Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out, who accused them day and night before God (Revelation 12:10 MSG).
When I was a kid the last thing I wanted to hear from my siblings was “I’m going to tell Ma about your ...” (whatever my behavior and actions happened to be). These words fostered fear and concern. They also marked the beginning of the negotiations: If you keep this between us, then I will do anything you want me to do”. Or the conversation might have gone this way, “if you tell my business, then I will tell yours”. Whichever way it went keeping the secret about my imperfection was important to me and thought to be necessary for my well being simply because I did not want to experience the wrath, whooping or temporary withdrawal from my parents.
On the hand, if the words “I'm going to tell Ma” were said when I was innocent, I had a different type of confidence. I could function free of fear and anxiety. There wasn't any need for negotiation. I did not have to think about how I was going to spin the story or retell it to make me appear more favorably. There was no fear of the truth because truth was on my side: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free"(John 8:32). As the wise, late Reverend Gus Wilson, former pastor of the New Kingdom Baptist Church where I grew up used to say "truth can walk down the street naked". Simply, the truth doesn't need to be concealed or covered. It is able to withstand accusation.
When the incarnated Jesus was being accused by the religious rulers of his day, he remained silent. "When the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing"(Matthew 27:12). His silence was not an admission of guilt. Rather, it was confidence that truth would prevail. He knew that God would vindicate him and bring the injustice he was encountering to a halt. For the record, when charges were being leveled against Jesus, other people came to his defense and honor. "They said, "This has to be the Son of God"(Matthew 27:54).
As believers, we must become familiar with being falsely accused. Sadly, it goes with being a Christian. Accusation is one of the weapons in the arsenal of the devil. The devil constantly comes before the Lord accusing Christians regarding our conduct, character and choices. This demonic spirit also appears among believers in the church. Several times in the early church the apostle had to address issues of slander and accusations. As a matter of fact, the apostle said that in the last days there would be a pervasive spirit of verbal unkindness among Christians. "There are difficult times ahead, and as the end approaches people are going to be....dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage...and cynical (2 Timothy 3:1-3 MSG).
Therefore, since we know that the spirit of false accusations is operable in the world (and unfortunately the church as well) then let's not give the devil or people anything to talk about. We must prayerfully ask God for strength to live according to godly and biblical principles. Also, we should hold ourselves up to a higher standard and be free of excuses that justify ungodly actions and behaviors. Paul said we must "walk worthy of our vocation, and don't let our good be "evil spoken of"(see Eph 4:1; Rom14:16). Let us be holy as God is holy! (1 Peter 1:16).
Finally, we know that this Christian journey is not easy. It has great challenges and temptations. The Christian struggle is perhaps best captured in a portion of the hymn, “Come Thou Fount” which reads "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it: Prone to leave the God I love". Or as the apostle described it, the wrestling to live righteously presents internal difficulty: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Romans 7:18). For this reason, we must not judge other believers when they are fighting, falling or fallen into divers temptation. We must resist the tendency to accuse. Instead, we should pray for the strength of others and ourselves. "Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out" (Galatians 6:1MSG)
Prayer: Lord we seek your face for our own strength to live according to your word, will and way. Then God we ask that you give others power to live in obedience to your standards, sayings and statues. Please God the world is watching us to see you. We’re prone to wander Lord and we feel it: prone to leave the God we love. So take our hearts Lord and seal them – seal them for thy courts above, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
God's Peace and Good Journey!
+t. anthony bronner
When I was a kid the last thing I wanted to hear from my siblings was “I’m going to tell Ma about your ...” (whatever my behavior and actions happened to be). These words fostered fear and concern. They also marked the beginning of the negotiations: If you keep this between us, then I will do anything you want me to do”. Or the conversation might have gone this way, “if you tell my business, then I will tell yours”. Whichever way it went keeping the secret about my imperfection was important to me and thought to be necessary for my well being simply because I did not want to experience the wrath, whooping or temporary withdrawal from my parents.
On the hand, if the words “I'm going to tell Ma” were said when I was innocent, I had a different type of confidence. I could function free of fear and anxiety. There wasn't any need for negotiation. I did not have to think about how I was going to spin the story or retell it to make me appear more favorably. There was no fear of the truth because truth was on my side: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free"(John 8:32). As the wise, late Reverend Gus Wilson, former pastor of the New Kingdom Baptist Church where I grew up used to say "truth can walk down the street naked". Simply, the truth doesn't need to be concealed or covered. It is able to withstand accusation.
When the incarnated Jesus was being accused by the religious rulers of his day, he remained silent. "When the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing"(Matthew 27:12). His silence was not an admission of guilt. Rather, it was confidence that truth would prevail. He knew that God would vindicate him and bring the injustice he was encountering to a halt. For the record, when charges were being leveled against Jesus, other people came to his defense and honor. "They said, "This has to be the Son of God"(Matthew 27:54).
As believers, we must become familiar with being falsely accused. Sadly, it goes with being a Christian. Accusation is one of the weapons in the arsenal of the devil. The devil constantly comes before the Lord accusing Christians regarding our conduct, character and choices. This demonic spirit also appears among believers in the church. Several times in the early church the apostle had to address issues of slander and accusations. As a matter of fact, the apostle said that in the last days there would be a pervasive spirit of verbal unkindness among Christians. "There are difficult times ahead, and as the end approaches people are going to be....dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage...and cynical (2 Timothy 3:1-3 MSG).
Therefore, since we know that the spirit of false accusations is operable in the world (and unfortunately the church as well) then let's not give the devil or people anything to talk about. We must prayerfully ask God for strength to live according to godly and biblical principles. Also, we should hold ourselves up to a higher standard and be free of excuses that justify ungodly actions and behaviors. Paul said we must "walk worthy of our vocation, and don't let our good be "evil spoken of"(see Eph 4:1; Rom14:16). Let us be holy as God is holy! (1 Peter 1:16).
Finally, we know that this Christian journey is not easy. It has great challenges and temptations. The Christian struggle is perhaps best captured in a portion of the hymn, “Come Thou Fount” which reads "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it: Prone to leave the God I love". Or as the apostle described it, the wrestling to live righteously presents internal difficulty: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Romans 7:18). For this reason, we must not judge other believers when they are fighting, falling or fallen into divers temptation. We must resist the tendency to accuse. Instead, we should pray for the strength of others and ourselves. "Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out" (Galatians 6:1MSG)
Prayer: Lord we seek your face for our own strength to live according to your word, will and way. Then God we ask that you give others power to live in obedience to your standards, sayings and statues. Please God the world is watching us to see you. We’re prone to wander Lord and we feel it: prone to leave the God we love. So take our hearts Lord and seal them – seal them for thy courts above, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
God's Peace and Good Journey!
+t. anthony bronner
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