If we direct others’ lives and tell people what to do,
we will bear that responsibility before God
Do we really want to be responsible for the decisions others make?
Our best efforts would be spent
teaching people how to learn to read and hear the word,
to grow in their relationship with Jesus,
to be in the habit of asking God for wisdom
and learning how to let the Holy Spirit guide each of us
through prayer and fasting as well as learning how to search
for wisdom and understanding in each situation
Yesterday, I heard a preacher tell all who could hear him
not to waste time thinking and talking about the End Times
He said the End Times have been going on for 2000 years
and much time is wasted on it
when Christians should be focusing on more important things
My distaste for his statement was not that
he didn’t like hearing about the End Times
but that he perched himself up in position
where he was telling others what to say,
what to think and even why they should obey him
There are millions of us Christians
who walk on planet earth at this very moment
We all have varying thoughts, relationships with the Lord,
areas of expertise, different types of ministries
Each of us answers to the Lord for what we spend our time on,
for what the Lord has taught us,
for what we are interested in helping others to see about God’s word
We are also responsible to speak the word of God as He prompts us
and that may be to warn others of what is impending for the world
For any person, preacher or teacher or any Christian at all
to tell another Christian what they should or shouldn’t focus on
is essentially pushing God out of the way to direct others’ lives
Our role is to do what we can to help others find their niche in Christ,
to do what He asks them to do,
without concern for what others think
they should be focusing their time and attention on
We answer to our risen savior,
not the teachers who set themselves up as lord of our lives
Detestable
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said,
We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29
Be free in Christ to speak what He gives you,
to share as your heart overflows with the things of God
Be who you were created to be
And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty
Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
We have freedom in Christ
This is a very beautiful thing,
We are free to serve Him as He directs us,
and as we have learned to listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit
It takes all kinds
Whatever you have learned in Christ,
where your heart for the lost is,
has great significance in the kingdom and God will use a yielding heart
If you grew up with an alcoholic parent,
you have experiences God can use to reach others
Or if you came from a loving family,
you have stability that can be a strength to others
If you have a child who died to suicide,
you understand loss better than most,
or if you were in jail and He has given you victory over a criminal lifestyle
Whatever He has taught you, you can use for His kingdom
So ignore people like that preacher who want to control you
and direct where you should put your efforts
Jesus is your guide, the Holy Spirit is your teacher and you answer to God,
not a mortal who sets himself up as God
No preacher, or anyone else for that matter, is going to be there
when we each face the Judgment Seat of Christ
We all are going to be responsible before God for every decision we make
If we choose to speak or not to speak
how we spend our time,
whether or not we obey what God has given us to do,
Whatever it is that He is telling us, it is before Him,
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the great I Am, that we will stand
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10