A Call for Justice - Part 2

Dear Blessed Saints, As a continuation of seeking true Justice from all the injustices we see around us or directed at us, I often have failed in the past of a more serious concern. And that is the question: Have I committed any injustice against Christ? If so, how? Few of the many possible circumstances I would like to reflect on are the ones I particularly had caused such as: a. Do I fail to put God first in my life and fail to see my need of Him for everything in my life? b. Have I failed to put my trust in Him by doubting His love, His faithfulness towards me and His pardon to receive His total forgiveness after I have repented by hanging on to guilt? (1 John 1:9) c. Have I failed to maintain a healthy reverential fear of Him? d. Have I become desensitized to some of His instructions by my heart to become calloused? God tells us that He was angry with His own who failed to maintain a reverential fear of Him (Jer 2:19). He was also angry with a nation who became so laxed by thinking we can now live on our own agendas by living with ease (Amos 6:1) by failing to understand that we are always at His Mercy & Grace every moment of our lives. Do we ever fail to take any quality time to consider the interest of others? (Phil 2:4). These are just some of the many many questions we can ask ourselves. I have heard it where someone had come to a Church service for the first time and no one acknowledged this person to just take a minute to share a smile or a warm handshake. All the great preaching that may have been mentioned will mean nothing if we don't demonstrate Christ to others which to me is a great injustice towards Him. There are multiple millions of other examples where we have caused our Lord injustice. This is by no means meant to be condemning. Otherwise, we do the bidding of the evil one himself. However, we need to be open and honest and reveal what may be concealed in our hearts so that we can be liberated and be healed which is what God wants to do for us (James 5:16). For myself, a person would have to write several large volumes of books just to list the injustices I have caused against the Lord. But thankfully, because of His love and mercy, none of us ever has to be a prisoner of the evil one by holding on to any guilt or shame. When God chose me (as an example), He knew what He was getting in to because He knows all that I will ever do. But yet, He still chose me and has now forgiven and forgotten all the wrong I have ever committed all because of His unlimited Grace and Mercy towards me. This is why none of us who are in Christ will ever be justified feeling condemned or hanging on to guilt. A Christian hanging on to guilt is an injustice against Him because we limit His Pardon and Grace for us that He paid in full. Our God is a God of Justice as much as He is Love. The foundation of His very Throne is built on Righteousness and Justice (Ps 89:14). The Justice He wants us to have is to be set free from every bondages because He tells us that He came to set captives free (Ps 146:7) of which I was one. He wants justice to help us become stronger in Him by believing His Word, that He(Jesus) is the perfection of God, that the Word (Jesus) is truly Faithful who wants only the very best for us. When He tells us to "Fear Not", this is true Justice that we do just that. Therefore, if we remain fearful and are full of worry, this is another form of injustice because it goes against His Word which is His perfect will. We are justified in Christ simply because we believe wholeheartedly of what He instructs to us in His Word (Gal 2:16). His Justice towards us is for us to believe and receive the fullness of His love, His faithfulness towards us, His protection for us, His constant provision to us, His utmost care for us. When we fail to see His Love, His Omnipotent Power, His Omnipresence of His promise never to leave or forsake us and His omni-sapience of unfathonable wisdom, we cause Him much injustice because we failed to believe the fullness of who He says He is and His perfect love towards us (John 6:29). He wants to turn every Injustice that we may have had towards Him and replace it with His Justice for us. It's like Him taking all of our sin(s) and replacing it with His Righteousness. Even though He tells us we are Justified in Him (Rom 5:1), we end up being prisoners instead when we fail to receive it by faith. As an example, even though God took the curse upon Himself when He chose to hang on a tree on our behalf, this doesn't become a reality for many when we fail to acknowledge this and receive it by faith. Many of Gods people will believe they remain cursed from their past when God Himself tells us the He already took the curse away from us and took it upon Himself when He hung on the cross in our place (Gal 3:13). Many often fail to realize that the One (Jesus) who resides in us is greater then he (satan) who is in the world (1 John 4:4). I want to encourage you that with Gods help, not allow us to cause any further injustice against Him by doubting and limiting His love, His goodness, His forgiveness towards us and utmost care & provision for us. Let's call out for Justice like He tells us to in Isaiah 59:4 and receive His total goodness for us in every way as His inheritors and believe Him to manifest His power to help us become stronger each day in the Lord. The Lord is ever so willing and faithful, are we willing and obedient? In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Associate Director Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/

A Call for Justice - Part 1

Dearest Saints, I have been thinking a lot lately about the one scripture in Isaiah 59:4 where God questions us: "Why does no one call out for justice"? I sense the Lord dealing with me on several issues including this one. These insights I like to share is simply to help us so that we can become more like Christ, which is what our purpose of growing in Him is all about. Becoming more like Christ. In other words, if I feel like I am learning more and more of what He is teaching me, I believe this is an injustice towards Him if I cannot take the time to share these insights to help and bless each and every one of you. It reminds me when Jesus talks about that wicked servant who didn't bother to use the one talent his Master had given him. He hid the talent instead of using it (Matt 25:24-30). Therefore, I want to use what He has given me in order to richly bless you that will help you become stronger in Him more and more. When I think of my past, I have often been angered at the injustices done against myself. But I hardly ever gave thought about the injustices that prevalently takes place that personally comes against our Lord every moment of each passing day. I now realize how selfish I have been by being more concerned about myself rather than Gods reputation. In other words, when I feel violated by others actions, I was concerned about my reputation and the injustices that came my way when I should have been much more concerned how they are coming against God Himself personally. Having this mindset of only being concerned about myself was a set up by the enemy to make one feel like a victim all because we were concerned with "self" rather then having Godly sorrow that brings forth life (2 Cor 7:10). How often have we seen ourselves like this? When we see how God personally loves us just because of the great suffering He chose to go through on our behalf, we would be more concerned how the world is immeasurably causing Him far greater injustice than any injustices we have or will ever receive. I like what the one thief said to the other as they hung on the Cross beside Christ. He said to the other thief "we are getting what we deserve, but He has not done nothing wrong to deserve this"(Luke 23:41). And yet, He (Jesus) chose to take our place on the Cross where we should have been. The thief who had more concern for Christ then for himself was justified by Christ. When we keep our focus on His love for us, it no longer becomes a great concern about seeing us being a victim as it does to see how He has often become the One receiving injustice by being ridiculed by the world. When we see how the world has created much injustice against Him, we should no longer be a victim of seeing any injustice against ourselves, but be more concerned about the injustices being done against Him who loves like no other. This alone is liberating because we will no longer be a prisoner of having "self pity" or being a victim because we won't be concerned with "self". When we become angry at injustice the way God instructs us, I believe this is that Righteous anger as opposed to having anger that becomes sinful. Notice how Jesus Himself never became angry when people came directly against Him. However, you will notice that He was angry when He saw how moneychangers desecrated the House of God when those inside were buying and selling items rather than keeping His Fathers House as a House of Prayer (Matt 21:12,13). His Righteous anger was identified when He was more concerned about His Fathers House then being concerned about Himself. When I remain focus on His love and favor He has towards myself, I now turn my anger more and more against the injustices being done against Him rather then being concerned about myself. Self pity is an avenue the devil often traps many of Gods people all because we have focused on concerning our self and our reputation being violated rather then seeing God Himself and His principles of love being violated. I find it more serious to see how the world has turned against Him so much of which they will be accountable like nothing anyone had ever experienced. And yet, how much love could He have possibly shown any more then He already did (John 3:16)? It's OK to be angry because Jesus Himself was. But not let your anger become sinful. I think a good way to tell whether anger is sin or not is whether we are angry at people coming against us and we take it personally that often wants to take vengeance. Or is our anger against the sins of injustice that come directly against our God? The greatest weapon we can come against real evil is praying for our physical enemies all because we want to do His will. We will find this much easier to accomplish when we understand His love and passion towards us. Jesus tells us that we show our love for Him when we obey His teachings. Therefore, when we understand how much He suffered for each of us personally, we will find it much easier to obey Him, even though it would otherwise be difficult to do in the natural. All too often, many of Gods people within His Church fight against each other and we have become a great enemy of Him by this great injustice of not following His commandment of love in the first place. Disobedience that comes against the greatest commandment to love Him and to love one another is a violation and a great injustice towards Him personally. When God questions us to call out for Justice, let's call out for His Justice by fighting FOR one another and fight AGAINST the spiritual enemies who mock and violate the law of Love that comes against Him. If we will fight for the one we passionately love here on earth, should we not fight for true justice by what He has suffered towards us that much more? Let's fight against injustices that violate His will by praying one for another, and come to honour and believe in the One (Jesus) whom the Father has sent (John 6:29). In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Associate Director Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/ www.helpingcopewithhope.blogspot.com Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders? (Exod 15:11)