Sins of Sodom

Originally I intended to do more or less a journal entry this morning.  Maybe post some kind of profound insight. In my heart I more or less wanted to do just enough, to skirt around any true conviction.  It hurts to be brutally honest with God.  It hurts for God to be brutally honest with us!  I wonder if Noah had bad days?? I wonder if he ever wanted to put down the hammer and just give in to the violence or various other sins going on around him. Maybe if  we can take off our own masquerade of being above it all, we would say as Paul did..what a wretched man that I am!!.  Let me be the first to say it, there is no way I could possibly rise above the sins around me without the Grace of God!

In all honesty I wish I could post a plug and play formula to cause us to be completely free.   I wish I had a few key memory verses and all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit would be washed away!  No dear Saint of God not now nor ever will I be able to post a quick easy way to win in Christ.   Experience has taught me yielding to righteousness and pouring out my soul to God is the most difficult, yet the most rewarding, aspect of my Christian experience.

This morning God reminded me of a passage of scripture in the book of Ezekiel.  Of course I would like to say I found this while studying, praying, fasting, reading etc. No that would be dishonest-I did hear it from a man of God up in New York city.  Let me credit where credit is due..The man name is Bro Paul Johansen( may be spelled wrong) Any case at the time(he may still be) was running the School of Urban Ministry as a extension of Elim bible school near Rochester, New York.

Ezekiel 16:49-50

Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom:  She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

"And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.

Do I need to say anymore..Where is America's soul in this?? Where is our soul in this??  May the Grace of God help us all!!!

May the Grace of God establish you!

In Christ Love

A Speck

*To refine the heart*

Therefore, having these promises, beloved let us

cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,

perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 

( 2 Cor. 7:1)

As the word says, it is honorable, it is right to pursue holiness.  The pursuit of holiness defines us as God fearing believers. Without going in too much scriptural detail( not the point of this blog) Holiness has a large role in our place in eternity.

Let's suppose we as believers were passionate and on fire for God.  We were at a place of obedience, doing all the Lord told us to do.  Let's suppose we had no idle time and are thoughts were filled with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  In my heart of hearts I would love to be there!!  I firmly believe by the Grace of God as a teacher, refiner, and comforter it is in fact possible!

I would say I have had seasons were this was for the most part true.  I have also had times were because of this position, I looked down my long self righteous nose at those who were struggling.  In all seriousness I wonder which sins God finds the most offensive. 

Jesus had a pretty harsh rebuke for us as believers in Matt 7:3-5

3.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but not consider the plank in your own eye?

4.  Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me remove the speck from your eye"; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

5. Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

I have been quick to cast aside people who I thought couldn't or wouldn't reach personal holiness.  Not to say there is a place for church discipline and not so much as eating with a brother/sister who walks disorderly.  But this message is more of a heart issue.  How do I view them?  What is my heart towards them? God Spirit will ultimately guide our leaders or us as to how we handle each individual case.  What God was dealing with me was enjoying my lofty position over them.  It is grace which began this race for us..it is grace which will finish this race for us. 

So as I sit here I see more clearly..God wants my place of self righteousness for a place of meekness.

As the book of Galatians states in 6:1-3, we who would be "spiritual"...

1. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself  lest you also be tempted.

2. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

3. For if anyone thinks himself to something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

May God's grace help us all!

In Christ Love