Jesus Did

"We must see this."

A MINISTER I enjoy says some wrong things. Now, this is not me being critical but making God’s point. He’s funny, entertaining (the minister, that is), overly generous in finances, and faithful to God, his family, and his church. But there are things he repeats that God wants him to stop. Another minister, of a bygone era, spoke many things not Truth, naming one – that there are no more apostles. This is not true. Yet, God gave me his name because his clarity on the parable of the wheat and the tares is excellent. There are other more modern examples of wrong doctrines. Some do not support Israel or teach the church has replaced her. This is serious error. Some openly criticize the healing message, although that is who Jesus is. Some do not allow women to preach.

There is also the apostle Paul. Paul’s words in his letters are full of God. He was God-sent, chosen for that time to do a difficult work. And he shows the change of character that God makes in us. He went from a hardnosed Pharisee, murdering Christians, to being a very loving man. Like night and day. He changed his mind on a few things he spoke, though. His words on marriage alter from Corinth to Ephesus. In Corinth, he said not to get married. In Ephesus, he compares marriage to Christ and the church. To Corinth, he stated this was his opinion, but to Ephesus, he spoke from the Spirit.

And this is right. God is always our answer. We must listen to what is taught through the Spirit. Human reasoning introduces errors. God sees and hears with clarity, without any doubt or faults in His view. We speak from our humanness. Whereas Jesus spoke the Father’s words. The Father is Greater, He said (John 14:28). Knowing who the Father is, in character, in method of working, in holiness, gives us understanding of Old Covenant things. I know why He said to Moses He’d destroy Israel and start over. It sounds harsh to us. But it fits with Him perfectly.

“Would He have destroyed Israel?” you ask. Well, He said so. But He also knew how Moses would respond. God doesn’t have to consider His reaction. He knows all elements of everything and only works in complete wisdom. We make Him human, and Jesus IS human. He is also God. We must see this, or we’ll trip a lot. Our way of thinking includes unknown things, the way people will react, changes in the situation we can’t predict. God’s ways are higher, and His thoughts are higher. This is Truth known by us but not applied in our lifestyle.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

My intent here was not to judge people. In fact, the opposite. God showed me the size of His love, and I am forever changed. I choose to prefer others and am not bothered when my opinion is not heard. It’s more important to me that we don’t argue. The apostle Paul speaks to this in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14. Using food preferences as his point, he says not to force anyone to see our side. To make someone do what is sin to them, makes us guilty of sin ourselves. Jesus was taught WHAT to say and HOW to say it (John 12:49, EasyEnglish). HOW matters. There should be no quarrels between neighbors, either physical neighbors by address, thought, or location, or mental neighbors, where we don’t see alike.

There must be no arguments between churches, between pulpits. No one should ever say God needed them to reveal anything about anyone. This is not God’s heart at all. We are to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). Love is patient and kind. It does not rejoice at iniquity. It thinks no evil. The Thomas Nelson Bible note, there (1 Corinthians 13:5), defines the word “thinketh” as “is not ready to suspect evil.” In other words, we aren’t looking for evil everywhere we go and continually pointing out evil. We’d rather swear to our own hurt, if need be, than hurt others (Psalm 15:4). Jesus did. We are rescued as a result.

“But who honors the one who fears the LORD, who keeps his word even when it hurts and does not change,” (Psalm 15:4, ISV)

“The words that I have spoken did not come from me myself. They came from the Father, who sent me. He told me what to say. And he told me how to say it.” (John 12:49, EasyEnglish)

“And above all things have fervent love to yourselves, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 MKJV)


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com