Foreign Matter

I wrote a statement sometime ago that caused a negative stir among those that read it. It was something to the effect of Solomon being told by God not to marry a foreign woman (1 Kings 11:1-4 AMP). It caused such a rebuttal and I continued to read as to why there was such offense with that one statement. As I did, it became obvious that the offense had no foundation if the entire post had been read rather then writing the refute. I felt like someone's mother trying to chastise who may have very well been a full grown adult. Why act so childish?

Would that question also be apropos when studying the first 3 chapters of Genesis? At the creation of all, God looked at what He done and made the resounding statement that defines who He is, "it is good". When He says that, one can actually picture Him standing back like an artist would a painting after adding the finishing details. Like an expecting parent preparing for the blessed event. Provision has been made. Everything is in its place. Sacrifices have been made to shop for the right color and specific items in anticipation of what would be needed. So why would God ask these questions in the 3rd chapter of Genesis?

Where are you? 

Who told you, you were naked?

What have you done?

 Didn't Adam have all that he needed? Wasn't he happy with what he had? Could Adam just ask God for anything else? How could he disobey the very one that gave him everything? It doesn't make sense.

In studying the Word, I gained such insight I just couldn't contain it all. I looked for a venue to teach others because I felt like an expecting mother about to burst. However, it seemed with everything I tried to use as a venue was like pulling teeth from a brick. I created a bible study group and had to close it within a few months due to cultural conflicts. I went to ministerial school, without going into detail here (can be read in "Got Trouble" entry), it didn't work out either. I wrote manuscripts to books that are either sitting on my shelf  or stored in an USB stick waiting to be published. Yet none of those things sufficed. Creating this blog and the other for single Christians began to sustain that need. With each entry published, a sigh of relief came with them. It was like serving a full course meal to my family.

In making a meal, I know that certain colors have to be on the plate in order for it to be nutritious. That takes planning before preparation. Introducing new things that my family has never eaten takes preparation too. If its foreign, it just might stay on the plate. I rarely eat in places I don't know of. I have experienced food poisoning before and made my children aware of what could happen when trying something they know nothing about. Prayer does come in handy, especially during those times (James 5:16 AMP).

It is why I couldn't understand with the eloquence of the prayer Solomon had when asking God for provision over His people, why he didn't do the same in obtaining a wife (2 Chronicles 1:7-11 NIV)? God told him not to marry a foreign woman and with specifics as to why he shouldn't do it. Solomon disobeyed and not only married  a foreign woman  but almost 800 of them and they brought their foreign concubines. Solomon read the Word. He understood righteousness. He wouldn't have had the position he had with God without understanding. So why muddy the waters? Ecclesiastes doesn't have the easy read as Proverbs and Song of Solomon. Ecclesiastes was written after he married his foreign brides with children to be raised in the manner different then how Solomon was raised - without God (the definition of foreign for Christian principles).

In asking Adam those questions, it was because of seeing Adam in a manner that God did not give to him. How Adam replied was with information God did not provide. The behavior Adam showed in blaming the woman  was something God did not tell Adam. It was foreign. It was not good.

God tells us these things in the Word. He shows us because of Adam's disobedience, this is what has happened to mankind and to the world (Romans 5:12-15 AMP). Certain portions of scripture, men made statements of their circumstances. Statements were written in fear, anger, and some with a lack of faith. When being taught or listening to messages in church, be attentive. There are verses in scripture that should not be used in prayer. Solomon was in a certain state of mind after being disobedient to God. It is why Ecclesiastes isn't quite as easy to study as Proverbs. Verses in Ecclesiastes isn't something you wish to remind God of when coming boldly to Him in prayer and yet I hear preachers in various ministries use these verses to get their points across to the congregation. When God tells us to remind Him of His Word, look for what He says and not necessarily what man is saying to Him.

Jesus was found as a child in the temple talking to the elders about the Lord - Himself (Luke 2:49 AMP). He studied scriptures about Himself. He made mention of what God said about this and that showing the disciples to do the same. Jesus disputed tradition with the Pharisees and Sadducees which angered men but pleased God. I believe Jesus came at the time that He did so that foreign ways wouldn't become the norm.

Jesus ascended for us to have a Comforter (John 14:16 AMP). We don't have to rely on men remaining righteous in hopes to tell what is good in the sight of God. We can read and study scripture for ourselves (Joshua 1:8 AMP). We can make decisions based on the studying of the Word, listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd, and of course, prayer. We decided to maintain righteousness in our hearts because it is what Jesus told us to do (Matthew 6:33 AMP). We are in right standing through Christ our Lord. Keeping that stance takes skill and practice (Romans 5:3-5 AMP). No matter what happens the righteous will stand. Now multiply that (Genesis 1:28 AMP)!

Can you see it? That's the church without spot or wrinkle. That's the bride of Christ. That's what God is looking for. That's when God will again say, "it is good." Once He is pleased to say that....you know what happens next. Get Ready!

Crap Can't Attach Itself

I was listening to a woman on her internet ministry giving advice to all of her listeners. She said something that I had an immediate response to. Yes, I do talk to screens and to anything else that is trying to give me life lessons where there is no Word to back what is being said. She had started off well, as with most messages. The listener relaxes believing that what is being said is a Word from the Lord; however, it is written for us all to watch and pray. Just as she was teaching that one must be "prayed up" for daily living, you still must have all of those prayers in order when listening to church messages. Because the next thing she talked about was going through spiritual warfare. I listened attentively for the verse to back that up. I didn't hear any and  therefore could not receive the message she was giving.

I had contemplated whether I was going to subscribe to her ministry because there are so few ministries that preach the Word of God online on a regular basis. I decided otherwise because of the message I heard. Did I judge her (Matthew 7:1 AMP)? No, I examined the meal that was placed before me. I don't like receiving a plate that I have to pick over to find the nutritional bits and pieces. If I have to pick over a plate, I am not going to eat from it. In deciding not to subscribe to her website was turning the plate she was offering back to the waitress. I was not interested in upsetting the peace I searched for. My Kingdom Lifestyle is fine without adding what she was offering into the mix.

I am a firm believer in the 23rd Psalm. It was the first passage I memorized. Even though I had no idea what it meant, in due time, when I could pick it apart to see all of the benefits that righteous has and there is no way I was going to eat anything different then what the Lord prepared. Everything He has for me is good and will sustain me until the next meal. Why pick up something that He did not prepare? If you don't hear the Word of God with the messages, it was not from the Lord!

Now, with that preface, take a hold of this example and apply it to your life where it fits: A woman, having the  position of a social worker for a population that is not used to the American culture, was given the task to find resources for this group of people. She had to make sure that all that was needed was in place for them to become American citizens. In so doing, she got attached to many of them and when their behavior was less then exemplary, she made excuses for them or defended them so they would not get into trouble. At times, this was admirable but when the people became residents for more then 10, 15, and 20 years, she was no longer their confidant but an accomplice. She continued to defend or minimize the rebellious behavior. One day, one of her clients had a disagreement with her. He became belligerent with her and threatened her life. For weeks he would see if she came to work and then threaten her. She believed his threats and the last straw was when he brought a gun to her office to intimidate her. She let the administration know what was happening and how she was being treated by this client. Oddly, administration listened to what she had to say and began to minimize the threat as being just a slight misunderstanding. The client continued to harass her and she was beside herself as to what to do. No matter who she went to, their answer was she couldn't prove it or it wasn't taken seriously. Eventually, she was placed in a cubical so her clients didn't have free access to her anymore. I found the entire matter extremely interesting and wondered if she learned any lesson. I did.

I understand that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but principalities, powers and evil spirits in high places (Ephesians 6:10-20 KJV). Here is where is gets tricky. When you are doing what you are called to do, those evil things cannot come anywhere near you (Psalm 91:9-11 KJV). When Jesus said to seek the Kingdom of God first and all things will be added unto you, this was a command that has some necessity to it. It is a paramount act to gain the full abundance that Jesus came to give. There is a scripture that I refuse to place here because there has to be some effort on your part to seek what the Kingdom is. Spiritual warfare is a term that is not used in the scriptures. It is not in King James or the Amplified versions of the bible (as far as I have researched. If you find otherwise I will make a retraction). Jesus was around throngs of people that were seeking to kill Him; yet because of His calling, He walked right through them without being touched at all. Daniel in the Lion's den and in the fiery furnace - he was compliant to what he was called to do. It is why the lions didn't touch him nor did one singe of hair was burned on his head.

The fact of the matter is spiritual warfare is a religious term for trouble. When trouble happens it just doesn't come about out of the clear blue sky. It manifests because it was created by words and actions of the individual. Job created trouble for himself and his family because of his fears that his children were sinning even when they never went to him and confessed a thing (Job 3:25 KJV). David's son died because of his pre-meditation on having sex with a married woman and then sending for her husband so David wouldn't be saddled with a child out of wedlock and a product of adultery (2 Samuel 11 KJV). Solomon's blatant disobedience was what caused him to lose his reign and change his tone when writing Ecclesiastes (1 Kings 11:1-4 AMP). If all of these men were in right standing with God there wouldn't have been the trouble that was written about them.

Here is where believers state that it is what is suppose to happen in order for us to learn lessons and have maturity in Christ. I would really need the scripture for that. God doesn't give us trouble for us to learn lessons. Trouble comes because of disobedience. Why would Jesus come for us to have an abundant life and  have trouble included with it? That is not written. It wouldn't make any sense. We were in trouble as sinners! Being in Christ takes you out of trouble, out of sin, out of death, out of lack, out of poverty. If these are the things you are battling, you must with all diligence, consider your ways (Haggai 1:7 AMP).

Epiphany!

I have been writing for quite awhile about pastors preaching messages that have led people out of the will of God, whether intentional or not. I was angry and made it my point to make some changes based on my own experiences and what I studied in the Word that was much different than what was taught to me. Then this morning I got up and realized something that I taught my children and no doubt have said in conversation and have counseled to my clients and it wasn't right. Even knowing only apart of the truth, wasn't the whole truth so deception could be used through the process of elimination, assumption, and deduction. I had to make this wrong right.

I believed that if we try to escape from a situation that is not favorable, then we will eventually be met with the same situation again because we had not learned from our mistakes. For instance, if Job continually behaved in such a way where his punishment for the behavior was him being out in the field scraping his sores with chard and contemplating why he was born, without change he was going to be out in the field again. I thought this to be true with those who dated out of pity or believing no one else would understand the person but you. Then maturing you realize you made the biggest mistake of your life because pity is how the he/she got along in life and you fell for it too. Should you run or teach the person a lesson so not to do this with anyone else?

If you ran, I believed the situation would be incomplete and something you would face again because you could be tricked again. Running would be conducive to fear. God would not be pleased with this sort of action. But then, isn't that what Joseph did when Potiphar's wife began to seduce him? Would God have been more pleased if he sat down and tried to reason with her? You know, quote scripture to convince her of her evil ways? Would she be less attracted to him and not try to seduce him again any other young man? Why contemplate? Just run!!!

I write this because Solomon wrote that there is nothing new under the sun and I believe that someone else might have an epiphany as well but not be thoroughly convinced that there are others like you who thought the same thing. If you realize that you have a weakness in a certain thing, know that there are others who can pick up on that and will take advantage. There are predators who wait for timid people who won't speak up themselves for a reason. Pimps at bus terminals wait for the runaways for a reason. Drugs are given away free to newbies for a reason. Older men marry very young girls for a reason. You see, the weakness here is not knowing. It is witten those who don't know perish. You won't repeat the same mistake if you run. Running isn't necessarily operating in fear but in many cases it is using Wisdom and keeping Peace.