Finding Your Courage

"A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar." Mark Twain

There is a fascinating change that begins to happen when you actually study the offensive parts of scripture; peace. Society's view that Christ came for just love and peace slips away. You find that he came here to cause great division in our lives; truth vs lies. I love the above quote because an individual is never more true until he, or she finally stops lying to themselves about their lives. They finally pray for God to show them what is truly in their hearts. There will be great fear in that, because he will show exactly how wrong about him you have been.

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matthew 10:37

This is the Christ that came. If you love anything more than him you are not worthy of him. The promise is that every knee will bow before him to be held to judgment for all of the passions that we hold so dear above him. Some American churches have trained their congregations to be very weak individuals. They aren't trained to be warriors of the word of God and to uphold it. We are taught that we can not rebuke, or correct individuals when they are wrong about God. If you do then all you  hear about is "well they hurt my feelings." My question is did you go read the actual scripture and try figure out why they said that. Probably not because we are scared they could be right. Get over it and accept that you just may be wrong in God's eyes.

 "Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." Luke 12:51


I could say it is the churches fault, but it is actually the individual that chose to stay there and be deceived. There is no one else to blame for you not reading the truth of scripture and then not upholding it. I am pretty harsh person, but when it comes to God I very little tolerance for individuals that aren't willing to accept the truth of God. It is your responsibility to him to accept that you are still capable of great sin against him. Enough with the excuses. He will have to break you to make you understand.

We left our old church because of this. Tolerance was there so members could feel comfortable, and not the facts about their sinful life.  We have chosen to disobey him without even realizing it, because we want people to praise us for our sins. We want to feel great and good about our lives, and have someone tell us we are godly. We are constantly justifying our choices, and then say are from God. Do you feel guilt, regret, and a little uncomfortable about a decision that you made? We probably feel like we have to defend or justify it all the time to someone don't we? If it is from God why are trying so hard to defend it? There is great peace when you stop believing that you have defend your life to someone else.

If Christ came into your church today would he be happy with what he sees? Do you really believe that he would not call the church out for disobeying his Father? If you believe that he wouldn't you are lying to yourself, and have allowed Satan in. I have great fear that if Christ came into my home would he approve of our lives? Would he find the sin of greed? Would he find the sin of laziness? Would he find the gluttony over material things? What would he find, and would I would be willing to give up the comforts for him? I don't know if I could or not, because I am still learning. Do not forget that although you are a professed Christian you are still  capable of great sins against him.

I read a couple of great articles about atheists. One was a group of young men that had turned from God, because they read the scripture and found out what their pastors were teaching was false. They still believe him they just don't relize that yet. They found out that even the appearance of a professed Christian can be false. They should check what they are being taught by men and women. The second was from a man that left the Catholic Church when they started teaching the offensive parts of scripture. He found the above verse about parents and children to be repulsive. The second verse will have many women in an uproar, because they will perceive it as being a doormat and they aren't worthy in God's eyes.

 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
1 Timothy 2:11-15

If we live our lives against these "offensive" scriptures we are telling God that he was wrong. I find it hard to believe that in every book of the new testament that God's chosen disciples were wrong. That is the deception that Satan has played, and he is winning. The above verse about women has plagued me for a very long time, because of this blog and that men read it. I have to question if it offensive to him if I put this out there and I know men are reading it. I would be religious hypocrite right there. He hates religious hypocrites. With that said this will be the last posting for men to see. I don't have a problem with this, and I don't find it to be offensive. God told me what to do right there. My responsibility is to him first, my husband second and then my children. He may never call me to do anything other than that. The problem for some is we just can't accept that, that may be all he wants from us. Why?

Our willingness to tolerate sin is disobedience. We are a society that has to have control over everyone and everything in our life and we think that it is from God. We use love to do it. Do you love someone enough to tell them they are wrong and what they are doing is offensive to the Christ they profess? When I accepted the fact that I had a lot of feminist tendencies in my marriage, and that I wanted control of how things were going to go in our life my marriage got a lot easier. This will always be a burden for me, because I know I am very capable of this. I am a very strong woman, but I had to understand that I was not the head of my home; my husband is. That doesn't mean that I can't say anything that just means I have a responsibility to tell my husband to look at the bigger picture. Question his motives: selfhis desire, or for Christ.

There can be no interference in marriages, in our families or our relationship with Christ; none. We are actually told in scripture that we can warn an individual once or twice that causes division, and if they continue we have to sever the relationship. The reason is because they are tempting you to disobey the God you love. We have to face the failings in our lives and not ignore them. The idea that our lives as Christians is meant to be private is a myth. We are all of one body of Christ, so we must share our failings and help each other. He commands us to have community as followers.

"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him," Titus 3:10

Here is a suggestion and you don't have to take it. Remove every book that you are reading right now about God. Remove everything that influences you in your journey for just a week, and actually read the New Testament. I read a lot of John MacArthur's sermons, but I stop on purpose because I don't want him to become my God. I want God to be my God. We can become deceived so quickly if we are not careful. Love him first, put his word first, find the courage to uphold him first, and then see what begins to happen in your life.


Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ... Ephesians 6:10-18

http://fellowshipforwomen.blogspot.com/?zx=6e387c37ca158ee3 - the link for the new blog.