Brother Paul
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- Aug 1, 2012
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Yak's way or our way V
One of the things we see that Jesus and the apostles were involved in was setting the captives free. Now in History we were also seen to be getting involved in this process. Though many who claimed to be Christians bought, sold, and owned slaves, it was also mainly the movement of Christians who fought and gave their lives to free them. So on the one hand we had these bound peoples who were enslaved or enfentured before us with a harsh and opporessive burden that needed our help but many more, even many close to God, were bound by evil forces from within and without. They were and are bound by wordly philosophies of vain deciet, by human/animal lusts, the appeal to vanity, and spirits and rulers of wickedness in high places.
Most definitions of oppression speak of how one group or even an individual asserts real or illusary power or control over a different group or individual who does not have this power (economically. sociologically, and so on). Perhaps this group or person is being treated unusually unjust or cruel. Oxford's Dictionary defines it as “cruel and unfair treatment of people, especially by not giving them the same freedom, rights, etc. as other people.” This can even be mental stress or distress caused to people by others striving to have power over them.
But the scriptures are clear that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”. (2 Corinthians 10:4,5)
Our battle is not against flesh and blood with weapons and guns, but our battle is against ideas of reality and how we are to treat one another. We use the concepts of equality, love (the verb not the noun), righteousness (His through faith), and truth, not as hammers to pound on people different from ourselves, but as examples and a way to guide these others to a higher level of awareness and personal liberty.
The Spirit in us is called the paraklete because He comes alongside to help. It is our duty, however we can (by relief, prayer, missions, even writing our officials), is to help lift the burdens of others and help them bear their yoke. We are to become as parakletes to our family, neighbors, and even to those apart from us.
Remember what Jesus claimed in the synagogue from Isaiah 61? He read, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners” Now before He returns this duty falls on us, We are His BODY and He is our head. Are we following what our head is telling us?
One of the great honors I have been bequeathed with was the ability to help guide and counsel others and share the light of many things the Lord has provided to help people reason FOR God and against the ideas of the world. Though I was a vehement agnostic for nearly 30 years (and understood why they thought as they do, and knew all the arguments they pose against us), our Father ended up using all that to develop me for an apologetics ministry among just such people. I live in one of the most intellectual rationalist cities in America which is the home of some major Universities. Now I am not saying this as some sort of boast, but to show that the Lord can and will take what you have, where you are at, and how you have developed, and He will use that for His kingdom. He can and does actually work together all things for our good.
So maybe you are the feet of a missionary, or the hands that help others out, or the eyes like the watchman on the wall that sees what is coming and warns the rest of us, or perhaps a mouth that teaches or preaches, or perhaps all you can do is pray (a most powerful tool in His hands). But wherever you are with the Lord, and whatever talents or gifts He has given you, do not bury them in the earth but set them on a hill so others may value from them.
We have done much in history to free the oppressed and those less fortunate but it need not stop for this generation, for even a child can be changed forever with a simple word of encouragement.
Please, please, please, do not forget to work on any stronghold you may have and do what you can to set the captives free, help those who are oppressed by life or others. It is His will. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
One of the things we see that Jesus and the apostles were involved in was setting the captives free. Now in History we were also seen to be getting involved in this process. Though many who claimed to be Christians bought, sold, and owned slaves, it was also mainly the movement of Christians who fought and gave their lives to free them. So on the one hand we had these bound peoples who were enslaved or enfentured before us with a harsh and opporessive burden that needed our help but many more, even many close to God, were bound by evil forces from within and without. They were and are bound by wordly philosophies of vain deciet, by human/animal lusts, the appeal to vanity, and spirits and rulers of wickedness in high places.
Most definitions of oppression speak of how one group or even an individual asserts real or illusary power or control over a different group or individual who does not have this power (economically. sociologically, and so on). Perhaps this group or person is being treated unusually unjust or cruel. Oxford's Dictionary defines it as “cruel and unfair treatment of people, especially by not giving them the same freedom, rights, etc. as other people.” This can even be mental stress or distress caused to people by others striving to have power over them.
But the scriptures are clear that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”. (2 Corinthians 10:4,5)
Our battle is not against flesh and blood with weapons and guns, but our battle is against ideas of reality and how we are to treat one another. We use the concepts of equality, love (the verb not the noun), righteousness (His through faith), and truth, not as hammers to pound on people different from ourselves, but as examples and a way to guide these others to a higher level of awareness and personal liberty.
The Spirit in us is called the paraklete because He comes alongside to help. It is our duty, however we can (by relief, prayer, missions, even writing our officials), is to help lift the burdens of others and help them bear their yoke. We are to become as parakletes to our family, neighbors, and even to those apart from us.
Remember what Jesus claimed in the synagogue from Isaiah 61? He read, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners” Now before He returns this duty falls on us, We are His BODY and He is our head. Are we following what our head is telling us?
One of the great honors I have been bequeathed with was the ability to help guide and counsel others and share the light of many things the Lord has provided to help people reason FOR God and against the ideas of the world. Though I was a vehement agnostic for nearly 30 years (and understood why they thought as they do, and knew all the arguments they pose against us), our Father ended up using all that to develop me for an apologetics ministry among just such people. I live in one of the most intellectual rationalist cities in America which is the home of some major Universities. Now I am not saying this as some sort of boast, but to show that the Lord can and will take what you have, where you are at, and how you have developed, and He will use that for His kingdom. He can and does actually work together all things for our good.
So maybe you are the feet of a missionary, or the hands that help others out, or the eyes like the watchman on the wall that sees what is coming and warns the rest of us, or perhaps a mouth that teaches or preaches, or perhaps all you can do is pray (a most powerful tool in His hands). But wherever you are with the Lord, and whatever talents or gifts He has given you, do not bury them in the earth but set them on a hill so others may value from them.
We have done much in history to free the oppressed and those less fortunate but it need not stop for this generation, for even a child can be changed forever with a simple word of encouragement.
Please, please, please, do not forget to work on any stronghold you may have and do what you can to set the captives free, help those who are oppressed by life or others. It is His will. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
