Danger is all around even inside you
Recently, I listened to a conversation that made me wonder about a lot of things, but most especially human nature. Christians were the ones involved in the conversation. As in many countries today people meet in groups, in churches, homes and other settings. I am fully persuaded that such discussions often come on amongst people.
The discussion became historical in certain aspects; that even dated before the participant and even myself were born. They carried on their conversation based on what they were told by others or what others told them they were told growing up. It really did not matter. What I observed that was important was that those having this conversation were Christians (born again).
In their unguarded moment during the conversation certain things came up that the only way I could describe it is to wonder why Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates.” Except we do not want to abide in the truth; besides we all are depending on the blood of Jesus Christ for mercy and grace.
As Christians we must put Jesus Christ first in everything we do. In this conversation that I witnessed between these Christians in their unguarded moments, the blood of Jesus Christ took a seat behind, the blood of tribe, ethnicity and nationality. People first go for their natural or ethnic or national blood before thinking about the blood of Jesus Christ. People get so carried away in their unguarded moments. People forget the blood of Jesus what it is to a believer. We are saved by the blood of Christ, our sins are washed away and we are made a new creation by that, and we are neither Jews nor gentiles, Tribal or ethnic or culture or language or nationality is supposed to take second seat behind the blood of Christ.
Very often we manifest the natural or carnal side of us or the oldman of death, instead of the new man renewed in righteousness; that is the life of Christ in us. We must resist the urge or temptation to follow the ethnic or national or cultural bloodline, in place of the blood of Jesus Christ that translates us into the kingdom of God and makes us citizens of heaven. The blood of Christ in you will always speak the truth, remember Abel’s blood that speaketh. Looking at these you can see we are not fully ready to meet the Lord; for our conversation should be in heaven, not wallowing in the blood of ethnicity or culture or nationality.
The conversation I listened to meandered through ethnic bloodlines based on things told them from the past by others. For a moment they each pushed and pulled in favor of their tribal lines and not after Christ. Some of the issues in question were cultural ones with vain fables that ended up distorting the mind of the believers at the manipulation of the devil. Jeremiah 17:9-10 reads, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it. I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Also, Proverbs 4:23-24, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.” This teaches the believer to watch what they say for it often comes from within and could be wrong or contrary to God’s word.
Remember the story of the good Samaritan in the bible, (Luke 10:30-37) the bloodline failed, the ethnic bloodline failed, the religious bloodline failed but the true believers bloodline passed the test. This true believer’s bloodline was devoid of ethnicity or tribal or cultural or language bloodline; but was full of compassion, love ,concern and action to remedy the situation even at his expense. The victim was a Jew and the Good Samaritan was a non Jew but the others were religious Jews. The difference always comes from within. The Samaritan had compassion. Also he manifested mercy all these you find in the blood of Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost in believers. Not even the religious blood in the priest or the Levite could manifest compassion in these situations. These scenerios exist in the world today, and many are trading the bloodline of Christ in them for ethnic, cultural, religious, family or national bloodlines.
The Bible enjoins us to even love our enemies and let God take care of the outcomes. You cannot be a believer and operate in or accommodate hate in your dealings.Hate is the key to hell.Hate unlocks the doors to hell. You cannot have hate in you and expect to see and go with Jesus Christ in the Translation. Hate is found among the host of Galatians 5:19-21. This hate runs in the bloodlines of tribes, ethnicities, cultures, languages, religions and nationalities without encounter for a change with the blood of Christ. The Hebrews in the Bible, when the word of God came to them and they obeyed, there was peace, favor and victory. But when they allowed the influence or followed other gods they met the judgment of the real God. Stay with the truth of God no matter the situation for the blood of Christ availeth much and separates us from other assumed bloodline connections without the power and manifestation of love, peace, mercy and compassion as in Galatians 5:22-23.
In these last days, let every true believer be careful. Let us examine ourselves and make our calling and election sure. Who are you pleasing today, your tribe, ethnic group, culture, language, religion, nationality or God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ royal blood should be flowing in your veins and washing away things that you put ahead of your relationship with the Lord. Beware of ethnicity, tribalism, culture, religion, nationality, family and all such that may at any time run contrary to the truth of the gospel. Be led by the Spirit of God always (Rom.8:14) and you will be saved from spiritual dangers that the devil may plant in you.
We are supposed to be members of the same body and Jesus Christ is our head; not ethnicity, culture or nationality. Jesus Christ has children among all nationality or tribes or language and we are supposed to be one. Remember Ephesians 4:4-6, “There is One body, one Spirit, one Calling, One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” This applies only to those who have repented and allowed Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior. They all are citizens of heaven. Remember Eph. 2:12-13. Generally the oldman and his deeds are common where the standard of judgment or measure is ethnicity, religion, nationality, culture or language. But the new man or new creation manifests the attributes and qualities of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are truly born again, you will and are supposed to align and work with a person with the same spirit of the Lord. But the devil will always bring before you the temptation of earthly connections and realities against heavenly facts and standards. Stand with the truth and with a fellow citizen of heaven, if he or she stands with the truth of the word of God and manifests it.
Remember 1st Peter 1:17-19, “– – -Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversations received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot” These day there is an inscription used in certain circles that reads, “NORMAL ISN’T COMING BACK BUT JESUS IS. Acts 1:11 confirms that.
164 – Danger is all around even inside you