then shall many be Offended

[Joel]

Matthew 24:4-9
And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines,
and pestilences,
and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.Matthew 24:10-12
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.One of the most overlooked and forgotten major 'signs of the End Times' is offense.

Offense is very easy to come by.

Jesus said..


Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!

Clearly, offense will come to us. Jesus said so. We cannot escape the reality of offense to hit us in this life or in this world.

We must accept this as a fact of life.
It's how we handle what we're given that determines our destiny.

Little do people realize it was offense that hindered Moses' own destiny on his own life! Moses was destined to enter into the Promised Land, leading the camp of Israel in victoriously.

This is what God charged him to do when He first put that call on Moses' life.

His destiny was halted.
Why, where, when?



The waters of Meribah.

Numbers 20:7-9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Numbers 20:10-11 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Numbers 20:12-13 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.


[Meribah = Strife; dispute; contention]

Notice his reaction?
He spoke to them in the manner 'ye rebels', the tone very much apparent.
He also added 'must we fetch you water from this rock'.

As if it was in their own power to deliver the water from the Rock. God was not sanctified in their sight, because Moses allowed offense to enter into his spirit.

He was offended at the children of Israel, and he 'took it out on them'.

So often we read of Moses interceding in great mercy on behalf of the Camp of Israel ... sin after sin, and bickering after bickering.

This is what God loves. God loves mercy before judgment.

Yet Moses allowed himself to be offended at the children of Israel , and because he held onto that, he took it out in one swift stroke of anger ...

Moses was commanded to speak to the rock once.
He struck the rock twice.


Because of this incident, Moses' destiny was halted.


Offense can rob us of our destiny.

Offense is always the little things that cause us to stumble or trip against our neighbor. It's rarely a large matter.

Too many in the church have become offended with one other for petty things ...

There are three types of offenses.


1. Imaginary
2. Un-intentional
3. Intentional

1. Often, we take offenses from other persons, in the church, from friends, or from family members...

and it's simply [I]imaginary.

They may have said something a certain way, or looked at you a certain way... that you took wrongfully, and as a result became hardened and offended in your heart towards that person.

When in reality, nothing ever happened.



Let me give one example...

In Austrailia, a woman who was a missionary from the States, just recently began to live there and settle in.

This one particular night she had her baby with her, and was sitting upon a stool at this restuarant she was attending. Along came an Austrailian and native to the country, and passed on by before noticing the baby in her lap, and stopped and commented: 'my what a funny looking dummy you have there'.


Now the missionary woman took serious offense to this comment, and didn't let go of it for years, believing the woman had publicly insulted her baby. Believe it or not, we can often hold onto offenses and grudges for many years without realizing it.

This actually hindered this woman's ministry for some time as resentment grew in her heart after this particular incident.

Little did the woman realize that 'dummy' is in fact common slang in Austrialia for 'a baby's pacifier'. :):



She was really saying 'my, what a funny looking pacifier you have there'!

Her offense was imaginary.


She should have asked the lady what she meant by this, or have realized when in another culture, the people will speak differently, naturally - in order to resolve herself from allowing that into her spirit.

Instead of letting something go, we let it seize our hearts and pine away inside.

We mustn't do this.


2. Another type of offense is unintentional.

This is where a friend or church family member might do or say something towards us, that we take wrongly, but was never intended to be taken in such a manner.

I know I myself have made silly jokes in times past to friends, and they have taken offense when there was none intended.

Part of that may have been my own fault [and I have no such qualms admitting that], not having more wisdom or tact to whom my audience was, or being familiar with their taste and flavor of humour.

The point standing, we should strive not to take something the wrong way when it was never intended in such a way.

In order to do this - we must keep the communication lines open. Lack of communication actually kills relationships... and we need to ask ourselves then... is our relationship worth fighting for?

I think in most cases, they are. And letting little pebbles flatten our tires is not the way to 'go out', either.



3. The third type of offense is intentional.

This is where we are purposefully hurt. Often we can take offenses from so-called enemies much more better and cope with them, as their wounds don't faze us nearly as much! ;):

But even the writers of Proverbs says..

'faithful are the wounds of a friend' [Proverbs 27:6].


Often we can take these wounds and let them cut deeply into our hearts, creating a root of bitterness and anger. :(:

We need to forgive each other for all of our offenses, and trespasses against one another.

We need to pro-actively love one other.

Instead of seeing the person whom offended us in the store, or every-day walking arounds, and purposefully taking the 'other' aisle so as to 'avoid' them alltogether... we need not, nor must we let these compulsions guide us.


We must not submit to these childlike ways, but allow God's love in us to show forth and greet that person!

Let that person see Christ in you, a living epistle, and not that which is so natural and easy to come to us - namely, protecting ourselves from being hurt again - so we let our love grow cold..


Jesus said the world would know us by our love, and by our fruits [John 13:35]

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We need to remain hot in our zeal and love for God, and for our neighbor.

These are the Royal Commandments - the Royal Law of Love [ Matthew 22:37-40].


Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets
The end times are in-fact marked by the churches of Philadelphia, and of Laodicea, most prominently [Revelation 3].



Philadelphia was commended for being the church of Brotherly Love.
This was the single church God did not find one fault with at all!

In contrast, it was the money loving, 'care-only-about-myself and my feelings' church, known as Laodicea, that there was found not one single complimentary thing for either!



Which church do we want a part of?




[B]Philadelpha; and exercising our love towards God and man [denying ourselves']?
or Laodicea, and becoming totally self-centered, and 'me', 'me', 'me'?

We must exercise, [and exercise is a tough thing physically, as well as behaviour-wise; emotionally, etc] to show forth our light as God's children, not letting offenses, or church walls, or denominational barriers obstruct the fact we have love for one another, or for our friends, or for our enemies, or for our own families.

For it is the Goodness of God which is what draws men towards Him [Romans 2:4].
So let's go out and let God's goodness shine forth from us today. :):



Paul, apostle and author of 2/3 of the New Testament...
exercised to remain conscious-free in offense towards God and man [Acts 24:16]!

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men


In the context, Paul was being delivered up by the Jews to the Roman legislation at the time...

and very easily, and on many, many accounts Paul could have allowed offense to enter into His mind... towards his brethern, the Jew, or the Romans prosecuting him, or towards God! - For letting him be delivered up in the first place!

His pride and joy was exercising his will to be free of offense, so that, he might more effectively be a minister of the Gospel, and not let anger, or roots of bitterness, or self-centeredness take planting in his heart...

otherwise, Paul's destiny too may have become halted - likewise, much in the manner of Moses before him. :(:


See, exercising that love, even in tense, or awkward moments, when passing by someone in Walmart, while shopping, or wherever ... passing by someone with which you've been offended... it can be difficult...

but our single command is to love our Neighbor, and our Enemy.

So even if it's a smile and a wave ['just smile and wave, boys' ... [[U]madagascar reference] or a 'Hey, how are you?' ...

[rather than walking away/ignoring/or speaking rudely]

Not mattering how hard that is to do, you're letting GO of that offense, and not letting it rule your hearts... and subsequently freeing yourself up.

You are in-fact, overcoming, and entering into loving that person, inspite of the situation at hand. [And Revelation has a lot to say about 'Overcomers' and their inheritance.]



And what that's doing is exercising, much like Paul did, it's also exercising that agape [Godly] love inside you.

Because God loved us with that great agape love, others deserve to know that same love.

It's in-turn preventing our heart from entering into a coldness, and cooking it, preparing it always to be hot in zeal and in love for God [above] and for man .

The communication lines are then both vertical [heavenly], and horizontal [fellow-man].

This is the essence of the church of Philadelphia.


[B]1 John 3:14,18 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

This shows us me must not just love in tongue only, but deed and truth, this is what real faith is, and this is what true love is as well.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We must do so, also, without fear. For fear is not of perfect love [and causes torment in our own souls], and we must build ourselves up to that point, exercising ourselves, like an athlete runner - hard as it might be for a period - because we are all afraid of the potentiality of being hurt [again] ... yet this is what makes the body of Christ distinct on the earth.



We must also realize people have a twisted concept of love today. In terms of the Gospel, people have sought to 'seek Love only' and ditch out the truth, watering down the Gospel.

We mustn't fall into this trap either.

We should pursue peace with all men, and church-goers, and family members, and so on...

and we should unite with our brothers in God, finding that common ground we share [Psalm 133:1 - [I]how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!]... but never do we sacrifice truth for unity.

This is a perversion of love.
True love is in fact speaking the truth, but speaking it in love as well.




If you've read this far - thank you for bearing with me. :):

I hope I've said or related something to you that will set you free personally.

Because God's word has the power to break all chains and bounds, and set the prisoner free! :thumb

[Joel]

Before we end, I'd like to take us back to the opening scripture.


And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.Here we see offense will be one of the major end-time signs that will be prevalent before Jesus returns Philadelphia[/COLOR] and Laodicea, poetically]

We should be mindful of the progression of offense rooting in each of our hearts, towards one another.



Firstly, Jesus says they will be 'offended'.
Secondly, Jesus says they will 'betray one another'.

Betrayal is next.

Thirdly, Jesus says they will then 'hate one another' [death is present wherever hate is].
Fourthly, Jesus then says 'False prophets will rise, deceiving many'

Notice deception comes in when we allow ourselves to become offended?

Fifthly, Jesus says 'the love of many shall wax cold'


We must rise and be the body of Christ, so the world will know, and see the goodness of God that is present... distinguishing ourselves from the world, and fulfilling the church of Philadelphia .

More than this, I've been speaking on being offended.
But the boat swings both ways.

If we believe we are the offender, the one offending, and not the offendee - we still have a biblical mandate to carry out!

Even if we're completely in the right, and nothing happened ... and you think to yourself 'I Don't really need to make amends, I mean after all, I haven't even done anything! So why bother my time over nothing?'

This is not exercising your Agape Love, and your brother sits hurt, and disunity enters into the picture, and love grows cold.


The biblical mandate is this:

[B]Matthew 5:23-24 So if when you are offering your gift at the altar you there remember that your brother has any [grievance, offense] against you, Leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift.

Matthew 5:25-26 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way traveling with him, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last fraction of a penny.


We must reconcile, and keep those communication lines open, like a loving body would do.

Truly, the goodness of God draws men.

It softens their heart, it softens your heart, and you're being exercised in that 'Love' bizness that we should all care much about.






The following is a study on Love from Rabbi Kev:

I Corinthians 13:4-8a (Cornette Augmented Version)
[I]Godly love is steadfast and endures bravely in continuing misfortune. It patiently bears the offences of others and is slow to seek vengeance (suffereth long).
Godly love is kind, beneficial and seeks the advantage of others (and is kind).
Godly love does not allow itself to become heated with envy, but acts sensibly (envieth not).
Godly love does not boast of it’s accomplishments in a way that demeans others. It will not embellish the story to make it sound better (vaunteth not itself). It does not swell in pride, nor walk in the flesh (puffed up).
Godly love does not act in an inappropriate way. It will be careful to not be sexually provocative toward someone of the opposite sex (behave itself unseemly). Godly love does not seek its own benefit or demand something from someone else, but instead seeks for the benefit of others and serves (seeks not her own).
Godly love is not edgy, looking for an argument. It will not try to provoke others to anger, nor irritate or exasperate others (is not easily provoked). Godly love will not keep a running account of wrongs suffered, nor attempt to reckon a balance when wronged. It refuses to meditate on injure, trouble or wrong (thinketh no evil).
Godly love will not rejoice when its enemy is found in sin, but will pray for his enemy. It does not thrive on stories of others problems or downfall (rejoiceth not in iniquity). However, love will celebrate when others come to know the truth and embrace the Word of God. Godly love’s greatest joy is derived when someone understands the love of the LORD as revealed in the Bible (rejoiceth in the truth).
Godly love keeps the sins of others secret, and will be silent when it hears accusation concerning his brothers in Christ. It will actively bear the burden of others when it sees them about to stumble off the path of righteousness (beareth all things). Godly love will always think the best, and be impelled to believe his brother (believeth all things).
Godly love enthusiastically seeks places to be used of God as a minister of reconciliation. It will actively seek the salvation of others, and place full hope in the goodness of God to bring those it evangelizes to repentance because of the goodness that it shows (hopeth all things).
Godly love will tarry in prayer for the salvation and deliverance of others. It will persevere under persecution for righteousness sake, and count it all joy to suffer for the Gospel. Godly love patiently endures under ill treatment; bravely and calmly (endureth all things).
Because of all these things, Godly love will never fail in any situation to which it is consistently and enduringly applied. It will not easily fall into sin because it actively seeks the Face of the LORD. Godly love cannot be powerless, and will change any situation where it is dynamically exercised (charity never faileth).

[BloodoftheLamb]

Does this have anything to do with the world and its offense at Christianity, and Christian symbols though?

Like the situation in Utah with the atheists suing to remove roadside crosses for slain officers...because they are offended...

[MedicDave]

Look around us. People are sisses, and are offended about everything.

Put a cross up in the desert to remember fallen WWI vets and I'll bet somebody sues to have it torn down. :sigh

Everybody freaks out if you've dared say something negative about cultural beliefs, even if they're sinful or wrong (cults, gangsta rap, sexual orientation, etc...)

[MedicDave]

Does this have anything to do with the world and its offense at Christianity, and Christian symbols though?

Like the situation in Utah with the atheists suing to remove roadside crosses for slain officers...because they are offended...

Do you have a link about the Utah situation? I'd like to read about it. Thank you :):

[Indiana Janz]

Thanks, Joel. I got something from that. :):

[BloodoftheLamb]

Do you have a link about the Utah situation? I'd like to read about it. Thank you :):


http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635166911,00.html

[Joel]

:becky

If it only affects one person. :thumb

Thanks, Joel. I got something from that. :):

[HeIsEnough]

:wave Joel

Excellant.

[Arabesque]

Thank you for posting this. It will help me patch up a friendship that I think needs some work.

[MrMannn]

I always looked at this as a prophecy about the ACLU, and its persecution of the church.

[haeschen]

This is a print-out - Thanks Joel, I second your observations on "offenses" Jesus said that they will come - and I believe they are here big time!

[joy4Him2day]

I am not at home right now, so don't have my studying tools......but another verse comes to mind:

a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city.........it's in Proverbs and I know there is more to it.........

You brought up an interesting point with the Moses info. I would have thought his anger about Israelites doing what they did was righteous and have wondered about God disciplining him for hitting the rock twice. It perhaps shows that in his mind his leadership was being offended.......and that was God's personal war.......He is the one who fights for us......if we learn that we can let some of the "offense" go.

We run the risk of calling "evil" good, and "good" evil, if we don't understand the teaching that Joel is addressing. This christian life is hard on the flesh....if it isn't, you must be missing something........not being offended easily, or at all, is the "lamb spirit" that we must strive for.

Do a study on the "lamb spirit", Joel. Paul said, "I die daily" "I die that others might live". "No man hath greater love than this, than that he lay down his life for another"-----couldn't this be addressing the "offense" issue? I think so. Sometimes forgiving the offense is much like dying......but living---if done with the Spirit of the Lamb.

good stuff, Joel.

[Waitin]

Thanks Joel I needed that!!!!!!!

[Lexie]

Thank you Joel very good study. I needed it too! .:wave

[lookup]

Thanks so much, Joel. I really needed to hear this right now. And the lesson is one I intend to keep and refer to often.

[Joel]

Well this blessed my eyes this morning.

So glad many of you enjoyed this!! :):


You're always free to print it out, share it, and refer back to it personally whenever you need. This is your guys' study, too. :):

[savedandhappy1]

I am not at home right now, so don't have my studying tools......but another verse comes to mind:

a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city.........it's in Proverbs and I know there is more to it.........

You brought up an interesting point with the Moses info. I would have thought his anger about Israelites doing what they did was righteous and have wondered about God disciplining him for hitting the rock twice. It perhaps shows that in his mind his leadership was being offended.......and that was God's personal war.......He is the one who fights for us......if we learn that we can let some of the "offense" go.

We run the risk of calling "evil" good, and "good" evil, if we don't understand the teaching that Joel is addressing. This christian life is hard on the flesh....if it isn't, you must be missing something........not being offended easily, or at all, is the "lamb spirit" that we must strive for.

Do a study on the "lamb spirit", Joel. Paul said, "I die daily" "I die that others might live". "No man hath greater love than this, than that he lay down his life for another"-----couldn't this be addressing the "offense" issue? I think so. Sometimes forgiving the offense is much like dying......but living---if done with the Spirit of the Lamb.

good stuff, Joel.


Amen!!!!!!!!

Very good joy4Him2day and Joel. Thank you both great insights.

[Joel]

I am not at home right now, so don't have my studying tools......but another verse comes to mind:

a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city.........it's in Proverbs and I know there is more to it.........

You brought up an interesting point with the Moses info. I would have thought his anger about Israelites doing what they did was righteous and have wondered about God disciplining him for hitting the rock twice. It perhaps shows that in his mind his leadership was being offended.......and that was God's personal war.......He is the one who fights for us......if we learn that we can let some of the "offense" go.

We run the risk of calling "evil" good, and "good" evil, if we don't understand the teaching that Joel is addressing. This christian life is hard on the flesh....if it isn't, you must be missing something........not being offended easily, or at all, is the "lamb spirit" that we must strive for.

Do a study on the "lamb spirit", Joel. Paul said, "I die daily" "I die that others might live". "No man hath greater love than this, than that he lay down his life for another"-----couldn't this be addressing the "offense" issue? I think so. Sometimes forgiving the offense is much like dying......but living---if done with the Spirit of the Lamb.

good stuff, Joel.

Thank you, joy. This does add more 'fuel to the fire' [support].

Very interesting [good] points, more study lays ahead. :):

[Joel]

This is a small aside to the larger study at hand... :):


but I always found it particularly sad how great Moses served God - for the most part, the most humbly in all the earth, and yet, for one mishap, was exiled from entering the Promised Land.... having led God's stubborn people for 40 years.



Anyhow, as seen above, it was primarily allowing offense to take root in his heart at the children of Israel, that caused him to sin so greatly in the sight of the Lord...

As it has often been my personal strong leaning in believing Moses may well be one of the two witnesses, alongside Elijah...

it struck me when doing this study, because I realized one of the prophesied ministries that Elijah will accomplish before Messiah arrives is this...


Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he shall turn and reconcile the hearts of the [estranged] fathers to the [ungodly] children, and the hearts of the [rebellious] children to [the piety of] their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance of the ungodly]


In a time of great waxing cold, a time of love waxing colder than it has before [as seen in Matthew 24], here the ministry of Elijah [presupposing he is one of the two witnesses], is to reconcile, and turn the hearts of these estranged Fathers towards their children again, and likewise the children's hearts back towards their fathers.


When persons shall betray one another, and hate one another...
here we have Elijah [and possibly Moses] here reversing this cause.


It just seemed highly poetic to me, if this is so...

that Moses - offended at the children of Israel - and cause of his being forfeited of his rightful destiny...

that he should minister alongside Elijah [in the Promised Land, at last] and cease others from doing the same.

To help others cease from being offended, and traiterous, and hateful... but reconcile them towards one another to halt the love waxing cold as Jesus so strongly prophesied would happen in this same time frame.


Food for thought....

[haeschen]

"Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them"(Psalm 119:165), is one verse I love. We sing it to the melody of "O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree.
I have passed your teaching on to others. I believe this is a word for today, because the Lord wants us to be overcomers and be prepared for the onslaught of hate that's being spewed out against anything and all that upholds the name of God and his Word. I pray this message will find as wide an audience as possible. Thanks again, Joel.

[Joel]

You're very welcome! :):

And thank you for that verse :thumb

I hope as many as possible can read this

[joy4Him2day]

"They stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge...." (Acts 7:59,60)

"And when the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul...." (Acts 7:58)

"And Saul was consenting unto his death." (Acts 8:1)

It was this spirit of the Lamb slain which Saul caught by sight of in Stephen. For the cross of the Calvary of the God Man did not consist only of the wooden cross and the nails, and the laid down life. Its inner essence and power was the spirit of it, manifested peculiarly in the words which came from the Sufferer, in the midst of His agony, "Father, forgive them......"

Stephen....was Calvary re-enacted before the eyes of one who afterwards would himself receive that same spirit, and become a God-empowered messenger of the Cross. This man, Saul, chosen so specially to be the apostle of the Cross, should not only know of the Calvary message from the Scriptures, and from the lips of the Lord Himself, but he needs must see it in its inner spirit when manifested in a human life......Stephen was chosen of God for this purpose.

The Spirit of Jesus manifested on the Cross, was manifested in him so that the chosen messenger of the Cross might have the same spirit wrought into his own heart and life. For the preaching of the Cross needs the spirit of the Cross behind the message, if it is not to be made void by the preacher.

This sudden insight into the heart of the Cross is possible we know in experience, for have we not sometimes seen, for just a brief moment, a shining out of the Spirit of the Lamb of Calvary in another child of God, which in some inexplicable way suddenly opened the very depths of Calvary to us, and gave us penetrating insight into its inner spirit, which never again is lost, but has a formative influence upon us for the rest of our days.

That glimpse of the Lamb spirit searched the very depths of our innermost life in deep convicting power, just as, for example, that one look from the Lord as He stood before His persecutors in the High Priest's palace, brought Peter to himself and broke his heart......

Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. (Matt. 24:10-12) For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.(I Corin. 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.

****
Then scripture says something really, really telling:

Hebrews 13: 11-13 continued:

For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore, Jesus, also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing the reproach.

For here, we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. :yay

The offenses are coming. They are swiftly coming. Get the Lamb Spirit. Grace be with you all.

[HeIsEnough]

I am not offended. :):

It is good to recognize an offense, and to love through it. It will bear the marks of freedom in the Spirit, in our spirit.

Just pondering how we live and love such a God as this...one that holds all the power of heaven and earth in His hands, and yet we still live. His offenses are great, yet He still loves to the utmost. We can only hope and pray to do the same. Thanks for the great words and study everyone.

[Joel]

Stephen....was Calvary re-enacted before the eyes of one who afterwards would himself receive that same spirit, and become a God-empowered messenger of the Cross. This man, Saul, chosen so specially to be the apostle of the Cross, should not only know of the Calvary message from the Scriptures, and from the lips of the Lord Himself, but he needs must see it in its inner spirit when manifested in a human life......Stephen was chosen of God for this purpose.
:freaked

Such a powerful example.

The Spirit of Jesus manifested on the Cross, was manifested in him so that the chosen messenger of the Cross might have the same spirit wrought into his own heart and life. For the preaching of the Cross needs the spirit of the Cross behind the message, if it is not to be made void by the preacher.

This sudden insight into the heart of the Cross is possible we know in experience, for have we not sometimes seen, for just a brief moment, a shining out of the Spirit of the Lamb of Calvary in another child of God, which in some inexplicable way suddenly opened the very depths of Calvary to us, and gave us penetrating insight into its inner spirit, which never again is lost, but has a formative influence upon us for the rest of our days.
:freaked :freaked

I've never read this study before.
it's very compelling how you put all this in prose, joy.


That glimpse of the Lamb spirit searched the very depths of our innermost life in deep convicting power, just as, for example, that one look from the Lord as He stood before His persecutors in the High Priest's palace, brought Peter to himself and broke his heart......

Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. (Matt. 24:10-12) For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.(I Corin. 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.

****
Then scripture says something really, really telling:

Hebrews 13: 11-13 continued:

For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore, Jesus, also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing the reproach.

For here, we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. :yay

The offenses are coming. They are swiftly coming. Get the Lamb Spirit. Grace be with you all.

A very lovely study, joy.
I am impressed and blessed by having just read it. :kiss


I am not offended. :):

It is good to recognize an offense, and to love through it. It will bear the marks of freedom in the Spirit, in our spirit.
:nod :amen

Just pondering how we live and love such a God as this...one that holds all the power of heaven and earth in His hands, and yet we still live. His offenses are great, yet He still loves to the utmost. We can only hope and pray to do the same. Thanks for the great words and study everyone.
A humbling ponderation, no doubt. :):
His love truly is perfected towards us. :hug


I've had to exercise myself just yesterday, as I seen certain persons [christians of another church] who acted rather 'blahzay' and coldly in public towards me, but I refused to take any sort of offense and let that one matter bring me down the rest of the day.

I went out of my way to smile and say hey to them with some other words trying to show them Christ [not in a holier-than-thou attitude, mind you], refusing to let coldness enter my own heart.


Sometimes it's work, but I feel better about it no doubt.

If I hadn't, perhaps the next time I'd see them I would have tried and avoided said persons, allowing a division and offense to take control of my walk rather than the reverse being true.

It's about being the church of Philadelphia.



One quick example of this study in work, in the likes of comparison to Moses and his destiny [destination], is that of the story of King Saul.


Saul allowed his destiny to become altered, and God rejected the King ... for he also himself allowed his heart to take great offense [over a very small thing, mind you].

Point in case:



1 Samuel 18:6-10

And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul





Instead of rejoicing the Lord had handed over the enemy to Israel, Saul allowed a simple song to create a large divide in his heart.

And from that day forward, Saul's destiny was further hindered.
It reads Saul 'eyed' David.

That literally means he eyed David - with suspicion [and jealousy].
And now we have the King letting paranoia enter into his mind...

and we should be familiar with the account... that the King tried countless times to kill David afterwards.. He allowed hate to enter his heart, from an offense of a song.


Whereas before, Saul took him in as his own son.

18:2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.



In one breath, Saul is treating David as his very own son...
in the next, Saul is saying in his heart 'I will kill him'.


And God continued to reject Saul [for 1. disobeying the word of the Lord], and for 2. allowing a root of offense to take such a stronghold in his heart.

Over a song.






[Edit] - I should make one thing clear, as I'm sure I've confused some.

We should realize God rejected Saul for disobeying the word of God a few chapters backwards... [1 Samuel 15:23]

but the manifestation of God's rejection was when the evil spirit of God came upon Saul. This is important.

So while perhaps it wasn't the sole reason God rejected Saul, the fact that God allowed an evil spirit to come upon him the day afterwards that Saul allowed offense and hate to enter his heart, was a 'proof' of God's spirit having recently left Saul.

The amplified reads of the day afterwards...


The next day an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved [madly] in his house

[joy4Him2day]

Joel:

some stuff came to me studying this morning:

when mentioning Moses's test of being offended, and what it cost
when mentioning Saul's test of being offended, and what it cost, and the refusal to repent and what the consequences were.....

Here is another offense test, only in the New Testament:

Matt. 11:2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of disciples.

My translation: John, who slayed his thousands, now heard the people singing, Jesus hath slayed his ten thousands.......

which, in the mind of John, was acceptable, for that was what it was all about, he was the fore-runner, proclaiming the coming of the Redeemer.....

here is where the test of offense comes though:

Matt. 11:4,5,6 Go and tell John again those things which ye see and hear: the blind recieve sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

My translation: Go, tell John, I have the power, I have the authority, I am doing things, I AM THE ONE........

Why did John question it? I think he was wondering why Jesus didn't come and get him.....or release him.....or at least put him on his list of people to help.........it was John's way of saying: HELLO??????

Matt 11:6 And, blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

My translation: I am not coming to get you, John, don't be offended in my decision..........

In Matt. 13:20, the word is recieved with joy.....in verse 21-yet, hath he not root in himself, but dureth for awhile; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word (Moses, Saul, John), by and by he is offended.........(only John seemed to pass the temptation to be offended)...

In 1 Timothy 1:12, the writer says: I suffer these things.......I am not ashamed (offended?).....I know......I believe......I am persuaded......hold fast.......keep.....verse 15: thou knowest, all they which are in Asia, be turned away from me...(are they offended?)

continued

[joy4Him2day]

Judas:

Some say that Judas betrayal involved his greed....but, I agree with A.B.Bruce's conclusion that it isn't a strong enough arguement. "Surely there were other passions at work in his soul when he sold his Lord than the cold and hardening love of gain!"

"Pressed by this difficulty, some have suggested that, in betraying Jesus, Judas was motivated by feelings of jealousy or spite, arising out of internal dissensions or imagined injuries. "

Some of the possible offenses are listed as follows:

The mere fact that Judas was not a Galilean, (Renan, Vie de Jesus, p. 394)
but a native of another province, might give rise to misunderstanding.

Who knows what offenses sprang from those disputes among the disciples who should be the greatest in the kingdom?What if the man of Kerioth had been made to feel that, whoever was to be the greatest, he at least had no chance, not being a Galilean?

What money issues were there? These reflections show how ill-feeling might have arisen between Judas and his fellow-disciples; but what cause him the hatred against his master?

Had, Jesus, then, done anything to offend the man by whom He was betrayed? Yes! HE HAD SEEN THROUGH HIM, and that was offense enough!

Men cannot live together in close fellowship long without coming to know with what feelings they are regarded by each other. If I distrust a brother, he will know it, even should I attempt to conceal it. But, Jesus would not try to conceal his findings. He who so faithfully corrected the faults of the other disciples would do His duty to this one also, and make him aware that he regarded his spirit and evil habits with diapprobation, in order to bring him to repentance.

On a Peter, correction had a most wholesome influence; it brought him at once to his right mind. In the case of a Judas the result would be very different. The mere consciousness that Jesus did not think well of him, and still more the shame of an open rebuke, would breed sullen resentment and everdeepening alienation of heart; till at length love was turned to hatred, and the impenitent disciple began to cherish vindictive passions.oh, wow, I just got a glimpse of Cain.....:doh

A.B.Bruce goes onto say that he feels Judas was more aware of what was going on than the other disciples, partly because of his traitor heart. "Along with malice and greed, the instinct of self-preservation may have had a place among the motives of Judas. The traitor was a shrewd man, and believed that a catastrophe was near. He understood better than his single-minded brethren the situation of affairs; for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. The other disciples, by their generous enthusiasms and patriotic hopes, were blinded to the signs of the times; but the false disciple, just because he was less noble, was more discerning. "I think of Peter's run to self-preservation in denying the Lord in the garden....even swearing...which was not an unusual occurance for him evidently, because circumstances reveal you, not make you

If Judas was seeing his master's future, "what but turn king's evidence, and make terms for himself, so that Christ's loss might be his gain?"

These observations are perfect training for the days ahead....."for it is not desirable that we should think of the traitor as an absolutely unique character, as the solitary perfect incarnation of satanic wickedness. We should rather so think of his crime as that the effet of contemplating it on our minds shall be to make us, like the disciples, ask, Is it I? "

Who can understand his errors? Keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins.

"What a melancholy end was that of Judas to an auspicious beginning! Chosen to be a companion of the Son of man, and an eye and ear witness of His work, once engaged in preaching the gospel and casting out devils; now possessed of the devil himself, driven on by him to damnable deeds, and finally employed by a righteous Providence to take vengeance on his own crime. In view of this history, how shallow the theory that resolves all moral differences between men into the effect of the circumstances! Who was ever better circumstanced for becoming good than Judas? Yet, the very influences which ought to have fostered goodness served only to provoke into activity latent evil." (Bruce)

"Has any faithful servant of Christ to complain that his love has been requited by hatred, his truth with bad faith; or that he is obliged to treat as a true Christian one whom he more than suspects to be a hypocrite? It is a hard trial, but let him look unto Jesus and be patient.!" (Bruce)

:faint

[joy4Him2day]

So, though we think of offenses usually coming from others, it appears as though some of this warning is not to take offense at God......

so, some are being set up for offense, in that they believe in a false understanding of the End......and will be come double-minded, not knowing what to believe.....believe in God when all is well, disbelieve when things look bad......

offense that some will appear to be "blessed" by God, and others appear to be "abandoned"......I hear these thoughts all the time.......our concepts of God and His Authority and Ways must be tried, so as the World darkens, we will still have Truth to hold onto........

offense that God sets one up and another down......that God keeps one in prison and another free......in practical terms, I have been offended at some of God's choices, at times.....as far as I know, I have repented of those times, but I do know of them.......

I so feel JOhn in prison, saying: HEY, what about me? When? When are you releasing me---not ever imagining that it wasn't His plan at all to come and get me in the way that I thought, especially because I was there for standing up for His Word...because of My Word.........it is these times when I realize the depth of my manipulative ways.....oh, thank God He does not allow it!!! Because of My Word you are tempted to be offended........interesting.....who would have thought?

Christians don't think of the possibility of God offending them so much, I think. That look that Jesus gave Peter in the garden.......:faint-----the comparison Bruce makes, that it cut Peter to the heart, Judas it would have hardened his heart.......

Offenses will come.......what exactly will that look like?

[JustGodsChild]

Thanks for the study Joel!! ;):

And I will have you know, I am offended! (by what, I am not sure exactly but it sounded good. :D:)

[Joel]

I love reading through as it seems things dawn upon you as you're writing, joy. It's really quite fun :):

I've often considered John, and the way you put those verses so close in proximity together makes a lot of sense in a way I've never seen before. :freaked


I find it irony Moses and Saul became offended at some point, and they were locked out of God's destiny for themselves.

Yet John seems to have passed the test, and yet he had to remain behind his own bars..

[Joel]

Many offenses come from man...
but above all, we must remain offense-free in regards to God himself..

and offense, it will come...

Your bit on John being offended towards God reminded me of this bit earlier..

Paul, apostle and author of 2/3 of the New Testament...
exercised to remain conscious-free in offense towards God and man [Acts 24:16]!

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men


In the context, Paul was being delivered up by the Jews to the Roman legislation at the time...

and very easily, and on many, many accounts Paul could have allowed offense to enter into His mind... towards his brethern, the Jew, or the Romans prosecuting him, or towards God! - For letting him be delivered up in the first place!

His pride and joy was exercising his will to be free of offense, so that, he might more effectively be a minister of the Gospel, and not let anger, or roots of bitterness, or self-centeredness take planting in his heart...

otherwise, Paul's destiny too may have become halted



Sadly, I fear many christian have become or let offense take root in their heart, towards God... much in the manner of John, or Paul..

as with these two, God could have easily 'done' sonething for them.. and yet He let Paul be delivered up for a time, He allowed John to sit in prison.. [but not without receiving the good news of Messiah]


how often do we become offended at God and His ways, sometimes?

[joy4Him2day]

Quote Joel: "Paul, apostle and author of 2/3 of the New Testament...
exercised to remain conscious-free in offense towards God and man [Acts 24:16]!

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men


In the context, Paul was being delivered up by the Jews to the Roman legislation at the time...

and very easily, and on many, many accounts Paul could have allowed offense to enter into His mind... towards his brethern, the Jew, or the Romans prosecuting him, or towards God! - For letting him be delivered up in the first place!

His pride and joy was exercising his will to be free of offense, so that, he might more effectively be a minister of the Gospel, and not let anger, or roots of bitterness, or self-centeredness take planting in his heart...

otherwise, Paul's destiny too may have become halted "

*****

oh, what a Light! I believe we are on to something. He is getting us ready to understand His ways when we live out our faith! Sometimes it will look as though we are abandoned.......that we are without a Parent!.......how much could Paul have questioned the wisdom of God......!!!

Many times while reading the stories of missionaries, Elizabeth Elliot, and the likes, I have felt myself dismayed at some of the things that God allowed.....I have prayed---"Lord, give us a fighting chance!" He is preparing our selves for the war.....we must be ready to not be offended, or we will not carry the banner! Oh, the riches of His glory! Don't you see, that right now, as we speak, and learn, we are filling our lamps with oil!

Here is quote I have in my bathroom: When it looks as though He is buried, Jesus is doing something awesome in the dark!

Playing "catch up" in the end-time is something none of us are going to want to do.....that is why the Oil-Lamp parable is so sobering. John waivered a little, I think, but had enough oil in his lamp to endure and be an OVERCOMER.

Being a christian is cool to some people. It's a good thing to be. It's moral and right, and Godly. But I have witnessed the shock in my own heart, and of others, when it actually costs us something. Something that doesn't help us get ahead "in this world". It makes one really think about their commitment. Lots of things are exceptable in the world for survival. They are still not exceptable in the Lord's economy.......and many will be "offended" because of it.

[joy4Him2day]

.......offended.......overcomer........hmmmmm....wonder what the correlation might be...........:):

[joy4Him2day]

I love reading through as it seems things dawn upon you as you're writing, joy. It's really quite fun :):


:gossip be careful JOel, it might be considered a woman teaching a man.......
:faint.....(said in fun, everyone :): )

[haeschen]

Have you considered that our own (non-Christlike attitudes) may provoke offenses? If we are rude, we are treated rudly and then are offended at their rudeness. If we are arrogant poeople will not hear the good news we are trying to share. We offended them. Are we taking responsibility for such offenses we cause?
The only attitude that bears good results is motivated by love, peace and joy.
imho

[OwnedByJesus]

oh, what a Light! I believe we are on to something. He is getting us ready to understand His ways when we live out our faith! Sometimes it will look as though we are abandoned.......that we are without a Parent!.......how much could Paul have questioned the wisdom of God......!!!

Many times while reading the stories of missionaries, Elizabeth Elliot, and the likes, I have felt myself dismayed at some of the things that God allowed.....I have prayed---"Lord, give us a fighting chance!" He is preparing our selves for the war.....we must be ready to not be offended, or we will not carry the banner! Oh, the riches of His glory! Don't you see, that right now, as we speak, and learn, we are filling our lamps with oil!


Don't know why, but this had me well up with tears. I feel very encouraged by our God and your words!

Here is quote I have in my bathroom: When it looks as though He is buried, Jesus is doing something awesome in the dark!

God doesn’t waste suffering. If He plows, it’s because He purposes a crop.

Playing "catch up" in the end-time is something none of us are going to want to do.....that is why the Oil-Lamp parable is so sobering. John waivered a little, I think, but had enough oil in his lamp to endure and be an OVERCOMER.

Being a christian is cool to some people. It's a good thing to be. It's moral and right, and Godly. But I have witnessed the shock in my own heart, and of others, when it actually costs us something. Something that doesn't help us get ahead "in this world". It makes one really think about their commitment. Lots of things are exceptable in the world for survival. They are still not exceptable in the Lord's economy.......and many will be "offended" because of it.
How sobering. Praising Him for not giving us more than we can bear!

Also, Thank you Joel for your study. Very good, I'm glad I decided to read this whole thread!

[pilgrimian]

....being blessed!

Thanks, Joel!!!

I really needed it, too. I've had a stressful, stressful day. Thank you, thank you!

Godspeed & Shabbat Shalom!
Matthew

[Joel]

All you guys are very welcome. :):

I'm very satisified knowing this study blessed others...
and hopefully effected life changes to be made.


I was just remembering something the other day, and thought I'd post my memory-rambling... :B:


Shortly after I posted this study, someone actually got offended at me around these parts. :lol


[And sometimes that's due to us, and sometimes that's due to misperception. Either way, point standing is to pursue peace]


I've noticed something, often time and time again.
And I wanted to share that with ya'll.



After we receive a revelation of God and the knowledge of His truths in His Word....

it seems to be a pattern [at least around here] that the devil [who is to be compared to the wild fowl of the air trying to pick away at us and our 'offerings', and our reception of the Truth] (Genesis 15:11, Matthew 13:19) often tries to put us to the 'test' in that new truth which we've received, so we can falter in our lives, and [ultimately] lose hope..



My point is Be careful.

When you receive the Good news of the Word...
Guard it with all of your heart and all of your ways...

And in all of your ways, acknowledge Him... and He will go ahead of you, and straighten your paths. [Proverbs 3:6]

:):



Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

[HarbingerSinger]

Thanks to Joel and Joy for this enlightening study.

The thought occurs to me that Satan tried to provoke Job into taking offense at God.

[Joel]

'Curse G-d and die' was an instrument of his, too.

Obviously the enemy won over his wife. . .

Thanks to Joel and Joy for this enlightening study.

The thought occurs to me that Satan tried to provoke Job into taking offense at God.


:thumb


[bump-age]

[Jeanie]

I have read this study three times and each time I learn something more.
Thank you both, Joel and Joy.

[HeIsEnough]

Bumpity....Hopefully, people can keep their cool by reading this thread...it even works for christian-christian. :thumb

It is also good to submit to authority, including the ones on this board, whether one agrees or not. They have far more to answer for about the things that happen here than we do, that means they need prayer. Shalom

[neuron]

When i read this I thought of some of CS Lewis' writings in Mere Christianity; he speaks of how dangerous and powerful the sin of Pride is. Pride is the most underestimated sin of the whole gamut- read what he has to say of it and you'll realize not only how much it affects your own life but what a terrible struggle it will be to overcome

[Joel]

it's the time...


of the season...


for bump-ing.....

[Comfort me]

Matthew 24:4-9
And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines,
and pestilences,
and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.Matthew 24:10-12
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.One of the most overlooked and forgotten major 'signs of the End Times' is offense.

Offense is very easy to come by.

Jesus said..


Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!

Clearly, offense will come to us. Jesus said so. We cannot escape the reality of offense to hit us in this life or in this world.

We must accept this as a fact of life.
It's how we handle what we're given that determines our destiny.

Little do people realize it was offense that hindered Moses' own destiny on his own life! Moses was destined to enter into the Promised Land, leading the camp of Israel in victoriously.

This is what God charged him to do when He first put that call on Moses' life.

His destiny was halted.
Why, where, when?



The waters of Meribah.

Numbers 20:7-9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Numbers 20:10-11 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Numbers 20:12-13 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.


[Meribah = Strife; dispute; contention]

Notice his reaction?
He spoke to them in the manner 'ye rebels', the tone very much apparent.
He also added 'must we fetch you water from this rock'.

As if it was in their own power to deliver the water from the Rock. God was not sanctified in their sight, because Moses allowed offense to enter into his spirit.

He was offended at the children of Israel, and he 'took it out on them'.

So often we read of Moses interceding in great mercy on behalf of the Camp of Israel ... sin after sin, and bickering after bickering.

This is what God loves. God loves mercy before judgment.

Yet Moses allowed himself to be offended at the children of Israel , and because he held onto that, he took it out in one swift stroke of anger ...

Moses was commanded to speak to the rock once.
He struck the rock twice.


Because of this incident, Moses' destiny was halted.


Offense can rob us of our destiny.

Offense is always the little things that cause us to stumble or trip against our neighbor. It's rarely a large matter.

Too many in the church have become offended with one other for petty things ...

There are three types of offenses.


1. Imaginary
2. Un-intentional
3. Intentional

1. Often, we take offenses from other persons, in the church, from friends, or from family members...

and it's simply [I]imaginary.

They may have said something a certain way, or looked at you a certain way... that you took wrongfully, and as a result became hardened and offended in your heart towards that person.

When in reality, nothing ever happened.



Let me give one example...

In Austrailia, a woman who was a missionary from the States, just recently began to live there and settle in.

This one particular night she had her baby with her, and was sitting upon a stool at this restuarant she was attending. Along came an Austrailian and native to the country, and passed on by before noticing the baby in her lap, and stopped and commented: 'my what a funny looking dummy you have there'.


Now the missionary woman took serious offense to this comment, and didn't let go of it for years, believing the woman had publicly insulted her baby. Believe it or not, we can often hold onto offenses and grudges for many years without realizing it.

This actually hindered this woman's ministry for some time as resentment grew in her heart after this particular incident.

Little did the woman realize that 'dummy' is in fact common slang in Austrialia for 'a baby's pacifier'. :):



She was really saying 'my, what a funny looking pacifier you have there'!

Her offense was imaginary.


She should have asked the lady what she meant by this, or have realized when in another culture, the people will speak differently, naturally - in order to resolve herself from allowing that into her spirit.

Instead of letting something go, we let it seize our hearts and pine away inside.

We mustn't do this.


2. Another type of offense is unintentional.

This is where a friend or church family member might do or say something towards us, that we take wrongly, but was never intended to be taken in such a manner.

I know I myself have made silly jokes in times past to friends, and they have taken offense when there was none intended.

Part of that may have been my own fault [and I have no such qualms admitting that], not having more wisdom or tact to whom my audience was, or being familiar with their taste and flavor of humour.

The point standing, we should strive not to take something the wrong way when it was never intended in such a way.

In order to do this - we must keep the communication lines open. Lack of communication actually kills relationships... and we need to ask ourselves then... is our relationship worth fighting for?

I think in most cases, they are. And letting little pebbles flatten our tires is not the way to 'go out', either.



3. The third type of offense is intentional.

This is where we are purposefully hurt. Often we can take offenses from so-called enemies much more better and cope with them, as their wounds don't faze us nearly as much! ;):

But even the writers of Proverbs says..

'faithful are the wounds of a friend' [Proverbs 27:6].


Often we can take these wounds and let them cut deeply into our hearts, creating a root of bitterness and anger. :(:

We need to forgive each other for all of our offenses, and trespasses against one another.

We need to pro-actively love one other.

Instead of seeing the person whom offended us in the store, or every-day walking arounds, and purposefully taking the 'other' aisle so as to 'avoid' them alltogether... we need not, nor must we let these compulsions guide us.


We must not submit to these childlike ways, but allow God's love in us to show forth and greet that person!

Let that person see Christ in you, a living epistle, and not that which is so natural and easy to come to us - namely, protecting ourselves from being hurt again - so we let our love grow cold..


Jesus said the world would know us by our love, and by our fruits [John 13:35]

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We need to remain hot in our zeal and love for God, and for our neighbor.

These are the Royal Commandments - the Royal Law of Love [ Matthew 22:37-40].


Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets
The end times are in-fact marked by the churches of Philadelphia, and of Laodicea, most prominently [Revelation 3].



Philadelphia was commended for being the church of Brotherly Love.
This was the single church God did not find one fault with at all!

In contrast, it was the money loving, 'care-only-about-myself and my feelings' church, known as Laodicea, that there was found not one single complimentary thing for either!



Which church do we want a part of?




[B]Philadelpha; and exercising our love towards God and man [denying ourselves']?
or Laodicea, and becoming totally self-centered, and 'me', 'me', 'me'?

We must exercise, [and exercise is a tough thing physically, as well as behaviour-wise; emotionally, etc] to show forth our light as God's children, not letting offenses, or church walls, or denominational barriers obstruct the fact we have love for one another, or for our friends, or for our enemies, or for our own families.

For it is the Goodness of God which is what draws men towards Him [Romans 2:4].
So let's go out and let God's goodness shine forth from us today. :):



Paul, apostle and author of 2/3 of the New Testament...
exercised to remain conscious-free in offense towards God and man [Acts 24:16]!

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men


In the context, Paul was being delivered up by the Jews to the Roman legislation at the time...

and very easily, and on many, many accounts Paul could have allowed offense to enter into His mind... towards his brethern, the Jew, or the Romans prosecuting him, or towards God! - For letting him be delivered up in the first place!

His pride and joy was exercising his will to be free of offense, so that, he might more effectively be a minister of the Gospel, and not let anger, or roots of bitterness, or self-centeredness take planting in his heart...

otherwise, Paul's destiny too may have become halted - likewise, much in the manner of Moses before him. :(:


See, exercising that love, even in tense, or awkward moments, when passing by someone in Walmart, while shopping, or wherever ... passing by someone with which you've been offended... it can be difficult...

but our single command is to love our Neighbor, and our Enemy.

So even if it's a smile and a wave ['just smile and wave, boys' ... [[U]madagascar reference] or a 'Hey, how are you?' ...

[rather than walking away/ignoring/or speaking rudely]

Not mattering how hard that is to do, you're letting GO of that offense, and not letting it rule your hearts... and subsequently freeing yourself up.

You are in-fact, overcoming, and entering into loving that person, inspite of the situation at hand. [And Revelation has a lot to say about 'Overcomers' and their inheritance.]



And what that's doing is exercising, much like Paul did, it's also exercising that agape [Godly] love inside you.

Because God loved us with that great agape love, others deserve to know that same love.

It's in-turn preventing our heart from entering into a coldness, and cooking it, preparing it always to be hot in zeal and in love for God [above] and for man .

The communication lines are then both vertical [heavenly], and horizontal [fellow-man].

This is the essence of the church of Philadelphia.


[B]1 John 3:14,18 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

This shows us me must not just love in tongue only, but deed and truth, this is what real faith is, and this is what true love is as well.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We must do so, also, without fear. For fear is not of perfect love [and causes torment in our own souls], and we must build ourselves up to that point, exercising ourselves, like an athlete runner - hard as it might be for a period - because we are all afraid of the potentiality of being hurt [again] ... yet this is what makes the body of Christ distinct on the earth.



We must also realize people have a twisted concept of love today. In terms of the Gospel, people have sought to 'seek Love only' and ditch out the truth, watering down the Gospel.

We mustn't fall into this trap either.

We should pursue peace with all men, and church-goers, and family members, and so on...

and we should unite with our brothers in God, finding that common ground we share [Psalm 133:1 - [I]how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!]... but never do we sacrifice truth for unity.

This is a perversion of love.
True love is in fact speaking the truth, but speaking it in love as well.




If you've read this far - thank you for bearing with me. :):

I hope I've said or related something to you that will set you free personally.

Because God's word has the power to break all chains and bounds, and set the prisoner free! :thumb


Joel this was good stuff. Thanks.

[Chris4Christ]

it's the time...


of the season...


for bump-ing.....


:sigh

[Joel]

what's wrong? :confused

[Joel]

Ok, I'm replying to this again because it's bothering me and you haven't logged on yet. :heh

At first, I honestly didn't know what the 'sigh' was for, until I re-read it trying to understand. :doh



I don't know if you're thinking what I'm thinking - but I'll take a shot at it, and say I most certainly did NOT intend to make any kind of wisecrack or inappropiate comment. :(:

So I do apologize to you if this was the perception Chris. :hug


Funny enough -- I think this falls under the section in my study 'unintended offense'. :lol

Unfortunately, once people get to know me as a jokester [that seems to come back and bite me in the butt], I've noticed they start taking a lot of my comments as joking or making a crack at something when that was never intended or even conceived in my mind.

So, I should use more wisdom when I give my comments [even an innocent bump]... and that is something I can take from this, too. :):



Let me explain: I heard that oldies song today, so it was ingrained in my mind most of the day.

Furthermore, I've been posting a link to this study [I]quite a bit lately in seperate threads [or directing people to it in private] that needed some portion of this study applied... so it just seemed like the 'season' for bumping this thread back up seemed very appropiate at this time.

I combined that observation of mine with the song looping in my head thinking I was being clever. That's all. :B: I just get tired of standard :bump replies, so I was attempting to be clever was all.


I wasn't, however, attempting to be inappropiate or whatnot. I would not do that in a thread, especially one I was attempting to get people to read so they could be ministered to. :lol

So again, you have my apologies if thats how it came across. It most certainly was not the case here. :nod

[TRUTHSEEKER815]

Great thread,as always,Joel!This really confirmed something the Spirit was speaking to me right B4 I came on here.He has been showing me over and over,for a long period of time to "love thy neighbor as thyself',which you stated in your OP.He has been showing me that this scripture means "having a servant's attitude" toward "all".This is just the opposite of "taking offense".A servant's attitude "always" seeks the "best" for the other person,which to me was Jesus' main trait.In simpler terms and in various other scriptures,it states that is an honor as a Christian to help someone else succeed,rather than always putting ourselves first.(And greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for a friend).Always love your neighbor the same way you love yourself.It's very hard to do,but the Lord as been patiently pointing this out in my life repeatedly,recently.I never really connected the tie-in with end times prophecy,but this is so true.The love of many is turning cold-may we all learn from these teachings!Thanks again,Joel!

[Joel]

So many offenses. So little reconciliation.


Truth, I can't help it - you speak the truth. :lol Our greatest and highest calling as christians is to love one another [and to love God], and to actively love one another - that means seeking the best of others ahead of ourselves, creating a Servant-like [no, not the Admin] attitude within our heart, and forgiving one another - forgetting all past trespasses.

If God does just that - why do we keep our brother's wrongs in the back of our mind [shouldn't we emulate God]? Oh sure, you don't let someone slap you twice [wisdom]... but you don't hold that root of bitterness in your heart either [grace].


Lord, give us the serenity to know what we can't change.
The courage to change what we can.
And the wisdom to know the difference.


We can't let our love grow cold. I want to be in that Philadelphian church. We need to be different from the world, not like it. In all areas [and I take into account myself first before any other man].


I Corinthians 13:4-8a (Cornette Augmented Version)
Godly love is steadfast and endures bravely in continuing misfortune. It patiently bears the offences of others and is slow to seek vengeance (suffereth long).
Godly love is kind, beneficial and seeks the advantage of others (and is kind).
Godly love does not allow itself to become heated with envy, but acts sensibly (envieth not).
Godly love does not boast of it’s accomplishments in a way that demeans others. It will not embellish the story to make it sound better (vaunteth not itself). It does not swell in pride, nor walk in the flesh (puffed up).
Godly love does not act in an inappropriate way. It will be careful to not be sexually provocative toward someone of the opposite sex (behave itself unseemly). Godly love does not seek its own benefit or demand something from someone else, but instead seeks for the benefit of others and serves (seeks not her own).
Godly love is not edgy, looking for an argument. It will not try to provoke others to anger, nor irritate or exasperate others (is not easily provoked). Godly love will not keep a running account of wrongs suffered, nor attempt to reckon a balance when wronged. It refuses to meditate on injure, trouble or wrong (thinketh no evil).
Godly love will not rejoice when its enemy is found in sin, but will pray for his enemy. It does not thrive on stories of others problems or downfall (rejoiceth not in iniquity). However, love will celebrate when others come to know the truth and embrace the Word of God. Godly love’s greatest joy is derived when someone understands the love of the LORD as revealed in the Bible (rejoiceth in the truth).
Godly love keeps the sins of others secret, and will be silent when it hears accusation concerning his brothers in Christ. It will actively bear the burden of others when it sees them about to stumble off the path of righteousness (beareth all things). Godly love will always think the best, and be impelled to believe his brother (believeth all things).
Godly love enthusiastically seeks places to be used of God as a minister of reconciliation. It will actively seek the salvation of others, and place full hope in the goodness of God to bring those it evangelizes to repentance because of the goodness that it shows (hopeth all things).
Godly love will tarry in prayer for the salvation and deliverance of others. It will persevere under persecution for righteousness sake, and count it all joy to suffer for the Gospel. Godly love patiently endures under ill treatment; bravely and calmly (endureth all things).
Because of all these things, Godly love will never fail in any situation to which it is consistently and enduringly applied. It will not easily fall into sin because it actively seeks the Face of the LORD. Godly love cannot be powerless, and will change any situation where it is dynamically exercised (charity never faileth).

[sealed]

This went right to my heart. Now, I gotta go get a kleenex. :):