Do not feel condemned!

Opinions fly across the room. And for some, judgment is lodged at them from a pulpit. I am so sorry for this.

There's condemnation for a variety of things: divorce, drinking, use of meds (like SSRIs, sleeping medicines, any kind that helps you survive), smoking, driving fast, wearing spaghetti strap tanks, homeschooling....not homeschooling. The list goes on and on.

UNFORTUNATELY,

There is condemnation for everything,

from someone, at some point.

Attached to those...and underlying them, is condemnation for:

NOT TRUSTING GOD!

 

 

Right? "Where is your faith?" Many of them say.

 

Hey, I've got faith God can heal my asthmatic son...but by NOT just stopping his inhaler cold-turkey does not mean I am lacking faith. It means, I have faith that God is the Creator of all things...even medicine...and since the miraculous, divine healing hasn't come yet....I will use Qvar.

 

In fact, on the topic of my son, I honestly believe that the healing for his lungs awaits him OUTSIDE OF BAKERSFIELD (#1 in the nation for bad air). But we don't have relocating on the calendar yet, so on with the inhaler son!

 

See my point. I recently heard that a pastor condemns the use of Prozac from the pulpit. My jaw dropped. I lost a family member to suicide immediately following him stopping Prozac WITHOUT weaning himself off of it.

 

My question to the pastor today was:

Do you condemn ALL MEDICINES????

 

Right? If we condemn one, then shouldn't we condemn them all.

 

In fact, come to think of it, in spiritually abusive churches, proper medical treatment is discouraged and "Just rely only, solely on God"...yea, and some people die or go crazy - literally from that approach. Check out the book: Healing Spiritual Abuse by Ken Blue.

 

Do you remember King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20? It was fig cake as his prescription from Isaiah for the recovery from his illness.

 

And in John 9, Jesus made a salve of clay for the blind man to regain sight.

 

In my "theology" God is the Creator of all things. This comes from...oh Genesis 1...and Colossians 1:16. Why do we not find the Lord in medicine? And can we be prejudice against psyche-meds and easily swallow heart medicines? Do you see the contradiction and hypocrisy in this thinking? I do.

 

So, for those of you who survive because of any med: Prozac, Cumadin, Lipitor, or Advair...or Ibuprofen....whatever it is....

 

DO NOT FEEL CONDEMNED!!!

 

Of course in all your decision-making, I encourage you to consult with the Lord for direction. But when you feel peace to take a medicine for a condition that you have prayed for divine miraculous healing and not yet got one for...do so with that peace!

 

I break off the judgment and condemnation that so many have put you under, and call you to seek the Lord and walk in faith!

 

I could share stories of how meds have helped in my family...and I shared above how a relative stopping a med wrecked our family too.

 

For the overly righteous, I am not condoning abuse of meds, pain killer addiction, and irresponsible use. That kind of use is not what I'm discussing. And is not use under the guiding of the Holy Spirit.

 

I am talking about people who have sincerely sought the Lord for a healing, direction, and confirmation...and all arrows are pointing to a doctor...and if he says try a med...then try it. If it works, HALLELUJAH!!! If not, back to the prayer closet, right?

 

And for those of you who have felt condemned, just know that people in this world, who have not experienced what you have, or have the same health issues as you:

 

DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT!

 

Don't take it personal. Just pray that God will convict them of their judgmental attitude (and pray they are not numb to His conviction).

 

Also, people who are stuck in the bondage of judgmentalness don't even realize the bondage they are putting people under when they talk.

 

Pray for God's intervention in their lives....and pray that God will guide and lead you in all aspects about your medical needs.

 

God is a good God. I do not think God is unable to heal this day and age. I just know that we need to walk by faith. Sometimes the healing is miraculous. And sometimes God gives us the prescription of fig cake or clay! ;)

 

Above all things, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!" Find God, seek God, consult with the Lord and follow His leading marked by peace.

 

 

PEACE BE TO YOU! Luke 24:36



IS THE BODY OF CHRIST CRIPPLED? CRIPPLED BY ADDICTION, IDOLATRY, OBSESSION?

Are we crippled? In bondage to our addictions? I believe so.

But we cannot hang onto our vices any longer, our addictions: alcohol, drugs, pills, porn, media (FB, YouTube, etc.), movies, t.v., games, activities, money, shopping, illicit sex, cigarettes or even work. The list can go on and on.

For this leaves us in bondage, slaves to our body, the ruler of this world, and to the world’s standards and morals.

Doing what you want,

Doing what you think is right,
Is not always what is best for you.

You think you have freedom-

But you are a slave.
Just try to stop those vices and see what happens, how you feel.
Don’t pick up your phone, your remote, that glass,
that ___fill in the blank__. And you will see the hold it has on you.

Obsessions are bondage & idolatry.

Possessions can enslave & burden.

Freedom in Christ is rising above your flesh.

Yet your thoughts are full of lust, lust for pleasure.
There is a battle for your attention, time, and affection.

The enemy is winning when you give into these

vices, obsessions, addictions.

When tangled up drunk, high, hungover, glued to a screen –

How are you able to fulfill:

1.      The Greatest Commandments?

2.      The Great Commission?

Be honest with yourself & God.

Answer the question….you simply can’t.

Your obsessions are robbing your life of the time, money, and energy that God intends to be poured out to: HIM, YOUR FAMILY, AND OTHERS! (Also known as: The Greatest Commandments: Love God & Love others!)

Your possessiveness over your life, time, money, and energy prevents you from being led by the Spirit to carry out the Great Commission! (AKA: Preach the Gospel to all the tribes and nations (people)!)

How often do you examine yourself, your life, your schedule, your bank statement, or your relationships?

When we examine ourselves,

We must be honest with ourselves.

Many avoid this self-reflection because it often requires change.

The Bible calls it REPENTANCE.

It’s the most freeing thing you can do for yourself.

Repent of those addictions, obsessions, and unhealthy behaviors.

The Lord calls you to:

Love Him, your God with all your heart, soul, and might.

 

So who or what will you repent of, lay down, or run from in order to do Love God first?

Let Jesus Christ be the One Lord in your life so that you can experience His Presence, His Spirit, His Leading, and His Peace.

In doing so, you will have the passion, excitement, boldness, desire to fulfill God's will for your life and you will overflow with ambition to share the Good News of Salvation!

**** I write this as a person who once was so entangled in my own addictions, many of the ones listed above. And I found freedom in Christ. If you would like to hear about my testimony, email me at promojen@gmail.com.

Forgiveness is what the Lord requires of us. PERIOD.

Forgiveness….what is it good for?

·        Christ said to forgive, always forgive…70 times 7. (Matthew 18:22 NASB)

·        In the Lord’s prayer, it reads: Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12 NLT)

·        And it is God’s forgiveness, His sacrifice on the cross for our sins that gives us eternal life with the Lord. (Refer to Ephesians 1:7 NASB)

 

So then, I ask again: FORGIVENESS….what is it good for?

All too often, and in this world, we hear about bitter stories of unforgiveness, followed by judgment. What door does this mindset open up into one’s life? If you are unable to forgive anyone, you remain bitter, and we know that bitterness does not respect boundaries.

 

Bitterness will cross over into other relationships. And why shouldn’t it? If you can’t forgive this one person over here for something they did, then you are capable of not forgiving the next person who offends or hurts you, right? This starts a lifestyle of bitterness and resentment.

When have you met a happy, joyful, kind bitter person? Hmmmmm. Unforgiveness and bitterness sits in opposition of the fruits of the spirits. Refresh your memory in Galatians 5:22-23.

I see how unforgiveness is a greater sin. It opens the door to many others. Consider the judgment that sprouts out of a soil fertilized by it. Think about it. The people you don’t forgive you end up judging them, their life, their family, their spending, their kids, their work ethic, their looks…everything. And like bitterness, judgment will cross over into other relationships. 

 

Bitterness and judgment are relational cancers!

The heart of man can be wicked. Resentment is usually marked by anger and easily turns into hate. What does Jesus equivocate hate with? Turn to Matthew 5:21-26, read it and you will see. 

I know, the truth confronts and convicts. But the truth is what sets you free. Do you want to be set free from resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness?

Those you need to forgive today probably started with those you didn’t forgive as a child, teen, and young adult. List out all those starting from childhood that you need to forgive. And find a way to forgive them today.

 

Forgiveness, following the example of Christ, will truly open the door to the power of the Spirit, that which you have been seeking for so long.

 Who do you need to forgive today?

You may have it! But you can lose it, ask King Saul....

I have been reading in 1 Samuel in the Old Testament, off and on this month and randomly came across an interesting story.

In 1 Samuel chapters 26-31 we read that David would not kill Saul because Saul was the 'Lord's anointed'...yet, in the midst of the chapters we see Saul say of himself that he had sinned, played the fool, and committed serious error (26:21).

By 1 Samuel 28:6, Saul inquired of the Lord and the Lord did not answer him. In fact, verse 15 says that God departed from Saul, and verse 17: the Lord tore the kingdom away from Saul and gave it to David (who was upright, pleasing and no evil was found in him 1 Sam 29:6) .

By chapter 31, Saul was injured from being under siege and so he fell on his sword to end the agony. His time had come and he recognized it!

I thought it was crazy to read that King Saul, "the Lord's anointed", went wrong, turned bad. When I read this, I received it as God's way of saying....

Sometimes, people have had His anointing,

but that doesn't mean they can't turn bad,

sin, and lose their connection to the Lord.

It's like the overweight 40 year old guy w/ his small high school jersey on trying to relive the glory days. Maybe he had it going on at one time, but lost it when he grew lazy and complacent and did not do the right things to keep himself ready and prepared for action. In God's kingdom, it means remaining humble and transparent, honest, exercising your gifts and bearing fruits of the Spirit....by John 15.

Saul continually sought out David to remove David, as though David was the problem. A blaming/denial spirit? As we see by 1 Samuel 31, it's over for Saul, his day had come and he knew it. Amazing testimony of an anointed one coming to the end of the road. It also serves as a sign that God will bring about justice in due time. We truly can trust the Lord with vindication and vengeance upon the unjust, unfair, and unrepentant.

In reading this, I use it as a warning even for myself. I know that God has great things ahead for me and my husband. We know that at all times, we speak and serve an audience of One! And we recognize our nature, we recognize we are man, we are but dust, we can sin, we can make mistakes. By this recognition, we also accept that we must remain humble and transparent, repentant and forgiving, walk above reproach and uphold to high standards of integrity. God knows our hearts, so then we will aim to keep pure hearts before the Lord!

• We must not hurt others who are pouring their lives out to God.
• We must not betray, manipulate, or rule over people with harsh judgment and selfishness.
• We must not serve ourselves, but the Lord and others!

A new topic I'm diving into this week: SERVANT LEADERSHIP!

Can't wait. This is how the Lord served, why shouldn't we?