SO MANY VOICES
So many sermons, so many songs, so many teachings, so many opinions, so many doctrines, so many perspectives, so many theologies, so many versions, so many churches, so many denominations, so many expressions, so many - so many - so many voices. So many, so many.
I Cor.13: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
(Please note - These verses are only for a Valentines Day Banquet.)
It happened again. A hurricane came streaming into the Gulf of Mexico and slammed into the New Orleans area. And the voices began to get louder once again. Oh they were always there, but this provided a platform for greater volume and greater certainty. Yes, it seemed they were only waiting for another opportunity to speak for God. As in the case of Hurricane Katrina, these voices surfaced with a fresh explanation of natural disasters.
Hurricane Isaac made landfall seven years to the day that Hurricane Katrina had done. And here were these precious people, many of them poor minorities, running from another disaster. Many had lost their homes seven years ago, and now they faced the very real prospect of another tragedy. There would be many churches that would help, and many believers from all over the country would give time and energy to minister Jesus to these people.
But the voices came alive again. Many places around the internet suggested God was again judging New Orleans for their gay celebration. Never mind that this is a free country and most people in the New Orleans area were not gay. Never mind that this is the hurricane season and New Orleans is in a dangerous position always. The self righteous moralists have set their cross hairs on the gay community and with no more compassion than a guillotine they let ‘er fly! God was again expressing His displeasure with any gay celebrations.
Never mind that San Francisco was experiencing nothing of the kind. Never mind that many of the people of New Orleans are poor and heterosexual. Never mind that God so loved New Orleans that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Never mind that God has commanded His followers to help the poor while He reserves the right to violently destroy their lives? Never mind all that.
The modern day air conditioned prophets have zeroed in on God's true heart. We always thought He loved the world and died for our sins. Now we know, through these self appointed prophets, God plays favorites. Hugh Heffner enjoys a long life of debauchery and hedonism, but the poor people of New Orleans have earned a special exhibition of God’s judgment while men like Rob Bell and Joel Osteen live off the fat of the land. Who knew what this God was capable of?
Never mind that many children suffer without electricity. Never mind that old people in nursing homes suffer more than normal. Never mind that schools and churches and shelters are being bombarded. Never mind that if it was God’s judgment then churches should not help. Let His judgment sink in fully.
But amateur Bible game players love to say that the name “Isaac” meaning laughter and God is laughing at the calamity He has showered upon these people. And God is efficient. He killed two birds with one stone by taking another swipe at Haiti on His way to new Orleans. God is so wonderfully thrifty!
Never mind that God has spoken to us through His Son in these last days. Never mind that His Son gave His life and now desires all men to be saved. Never mind that only a few New Testament passages deal with the sin of homosexuality while a literal plethora of verses deal with greed and avarice. While the levees of Plaquemines Parish are being put to the test, the Mormon tabernacle in Salt Lake City stands untouched. I wonder if God knows what the Mormons are teaching?
These voices are filled with prophetic hubris and a visceral hatred for sinners who do not have heterosexual credentials. Heterosexual sinners can even help believers in earthly endeavors without professing Christ. Never mind that when a heterosexual sinner comes to faith in Christ no one demands he empties his bank accounts of all ungodly gains. Never mind that when this same sinner comes to faith he is not told he must give up lusting after women. But let a gay person even test the redemptive waters and he is told in no uncertain terms he must renounce his same sex attractions before he can even approach Jesus.
But these hurricanes are a very neat divine trick. I wonder why God waited seven ,long years before flexing His destructive arm again? The voices tell us its because the number is special to God. Again, God is so clever. Never mind that every gay person in New Orleans will most likely continue in his lifestyle, and he will certainly be turned off by the hatred shown him by these voices. Never mind that those of us who have been born again only know what is sin and what is not because we have been indwelt by God’s Spirit. If only we had been ravaged by a hurricane we could have known a lot quicker.
I guess the age of grace means nothing anymore. If God is killing certain sinners today, perhaps we should help Him. Never mind that now we are commanded to love our enemies but God can rip them apart. And how does God explain the contradiction of the message of the cross and the message that God wants you dead? Never mind, never mind.
My heart is grieved over the state of the church and the voices that speak from a moral perch of their own making. Millionaires like Pat Robertson proclaim the judgment of God over Haiti and the gay community, and men like Jerry Falwell revealed that 9/11 was God’s judgment on the gays. Never mind that the entire nation of America is consumed with sex, hedonism, and all things pertaining to money. How can we see the pictures of the suffering people of New Orleans and sit back and in effect say, “Well done, God!”? But the game of "pin the tail on divine judgment" is satifying to the flesh.
This is not the faith of Jesus. This is the faith of Moses. And no one can embrace Moses and Jesus. You will love one and hate the other, even though you profess to love both. We have forgotten what the cross means and what the cross shouts out! It should grieve us to hear these vacuous voices speaking things about which they are ignorant. Yes, there is coming a time of judgment which will take an infinitely greater form than a category 1 hurricane. But until then let us be Jesus to people who suffer. It rains on the just and the unjust, but when that happens God commands the water soaked just to give both raincoats to the unjust in His name.
So many voices. Please, only listen to His.
I have no idea whether this storm directly relates to Mardi Gras or not. One can only review this past year to see (at least I perceive) judgments befalling our nation. Why one area and not another? Who knows. As a review of devastating fires, an economy going nowhere but down, droughts, Gulf oil continuing fall out and hurricanes it is certainly not looking good. Feel free to add more to the list.
ReplyDeleteWhat we are seeing affects all of us collectively whether we see it or not.
Rick,
ReplyDeleteLuke 17:12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. Did Jesus just shout at them or did He walk up to them when He said "Go show yourselves to the priests". If Jesus would not have given the time of day to a leper, then what chance would I have had at salvation? Things are getting crazy, and the worst part about that statement is is that it will get worse before Jesus returns. My heart is sick and saddened by all this.
I will listen to the voice of Jesus as I read and study His words.
Joel
Here is what should be going on right now in New Orleans...
ReplyDelete“Send the Light”
There’s a call comes ringing over the restless wave,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
There are souls to rescue there are souls to save,
Send the light! Send the light!
Refrain
Send the light, the blessèd Gospel light;
Let it shine from shore to shore!
Send the light, the blessèd Gospel light;
Let it shine forevermore!
We have heard the Macedonian call today,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
And a golden offering at the cross we lay,
Send the light! Send the light!
Refrain
Let us pray that grace may everywhere abound,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
And a Christlike spirit everywhere be found,
Send the light! Send the light!
Refrain
Let us not grow weary in the work of love,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
Let us gather jewels for a crown above,
Send the light! Send the light!
Refrain
Thank you for that great song of the faith! It brings back many memories.
ReplyDeleteAmen!! so many voices
ReplyDeleteThe noisome pestilence
Every where one looks these days there are voices coming out of the temple. Many voices proclaiming different things and all are sure that their way is the way and their prophecy is the prophecy. This NOISOME PESTILENCE seems to be causing many who believe they are hearing from the Lord to question whether they are or not. Many are being led astray at the vast words that are being put out. Some are even telling people to revert to Psalms 91.
But the central message is still the same. If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. We can go to another one in exodus, which says that, if thou will DILIGENTLY hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep His statutes, He will put none of these diseases/plagues upon us that He put on the Egyptians, for He is the God that heals us.
Noisome pestilence is a plague. How did we get it? By having itchy ears, but what tickles some has become a noisome pestilence to others.
What is the cure for it? The anointing. If we are anointed, then we will not be plagued by the noisome pestilence. The shepherd will anoint the head and ears of the sheep with oil to keep the buzzing of the flies and gnats from sucking the blood and eating at the flesh of the ears and head of the sheep.
I myself, having read many things on forums and websites, became a victim as well, of the NOISOME PESTILENCE. I heard many voices coming out of the temple, and because they all differed, it became as if my head was in a huge bees nest and or while in the pasture there must have been many gnats and flies. The voices became nothing more than BZZZ, BZZZ. and had my head spinning so as to brush them away. I spent time trying to discern that which was really from God and that which was not. There were so many words that they would drown out my trying to hear what the Lord was really saying. It was as if I was trying to hear from Him and yet was in this crowded room with people putting their words forth all around me. The only way to filter out the excessive noise was to remove myself from it totally that He may fine tune me to hear His voice only and follow no other. What I have found is that the WORLD WIDE WEB/NET is just as its name, a net or web to catch prey in, when people do not take the time to pray, and instead look for words from others as a means for substance. The Lord told me that people depend TOO much on TOO many things and do not depend on Him for their substance.
Having said all that I decided to do some research on the word noisome, and what I found astonished me.
The Hebrew word for word is debar, meaning a word spoken, and the Hebrew word for noisome is deber, and having the root meaning of the word debar. My final definition of noisome pestilence was quickened to me as a word spoken that literally brought plagues and mischiefs via perverse things being spoken.
I am seeing how multitudes of people are being swept into these words being sent forth, after all the power of life and death are in the tongue, and these words sent forth are sticking to something within us.
Sadly most take these words in and do not go to the Lord that He may direct their path. Instead of picking up their cross and following Him, they are picking up the words of others and following them.
I will say this, I now delete the blogs and forums that I used to run to daily, much like some do the horoscopes, which is really no different than divination.
Funny, but now I am not hearing the buzzing anymore, and the pasture seems much greener, and the waters still and calm, and I can now hear what He has for me, knowing that no plague shall come nigh my dwelling.
I can now thank Him for preparing the day for me and me for the day, and I no longer hear the NOISOME PESTILENCE.
Is 30: 1-33
Teshuva
Thanks for writing about this, Rick. (And thank you for entering the conversation that started it... I don't know how you got there!)
ReplyDeleteI really begin to wonder why in the world the "gospel" seems to mean something very different to me than to some others who make 'prophetic deductions' like this. I mean, what God does with it to a lot of us is to fill us with a sympathy for sinners and a desire to see them healed and made whole. We want to come alongside them, mourn with them, reach out to them and basically show them the love of the Guy who came and did the same for us while we were still His enemies---before we ever repented. And then there are people who seem to think that "love" primarily means confronting people and telling them to repent or expect God's judgment. I know God sometimes has people done that, but something is wrong when you can't mention "loving" to these people without them lashing back as if you were permitting sin and belittling the truth.
I'm so sick of these 'prophetic deductions' that have nothing to do with the testimony of Jesus or His command to love one another as He loved us. Any "coincidence" can be proven, but the plumb-line for determining truth is the gospel, not coincidences.
So a hurricane arrived seven years to the day after Katrina, but here's another: the bombing of Nagasaki. The bomb was supposed to be dropped on the city of Kokura, but poor weather conditions forced the pilots to go to their secondary target of Nagasaki city instead. When they arrived, it was also covered by clouds and the crew was about to call off the mission when suddenly there appeared a break in the clouds. The plutonium bomb was dropped and exploded over a Catholic Cathedral in the Urakami district (instantly killing 8,000 Catholic believers, many descendants who had weathered over 200 years of persecution in Japan). Japan surrendered a few days afterwards---on the day of the feast of the Assumption of Mary (when Mary is said by Catholics to have been translated to heaven before her death). The Urakami cathedral had also been dedicated to Mary. Was it coincidence? The bomb was supposed to land in a different city, but weather led it to Nagasaki, and not just Nagasaki, but over the Catholic community and a cathedral dedicated to Mary. And on her feast day Japan surrendered. Prophetic? Judgment? A message from God? Too much to be coincidence? One Japanese Catholic writer thought so after the war, that it was God's punishment on them to atone for what they had done during the war.
Lord, I just wanted Him to know the gospel, how much Jesus loved all of them. There was no atonement necessary after the cross.
Good comment. Love does not mean condone. It means love. The gospel is good news, and no one can stop sinning before they are born again, and even then we never reach perfection. Some seem to love God's judgment, while others like to appear as if they have a pipeline to divine intentions. It hurricanes on the just and the unjust.
ReplyDeleteI posted this article on Facebook, and a friend commented:
ReplyDeleteI read that too, and I have to agree with you on this. I also read somewhere else that it seems everytime the US has tried to talk Israel into giving up their land to the Palestinians, we get a high-dollar disaster like a hurricane. And God did say He would destroy those who would destroy Israel. Thought I'd keep an open mind and keep watching and listening to see if there might be a correlation with that one. It makes more sense to me.
I remember people saying the same thing at churches when I was volunteering in Fukushima---that the earthquake and tsunami came because Japan had abstained from a certain UN vote rather than supporting Israel.
As much as this kind of reasoning happens in regard to homosexuality and "sinners" in the United States, this is done more often these days when talking about Israel---and it is more widespread. It is international, but particularly strong in churches in Caucasian, English-speaking countries (wherever British-born and American-evangelized Dispensationalism traveled). And it is most especially strong in Charismatic churches, often spoken as 'prophetic' warnings or declarations.
I replied to my friend on Facebook:
God's inheritance in the Middle East is people---both Israelis and Palestinians. If He is judging nations based on who has "land", then Jesus didn't die on the cross for people, but for perishable land. But if His kingdom is not of this world, then it would be best for both Israelis and Palestinians and all their respective supporters to share in the agenda of the Cross.
ctually, it's the exact same thing as the article above. I could just quote what Rick Frueh wrote and change a couple words:
"Many Christians around the internet suggest God judges people for their lack of support for Israel... Never mind that God so loved people that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life... The modern day air conditioned prophets have zeroed in on God's true heart. We always thought He loved the world and died for our sins. Now we know, through these self appointed prophets, God plays favorites..."
I've been in many churches and meetings where preachers said that God destroys those who destroyed Israel. No one stops to think that the Cross has been set aside---that a new "way" has been declared: Favoring Israel. Never mind faith in Christ or loving one's neighbor and enemy as Christ loved us while we were His enemies. The cross and the commandments of Christ are secondary to supporting Israel. God loved us while we were all His enemies, but that doesn't include enemies of Israel. Israel has a right to their land, and that is more important than Christ receiving His inheritance ("ask Me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance"). Israel comes before Christ. After their inheritance has been received and their enemies defeated, *then* we can start to tell them that they must love their neighbors, forgive those who trespass against them, love their enemies, pray for those who persecute them and bless those who curse them.
Yes, you are correct. God does not deal with nations as He did in the Old Testament. We live in the gospel age and God calls men everywhere to repent and believe. This kind of divine mind reading as it pertains to natural disasters just incites self righteousness as well as diminishes the souls of men.
ReplyDeleteProv17:5 Whoever mocks the poor
ReplyDeleteReproaches his Maker,he who is
Glad at calamity shall not be held
Innocent or go unpunished
It's concerning that this is happening. On the news recently, just after Isaac appeared near Tampa, a pastor was reported saying they prayed that the storm wouldn't affect the National convention. And they were glad that God had evidently heard their prayers. But no mention (not to my knowledge) of their concern of Louisiana citizens who would be affected.
ReplyDeleteIs a Republican convention considered more worthy in God's eyes? I just couldn't believe what I heard.
I try to believe that common sense and biblical reasoning would shake some people out of the delusional thinking, but they seem to be brainwashed. They don't seem to be able discern it. The new right-wing conservative christian mindset seems to be like a cult. We read where Jesus warned the church about divisions in the last days, where mothers would fight against daughters, parents against children, and families would split apart because of their faithfulness to the Lord. And it's happening now. I've heard about families not speaking to each other, or get into arguments over holidays because of a fallout over political matters.
I used to have a hard time believing that delusion would come to the church. How could anyone be deceived - it seemed to be an impossible prospect during bible study on Revelation. But it's happening. I pray we don't fall into any traps and keep running towards that prize. One pastor used to say, "don't look right, don't look left, backwards, just look ahead to Jesus."