have concrete floors.  He continued.  I interrupted.  He broke in and continued his rehearsed spiel.  After telling him I wasn't interested for the umpteenth time, I asked him if he understood what the word no meant.  He got this really defeated look on his face that pierced my heart, but pressed on with a "but..I...".

I broke in, "I don't think you do, but you'd do well to find out before you go to another house.  At least then you wouldn't waste your time or theirs."

It was one of those "gotcha" moments when I didn't need a mirror to see the ugly image coated in soot.  I saw her in his undeserved chastened woeful expression.  Whatever that young fella felt from my rebuke was immediately reflected back into the eye of my soul.  Hardly in keeping with "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

I closed the door and returned to writing checks and paying bills.  The moment my husband came in the door that evening I blurted, "I made a jerk of myself today."  I related the story and confessed the unkindness, the rudeness, and spiteful attitude I exhibited.  I'd already told my heavenly Father I was sorry.

That poor young man was only doing what a lot of people wouldn't do today.  Instead of protesting and occupying Wall Street, he was doing the best he could.  He was going door-to-door, trying to sell a reputable product in a astronomically depressed economy.  It occurred to me that he would probably have received some kind of stipend for demonstrating the vacuum, even if I never purchased it.  I'd have a clean carpet, and he'd make a little money.  So what would I be out?  An hour of my time.  And to be honest, that time is not mine.  It belongs to God.

After the young man left, I let my mind play out the what ifs:

What if I was his last straw?

What if I was the person who could make his day?

What if my "yes" was the blessing God wanted to give him in a discouraging day?

What if I were the answer to a prayer he'd uttered?

What if...what if he were an angel?

What if he wasn't, and during the demonstration, I had shared Jesus with him? 

I know God knows what I did.  He knew before that young man came to my door what I'd do.  And at this moment, I share my ugly truth with you in hopes to help you avoid a similar event.  Just think if you don't do what I did, and you are the one who shows the fruit of the Spirit God so liberally gives you.  Just think what He could do with that.  Like I said earlier, I am glad God loves me.  He still has a plan for my life.  He's not finished with me yet.  It's not easy to admit the ugly part of myself.  But I am more than my flesh and blood.  I am a child of God.  He is my Heavenly Father and He loves me so very much.  I won't dwell any longer on my haughty-taughty attitude and the smut that skewed the Life of Christ within me.  I will commit my way unto the Lord and do my best to heed the Spirit within me, this day.  Hopefully, my confession helps you in some way...to help another in some way...today.  selahV

Walking By The Spirit

I don't know about you, but sometimes I stumble when I walk.  It's like I forget to watch where I am going and before I know it, something pops up in my pathway--a root, a loose stone--and I'm caught off balance.  I don't always fall, but sometimes I turn my ankle, or twist a knee.  The worst is when I try too hard to catch myself from falling, and pull a muscle in my back. 

Rarely do I fall anymore (I shouldn't type that too boldly, I suppose.)  However...

today I must confess, I stumbled.  I got distracted.  My attention rested on what I considered a higher road.  Instead of tripping over an actual stone, on a physical pathway, I tripped over a root along my spiritual walkway.  Just like an actual root, I allowed a past experience to knock me off balance and send my mind and heart sprawling for a supporting hand.  It took me awhile to realize the annoyance I felt was not the root's fault, but mine, for not keeping my eyes on the Spirit of God within me.  A foolish blunder.  I took my eyes off Jesus just long enough to fall prey to my own self-sufficiency and pride.  Insecurity, perhaps.  More than likely, a reaction to a long forgotten playground bully...a judgmental acquaintance...the step-mother and her constant critical spirit so easily discerned in others in my Christian walk. 

Ah...the walk.  That spiritual walk in which we often let the flesh impede the progress our spirit is making along our journey with the Lord.  Sometimes I backtrack to analyze where and when I blinked and took a misstep.  To return to my original pace, I simply have to close my eyes and pray for better understanding, a more merciful heart, and yes...a higher form of vigilance.  It's then the LORD enlightens the path before me-- exposing the root I ignored so often while walking a familiar trail.  The unexpected.  The surprise.  The forgotten.  The flesh.

Once I see the error of careless self-absorbtion, and my unnecessary tendency to  set a record straight, to take a stand I do not need to take, I find my faithful, merciful Father standing... His right hand extended with palm-filled grace.  And my walk begins afresh.  selahV

"...the word of the LORD came to me, saying..."

"...you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house." Ezekiel 12:2

No one wants to think of themselves living in the midst of a rebellious house.

Imagine if you will, waking one morning to find that there was no Bible...no laws...no rules...no morality at all.  Each person is their own authority and do as they please.  Sin is not sin--it is preference.  Everything is optional--no standards--nothing mandatory.  There is no God.  To each his own. Can you imagine a state where there is no respect for any authority? where boundaries are non-existence, indulgence is the norm?  Selfishness the new generosity?  Decadence is embraced?  Perversion tolerated?  Murder ignored?

I can't.  I simply cannot fathom a day where sin runs so rampant we cannot determine right from wrong, bad from good.  Though there are those who'd have me believe living in holy matrimony with Christ gives me liberty to dwell in the rebellious house, I can't see the adulterous hypocrisy of that action. 

I sit here now, thinking how blessed I am that Christ provides a way out of such quandry.  His death paid the price for all my heart's rebellion.  As a born again Christian, I walk in the newness of life He imparts.  I am guided by His Spirit.  His Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.

   1) Blessed is the man
       Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, 
       Nor stands in the path of sinners, 
       Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
    2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       And in His law he meditates day and night.
    3) He shall be like a tree
       Planted by the rivers of water, 
       That brings forth its fruit in its season, 
       Whose leaf also shall not wither; 
       And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3

Oh, that the lost had "eyes to see"...and "ears to hear"--before it is too late to get oil for their lamps.  The Bridegroom cometh.  We do not know the hour.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

"...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10

Jesus is truly the Answer for the world today.  "pack up your bags and leave the rebellious house"...."open the door"....He "will come in"...."and lo, He is with you, even to the end of the age."   selahV

Have you read URGENT yet?  It's urgent that you do.

The Holiness of God, How Can We Be Holy?

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5

I suppose some might say that "light" here means literal light and "darkness" means literal darkness--especially in light of the passage (no pun intended) that promises no more night when we go to our eternal home...no darkness, no pain, no sorrow.  No shadows.  No mysteries.  No questions.

However, many describe the "light" as holiness and purity, while the "darkness" as sin and evil--depravity.  I hold that our writer is both literal and symbolic in his choice of words, since the "Word" is Jesus in earlier parts of this chapter and Jesus is Life itself--I do not see Jesus as evil.  Yet, life involves nothing but sin.  We are sin until we have Jesus as Savior--until He regenerates our death-doom.  We are darkness and we live in darkness.  We are walking, talking, breathing dead people.  We live in sin and are consumed by sin.  In Him is light.  In Him is life.  In Him is purity and righteousness.  There is no darkness in Christ our Lord.  None. 

How can there be any evil in that?  How can evil ever taint such purity?  Such holiness?  It cannot.  It is destroyed.  Just as a speck is devoured as it reaches the sun, sin is devoured in the light of our Lord.  Light a match in a dark room and the darkness is dispelled and the easier it is to see.

The more we have of the Light of the World, the clearer we see.  The quicker we discern.  The more satisfied we become.  The less need we have of this world.  We want less for ourselves--we want more of Jesus.  The more we receive of Him, the less we want of ourselves.  There is nothing that can satisfy us other than Jesus Himself.  We become softer, kinder, more generous, more loving, more sacrificial, more patient, more controlled, more at peace.  And ultimately, more holy.

SO, HOW CAN WE BE MORE HOLY?  Is it up to us?

What specifically do we do to let His life pour forth from the temple in which His Holy Spirit dwells?  selahV

RELATED POST......A Holy Voice, by John Mann /link

OPEN Letter to Anyone in General and a Couple of Folks, Specifically

Dear friends,

I've seen pigs up close.  And it is true that piglets are incorrigible.  Little piglets just love wallowing in mud and have nothing better to do than wiggle and waddle from puddle to puddle.  They thoroughly enjoy the mud; they aren't happy unless they are squirming in mud.  And piglets don't care one whit about who else gets coated in mud as a result of their own dirty habits. Ya simply can't wash off the caked mud with any hope of changing them into pigs that talk to spiders named Charlotte.  That's a fantasy that reality grasps between its molars and crushes without uttering a word.  Therefore, don't try to wash piglets and adorn them with grama's pearls; otherwise, those pearls will be caked and coated with mud, too.  Then they'll have to be restrung.  Just saying...selahV

What grace is there?

...in condemnation?  in judgmental accusations?  in tale-bearing?  in gossip?

While others do these things to us, are we to return the favor?  Or are we to stand in the righteousness of Christ and silence the critics without personal defense?  Can we not share the gospel of our living Lord without pointing fingers at adversaries?  at brothers and sisters in Christ?

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Revelation 22:11 KJV

Our Redeemer lives.  Our Deliverer is coming.  May we be found faithful in our own righteousness and merciful in our own speech.  May we seek first the kingdom of God and leave the devil to dance without our partnership.  selahV

Foolishness

I'm guilty.  Today I got a couple of emails from folks and forwarded them on to others.  I realized a little while ago that though the emails were not evil, they were foolish--pure foolishness.  They were dumb jokes and I wondered to myself, "What glory does Jesus gain from me passing along foolish jokes that do nothing to lift another up, edify them, or encourage them?"

As a rule, I do not forward many emails.  I rarely send something unless I find it uplifting or informative.  I messed up today.  Not gonna do that anymore.

"Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." Ephesians 5:4

At the end of any day, as I take stock of what I've said or written (and also, thought but left unsaid), I am grateful when my words of thankgiving out weigh my foolish talk.  James tells us that whatsoever we say or do, should be said and done for the glory of God.

Aren't you grateful that the Lord forgives us our sin, covers our transgressions, and pours out His grace when we open our mouth and insert our foot?  selahV

A Message From God

My Devotion for Today

Check it out at Devotional Christian.

WHEN THE DEVIL DANCES...

...do you play his tune?  I often wonder what actions, words, and thoughts play right into the movements of Satan's dance steps.  Does interpreting God's Word to fit our desires, our comfort, our plans add notes of rest that cause us to linger in the devil's arms of temptation?  Does disregard for others and what we do around them, add the beat that goes on and on?  Does indifference towards God's Word lend harmony to the devil's melody?  I think minds go dizzy with all the pleasure eyes absorb in watching the sway and spin of others who claim innocence, exemption--or higher knowledge.  And thus, our sighs of apathy provide the clanging crescendo.

Does it make any difference what I eat or drink?  what I wear?  where I go?  who I associate with?  Does it really matter all that much what I read, what I say, how I say it?  Is it all that necessary to forgive someone when they maliciously accuse me of something I haven't done?  When one sins, is it anyone else's business if no law is broken?  Is my conscience clear because I say it is or others confirm my thoughts?  Can I be deceived?  Can others?  Who would deceive us?  Does liberty in Christ give license to weaken precepts, principles and ignore anecdotal situations from Biblical accounts?  Is obeying God and following Him as much as one is led a sign of bondage?

Recently I read, "...we were not called into bondage but to liberty...for God has granted us not to be judged by what we eat or drink, instead has called us into the glorious freedom of the sons of God...We know that God answers according to grace...My liberty is my liberty and I will not surrender it to any one. It is God's gift to me and I honor it. I will not flaunt it, but I will not be brought again into captivity by those who say taste not, touch not, either."   I do not understand.

Can the liberty I own through the grace bestowed upon me in Christ, grant allowances for my lack of discernment?  discretion?  choices?  While I hum "Jesus Paid It All", do "I surrender all" to Him or sing another's fabricated tune--one of my own?  Do the songs we sing in praise become as clanging cymbals without His love to write the lyrics?  Can pride so fill our heads with illusion that we cannot hear the discord in the chords of Satan's songs?  Am I ever tone-deaf to his lies and lead others to face the music on their own?

Let me "be still and know", oh Lord.  Let me "know".  "For I am persuaded that You are able to keep that which I've committed unto You, against this day."

Ears to hear, O Lord.  Eyes to see.  A mind to discern.  And a heart turned to You completely.  Let my Spirit be one with Thee in whatsoever I say and do.  May I see all the ground I walk upon as holy in Your sight.  May I always dance with You, my King.  Give me a new song to sing for You and only You.  This is my plea, Oh, Jesus, my Redeemer.    selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2009]

WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING HOLY?

Should Christians be expected to be holy?  Lately it seems we don't need to take that term seriously anymore.  With some Christians, it seems like it's almost a four-letter word.  To mention holiness, godliness, or purity seems to bring out accusations of legalism, fundamentalism and "throwing folks under buses".  I don't know.  Maybe with all the emerging ideas of Christian fellowship and faith, I'm just too old to understand these new-fangled ways and means of reaching the lost and living out my faith.

It seems that grace has so covered us all that we need not concern ourselves with what we say or do anymore.  It doesn't matter how we treat fellow brothers and sisters.  Yet, I just can't seem to get away from things like Peter brings up:

"So be done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind." 1 Peter 2:1.

"Like newborn babies you should crave the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation.  Since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord."vs 2

"Come to Him [then, to that] Living Stone which men tried and threw away but which is chosen [and] precious in God's sight." vs.3

I'm certain that this side of heaven none of us will be perfect.  But we have been given power over sin in our lives through the indwelling Spirit of God.  Am I to believe that because of grace I am to ignore any passages which demand I examine myself in the light of His Word?  That because of grace I am not accountable to anyone--God or man--to die to that part of me that rears its ugly head in search of evil-life?  What kind of example am I to set for others?  Is it really okay to settle for a 5-watt candle when I can be a 100-watt?  Does it really not matter, anymore?  What does Peter mean when he tells us to:

"[Come] and as living stones be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and well-pleasing to God through Christ Jesus." vs. 4.

Really.  Just what does Peter mean when he says be "living stones yourselves built into a spiritual house, for a holy spiritual priesthood"?  selahV