I'm not talking about my personal pet peeves. Like when someone near you in the theatre kicks your chair through an entire movie. Or when an inattentive driver leaves on his turn signal for fifty miles. Neither are we talking about annoyances that triggers your temper tantrums because of sinful issues in your heart.
Rather, what stirs righteous anger inside you?
What makes you made on God's behalf?
What offends your sense of justice and morality?
Seriously, I have plenty of that! Is it wrong to be "angry" with a righteous anger? Jesus did!
There are a couple of things that made Jesus angry. He once entered the temple in Jerusalem and found a bunch of merchants who had turned the "House of Worship", "The Place of Prayer" into a "worship emporium". They weren't interested in "honoring God"; all they wanted was a profit. So Jesus made a whip and drove them out!
Once of His core values, then, was the sanctity of worship.
Another time, He got so fed up with the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders that He chewed them out. If there was ever a time Jesus yelled Himself hoarse, this was it!
So another of Jesus' core values was integrity.
I'll tell you one thing that makes me real mad. I hate when Christ's followers; those supposedly devoted Christians, become so self-focused that we think the church is here for us. You hear and see them through thick walls asking themselves:
"What about me?"
"What about my needs?"
"I don't like the way our leaders are doing this."
"I want to see more of this than that."
It's nothing but "me's", "my's" and "I's".. All of this is simply a "me-centered mentality!"
Hello!? Sometimes, Christians forget that we are the church, and we're here for the world, not for ourselves!! Where's the "Christ-centered mentality or the Other-centered mentality" when God needs it!! I don't care what your grandparents, or your parents, or your Philosophy teacher or your brother, or your sister, or your aunt told you what you need to be "forewarned" about church. We overlook the things Jesus knows best and what He's done for humanity!! Yet, in the church, we're arguing over change, systems, belief, and other petty stuff. We hold on to traditions. Then ignoring those hurting out in the world.
One of my core values is reaching out to those without Jesus!!
Unfortunately, I'm not bringing them into the quagmire in the church right now.. Would you have a surgery done in an infected operating room? Clean (repent) what is going on inside before we bring in the those hurting in the world!!
So, what drives me up the wall for God?
- Christians decided to skip church for other activities.
- Christians do not take the time in reading the Bible before Sunday's services. Boy! I tell you that many come to church unprepared. They don't even have an answer.
- Christians comes to church with a "half-heart".
- Christians comes to criticize, ridicule, and looking for faults.
- Christians who are rude.
- Christians who put on a mask (fake) on Sundays but live a different life the rest of the week. I desire authenticity!!
- Christians who doesn't understand my vision for the deaf church (I can't move on without the leaders support and blessings.)
- Christians who knows they're giving excuses why they "can't" serve, worship, fellowship, praise, pray, study and love God.
In my next post, I'll tell you what brings me joy for God?
3 comments:
Hiya Mark,
Hey, I understand the "rightous anger" as you could see "over the weakened sea-load of Christians worshippers" in front of you as you are preaching and all the efforts for the Dear Lord. I understand. The key (only my opinion) for the possible up-and-down scenerios as the status of your deaf church group would be in forseeable future (always as comparative in the past but cannot tell if "the stock of church seed" would go ahead, like all other churches. The point is you know, the "small size of church group" would be the MOST fragile of everything because it could go die forever or melted down in different direction. That's why I would rather like to go BIG CHURCH (in various levels) because it will last long and a Christian like myself like to go manuveur as you go left or right mentually and theortically I, or like all other Christians, like to involve MUCH EASIER as if you happen to step down or move forward etc. The spotlight over a "deaf eye" is much more significantly (or more OBVIOUS) than common-ground hearing world. In hearing world, a Christian is like a haystick, but yet still can make things wonderful for the Lord. So I thought, if I can give you a nice Two-Cent suggestion, the deaf church or "deaf participation" of church is MUCH NEEDED to be OPEN MIND (open arms to be noticed easily) to go being survived and more comfortable etc. Maybe your deaf church group need to go "more diversify" like trying involve more hearing world etc. I clicked on "hearing" website of this FXCC -- and i saw WOW WOW like lot of teenagers and lot of adults and lot of children are participate in MANY different ways TO ENJOY THE GOOD LIFE as to make all of deaf people "be look wonderful" from hearing people. Try that idea, Mark. I saw celebrations (for the Glory of Lord) in many stages and activities for all hearing people. I say myself "why not" like that way. Be sure DO NOT ISOLATE too much. Just my suggestion.
Amen in BIGGEST way of Praising the Lord (like Survival the Fittest in Lord's name -- for everyone to be COUNTED. Yes one by one.
Anomyous -- I would rather say this for now, Mark, You know me VERY VERY WELL. Just want to keep low-key as I hope things will be MUCH BETTER and new direction (very different direction for you) this Year 2007.
Anonymous,
:) I know who you are. Then why hide?? :)
First of all, my righteous anger does not limit to those in the "deaf church" but also those outside of the "deaf church" especially those in "mainstream church".
Also, it doesn't apply to "deaf" people only, but the hearing or shall I quote, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 (niv) :)
It doesn't matter if you're in a BIG CHURCH or small church. It's easy to "hide" in a big church because no one can see what you're doing (or NOT doing). Of course, it's easy for people to see others in a small church.
The ONLY person that sees us is G-O-D!! He's the one we F-E-A-R!! Regardless you're in a small church or a mega church, God sees us and knows our hearts.. It doesn't necessarily have to be in a "church" but in your business place, in your home, in your mind, in your heart, while you're driving to work, school or home, while you're in the shower, in the bathroom.. The list is endless..
The "Deaf Eye" has no power at all! If they're looking at me and I'm being intimidated, so be it. I do things for the glory of God. I will never allow Satan to diffuse the glory of God among a deaf church no matter how big or small. Nor a hearing church, no matter how big or small. It's easy to "point fingers" at another church and give opinions. Isn't that Satan's favorite ammo. Isn't "dividing & destroying churches" on his daily agenda?
My righteous anger is an expression of how I see things and actions among Christians (hearing & deaf, large and small) through the lens of God (Bible)!
Hey!! I appreciate your comment though.. I love a stimulating spiritual conversation. Thanks for bringing this up.. It's always good to sharpen one another for the glory of God: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov. 27:17 (niv)
Dear 2 cent anonymous,
You forget that we dont have plenty of deaf teenagers to provide what hearing church provide..
The bigger they are, the easier they fall... Remember Rome? Remember Russia? Need I say more?
It does not matter what size we are, what matters the most is shine the Glory for Him! Jesus shined the shinest of all and it was just one man! a one man church!
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