Daughter of Zion's Future Glory
I'm feeling some kinda way right now. I woke up this morning to a most beautiful day, yet scripturally something does not sit well with me. It seems that more often than not it is those in the church who are beating me down and discouraging me (even praying against me) without cause. I have received more GOD-like compassion from worldly people than from church people. This is sad because as Christians, even if someone wrongs us, we are to forgive. It's disheartening to watch, as others, with whom brethren shouldn't even have a meal, not only are rewarded non-punitive acceptance, but even sit in the pulpit misguiding others. I understand that forgiveness has no limitations; shouldn't that abound toward me as well? The word of GOD is clear. Some, we are to pull from the fire, hating even their sin stained garment. In my situation. I have been, knowingly, wrongfully and harshly misjudged, yet I don't even receive an apology from the saints. I'm not accusing the brethren, please stop with that! While Christians are busy rebuking and casting one another out of the church, the devil and his imps are raging; just turn on the news, in our own neighborhoods and even in our own homes. It's easy and even cowardly to gang up on someone when they're in the midst of a trial, especially when we don't understand. But the last time I checked, GOD doesn't need approval from any of us to bless, chasten, refine or use whomever HE chooses. I'm not complaining, I'm simply acknowledging. I know the truth about my situation and I know what GOD says about it:
Isaiah 66
5 Hear the word of the LORD you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you
and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame."
I have been referred to with some of the most vile and despicable names imaginable, not by "sinners" but by people who call themselves by GOD's name. How much agape love would you have felt if you had been called all these things, without cause, by "Christians" and those closest to you who were supposed to love you?
Nothing
Seductress
Temptress
Harlot
Wicked
Evil
Demonic
Less than stellar
Beggar
Unfit
Hateful
Manipulative
Narcissistic
Accuser
Weak
Liar (who hath believed our report)
etc. . .
A preacher, who was bound in adultery himself, at the time, even had the nerve to stand in the pulpit that GOD had blessed him with and literally say that someone with my background was too much work for a relationship with a man. The first thought that entered my mind was "what if GOD had felt that way about your sinful, messed up self?"
On top of all of life's other very real situations . . . at what point would it have been too much for you?
True, it's not what you're called but what you answer to. But, JESUS knew something about being mocked and hated for no reason: "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the SON of man."
I have been called to give testimony and that is what I am doing. Christians need to be very careful about the scriptures we apply to others, especially if we are not directly connected with that person, as I am with my mother. My life's journey is a direct reflection of the "Daughters of Zion." I was ill conceived and forsaken; had an abusive childhood; suffered the loss of a child because of that abuse; had an adulterous affair - which, at the time,I was quite proud of (haughty); widowhood was not derived in typical fashion. God's deferred anger toward me has been just as exact, in that,I had an embarrassing incident of stench; experienced scab baldness (though most of my hair has grown back, I have a bag of hair as a reminder - I don't even know why I saved it ); depressed, I sometimes cried all day (lamented); pretty much everything that I owned has been taken away and I'm now living in DESOLATION (no real friends or family), DESTRUCTION (my finances are ruined), FAMINE (I dealt with hunger as a child, having grown up on welfare; I never thought I would have to deal with it as an adult - if you saw my resume and knew how hard I've worked, you would wonder what happened: Yet here I am, hungry), and finally SWORD - Lord knows I am experiencing warfare with these demons at this apartment complex). I just pray that when the time comes for me sit upon the ground; GOD extends abundant mercy toward me.
I reveal these truths to say that, things are not always as they appear on the surface; therefore, we should be cautious when categorizing people scripturally. It's one thing for GOD to chasten, HE knows the details. But, when we use the situation as an opportunity to oppress someone in their weakened state of chastening, we get in the way of GOD's plans. It could possibly even be a test to see how godly we respond in the situation. In fact GOD asks the question "Why is it when I came, was there no man; and when I called there was no answer?" GOD knows what HE is doing and HE doesn't need our negative interference, there are consequences for that:
Isaiah 51
22 Thus said your Lord the LORD, and your God that pleads the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; you shall no more drink it again: 23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict you; which have said to your soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and you have laid your body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
Isaiah 49
25 But this is what the LORD says: "Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save.
This is not to say that this is consistent with every Christian I have encountered and certainly the people on PrayerRrquest.com have been a saving grace. But, unfortunately this has been the general response of church people. Naturally Job comes to mind in my situation and oh how wrong his friends were. And so we have it "What has been, will be again. What has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun"
With your prayers, I will get through this. I don't believe for one moment that GOD created me to remain in this situation and if I am to believe the totality of scripture, and I do, my future glory, because of salvation is as bright as the noonday sun.
Despite what that preacher (who is but mere man) says, even at my age and despite my history, GOD says "I AM your husband". HE also promises that because HE delights in me, I will be married, a bride called by the name of HIS choosing.
THANK YOU LORD FOR SECOND CHANCES!!!!
I'm feeling some kinda way right now. I woke up this morning to a most beautiful day, yet scripturally something does not sit well with me. It seems that more often than not it is those in the church who are beating me down and discouraging me (even praying against me) without cause. I have received more GOD-like compassion from worldly people than from church people. This is sad because as Christians, even if someone wrongs us, we are to forgive. It's disheartening to watch, as others, with whom brethren shouldn't even have a meal, not only are rewarded non-punitive acceptance, but even sit in the pulpit misguiding others. I understand that forgiveness has no limitations; shouldn't that abound toward me as well? The word of GOD is clear. Some, we are to pull from the fire, hating even their sin stained garment. In my situation. I have been, knowingly, wrongfully and harshly misjudged, yet I don't even receive an apology from the saints. I'm not accusing the brethren, please stop with that! While Christians are busy rebuking and casting one another out of the church, the devil and his imps are raging; just turn on the news, in our own neighborhoods and even in our own homes. It's easy and even cowardly to gang up on someone when they're in the midst of a trial, especially when we don't understand. But the last time I checked, GOD doesn't need approval from any of us to bless, chasten, refine or use whomever HE chooses. I'm not complaining, I'm simply acknowledging. I know the truth about my situation and I know what GOD says about it:
Isaiah 66
5 Hear the word of the LORD you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you
and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame."
I have been referred to with some of the most vile and despicable names imaginable, not by "sinners" but by people who call themselves by GOD's name. How much agape love would you have felt if you had been called all these things, without cause, by "Christians" and those closest to you who were supposed to love you?
Nothing
Seductress
Temptress
Harlot
Wicked
Evil
Demonic
Less than stellar
Beggar
Unfit
Hateful
Manipulative
Narcissistic
Accuser
Weak
Liar (who hath believed our report)
etc. . .
A preacher, who was bound in adultery himself, at the time, even had the nerve to stand in the pulpit that GOD had blessed him with and literally say that someone with my background was too much work for a relationship with a man. The first thought that entered my mind was "what if GOD had felt that way about your sinful, messed up self?"
On top of all of life's other very real situations . . . at what point would it have been too much for you?
True, it's not what you're called but what you answer to. But, JESUS knew something about being mocked and hated for no reason: "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the SON of man."
I have been called to give testimony and that is what I am doing. Christians need to be very careful about the scriptures we apply to others, especially if we are not directly connected with that person, as I am with my mother. My life's journey is a direct reflection of the "Daughters of Zion." I was ill conceived and forsaken; had an abusive childhood; suffered the loss of a child because of that abuse; had an adulterous affair - which, at the time,I was quite proud of (haughty); widowhood was not derived in typical fashion. God's deferred anger toward me has been just as exact, in that,I had an embarrassing incident of stench; experienced scab baldness (though most of my hair has grown back, I have a bag of hair as a reminder - I don't even know why I saved it ); depressed, I sometimes cried all day (lamented); pretty much everything that I owned has been taken away and I'm now living in DESOLATION (no real friends or family), DESTRUCTION (my finances are ruined), FAMINE (I dealt with hunger as a child, having grown up on welfare; I never thought I would have to deal with it as an adult - if you saw my resume and knew how hard I've worked, you would wonder what happened: Yet here I am, hungry), and finally SWORD - Lord knows I am experiencing warfare with these demons at this apartment complex). I just pray that when the time comes for me sit upon the ground; GOD extends abundant mercy toward me.
I reveal these truths to say that, things are not always as they appear on the surface; therefore, we should be cautious when categorizing people scripturally. It's one thing for GOD to chasten, HE knows the details. But, when we use the situation as an opportunity to oppress someone in their weakened state of chastening, we get in the way of GOD's plans. It could possibly even be a test to see how godly we respond in the situation. In fact GOD asks the question "Why is it when I came, was there no man; and when I called there was no answer?" GOD knows what HE is doing and HE doesn't need our negative interference, there are consequences for that:
Isaiah 51
22 Thus said your Lord the LORD, and your God that pleads the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; you shall no more drink it again: 23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict you; which have said to your soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and you have laid your body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
Isaiah 49
25 But this is what the LORD says: "Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save.
This is not to say that this is consistent with every Christian I have encountered and certainly the people on PrayerRrquest.com have been a saving grace. But, unfortunately this has been the general response of church people. Naturally Job comes to mind in my situation and oh how wrong his friends were. And so we have it "What has been, will be again. What has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun"
With your prayers, I will get through this. I don't believe for one moment that GOD created me to remain in this situation and if I am to believe the totality of scripture, and I do, my future glory, because of salvation is as bright as the noonday sun.
Despite what that preacher (who is but mere man) says, even at my age and despite my history, GOD says "I AM your husband". HE also promises that because HE delights in me, I will be married, a bride called by the name of HIS choosing.
THANK YOU LORD FOR SECOND CHANCES!!!!