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Our Enemy is Attempting to Shame Us Back Into the Closet
Kristene O'Dell • 8/12/2010
The universal question of the hour seems to be this - "Reverend Benham, How many people did you convert by protesting at the mosque?" Of course, what they are actually saying is this - "How in the world do you really think that is going to accomplish anything? It makes us all look foolish. Please stop!" Hmmm...fools for Christ...what a novel idea!
Let's try saying that to Jonathan and his armor-bearer as they simply showed themselves to the Philistine army. They had no strategy of their own making. They simply knew their responsibility was to give God the opportunity to make Himself known.
Or, how about Jeremiah, as he faithfully delivered the message God burned within his heart to a people who would throw him into mud pits and leave him there to die. Jeremiah knew that his assignment was simply to make the heart of God known. I am sure that if Jeremiah had a message for us today, we would make sure he understood that his methods are very un-Christlike and simply not effective. By the way, the Scriptures never talk about Jeremiah converting anyone.
Or let's take any one of the apostles in the book of Acts, who were beaten and imprisoned because they dared to to stand in the public arena and proclaim that there is only One God and His name is Jesus! If the apostles thought like us today, they would have called a meeting after their first jail experience and discussed a need for new strategy. It probably would have sounded something like this: "Well, that didn't work! You know, we are offending people and we certainly don't want to do that. We need them to "like" us because I am sure that if we were just "nice" enough to them, they would see their need for a Savior."
Church, we need to understand that we are in the same position as King Jehoash when Elisha told him to "put your hand on the bow, open the window and shoot...you are to strike down the Aremeans until you put and end to them." 2 Kings 13: 16-17. Of course when he was told to strike the ground, he did not see the need to be diligent in breaking up the hardness of it and he was strongly rebuked. And in turn, he suffered the consequences of not having complete victory. But, today, we won't even strike at the hard ground one time for fear of looking hateful and foolish.
Be encouraged, saints! That is the world's weapon against us! They will paint us as hate-mongers and liken us to Phelps and his brood, but again, be encouraged! The One that lives in us and desires to make Himself known through us has overcome the world. This is how victory is brought about in the Kingdom - by the blood of the lamb, the words of our testimony, and not loving our lives so much as to shrink from death. There is no other way! It's God's way!
God bless you,
Kristene O'Dell |
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