What if one of the "ways of God" was to bring us to a place where we were forced to make a choice?
To choose to be offended. taking up the offense in our hearts or....
To choose to forgive, grant forbearance and love? To choose his Kingdom, faith, hope and love, which believes all things?
So many believers are offended. Offended at God. Offended at one another. Offended at churches, denominations, Christendom in general. Offended at history. Offended at "the way they were treated". Seems as though the list never ends.
This captivity eliminates the greatest blessing the world has every known. That in Jesus every brokenness is healed. That in Jesus we are called into being the fragrance of real life, truth and love. We are the people of hope who are to forgive 7 x 7 in one day. Grace is unlimited and overcomes sin, brokenness and every human shortcoming. Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts Jesus gave us. We are called to be those who freely bestow it on the world. Our hearts included.
I've had plenty of real time reasons to get offended. Everyone has. Everyone will have these moments. We live in a fallen world with fallen hearts. I've experienced real blunders, mishaps, mess ups by people in the church, churches, etc.... So have you. I have been the source of some of those as well.
Here's one for you....
Denominational leader over me takes over a mission I spent 10 years on, forces me out of leadership and takes over himself. Tells me about it after the fact, done deal, never lets me say goodbye to my friends in the country and a few years later leaves his wife who was dying of cancer for the church secretary. Stellar performance. Yea, that hurt. So now what? The choice?
Herein lies the opportunity. Will the Kingdom of God sweep in and bring faith, hope and love, and a refreshing dose of the blood of Christ and his forgiving power, or will the heart take up an offense (one that will most likely never get resolved - meaning "justice"). The offense will lead to destruction. Forgiveness will lead to life....for everyone involved.
The only one who wins when we carry an offense is the DEVIL.
Don't get me wrong. We all have "good reasons" why our offense is more justified than the power of the blood of Christ that takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus said, "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Mat 6:15 Pretty simple equation. I've seen it over and over in Holy Spirit infused settings. People get offended at the strangest simple things.
Key: The Kingdom of God is expanding not shrinking. It is exploding in every corner of the world.
So why does it seem like Christians are getting smaller, more and more petty, less generous, and offended at inconsequential things?
Here are some of the things an offense does to us.
1) Lodging and offense in my heart does damage to my worship. Connection Lost
Test One: Worship is the first thing to go in an offended heart
Love the Lord your God with all your HEART. It is tough to do with an offense ruling it. The heart was made to serve the Lord with freedom, joy and truth. To worship without boundaries is the inheritance of the Saints. An offense at God ruins the relationship. The connection starts dying without some serious attention. The Way is an easy yoke....forgive as Christ forgave you. You didn't deserve it. Yet he gave his life for us to have the connection with the Father through forgiveness of sin.
2) Lodging an offense in the heart cuts us off from connection with Kingdom relationships
Here is the one thing about "being offended" that gets overlooked. These offenses typically work one very simple thing throughout the Body of Christ; the offended ones are typically cut off from the relationships connected to the offense. This is clearly a work of the DEVIL.
Offended at a particular church = no contact, judgement of the people connected with it, etc...
Certainly one could not fellowship with the Devil. (Amazing how the ones we offended at are no longer worthy of our connection) That gets bigger over time. Soon these folks are not in a church at all. Soon everyone is pictured in the offense. The offense become a new set of eyes, mindset and way of seeing. Problem: the eyes of offense are not Kingdom eyes or vision. Seeing the world through the eyes of offense means you are no longer the fragrance of the Kingdom and of the Christ.
3) Lodging an offense against the church, church leadership, cuts us off from progress in salvation.
The very thing we need, deep abiding relationships in the freedom and blessing of Christ and solid fellowship in the Word and Spirit are cut off in our offenses with the church. Yes, people make mistakes, sin, fall down.....of course you and I never do that. Be a kingdom adult. Apply the truths and grace of the Kingdom to situations that may require your suffering to succeed. Your sacrifice may be required. That is what adults do for kids, sacrifice. Be a father or mother in the Kingdom of God and bear the sufferings of Christ for a different church. BE the different church. Or rather, be a kingdom follower of Jesus Christ. The offense places us into the pathway of judgement. Jesus explained that pathway. Judge and you will be judged. Measure for measure.
All this is bad stuff. Are you getting hold of the picture?
The Saints who believe in a Kingdom, with a culture of honor and love, have to grow up and be adults in it. Someone needs to jump into injustice and bring the peace of Christ.
Offense is not in the Kingdom heart. Offense produces bad fruit. Offense is conquered by forgiveness and the Loving Kindness of Christ.
Ps 139:23-24 Is an invitation to freedom - Let the Spirit have his way with you.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there is any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Leave comments! Does this spark dialogue?
Email me at jreynolds@mycapstone.org
As always LOVE in the LORD
Jeff Reynolds
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