Hurt by the Church... 10/18/2009
...these words resounded in my ears as the lady in our building shared her story with me. She grew up in a religious home, went to church, and experienced the rejection and hypocritical nature that the Pharisees in the Bible displayed. Jesus couldn't stand the Pharisees either! Even though we all fall short in our love walk, let us remember that true love and acceptance comes from our personal relationship with the Lord. We will not be able to find it on this earth, in a religion, in a person... in money or things... As it is written, without love we are like a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. (1 Corinthians 13) How many people do we know criticize and reject others based on their religion? How are we going to say we are Christians and do not walk in love? When the prophetic first birthed through me spiritually, one of the first things the Lord said through me was to "Pour out more Love on My People" I will never forget that day in Chicago. The command was clear, concise. But, wow, did it pack a power punch of truth. You see, how can anyone have a ministry that is not grounded and rooted in love for not only our Lord and Saviour, but also our love for others... even our enemies? Just as this sweet woman I met today, who confided in me how she was "hurt by the church" and how there are so many others like her... who once wanted to follow Jesus Christ and His teachings... yet saw the lack of His teachings and love being displayed by the very people who claimed to follow Him. I shared with her that we must all go straight to Him and work on our personal relationship with Him in order to let Him do an internal work in us... to remove our past hurts.. to remove our pains.. our strongholds... we can not find complete love and acceptance here on earth because no one is capable. If we were all perfect, there would be no need for a Savior. When people talk about religion, I am always the first to say that it is about a relationship... not a religion. You can tell the difference between people who are "religious" and those that truly have put in the time to draw nearer to the Lord.. to build a relationship with Him. God can pour out so much Agape into you that you can not be hurt or offended by others' shortcomings when you choose to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. This is why we must put on the Armor of God daily and release the Fruits of the Spirit daily... to avoid walking in the flesh and getting pierced in the flesh by others. In the interim, there are people leaving the church... lost... searching for answers... hurting. If you are one of those people reading this... if you are one of those people who happened to stumble upon these words... I say unto you this day that Jesus Christ has something to say.... I love you Don't you know how special you are to me? Do you not know that I died and rose again so that you might have life and have it more abundantly? You have been through so many trials and tribulations in this life. You have wandered in this land.. like sheep without a shepherd And even now those that proclaim to know Me have lead you astray But I say unto you If you receive me with a softened heart and ears that hear If you come to me to listen I will speak to you I will reveal to you the truth You will get to know me You will learn my ways You will learn my Will I will show the path that I have for you It is a path to prosper you- mentally, spiritually, emotionally It is not a path of harm So why do you let others lead you astray from me? You have the choice You have the choice to follow me and to walk with Me to let Me order your steps and show you a Love you have never known If you wish to be surrounded by my Remnant: the ones that truly know Me... Ask Ask and Believe Then I will send them to you I will bring you into my true body of believers Where you can eat of me and drink of me and rest in my Glory For where I Am There is life There is joy There is love There is freedom from captivity Let me love you in a way you have sought but have yet to find Seek me with that same persistence Seek me with that same fervor and you shall be rewarded Those that have lead my sheep astray Shall receive their judgment Blood of the slaughtered will be on their hands When they stand before me You do not concern yourself with the actions of others I pour out my grace unto you I pour out my love on you... Return... Return to your first Love. Scripture Meditation: Matthew 15:1-14 Matthew 18: 12-14 Luke 11:9-10 Luke 11:37-54 Acts 2: 22-40 CommentsLeave a Reply |
