What Upsets God?
I can't get enough of Rolland and Heidi Baker's devotional called "Reckless Devotion." I think this is the second post that I've cited this book. I may not get to read it everyday (it always depends on when my girls wake up) but when I do get to read it I seriously get to stew on their words all throughout the day. If you've never heard of the Baker's you need to get caught up because they are amazing servants of God. This couple is immersed in ministry as missionaries in Mozambique, Africa where they serve the needs of thousands of people spiritually, physically and emotionally. They went to Mozambique because at the time it was the poorest country in the world and the people they went to were virtually unreached by the Gospel before them. I first heard of Heidi after our Pastor returned from a conference that she spoke at. I don't exactly understand what happened to him there, but I do know that he was different after he heard her preach and was literally laid out by the Holy Spirit. He described her as this petite little woman who would weep while she preached because she was so in love with what Jesus had done in her. I was truly intrigued by his words about her and I had to learn more. Kirste was so sweet in getting me her devotional for my birthday and I can't say enough good things about it, so please go order yourself a copy!
Today's devotional spoke this phrase and it hit me hard, "I'm learning that it's okay to get upset about what upsets God." What does upset God? Countless times God got angry when His people turned from Him and worshipped idols and when they committed sexual immorality. In modern times we don't have the molded gods that ancient times had but what we do have is much harder to get rid of then a dumb little statue. We have money, fame, and power. With social media we're constantly bombarded with others around us who may have more money, fame and power so I believe comparison can also enter in as an idol. My pastors sum it up that an idol is anything that you put before God. God loves us so much and knows that when we put anything before Him, we will suffer because those things will never satisfy us like His love will do. Then there's sexual immorality, ancient times dealt with some pretty crazy public sexual immorality. You see the pagans had temple prostitutes who walked in the public and it was a privilege and an act of worship of their gods for a person to have sex with them. Sexual sin ran ramped! Sexual immorality in God's terms is anything sexual committed outside of marriage. Jesus said that even looking at a woman in a lustful way was the same as committing adultery, so that makes even looking at porn an adulterous act. This grieves God, because He knows the imprisonment that a person will walk in when they're entrapped by sexual immorality. It's not a freeing thing, it's a shackle and I believe that a person will have no power over it unless they let God work in them. The devil has laid a trap called pornography that has ripped families apart and passes that same sin down from generation to generation.
“This grieves God, because He knows the imprisonment that a person will walk in when they’re entrapped by sexual immorality. It’s not a freeing thing, it’s a shackle and I believe that a person will have no power over it unless they let God work in them”
I really believe God's heart isn't to make us rule-followers but Holy Spirit led people. If we know Him so well and are seeking to please Him, overcoming sin won't always be easy, but it's possible. Jesus spoke in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good courage, I have overcome the world." He's calling us to have peace in Him, to be brave and to be rest assured in His power that He gives us. We can overcome whatever is leading us astray and what has control over us because He's already destroyed it, we just need to walk in that! If we learn to be upset with what upsets God then we won't so easily be ensnared by that sin simply because we'll be on the lookout for it. We can't walk in denial any longer because the darkness in our eyes has been removed. I'm not saying to go out and stand on the street corner and exclaim that everyone who looks at porn is going to hell! No, I'm encouraging you to look inward, what have you put before God and what sexual sin is lurking around in your heart that you maybe haven't dealt with? I know for me, I've put my family, work, and even just surfing dumb things like Facebook before God. I'll go a week without reading my Bible, but you better believe that I've been on social media throughout the week. No, it's not a sin to look at Facebook or to not read my Bible, but left uncontrolled it will start to decay my life. God wants us, He wants all of us. When we give Him all of us, everything else...family, work, relationships will be blessed because of it.
I pray you have an amazing week and that God will show Himself big to you!
Much love,
Candace