Narrow Way

People do “soul power” when they exercise undue influence over another person. Many in our society innocently welcome this kind of controlling stimulus, thus making the issue a complex problem. Some of these “well meaning” people bear wrongs in the name of simply being a “good” wife, friend, son or daughter. Others embrace this strong-feelinged thing because it makes for good T.V. and movies. The cina-maniacs project every relationship as a compatibility explosion, a madly in love sex affair, or hyper-meaningful change-the-world type of quest. Dutifully or willfully deceived, lives are permanently manipulated away from their God-given freedom door, which implies a personal responsibility to Him and to His nature; and to Him alone.

Candidly, we all, Christian or not, lose our place of true liberty by neglecting willful accountability to Him who has the sole right to it. This lack deepens the deal of life, and creates a world too-hard. How? It takes my authority-recognition channel and focuses it sideways on people and now instead of scanning the horizon from the mountain, I live at the river’s edge. My wings are snipped and footsteps dig into sand or tar. Chugging or chipping, fuel burns lean in the dirtied filters of our 2-barrel-carburetor Edsels. However, folks persist in hammering out more-convincing wrong concepts regarding who God is. Someone evil is behind the keep-down, as these ideals are added to the culture.

In contrast, those who bring to focus the real God discover a mercy and grace for functional living. Yes, instead of expected judgment, these discover acceptance and friendship too. Murk and muck clear out so flight can shoot them up to the clouds of the eternal jet stream. Singing finds its vocal chords and so does fun. Laughter scoffs at the heavy thugs and shady dudes of their soul-powered imagination. They don’t feel so strongly about the big-woe-filled obligations to ground maneuvers. What glory does “temporal” have compared to “eternal” after all?

So, what happens? A friend backs off a marriage because of parental disapproval from the spouse’s side. Wisdom for sure, but is it legit to affect-to-stopping a life decision? In many cases it equates to undue influence of well meaning family or friends, and thwarts what may be the perfect will of God. Advise yes, but control not. Because people are conditioned by culture to receive projected subjective opinion, many forsake something designed by God to bless them. Blessing proceeds from the heart of a benevolent God but, O no, men are wiser then God! Sarcasm, sarcasm! Wisdom from below abounds and wins out because it feels and seems bigger than God’s simplicity.

In another case, a husband can predict how his wife will respond and so refuses to initiate. She knows him the same way. Again, a man in the church has a great teaching gift and many gather around him to the exclusion of the true delegated leaders. Kids and teens hang out with the strong personalities or football stars, or maybe even the drug dealer businessman. All of these cases reek with the filth of Godless usurping of the rightful superiority of an eternal God and placing mere men in His stead.

Friends, we pant for encouragement and strengthening. We so need love. Ministers, please compel folks to the mercy-seated “even place” where God waits to be gracious. Are we not sick of the band-aid of psychology, psychotherapy, and medications? Are we not sick of the labeling diagnoses, as if that in itself fixes somebody? Friends, we are persons, and we long for what can happen only through a personal touch, but that from a personal, unchanging, purely motivated God.

Some feel they are undeserving of this God. Get over it, please! Some sense they can’t live up to accountability. God knows that! Some are impressed it will be too hard. That is a lie! See friends, all of our soul-power conditioned “difficult” filtering systems get projected on God. This is why faith must birth itself and often faith does that when folks are flattened by constant sideways indulging.

In closing, Moses communed with God from off the mercy seat and related face to face with Him. Have we considered the eyes of Jesus? — Eyes of compassion, eyes that weep, eyes angry at dissenters and ignorers. His are eyes defending His Father’s honor, revealing His Father’s heart, despising heavy burden laying and demonic oppressions of men. His eyes are full of forgiveness and pity. These are eyes we can look at, yes, look into. Yes, we can become intimate with these eye conveyors that transport us to the Father’s heart. It is the narrow way.

Please release yourself from the idols of people-influence. It will save your marriage, save your home. If loved ones view life through horizontal glasses, they are not ready to be our authority. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glorious grace.” “you can have all this world, give me Jesus.”   love ya

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2 Comments

  1. Pastor Tom, you are spot on!
    Thank you for your postings! There is so much wisdom & freedom here!
    Shalin

    January 12, 2015
    Reply
    • tsliva said:

      Thank you so much for your encouragement. TS

      January 14, 2015
      Reply

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