Say What You Want

 

When I was growing up, I remember going to church and the preacher yelling and shouting a lot. I remember seeing the preacher preach like he was angry. As I grew up I realized that sometimes the preacher was angry, but for the wrong reason. He might be angry that giving is off or that the people are as committed to his ministry as he’d like. I really don’t care for that style of preaching and teaching. I often think that when those type speakers have nothing to say, they simply shout and get more animated. There are a lot of people who like to be rebuked in that way. They feel like they’ve been to church when they get their “toes stepped on”. I love hearing the truth and I’m convinced that the truth doesn’t always need fake emotion. The Holy Spirit can do the shouting deep inside the hearer’s heart.

There are other preachers and church leaders today that don’t ever speak against sin. They just love everybody and anything goes. They really water down the truth to the point it doesn’t even sound like truth. They really want the people who give to their church to like them, so they don’t call out sin in order to not offend. I believe that the Lord is not happy about this type of preaching and leading.

Micah was a prophet who called out prophets who were simply saying what people wanted to hear. He is God’s spokesperson and he doesn’t mince words. Check this out…

5-7 Here is God’s Message to the prophets,

    the preachers who lie to my people:

“For as long as they’re well paid and well fed,

    the prophets preach, ‘Isn’t life wonderful! Peace to all!’

But if you don’t pay up and jump on their bandwagon,

    their ‘God bless you’ turns into ‘God damn you.’

Therefore, you’re going blind. You’ll see nothing.

    You’ll live in deep shadows and know nothing.

The sun has set on the prophets.

    They’ve had their day; from now on it’s night.

Visionaries will be confused,

    experts will be all mixed up.

They’ll hide behind their reputations and make lame excuses

    to cover up their God-ignorance.”

8 But me—I’m filled with God’s power,

    filled with God’s Spirit of justice and strength,

Ready to confront Jacob’s crime

    and Israel’s sin. (Micah 3:5-8 The Message)

I believe that preachers should preach the truth.

I believe that Christ followers should speak the truth.

I believe that Christ followers should follow the truth of God’s Word.

I don’t always like what the Word says to me, but the truth is the truth.

I want to speak the truth with love in my heart. I want to honor the Lord with my life and my words. I want my life and my words to be in concert on His behalf. I want my opinions and ideas to be grounded in the truth of the Word, but I want to make sure that Truth prevails over any feelings or opinions I have. I want to say what the Lord wants me to say and nothing else.

Pressing On!

Dwayne