Life With a Side of God

The straight and narrow is a bumpy road, it's long and at times lonely, the weather gets rough and the terrain difficult to maneuver, and you're not always sure where it's taking you. There are however, other aspects of this road that are far more deserving of acknowledgement, for if the description above bore the only characteristics of the path I would have chosen a different one a long time ago.
When water has been scarce for some time, when your legs begin to collapse and your eyes start to fail, there is an invisible force that upholds and sustains you; it pushes you on over the hill, and once you descend, the rain comes and falls on your face all while watering the seeds that died in the dry season. The fresh water then nourishes the land you've been living in, reviving once more those seeds you laboriously planted. An oasis appears, flowers and beautiful green grass sprout from the ground and strong oaks rise up providing shade from the scorching heat, because even in the cracked and dry places the sun is not omnipotent.

Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds....

There are trials that you will face whether you are a Christian or not; they are just the nice little surprises that life throws at you... they're simply known as, "life trials".
They happen all the time and certainly test our patience, gentleness and self-control. These are everyday situations that happen to and around us, both as a reaction and/or by mere chance, and it is within our power to respond with a humble heart or to dwell on and sometimes (depending on the circumstance) escalate them.

Then, there are the trials that come with the Christian package; these trials can come in many different forms, as can the former, however the difference is, these are deliberate and aimed at drawing us closer to God and developing us into someone who is more fruitful.
John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.This type of trial comes in different seasons and targets different areas of our lives. God will use different methods for teaching us what He wants us to learn in these times and he will also only test those who are ready for the challenge.
Among these more "specific" trials is the desert season, a.k.a the "silent season". This is a time when God seems distant, you feel alone and as though you can't find or feel him.
Job went through it when his world literally fell apart, God did not speak a word until he decided it was the right time.
 And David described it perfectly in Psalm 63, "My soul thirsts for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
Nothing can satisfy in this time; you deeply desire to soak in his presence but "soaking" implies moister and this season is dry and without any source of water. Your senses are seemingly dead, you can't feel God, he is a million miles away. But truly, this is all part of the "pruning" process.
What will you do when you don't have your emotions backing you? What will you do when you can't feel him? Will you give up and go after something easier? Will you look for something else to satisfy your need? No, you must press on towards the goal.

I have been going through the said season which I was oblivious to at first; I was angry and confused for a little while, thinking that I had done something to cause this silence and it also seemed that everything I had set my heart on and planned to do had fallen through, time and again.
"Where are you God?" Was the theme of my thoughts, but then I shared what was happening with two women of Godly council and they encouraged and informed me that this was quite normal.
I then understood and turned my thoughts from, "how could you?" to, "thank you!" For it states in scripture that God disciplines those He loves.
But all of this to preface and lead to the fact that God revealed to me in my difficulty, how few persevere through their own. But whats more, how few are even faced with such a trial.
That's really what this post is centered on, not trials or temptations, but the steps leading to them.

It's all or nothing, lukewarm is not an option

God wont put you through a trial in which he is silent and "far away," if you've never known what it is to hear his voice and to feel his presence in the first place. If you've never grown to love the sound of his voice, or to yearn for him throughout your day, or sought to spend your time with him; if you have never known or loved him, then he won't take you through a trial in which love for him is the one thing being tested and expected to get you through; it would utterly slip past your attention. This trial is both evidence of a higher degree of faith and love in Christ and a means of proving it as genuine.

This is not a trial to be faced by those who know of God, but rather, it is for those who know him and are known by him.
So, I write this to the professing Christians, those who have been trapped by complacency, who have been saved for a time and have yet to seek him out further than the Gospel which induced them into binding themselves to Christ in the first place. It is not time that draws you closer to him, but action.

James 6 
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God,

The majority of Christians have been caught up into the lie of lukewarm Christianity which teaches, - through lack of teaching - that life with God on the side is acceptable. But the truth is, it is absolutely not O.K.. God very seriously says he will spit those who are neither hot nor cold out of his mouth!
How do you define a lukewarm Christian? A lukewarm Christian is someone who eagerly claims the title of 'Christian' but still has a tight hold on the world, he/she has accepted the label but not the life and commitment of a Christian. Revelation 3 gives a clear definition.

Revelation 3
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

It is time to move forward in your walk, it is time to take action.
God is looking for people who will lay down on the alter every ambition of their own and say, "'here am I oh Lord, send me!'" He is looking for those who have made it their mission to hate their life in the earth and love their life in Christ; he is looking for those who are willing and seeking to let go of the world and take hold of Christ completely.
Take a moment to examine yourself; you will know in yourself whether you have taken the proper steps to draw near to God. You will know if you have come to a place where if the Lord withdrew the perception of his presence it would hurt.

Luke 16:13
13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

John 12:25
25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Know God

Matthew 7
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

I am afraid that a great deal of Christians will be faced with this reality on the day of judgement. But, it doesn't have to be that way if you do the will of God, which is to love him as the first and greatest commandment instructs.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength" 
Deuteronomy 6:5

If you truthfully want to wholly give up your half in, half out lifestyle, below are some instructions on being set on fire for God.
If you don't have a deep hunger and thirst for Christ right now, that's ok, it doesn't always start that way. It may be curiosity, or even the desire not to be rejected on the day of judgement that compels you to pick up the Bible, that's OK. Just do it, and while you're doing it cry out, "give me passion, give me holy fear, give me love for you God!" Do it again and again and again, let that passion grow! Don't stop after only one try, nothing changes with merely one attempt.
Proverbs 8:34 says, "blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway."
You cannot do things only when your emotions are engaged, Christianity takes a high degree of self-discipline, seek him out everyday and ask him to give you self-control to do these things when you have no desire to do them. Ask him to give you strength.
I pray that you would become disciplined in your walk, that settling for a shallow relationship would be inconceivable to you, I pray that Jesus be the center, and not merely an aspect of your life, but that he would become your life.

Do not be afraid of trials, as James said it, "consider it pure joy!" It is a joy and an honor to go through a trial. When you know the reason for the trial and the one who is putting you through it, you can embrace it with joy, you will run into it with thanksgiving.

To the ones going through difficulties now, and to the ones who are asking themselves, why on earth would I want to put myself through that? I say this, it is infinitely worth it.


Alyssia Lee 

"I Hold This One Thing Against You:" A Post on Tolerance of Sin in theChurch

In this generation, in this present hour a war has broken out, a war of such enormity, that, without prayer is going to end in disaster. It is a civil war of beliefs on what is socially right. At this moment, our country though seemingly unified, is filled with the deepest of hates caused by a contemptible dissension.   

Before we get started, I want to express my opinion on the matter at hand. I don’t think it is right to point fingers at this one thing and forget the others; sex before marriage, (fornication) gluttony/lack of self-control, hate, murder, slander etc. They all bear heavy consequences; just as homosexuality is wrong, these are also wrong in the eyes of God

James 2:11

11For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

 However, in this entry I am discussing Homosexuality because as a Christian, I feel it is my duty to address something that I have noticed for quite some time and that is Christians ‘supporting’ and ‘encouraging’ the homosexual lifestyle. 

There are two extremes that just can’t seem to meet in the middle and find the balance. The first, which can be largely blamed for the second is the ‘judgment’ and hate of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgender. Christians running around condemning the ‘sexual immoral’ among other things, has a) given Christianity the worst reputation of all religions, and b) has caused ripple effect that has thrust us into a terrible situation.

(Galations 5:15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.)

The predicament of which I speak, is extreme #2 and that is the exact opposite of extreme 1; - hate and condemnation- acceptance, no judgment, just love. While it does seem Biblical, it is actually not; and that’s the reason it’s a bad situation. People can clearly see the first is wrong, and have thus run in the other direction, only they have gone slightly too far; to something that is less perceptible as wrong in this age.

Each side deals with judgment, and both parties have gone to the far right and left of it. One side fleeing from it altogether while the other uses it ruthlessly without shame. Both sides are equally wrong, and I am not condemning either of them I merely wish to bring light to the topic so that everyone might see the truth.

So, in order to discover what that truth is, let’s get an understanding of what ‘judgment’ is.

Judgment

I think another cause for the ‘acceptance’ ‘no judgment’ movement has stemmed from our lack of understanding of what ‘judgment’ actually is.

Over time, the definition of ‘judgment’ has been changed and confused into something that it doesn’t mean.

Man has come to think that because the Bible says “do not judge,” we cannot look at someone and say or think they are in sin. I am here to say that this point view is false, if this misnomer was the case, then we Christians would never be able to say a word, or bring correction, or ever preach as Jesus did, saying “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Nor would Jesus have been able to tell the adulterous woman, “go and sin no more.”

For if our modern definition of the word was true, then Jesus himself would have been sinning; and we know that that is not the case.

Now, I will give the exact definition from the Greek in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:

Judge; (Greek: Krino) to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); to try, condemn, punish, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, sentence to.

Judgment in the Bible is defined as condemnation and that is what we are NOT allowed to do. God is the almighty ‘judge;’ he decides who is, and is not bad and what their fate will be.

 Matthew 7:15-20

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Luke 6:44

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.

Galations 5:19-26

19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Luke 6:44 says, “You will recognize;” if we are not looking how can we even begin to see?

It is impossible for someone to not observe a person. That’s exactly what a ‘first impression’ is; it’s all about what you first observe and ‘decide’ about a person.

I am saying this so that you can distinguish between judgment as it’s defined in the Bible and what it is defined as now; to put it simply, condemnation would be you seeing a person and all of their garbage, and then deeming them as worthless garbage when you yourself are unclean and unworthy to judge. Whereas, we are to see the sin – as well as the good – and love them regardless, sin is sin, it is wrong in every form (addiction, hate/murder, gluttony/lack of self control, sex before marriage etc). The problem is people get too caught up on seeing the sin, forgetting that they too sin, and then form an ungodly contempt and superiority towards them.

Spreading the Gospel and saying “repent!” is letting the unbeliever know that they are in sin, but if they don’t turn to God, God Himself will judge them. And if nobody is saying ‘repent of sexual immortality’ then nobody will know that it’s sin to begin with. For if there is no recognition of sin, there can be no repentance of it.

As my dad has always said, “hate the sin, love the person.” And that very principle was demonstrated on the cross; God hates sin, but he loved us so much that he gave up His only son for people who don’t even care about Him! That’s the glory of God, He is truly amazing.

“Love your neighbor as yourself”

The Gospel or ‘good news,’ is the story of love. How can you take the Gospel and preach it in hate?

So Christians, when you go to preach sexual perversion is wrong, or anything for that matter, check your heart; ask yourself why you’re doing it. Is it because it is vile in your eyes or because you hope for them to turn from their sin and know Christ?

The second greatest commandment is this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Have you learned to love others so much that you sit and travail over it? Do you love so much that you can feel your heart breaking apart for them? Do any of us love so much that we would die for our friends?

We must love with all our hearts; Jesus went even further than just dying for His friends, he died for people who don’t even know his name, people who both hate and love Him, He died for all.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

The secret to loving others as yourself is, obeying the first and greatest commandment. Deuteronomy 6:5 ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 

“I hold this one thing against you”

This world has become so very ‘politically correct,’ you can’t say anything anymore without offending or practically starting riots, which brings me to one of my favorite quotes, by Martin Luther, “Peace if possible, truth at all costs.” I love it because it’s the picture of Jesus’ life on earth. He didn’t walk around looking to start a fight, He simply spoke the truth and people didn’t like it. If you want to be a follower of Christ, be prepared to be hated, you just have to get over it; you are called to offend the people of this planet!

Matthew 10:34
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

(The sword, being truth: Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth)

Luke 12:51

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.

Though Christians have been called to offend, (by lovingly spreading the truth, not shoving it down people’s throats) we are not, we have instead allowed tolerance and acceptance of sin to become prevalent within the Church. The Church was designed by Christ as a place for Christians to come together to walk out their faith and rejoice. It was purposed as a holy gathering!

This may sound harsh, but it is scriptural – The Church was designed for the Christian, not the unbeliever; not those practicing sin. God specifically instructed us to correct those within the church who claimed to be a follower but were practicing evil, so that they would repent, or, if they did not repent, expel them from amongst us.

1 Corinthians 5:9-12

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 

12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

In verse 10, it talks of the people who are not followers of Christ, “The people of this world.” For those who are saved are not of this world, and when Paul says, “anyone who claims to be a brother or sister…” he means, anyone who claims to be a Christian. This scripture would be labeled as “judging” in the world’s eyes, I mean, how can we possibly tell someone to leave the Church! Paul doesn’t just say, ‘expel them,’ he says ‘do not associate with them.’ That is major judgment! And it is acceptable! Yet somehow, it has now come to be considered unacceptable.

This passage shows us that we are supposed to judge the brethren, but not the unsaved, for those who are unsaved are judged by God already, the Bible and its law condemns them.

It is not our job to make sure they are living according to God’s word, when they do not profess to. It is when they are saved that we are to bring correction.

The above passage shows just how serious God is about keeping the church ‘clean,’ and if that is not enough, here are two examples of Jesus telling John to write letters to the churches:

Revelation 2:14-16 (The Church of Pergamum)

14Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.15Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 2:20-22 (The Church of Thyatira)

20Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.

These passages clearly show that God does not tolerate, ‘tolerance.’

When you accept the homosexual lifestyle, or encourage it, you are as guilty as the man or woman practicing it. It is ungodly and sinful to accept sin as being o.k. or morally right.  

Now, the question might arise, “well, I am a Christian and I sin, does that mean I am going to hell?”

The answer is no, the difference is, these people (in the scriptures above) were practicing sin, their hearts were not submissive to or fearful of God. Whereas, a God fearing man or woman may be tempted by and succumb to his/her flesh, but he/she is repentant and is not living a lifestyle contrary to the law. It’s all in the heart, active pursuit is what changes everything. In John 14:15 Jesus says, 15"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 

Though you may fail to be perfect in keeping His commands, you still try your hardest.

Sexual Immorality/Perversity

I think if now, you understand tolerance is considered by God to be sin, you may be asking what does that matter, if we are speaking of homosexuality; well this is why I made the above point clear. You may agree with not tolerating now, but you may not know that anything contrary to Heterosexuality is in fact wrong.

The Bible very clearly states that our bodies are ‘temples’ and when you do unnatural things when them, you are defiling and filling yourself with filth. Sexual immorality has been amongst man ever since the fallen angels came to the daughters of men. It is not something God condones by any means; sex was meant to be pure and beautiful, for the purpose of procreation. God blessed/commanded humans two times -that I know of- to, “Be fruitful and INCREASE IN NUMBER; fill the earth….” (Genesis 1:28 Genesis 9:1)

Homosexuality is utter rebellion towards God’s word.

Let me pull up some blatant scriptures so there can be no doubt left within your mind.

Romans 1:24-27

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

1 Corinthians 5:9

9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people

5:11-13

11But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

1 Corinthians 6:9

9Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men

Leviticus 18:22 - "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." 

Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

In conclusion

• Bearing the name of Christ: we must take care as Christians bearing the name of Christ to not make our religion one of hypocrisy; either by hating or accepting.

1 Peter 11:12

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may be cause of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

• The Christian Obligation: As Christians it is our duty to spread the truth. Is it right for us to keep the truth to ourselves? There are so many lies floating around, and we have to counter them with God’s word.
•  Don’t Bible Bash: Use wisdom in everything; not everyone is ready for the Gospel, if you feel like you should speak with someone about their salvation, pray about it first and make sure it is God telling you to. Be sure not to shove your opinions and knowledge down anyone’s throat.
• Friendship with those practicing sin:  Continue on in your friendship, although certain things should change, for one, make sure your friend knows that you believe in Christ and that you don’t agree with their lifestyle, but you love them nonetheless and don’t condemn them. Then pray in your own time that God would open the door for you to speak into their life about salvation.

Now, the purpose of this blog post is not to bash gays or those who support them, I only hope to bring light to the darkness. I want Christians to understand the severity of this. If you support and encourage homosexuality, not only are you deceiving and leading those who live that lifestyle astray, -as a Christian condoning unchristian behavior- but you are also, sharing in the sin.

 Both parties must find the balance, ‘judgment’ cannot be done without love, and acceptance cannot be done without first judging whether it is acceptable in God’s eyes.  

The time has come for Christians to stand up for what has always been right, to uncover the evil hiding behind its seductive mask. If we accept sin, we too become the darkness.

James 4:17

17If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.