Bear Hug From Heaven

Did you know that I am not you and you are not me?

Ha ha ha....Yeah, I know, right?...Duh!

But, no seriously! How many times in your life alone (and mine) have we expected each other to be and or do like each other?

Come on. Let's be honest.

Now, there are certain things that will of course be some what similar within varying degrees. As well as the certain expectations placed upon us in life that will be the same as the mere fact that we are both human.

Other than that, you and I are quite different. Created both in the wonderful, awe inspiring image of our creator. Yep! He made each and every one of us completely and totally -DifFeReNt- and the fact that not one human being has ever been known to share two of the same finger prints just blows my mind!

This being said.....I have been wondering for over a period of about a week now - actually more than that but it has been seriously heavy on my mind and heart for a week or so - WHY are we all so dog-goned determined to turn each other into little "mini me's" ?

Ohhhhhhh go on! Admit it! - You too!

Just take a minute and think about it. At home, at the office, at church in the pulpit; always trying to convince everyone "their way" is wrong...or "their way" isn't "quiet right".....or....you "know a better way".....a "more excellent way".

Now, PLEASE...this is important.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with helping someone who has been truthfully lead astray.....or someone who needs to find the way for the first time. I do it myself.
This is scriptural! ....More power (Holy Ghost Power & Love of God) to us all! In these endeavors!....When it is lead of God!

I am simply addressing the times we feel the "need" (and I will add, out of our own feelings of inadequacy) to project onto others what we have learned to be true in our life, or what God has spoken to us on to someone else as they share what they have learned or heard from the Lord.

Honesty, who are WE to think we know what God has actually spoken to someone else?

I believe so strongly these are perilous times and we are drawing closer and closer to the final hour before the coming of Messiah.

And

The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than to distract the body of believers by having them focused on each other; stirring up strife. When we should be focused on our Master and Lord and stirring up faith among the brethren and reaching out to the lost!

To touch briefly again on "difference" I would like to remind all of us that it was our creator himself, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob who created "difference".....it was "division" he did NOT create. WE are responsible for that one. Remember Cane and Able? Uh- huh.

Still to this day, there is division of all kinds and it is quite prevalent in the body of believers. It runs through families as well. This too is scriptural. Just take a look at what is fortold in Matthew Ch 10. for starters.

I say we all stop worrying so much about the little things that "the other believers" are thinking and start focusing more on what WE are thinking ourselves.

Paul tells us in the word of God not to argue about such things; not to waste our breathe on these matters. If it does not have to do with Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not to worry. For this is what is truly important. All else is more a distraction. (Amy paraphrase)

(I have actually copied the actual scripture in smaller print below)

I know this Blog seems kinda harsh....but I am speaking to myself as well. The way I look at it, sometimes God blows us a kiss from heaven and sometimes he gives us a Big Bear Hug!

"This" was more in lines of a Big Bear Hug!

Shalom!

AmyColleen


1 Corinthians 1:4-26

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. ¹² Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. ¹⁶ Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:


“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹ that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”