When we leave the world behind and give our life to Jesus we are given the impression that life in Church will be different, the people in the Church will be different and leadership within the Church will be different from that of the world. News flash; it's not! When you finally encounter those who confess to be Christians being just as evil as those in the world it can be devastating. I can recall the job I was employed at before I got saved. I went through a lot on that job, in fact I almost had a nervous breakdown. The devastation was so bad that it was the thing that pushed me to turn to God! I was heart broken by some things that was done to me; people who I thought were my friends who stabbed me in the back and those who came along and twisted the knife. It was the first time I experienced what it felt like to hate. It was at that time I knew what it felt like to want to purchase a gun and kill everyone who hurt me! That was an awful feeling, daily I felt doom and gloom, I felt down , like a thousand pounds was on my back. I had never in my life felt this feeling; all I knew was that I didn't like it, I wanted it gone, all I knew was that it had gotten to be too much for me to bear and it was at that moment in my life when I went back to my childhood teaching, back to my Sunday School teaching, back to what momma and grand mother said..., it was at that moment that I realized I needed Jesus! I began to search the word and pray, I told God all about how I suffered having my name dragged through the mud. lied on, stumbling blocks set up for me, on and on, I told God. Yes It was horrific what I had to endure! But as bad as it was, I wouldn't take nothing for my journey. Without that I might never have given my life to Christ. It was that journey which taught me to lean on God, to know that there was absolutely no one who could help me through that trial except God.
As I think back over that experience it is virtually the same scenario I've experienced after giving my life to Christ; the sad part is that these are people who confess to be saved, these are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have the knife stuck in my back and some turning the knife, name being dragged through the mud, lied on, talked about, traps set for me; but the one difference with this journey is I got a friend in Jesus, all my sins and griefs to bare!!! I no longer have to go thru trials alone; my worst day with Jesus is better than my best day without him. That alone, is enough to give God some praise! I have learn that it's all working together, the good and the bad..for my good. These are good lessons that help Christians to grow and mature. I have hurt, but Praise God I don't have the hate! I pray to God for his will to be done, I pray for those who hurt me; I no longer feel like killing for revenge; I realize that revenge belongs solely to God and him only!
There are many Christians who are just like I was, naive about life after coming out the world. no one told us this journey still wasn't going to be easy; no one told us that the devil was gonna get even busier in our lives, no one told us that everyone in Church did not have the Church in them; no one told us that everyone in Church wasn't saved, no one told us that there would be cliques with in the Church, gossiper in the Church, liars in the Church, backbiting and everything that we thought we were leaving behind in the world! NO BODY BOTHERED TO TELL US!!! So if there are those that are suffering on the battlefield, a new convert, know that God is with you! before you gave your life to Christ you were alone, with no one to talk to, no one to be a friend, but Thank God for Jesus, he's a friend to the friendless, mother to the motherless, father to the fatherless, doctor for those sick, lawyer in the court room, what ever you need God got it! So if the storms don't cease and the waves keep beating you the wind keeps blowing , just know that your soul has been anchored in the Lord; Now isn't that good news worth sharing?
I can remember back many many years ago when my mom told me about being a young woman and young Christian in a particular Church, she told of how an older lady in the Church befriended her and was suppose to be mentoring her; however this same woman found out something that was going on with my mom and spread it all over the church and community. Momma said It wasn't so much the secret being exposed but it was the person who exposed it that hurt her so bad, one she look up to, one she trusted, a Christian woman who was suppose to be helping her in her new walk had been the one who almost pushed her back into the street life! It is a sad thing that people like this exist in the Church but it is a fact of life. God knew it would be this way but there was one whom he knew would be bold, able to keep it real and teach the Church and stand Boldly up to those who were determine to tear up the Church God established! His name was was Jesus, He wasn't scared!When the money changers were in the temple Jesus became angry and drove em out of the temple with physical force, turning over tables and all, Jesus wasn't a wimp(Matthew 21:12)! Saul was another; we have read many of his letters to the Church giving them instruction on the very same things that we experience today! (Acts ch. 9) As an enemy of God Saul was bold, he was an Arnold Schwarzenegger type, a Terminator; Saul didn't play! God seen a man who was bold, stern, a tell it like it is, say what he mean and mean what he say man, A man who could deal with people and not be fearful. God saw that and knew that same boldness for Satan was what He could use to Glorify Him and be one of the most powerful teachers for the kingdom of God! When God changed him he changed even his name to Paul, but if you notice he didn't change that which he seen in Paul, that Boldness, sternness,ability to be Strong, that keep it real attitude! That is why Paul could tell the Church of Corinth about the sins they allowed to continue within; like the incest, the fornication, the gossip, Christians taking each other to court, Paul would use terms like, "it ought not be, or shame on you." He never mince words about how we treat each other in Church and neither should we! We are call to be Bold Soldiers of Christ! Paul didn't take any and everything, he didn't except any and everything, Paul didn't be quite to be excepted by everyone, when God brought him out the world Paul insisted we not allow the world to run the Church, and neither should we. The world and worldly ways have no place in God's Church. We were Called, Saved and Anointed to bring people out of the world not bring the world and her ways into Gods Church! We are Charged to be Strong and Bold, God didn't give us the Spirit of fear because we can't keep it real for Jesus if we have fear, He says be of Good Courage! When God would give a person something to do he would always say fear not, or be of good courage, It's what he told Moses, Abram, Daniel, Jeremiah, he told Joshua over and over to not be afraid! Let us stand Strong, let us be of good courage, even in the mist of those who set out to harm us, even when we encounter them within the Church, God is with us, He promised never to leave or forsake us. God is still good even when we encounter bad.
~SIS. DIVA, JUST KEEPING IT REAL 4 JESUS~
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