On Giving God The Middle Finger

The Biblical Word is “Rebellion”. Which is defined as blatant resistance to HIS standard or command.

What that looks like in the religious parts of our society (whether we go with the “Catholic”; “Mainline Denominational”; “Evangelical Non-denominational”; or even “Hebrew Roots” versions of God's Written Intentions) is a doctrinal misinterpretation of Scripture!

Wherein, much like the “Pharisees” of Yeshua's day (whom He was constantly rebuking or correcting; and who are now called “Orthodox”) we humans take the Word of God and construct our own religious set of rules to manipulate each other, and all of society!

Meaning that, instead of seeking and adhering to God's loving boundaries, which HE designed to protect us, and guide us toward Him - we take His loving commands and turn them into a lot of Rules and Restrictions which miss His heart!

Those man-adjusted religious rules twist the meaning of His Words, in order to justify, placate and/or control the flesh. Religion is more concerned with how things look, than how people ARE, so instead of eradicating the sin-infested flesh, and transforming us back to HIS image and character as He designed it to be, we just camouflage it with religious garb, and play a lifetime game of let's pretend with God and others! Only HE is not fooled by our games.

What that rebellion looks like in the non-religious parts of our world is a philosophical, politically correct, mental push-back against the aforementioned misinformation of the religious fun-sucking and restriction oriented “Church” world. This manifests as an all out flesh-fest of unrestrained sin! Because, let's face it. They don't have anything else to work with, and can't be expected to keep HIS standard without HIS input.  (Which – thanks to most of “us”, who consider ourselves to be “insiders”, “they”, who still live "outside" of the religious zoos, don't want His standards which "we" have misrepresented so badly! And who can blame them!?)

Both fleshly approaches (because religious flesh is still flesh y'all) are, however, hypocritical, utterly foolish, and completely miss God's heart in all of the commands that He gave! The flesh – even with a religious camouflage – can not possibly comply with His standards for us! Standards which were simply meant to keep mankind within reasonable boundaries, for the best life on this planet, until He could get His Spirit and Anointing into us - on a level so that we could operate His Truth IN HIS LOVE. We have gotten SO far away from that concept and practice!

But for those of “us” who claim to believe, which means that WE DO have a CHOICE NOW, let me just lay it out for you - when we choose to operate in the flesh – which means that we choose NOT to comply with HIS SPIRIT (which only operates in congruence with His WORD) - we are giving God the middle finger! We have crossed the line into rebellion to His Word. And we are NOT on HIS side anymore!!! We have, in following the fleshly preferences, arrayed ourselves against Him, and have put ourselves on the target for His wrath and judgment! Painful but true!

If The Holy Spirit – whose actions are defined by HIS FRUIT/CHARACTER, which is expressed in the qualities of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GENTLENESS, HUMILITY (meekness), FAITHFULNESS (Endurance, Diligence, Trustworthiness) and SELF-CONTROL – is not being yielded to in our lives, if WE by our actions defy HIM, then we have drifted, or outright jumped, into SIN again. Which means that we have now LEFT the realm of SALVATION/YESHUA, and GRACE is no longer covering US!

The flesh is NOT what is “saved” at what we like to call “Conversion”. When we actually accept the Sacrifice of Yeshua on our behalf our spirit-being is awakened, brought to life! The flesh is KILLED, not "saved". We trade it for the redeemed spirit! 

That is why we get Baptized in Water as a symbolic act of obedience, as Yeshua got the Mikvah, (a ceremonial bath or cleansing) from John The Baptizer! HE didn't NEED it. He did it to show US what we should do. Because, when we are Baptized in water, it is a symbolic representation of us being BURIED IN and WITH HIM - THE ANOINTED ONE, and then RISING TO NEW LIFE IN HIM! As HE died and was buried, and then rose to eternal life FOR us! He went first, so we could follow! But to really follow Him in new life we must die to the flesh and it's preferences! 

What it means to “DIE TO THE FLESH” - practically - is that we are to ignore its demands, lusts and requirements – DAILY. We are told that is how we must “DECREASE SO THAT HE CAN INCREASE”! We are told that we are to “RENEW OUR MINDS WITH THE WORD” so that we can and will follow the “Author and Finisher of our FAITH”, and, with HIM, “BE ABOUT OUR FATHER's BUSINESS”! Instead of attempting to mind everyone else's!

We were never meant to become “converts” to a mere religious practice or orientation! We are meant to be, as Paul puts it, in his letter to the Believers at Rome, utterly, “TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING OF OUR MINDS...” Romans 12:1-3 puts it this way:

"Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you...”

So. Here is the deal. When we act from motivations that are selfish, that are not inspired by the Spirit of God, and therefore do not confirm to the standard of The Word (which Yeshua boiled down to “LOVING GOD above all else and everyone else as ourselves”) then we have not only missed God, we have given His Spirit the middle finger! We have jabbed a sharp stick in His eye! We are choosing the flesh over the spirit – which means that we are begging for judgment! NOT GOOD!!!!!

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but we've been getting the judgment we've asked for! How else would one explain the poop show that is our current world?

In the people who make a loud noise about belonging to Him – the so called “CHURCH” - there is as much sin as there is "out in the world"! As Paul would say, “My brothers, this ought not to be!”

But seriously, look around you, there is rampant gluttony, addictive behaviors of all kinds, sexual immorality off the charts (as well as the resulting infant-sacrifices to heathen gods of convenience, etc., in the name of “women's rights”); there is rampant racism in all directions – including but not limited to Antisemitism; and a host of other outright abominations, because people rarely READ His Word, much less strain themselves to line up with it!

We claim that GRACE has relieved us of those requirements! NO WAY!!! Actually, His intention was that it aid us in lining up, and that His Grace would sort of hold our place until we had come to a spiritual position of obedience!

This obedience comes through the renewing of our minds, as we hang out with Him and study His Word! But we have to at least be trying to line up! Not just ignorantly plowing through life with little to no regard to what He actually said! Spending little to no time with HIM. No relationship can survive that kind of blind negligence! 

As a result of this spiritual malpractice, most people have NO idea how many ways they are transgressing His commands, nor do they care! They believe that they've got their “get out of hell free card”, which is how most people view “salvation” or “conversion to Christianity”. So they think that is all they need. They think they are “good” now.

Obviously they haven't read His Law/Requirements of Holy Living for themselves, nor have they heard it preached! Most “shepherds", a.k.a “pastors” are mere hirelings that are in it for the career benefits, not the building or increase of HIS kingdom. (Though most have deceived themselves and others into thinking otherwise!) Most people, in most “congregations” over America, therefore,  have never heard of, nor have they read for themselves, that part where Jesus said to those religious ones who thought that way, “Depart from me, you lawless ones, I never knew you!”

You see, after we MEET HIM, we are supposed to develop an actual RELATIONSHIP with HIM. Not just come to the “Church” for weekly visits, like visiting a family member in jail! If we LOVE HIM, He said, we will keep His commandments – and THEN – He, His Father, and His Spirit, will come and make a home with us! He doesn't want to just “date”! He wants a covenant relationship, He wants to move in! He wants to LIVE in, and WITH us! To talk every day!!! He wants us in our entirety – lock, stock and barrel! The whole enchilada! Body, soul and spirit!

Because, when our spirits are enlivened at Salvation that is to be only the beginning! But how most of “Christianity” is managed these days is more like stopping at the first date, and then trying to sue Him for His house, car and vacation home! Not happening!

At some point we, who call ourselves “Believers”  (insinuating that we believe IN Jesus, Yeshua, as our “LORD and Savior”; though most have barely made Him Savior, much less LORD) MUST begin to line our behavior up with our stated “Beliefs”!

Just what DO we believe?! We prate memorized Scripture – like - “By His stripes we are healed”; but then run to the medical profession in sheer panic at every cramp, bump or burp! We claim to know and live by HIS law, but won't even bother to keep the man made laws, such as the speed limit! We claim undying devotion to Him, but then barely give His Word the time of day, and can't tell His Spirit from any other spiritual force out there! We weave in and out of His Kingdom like drunk drivers, then pout when life takes a dump on us and accuse HIM of being slack in our care! Oy!

Listen up! He will not bully us into compliance with His standard! We must seek HIM out, and line ourselves up with HIS boundaries - with the help of HIS SPIRIT of course !

IF we want the madness to STOP. If WE want our nation back! If there is ANY HOPE of “Making America Great ...”, which means “Making America GOD's...” (I don't even know about the “AGAIN” part, we've never quite gotten there for five minutes in my observation) - but – IF there is ANY hope of America EVER lining up with God on a significant basis – then HIS PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY HIS NAME (and there's another issue which I won't elaborate on right now, because we are too wishy-washy to choose what His Name is or even choose one!) - need to STOP just quoting II Chronicles 7:14 and actually LIVE IT!

That means that we need to “HUMBLE OURSELVES AND PRAY”; then go one beyond that and “SEEK HIS FACE” (not just His hand/blessing); and then “TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS” (make Teshuvah, REPENT, turn away from our ways of doing and being, to line up with HIS standards for a change) – THEN, and only then, He promises to “HEAR FROM HEAVEN” - “FORGIVE OUR SINS” and “HEAL OUR LAND”!

So my advice to what is “left” of “America”, and what is perceived to be “right” as well, is Repent! Bow down, line up, and get in step with His Spirit, so that He can bless our nation again. Stop playing Church and BE His Body in the Earth.

There's a lot that needs saving. The harvest is ripe. But the laborers are so few, because most of those “Many” who were “called” are out playing, while the “few” who were “chosen” (those who actually bothered to show up when He called) are doing all the work here! And then, those called, who didn't bother to even show up, dare to pout because they weren't chosen!?  Go figure?!

It has been said that “you can't fix stupid”. The flesh IS the definition of stupid. It can't be fixed, that is why it must be crucified in Christ.

We can not follow the fleshly man and the spirit man at the same time. This is why the word CHOOSE is always coming up in The Word of GOD. God insists that we CHOOSE LIFE. CHOOSE HIM, HIS WAYS OF DOING AND BEING RIGHTEOUS.

If we don't choose His ways, then we choose sin by default. Default mode is death, eternally. Default mode is failure here. Default mode is flesh. It separates us from Him. We can not have both.

It is time His bratty kids stopped giving Daddy the finger and lined up with His love.

#Selah …..

#Repent

#ChooseThisDay

#StopGivingGodTheFinger

#GetAmericaSaved