Judgement and Discipline – two very real aspects of God’s dealings with man, yet very different in their source, their target, and their objective. Perhaps this is obvious – or, perhaps it’s something we take for granted without truly understanding the implications for us as the children of God.
The Pursuit of Riches
During my (relatively short) lifetime, I’ve sadly seen many in the church lose themselves in the pursuit of wealth (or “financial freedom”, as it’s now popular to call it). Now, if you’re a believer who’s pursuing financial freedom, take a deep breath. Before you jump to conclusions about my opinions, or begin arming yourself with ammunition to argue with me, hear me out. First of all, I don’t believe that prospering or having material blessings (including money) is inherently wrong. Furthermore, I do believe that God raises up, and will continue to raise up, believers who have financial resources for Kingdom purposes (or to aid them in their personal assignments).
That said, I’ve witnessed time and time again those who fall victim to the love of money, usually without their awareness. In the process, their hearts drift from Christ-centeredness, their theology becomes skewed, and their relationships begin to revolve around their new value system. Most times, they don’t even realize these things are happening.
The False Justice Movement
As I was praying in the shower last night, something began to stir on my heart that has often been a subject of reflection for me. With what is unfolding around us (both in our nation and abroad), I feel that this phenomenon is a matter of increasing urgemcy and importance for the church. It is the rise of what I’m calling the “False Justice Movement” – and hidden inside it is something evil and insidious.
Carrying God-Inflicted Wounds
I wanted to share something that has been impacting me deeply as of late. Recently when I was praying (and feeling broken), I heard the passage from Isaiah 53:
“But the Lord was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.”
This is one of the most potent scriptures concerning Christ, but it is also a profound window into the nature of God. “The Lord was pleased to crush Him…”. In the moment I heard this verse, the Lord was communicating something of His nature to my heart. It’s not a very popular aspect of God in our humanistic, self-seeking, pain-avoiding culture – but there are times when God does deliberately wound us, crushing us, so that a pleasing fragrance may arise – so that He can make something beautiful from the ashes, if we’re willing.