Reflecting back when the news broke out that Bishop Eddie Long was involved in a homosexual scandal, I remember thinking oh no, how can this be? Then came such comments like:
“See, that’s why I don’t go to church because of stuff like that.”
“How can he be a pastor of a church and doing stuff like that?”
“That’s why you should just do what you want because the church ain’t living ____.”
Galatians 5:7
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
Let’s marinate on the scripture for a minute! Why do we let another human being actions cause us to turn our backs on true love, peace, joy, strength, encouragement, anointing-our God?
Psalms 118:8
It is better to trust upon the Lord It than to put confidence in man.
The truth is just because a person gets saved doesn’t mean they don’t still yet need deliverance. Our salvation is a lifelong process, not a one shot deal. It hurts when a brother or sister cause you pain. It can be devastating. Yet that person is a human being, prone to make mistakes. We have all sinned and come short to HIS glory!
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
Marinate on that…do you really want to return back to your “vomit?” Do you really want to give up experiencing peace in the midst of a storm, joy unspeakable, strength when weak, or encouragement when down? What is fornication; drugs, excessive alcohol, and clubs are to you? I call them substitutes. They only give you a false sense of what you get from God for a short period of time. And let me remind you, the devil substitutes aren’t cheap!
Church hurt is painful. The wounds can be very deep! Yet ask yourself is it really worth me turning my back on God just to return to my vomit? What better way of the enemy than to get God’s people with church hurt? You have to admit it’s an excellent strategy. However, instead of looking at the situation, see it as that person needing deliverance and pray for them. So what does the word tells us to do in these situations?
If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as you would and pagan or a tax collector.
The best thing to do is try to talk these things out and if things can’t get resolved, keep your distance and keep praying for them. I myself at 19 didn’t do this. Instead I caught an attitude and turn my back on God. The peace I took for granted was gone and it felt horrible!! It took me two years just to feel His presence again. I do not take it for granted anymore, as not everyone gets to experience HIS presence. So the next time you may be entertaining the thoughts of backsliding ask yourself, is it really the answer???
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