You can not be a believer in Christ and not think about justice. About rights (Or lack of rights.)and what that entails. (At least I hope not!)
The political season has fueled a lot of talk about rights, justice and more.
But what you do with those rights, what you say and how you act or more important.
Three Dog Night put out a song in 1969, “Easy To Be Hard”. The cry was about the need for a friend, but it also addressed the missing piece between protests and care for “the bleeding” and “how about us”.
How can people be so heartless?
How can people be so cruel?
Easy to be hard, easy to be cold
How can people have no feelings?
How can they ignore their friends?
Easy to be proud, easy to say no
Specially people who care about strangers
Who care about evil ‘n social injustice
Do you only care about the bleedin’ crowd?
How about a needed friend?
I need a friend
The gist was the song was pointing to a culture that was caring about “the big stuff” but missing out on the “one to one” relationship and responsibiity.
There is a lot of this happening in the church on multiple levels. We can blame Facebook, TV and the media as the “reason”. We can cite Frank Zappa’s “the slime coming out of your TV sets”, but it is really a heart issue.
Christianity is a multi-faceted belief system. Within it, there is the belief that God is all powerful, that we are to love one another, help others and more.
A lot of social programs have been birthed out of Christian values.
Yet, as the season moves on politically, I hear a lot of “they don’t deserve this (or that)”. What is it they do deserve? What is it you and I deserved?
Lately I hear a lot about the “rights” of a believer. “What about us?” I think it is a valid question, but I ask where does the answer come from? Does it come from the world of senses and soul? Or is it to come from the place of spirit?
“What’s in for me?”
Have you ever heard that spoken? (Maybe you spoke it.)
People who speak like that have not understood a) how good God is and b) what He has ALREADY given them. If they did they would not run around with hands out, seeing what they can get and who they can get it from.
Real understanding of this scriptures creates a reality of “there is no lack”. If you are still thinking there is lack and holding on to everything you can you do not understand this. In God there is no lack and therefore in His people there ought be no lack.
The easiest way to create lack is to stop giving and start hoarding.
Philippians 4:19 (AMP)
19 And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
I hear and see a lot of complaints. As citizens of the United States I think we have rights. But I wonder if more and more are playing the God card, the religion card to get what they want. The Declaration Of Independence offers the believer the following…
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.” –Declaration of Independence as originally written by Thomas Jefferson, 1776
Natural rights are those not contingent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and therefore universal and inalienable (i.e., rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws).
You are given “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. (Meaning by the Creator.) It is up to you to keep yourself out of bondage.
There are certain rights that will need to be earned. Earned. Over time perhaps.
I understand we are a royal priesthood, but what about what that entails? Is not humility, love and giving just part of the reality?
On what hand we declare His kingdom and our walk as subjects to the King and on the other hand many are striving, crying and “working the system” of the world. Folks, that is dualism. Meaning you are “living in heavenly places” and moving as a natural person. That is a denial of the reality of Christ. The life of a believer is a supernatural one. A human body infused with the power and the presence of God Himself. We are no longer subject to the systems of the world. (You can be, but why would you want?)`
We have engaged in a form of consumerism. What that means in the natural is that is good to spend money on goods and services. It is necessary to consume to keep economies healthy.
But what about the believer? There is much to say on our methods of getting in the world. Are we frugal? Or just cheap? Are we feeding our demons under the guise of promoting economy?
What about the spiritual piece? In the kingdom we know God gives and there is no lack. So we can “consume”, eating of the Lamb and enjoying the favor, the blessing and the goodness of the Kingdom. But I also think this is where it gets sticky we are dualistic in our thinking. The Kingdom never is without, but man has the potential to be without. Trying to support the “house of cards” is a difficult process. So what do we get? What do we deserve?
I am tired of believers who know the value of the Kingdom and all that it encompasses throwing out the service or dedication of time, talent and treasure and only gathering from the “gimme” place. The church is really where the exchange of Kingdom into the earth takes place. If you have a consumer mentality of what you deserve, what is owed to you and when you ought to receive it, you are impeding the flow of the Kingdom. Remember you are the Ambassador. You do not live off the “host” country but your supply is from your home, the Kingdom itself.
How much more could be done within our church fellowships if people trusted God and saw His vision for the church on earth?
Ask yourself.
- Am I a consumer or a supplier in the earth?
- Have I dedicated my talent, treasure and time to the Kingdom?
- Am I cheap or frugal?
- Am I demanding rights in the earth (My church, my home, my business)when I ought to be exercising the goodness of God?
Depending on your answer may well determine whether you have been operating from a poverty mindset or a Kingdom mindset.
The very essence of the Kingdom is that of supply. Do you believe that? Or are you using the world for your supply when God has more?
John 10:10 (AMP)
10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
John F. Kennedy — ‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.’
Shouldn’t we stretch a little higher?
Last night I met with a group of youth. One of the topics was commitment. The reason it came up, was because when you are working with young people, they often are having their times dictated by their home life. Single parenting, weekends with another parent, etc.. There is nothing terrible about it, other than the fact it is often hard on the families. And it makes things related to children difficult sometimes.
A lot of people talk about process.
