“Go your own way” Fleetwood Mac
After reading various Psalms in the bible this morning, a song I haven’t heard in years came to mind. I didn’t know the lyrics but I remembered the chorus. I felt led to look that song up on YouTube.
Okay, let’s pause here for a moment… look up that song. Pretend for a moment that Jesus used this kind of dialog with you? In truth God has given each one of us what we call “Free will.” The will to go our own way has consequences for example; the bible clearly tells us “There is away that seems right unto man but the end thereof is the ways of death.”
In the song “You can go your own way.” there was a consequence… “Another lonely day!” I’ve had my share of lonely days, who hasn’t, right? I’ve found that going my own way has done nothing but serve me breakfast in bed and a tray full of trouble with a huge cup of chaos. Now I am praying Psalms 23 over my life? I have learned that:
Going my own way has put me in places I should have never been in to begin with…
Done things I should have never done…
A strange bedfellow of guilt beat me up in the early morning hours and left me for dead.
…and just when I didn’t think things can get any worse? Daisy shows up! Her southern accent and joyful laughter has me on the edge of my seat, literally. Oh, but if this charming southern bell could read my mind she’d get back in her car and speed off. I wouldn’t hurt her but I’d give her a piece of my spiritual mind only to find myself repenting for it later. Later, while she is somewhere in church with 5 other women who showed up in matching clothes “Well, lookie here… ain’t that the darndest thang. The Lord told me to wear this color …next thing I know he’s tellen me to wear them ole pearls aunt Betty bought me.” Laughter fills the room as each woman holds onto their pearls. All this while they are praying the devil out me.
Most of us have a hard time listening to each other, let alone listening to God? Perhaps that’s why the bible encourages us to “Be swift to hear and slow to speak.”
Things get in the way, these days are dark, very dark. Time is not slowing down its speeding up. Technology has moved us in a direction that distracts us from God… and the very voice of God is becoming harder to hear. I had no idea I was supposed to wear pearls?
Sin wars in our members, our problems are not necessarily caused by Satan but they are definitely influenced by him. I have been too busy for God and the need of God operating in my life left me at a disadvantage. No matter how many times He tried to get my attention it fell on deaf ears. God has placed people in my life to bring these things to my remembrance, yet, when in quick sand and the only person around to latch onto smells like cookies because she is on her way to a fundraiser well “Ain’t that the darndest thang.”
Help they just pissed me off and right about now the quick sand doesn’t seem so bad. One way or another I am about to be smothered. {Did I just admit all of that? Yes… to prove we are not that different.} Upset by their perfect form of Godliness. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love them. However, when I am walking in the dark I don’t want them to turn the light on. I want to find my own way.
No one walking in sin, wants Daisy showing up to scripture fix them. Even though they may be right? We are more comfortable talking about our secret sin with someone we know that has overcome the same thing.
Listen, It is a good thing to “Confess your faults one to another that you may be healed.” I don’t ever want to be a Daisy. Sometimes the only thing a woman needs for a break through is someone on the other side willing to Listen. The sinner knows they have sinned if they believe in God?
God is gentle
God knows our inner man
God knows our thoughts
… His wisdom from above “Is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and EASY to be intreated, FULL of MERCY and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” – James 3:17
While Daisy means well sometimes that word of prophetic knowledge is based on dangerous observations and if it does? I get upset. In part, because I feel like I know something she doen’t. I know me. Now not only am I under condemnation. I am angry. I find that being angry makes me angry at myself. Does that resinate with you? Scoffing under my breath “Well, isn’t Daisy a ray of sunshine full of hope.” …and unbeknownst to Daisy… I have just become the villan in my head “What is wrong with me?” The only thing I’m missing is a hairless cat and a bible thumping super hero who has come to save the day with ominous music. Oh, no. All while I’m still living in Gotham City?
I’m guilty of encouraging others while quoting one Super hero scripture after another yet not taking my own spiritual advice. I’ve gone my own way. Lets see… if Jesus is in it? So is the breakthrough, which I consider to be much more valuable than a breakdown? Agreed?
Yes! Godly super hero’s get under my skin when I am walking in opposition to the word. They push my button’s… not all of them, just some of them. Why? Sometimes it’s easier to go my own way. Here’s the thing though if out flesh is at war with God? If our sin wars in our members it makes sense that the moment Daisy shows up with her cookie cutter Christian vocabulary that you get upset. The solution ask God for help in that area. Plus, if she walks by faith, she will speak gently in faith, and if the word is not received? She will leave. On her way home guess where her heart is… yes, praying for you and me. Good thing God did not warn her she was about to get beat up. Make no mistake they are out there…
They have arrived
They weave baskets and bake cookies all while memorizing their next bible study
But me… I’m lucky to find my way to the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee.
I am miserable
Sin feels good until it doesn’t
I know the truth… and the truth will set you free?
I’m not warring with them, let me be very clear.
The bible tells us “That our flesh wars against our spirit.” If it wars against our spirit it makes sense that it will war with anyone who is attempting to help… especially if they are using the word of God to do it. There is power in the word. Real power.
All that to point this out. While you may not like Daisy and all her southern charm this bell just might be your God appointed advisor… (Nathan spoke to King David) Sick in the thick of sin, I had no idea at the time that God was using Daisy anymore than David knew why Nathan was reasoning with him through a parable? Here’s the thing. .. we have all heard and believed the report that King David was a man after God’s own heart. It’s strange to me how ready we are to receive that… knowing that not only did this man King David commit adultery? He sought out and had a man killed so that he could take his wife as his own.? A future king Solomon would come from her very womb… the very conception of sin would one day gave birth to the wisest King who ever lived.
Before all that happened, David was nothing more than a boy God chose to use.
A boy who had yet to encounter Destiny
The Destiny of a king
Despite you…
Despite me…
We are chosen by God’s love to one day become children of destiny
God will perfect that thing which concerns us
God will prepare our hearts
God will inspire our strength
He knew our sins and sent his ONLY son to die for us.
When we think of David being “A man after God’ s own heart.” Because of word association… the first thing we think of is David’s sin.
Is it hard to wrap our head around the fact that an adulterer and murderer can:
Still search God’s heart
Can still have a call on their lives
Can still be pursued by an unfailing destiny
I have not one time judged David. I believe God. God chose to use Nathan to speak to David rasing questions! while reasoning with him regarding a matter that appeared to have nothing to do with him.
Nathan used a parable to do so. David was unaware the parable was about him. “This man should die.” was his rebuttal.
The beauty here is that God will use someone in your life to speak a word of truth. A (Nathan) in my case Daisy but he will not do that without preparing your heart for the word. It is hard to repent, repentence means change.
David cried… “Create in me a clean heart o’ God and renew a right Spirit within me.”
When sin does not want to be found out you can expect God to talk to you, even if He has to use a Nathan to do it.
God wants to lead you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. Sin blinds us. It does not want us to see the love of God.
God will prepare you for greatness?
Sin does not want you to see that
Sin will break you. It will make you feel isolated and alone. Sin will condemn you and make you feel empty.
God wants to reveal his nature to you, the nature of his character. His heart toward you is filled with:
His love
His mercy
His tenderness
His loving kindness
His deliverance…
God will set you up and give you trusted advisors. The blood of Jesus is stronger than you are, it is stronger than your sin. The Blood of Jesus can do many things but it can not make you confess your sin. It allows you to go your own way.
God offers us an acquittal not a hung jury and he does so through his son Jesus. Take your pain, your pride, and your sin to the cross.
If things are as bad as you think they are you have nothing to lose?
Much love.
