I've watched with fascination the media's response to the passing of Ted Kennedy. He's treated like a demi-god.
He was a liar. A womanizer. The stories of his antics with women are legendary as well as documented. Above all, he was a murderer. All his years in the Senate, where he lived like pseudo royalty feigning to care about the little man and the oppressed, does not pay the price for murder.
Ed Klein, former foreign editor of Newsweek and editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine, recalling on an episode of The Diane Rehm Show that Ted Kennedy liked to joke about Chappaquiddick. Here's what he said to guest host Katy Kay.
"I don't know if you know this or not, but one of his favorite topics of humor was indeed Chappaquiddick itself. And he would ask people, "have you heard any new jokes about Chappaquiddick?" That is just the most amazing thing. It's not that he didn't feel remorse about the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, but that he still always saw the other side of everything and the ridiculous side of things, too."
He joked? About killing a woman? "He saw the other side of everything and the ridiculous?" Ed Klein finds this endearing? Please, tell me, what is "the ridiculous" about letting a woman die? It's not like Ted spilled mustard on his shirt during a Senate session. The blog goes on to say how the producers tried to backpedal from Klein's comments.
I don't think Mary Jo and her family find her death amusing. Nor see Ted Kennedy a devout servant, a man to be honored. Neither do I. A leader should make one feel safe. I would have never felt safe under his leadership. Would've never wanted to follow him into battle. Would've never wanted him in the Oval office on a day like September 11th.
I pray Ted Kennedy stood before the Father covered in the blood of Jesus. I pray we stop honoring adulterers and murderers in this nation. No matter who they are, or where they came from.
America wake up. May the fear of the Lord falls on us.
Showing posts with label Fear of the Lord. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fear of the Lord. Show all posts
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Is the Lord's touch unfamiliar to us?
Yesterday a good friend and I were talking about those uncomfortable places in God. Those times when a comment from a friend or pastor, a story you've read, a song lyric that challenges our comfort zones and belief system.
He said, "The Lords touch is so unfamiliar to many. Including His people."
Have you been in that place where you were uncomfortable? Even felt a panic or a fear. I have. I was hanging with some big-gun friends, ministers who, you know, get visits from Jesus or who have been snatched into heaven a time or two, fast on a regular basis, are continually in the Word and prayer, and they were talking about the End Times.
Man, I wanted to jump out of the car. And I was driving. Panic gripped my heart. Since I'd struggled with that in the past, and overcame, I started praying, rebuking, quoting Scripture. Looking back, it's pretty funny because I was more than likely rebuking God.
What was going on? In the midst of their conversation, God came and His presence made me uncomfortable. The entire weekend, all I'd experience was joy and exhortation, charged up and ready to stay in the game and run the race for Jesus with endurance.
Suddenly, I can't sleep. I'm anxious. I'm bothered. I'm being challenged by the Holy Spirit to leave my comfort zone. I'd said "Yes" in my heart to the Lord to walk in a new place, to be wholehearted and that weekend He tapped a place in my heart and said, "This. I want to change this."
When Jesus appears, He will be both glorious and terrifying. We can't stay in a comfortable, thus-far-no-more place in Jesus if we want to be Kingdom minded, ready to stand with Him to the End of the Age.
Is there a part of your life that God is touching so it makes you feel uncomfortable. Is He confronting a belief system that you cling to because it's where you want to be. Even if it's a good spiritual place, not one of sin. But you know He's challenging?
God's touch can be so unfamiliar, yet we need to be in a place of communion and confidence with Him. We want to be like John, the Beloved, leaning our head against His breast, hearing His heart beat.
Next time you feel "uncomfortable" in a worship service or conversation, maybe while praying and being in the Word, ask for understanding and stay in that place until the Lord has completed His good work.
He said, "The Lords touch is so unfamiliar to many. Including His people."
Have you been in that place where you were uncomfortable? Even felt a panic or a fear. I have. I was hanging with some big-gun friends, ministers who, you know, get visits from Jesus or who have been snatched into heaven a time or two, fast on a regular basis, are continually in the Word and prayer, and they were talking about the End Times.
Man, I wanted to jump out of the car. And I was driving. Panic gripped my heart. Since I'd struggled with that in the past, and overcame, I started praying, rebuking, quoting Scripture. Looking back, it's pretty funny because I was more than likely rebuking God.
What was going on? In the midst of their conversation, God came and His presence made me uncomfortable. The entire weekend, all I'd experience was joy and exhortation, charged up and ready to stay in the game and run the race for Jesus with endurance.
Suddenly, I can't sleep. I'm anxious. I'm bothered. I'm being challenged by the Holy Spirit to leave my comfort zone. I'd said "Yes" in my heart to the Lord to walk in a new place, to be wholehearted and that weekend He tapped a place in my heart and said, "This. I want to change this."
When Jesus appears, He will be both glorious and terrifying. We can't stay in a comfortable, thus-far-no-more place in Jesus if we want to be Kingdom minded, ready to stand with Him to the End of the Age.
Is there a part of your life that God is touching so it makes you feel uncomfortable. Is He confronting a belief system that you cling to because it's where you want to be. Even if it's a good spiritual place, not one of sin. But you know He's challenging?
God's touch can be so unfamiliar, yet we need to be in a place of communion and confidence with Him. We want to be like John, the Beloved, leaning our head against His breast, hearing His heart beat.
Next time you feel "uncomfortable" in a worship service or conversation, maybe while praying and being in the Word, ask for understanding and stay in that place until the Lord has completed His good work.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Fear of The Lord
Thinking about the fear of the Lord. It is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 111:10.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.
If you're struggling, maybe it's time to fear (revere) the Lord. We tend to boil Him down to our own understanding and theologies.
God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and half way home to the Promise Land, Moses heads off to talk to God, THE God, and the Israelites convince Aaron to make a golden cafe for them to worship.
A couple of things here. First of all, they called the cafe God. Not any of the gods they knew in Egypt, but THE God. Yet, He was confined to something they could see and control. God was subject to their own hands, so they thought, in that golden cafe. Man, how often do we do that? How many golden cafe's do we have in our lives. Come on, think about it.
We make graven images all the time in the form of rituals, traditions, jewelry, tee-shirts, etc., (re: Jesus junk) even philosophies and mind-sets.
Second, they gave up so easily. Moses wasn't gone all that long before they twisted Aaron's arm. Don't get me started on how easily Aaron caved. It's challenging to me. Will I cave when the pressure comes. Lord, let it not be.
Rachel, you might be thinking, aren't you the one who sang "Favorite One" at the ACFW conference? Yes! But being God's favorite and fearing Him are not mutually exclusive.
Because I fear Him, I know Him. Therefore I'm confident in His love for me and can come boldly before His throne, favored. Now, it doesn't mean I run around doing my own thing, chucking God in the ribs saying, "How's it going big guy?"
No! It means I understand completely who His is and am awed that He loves me.
Jesus found delight in fearing the Lord. Isaiah 11:3!
We can be like Him. Delight in fearing the Lord. Think on it for awhile. I know I will.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.
If you're struggling, maybe it's time to fear (revere) the Lord. We tend to boil Him down to our own understanding and theologies.
God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and half way home to the Promise Land, Moses heads off to talk to God, THE God, and the Israelites convince Aaron to make a golden cafe for them to worship.
A couple of things here. First of all, they called the cafe God. Not any of the gods they knew in Egypt, but THE God. Yet, He was confined to something they could see and control. God was subject to their own hands, so they thought, in that golden cafe. Man, how often do we do that? How many golden cafe's do we have in our lives. Come on, think about it.
We make graven images all the time in the form of rituals, traditions, jewelry, tee-shirts, etc., (re: Jesus junk) even philosophies and mind-sets.
Second, they gave up so easily. Moses wasn't gone all that long before they twisted Aaron's arm. Don't get me started on how easily Aaron caved. It's challenging to me. Will I cave when the pressure comes. Lord, let it not be.
Rachel, you might be thinking, aren't you the one who sang "Favorite One" at the ACFW conference? Yes! But being God's favorite and fearing Him are not mutually exclusive.
Because I fear Him, I know Him. Therefore I'm confident in His love for me and can come boldly before His throne, favored. Now, it doesn't mean I run around doing my own thing, chucking God in the ribs saying, "How's it going big guy?"
No! It means I understand completely who His is and am awed that He loves me.
Jesus found delight in fearing the Lord. Isaiah 11:3!
We can be like Him. Delight in fearing the Lord. Think on it for awhile. I know I will.
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