Are We Carrying the Wrong Banner?
Hey Friends,
I haven’t written much here, but I’ve been writing much on my social media platforms. But if you are like me, you need a rest from social media. I feel called to speak on social media, but I also encourage us all to pull out of social media when it is harmful to our mental wellness. So I’m going to share on my blog the posts I put on social media. You may have seen this already, but for those who haven’t, here’s what God has laid on my heart.
Are We Carrying the Wrong Banner?
It’s easy to keep talking about a sin you don’t struggle with. Many Christian platforms and voices are doing just that. It’s easy to carry a banner about the sin of another. It looks holy and righteous. It seems right. But it draws lines and forms groups on each side that point fingers one to another. The state of our divided country has me more grieved than I’ve ever felt.
You know, Jesus didn’t take a position against ONE sin. He preached a message, “Repent!” I’m pretty sure that means repent of all sins.
Jesus came to die for allllll our sins. And every sin is heinous to God. The sin of judgementalism, the sin of bitterness, the sin of unforgiveness, the sin of pride, the sin of lying, the sin of hate.
Has the heart of a racist, a hater, ever been changed bc someone held a sign telling him he’s one? Likely not. But the heart of a racist has been changed when it encountered the love of Jesus and repented of ALL sins, not just the one.
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jeremiah 17:9
The wrong message is being chanted across cities. Opportunity is being lost because it’s easier for Christians to chant with the world rather than give the most offensive message the “world” has ever received. The gospel offends. But the gospel is the ONLY power to save. The gospel is the only power to change ANYTHING. Why aren’t we as Christians raising the banner of Jesus right now? Why aren’t we holding a different banner? One that offers the truth.
We can’t make people love each other. We can only tell and show how deeply God loves them. God can change the wicked hearts. He changed my wicked heart ???. Praise God!!
Real change happens not when a society is educated on a particular sin. Real change happens when individuals look within and repent, surrender to Jesus, are changed by Him, and go out and radically love people.
We are falling into the devil’s trap. We are so focused on a social issue that we aren’t talking about the human condition. And the fact is, we all have different sin bents. We don’t all struggle with the same sins. Maybe it’s time to remove the plank from our own eyes. Sin is sin.
Jesus loves the sinner. Hard to believe right? But it’s true. He loves the racist like he loves the preacher. He doesn’t love what the racist does, but he loves the human he made. In our humanness we are so focused on the vileness of the sin, so outraged by it’s grotesque appearance that we can’t possibly see beyond. So we stop there and we demand that sin end. News flash: humans have never created a cure for sin. Jesus is the cure.
Here’s the good news. Jesus came to save the lost. Jesus died for each of us. But in order to be saved from the destruction to come and eternal hell, we must accept his gift of salvation. It’s not a blanket gift. It’s given for the whole world, but each person must make the individual choice to receive that gift. It’s simple. Repent of your sin, surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Be saved.
Take that message to the world. “Go and make disciples of all nations.” That’s how we change this world.
I’ve reduced the price of Illuminate to $1.00! It’s time to get our focus onto God and off the fear and chaos.
We can know all the right things about God yet still forget.
Do you find yourself spiraling through fear, discouragement, doubt, and worry?
Sometimes all we need is someone to come alongside and help us remember. That is what Illuminate will do for you. It will help you remember who God really is. In this light all else dims.
Remembering is an art. Illuminate will help you practice the art of remembering well. After 14 days you will begin to rest in Him despite the chaos of life or the fear that once bullied you.
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Would you please share? This world needs to be lit up right now by the light of His Word!!
