WHAT IS THE PRICE OF YOUR GIFT

Food Bank (google)

      Yesterday began with a trip to a local church who was giving away groceries to the needy. I hate those things because they are humiliating and the workers are generally condescending. But, I went, because a friend got an invitation in the mail, and she didn't want to go alone. Besides, I would be lying if I said I didn't need the groceries.
      When we arrived 50 minutes early, people were already standing outside the door in freezing weather...some with infants. We rolled down the window to find out where to park, and the attendant said, "Now ladies, the doors will not open til noon." Already, it begins. However, we weren't in the car for 5 minutes, when the doors opened. As we entered, attendants were saying, gruffly, "If you are a worker, to the left. If you are receiving a basket, to the right. We don't wantchya in the cold" Then, some lady got up on the stage giving all these instructions and literally ended with, "Now listen, we don't want pandemonium. There is plenty of food for everyone, and every family represented here, will get a ticket (gold, really?). At this point, my anger is rising.
      You see, in order for recipients to receive a basket, they had to come into the sanctuary and listen to the gospel. I was outraged that the "Good News" was reduced to a tool of manipulation. For those of you who don't know how it works, this is it. Nonprofits get funded by people who can see that the program is making a difference. Therefore, the number served and the number saved equals money to refund the program the following year. In other programs, the funding is according to their goals, in short, is the program breaking the chains of poverty that makes homelessness, drug addiction, depression, etc an outcome?

Baptism (google)

      The service was good, until the end. About 50 people came forward to receive Jesus, after a 20 minute appeal to the recipients. I can't say that people were responding to the Holy Spirit or extreme manipulation...only God knows the heart of man. But what followed, was nothing short of spiritual bludgeoning. I saw this man in white robe with a gold rope around his waist, appear in the balcony. I asked my friend, "Who is that up there?" She said, "Oh, well, I guess they are baptizing today." Immediately after that, the speaker read a verse that said we are commanded to be baptized, and well, if you truly want to follow Christ, you got to nail this down." I am in utter horror, at the complete miscarriage of the gospel (Good News).So he was telling these brand new babies who have just come through spiritual birth (forgiveness) to not only come forward and proclaim that they are a "forgiven infant," but he also wants them to fully understand and agree with the gift by being baptized immediately. This is not LOVE according to 1 Cor. 13:4. We can't even get passed the first attribute of LOVE...."Love is patient."
      I have been so irritated at Jesus for revealing to me that the reward of LOVE is Compassion, because I couldn't see the value....until today, looking back on yesterday. I have always had a rule as a parent, if a child harms himself/herself or others as a result of disobedience, punishment is never an option. I thanked God for those moments, because they were teachable moments that occurred naturally. My boys have such tender teachable hearts, they have always responded with gratefulness. No they are perfect, but they are gifts from God. I don't know what causes a person to come to awe of God in the sacredness of His Gift, but I do know, without it, it is impossible to be pleasing to God. The journey to Jesus is so sacred and is never to be touched by "man-handlers." Don't think God will go lightly on anyone who takes the vulnerability of the hungry and uses it for "kingdom or personal" gain. Salvation belongs to God. I am praying that compassion will come to the minister.

Anointing (google)

      Last night, the moment I got into the bed, I asked Jesus to clarify Baptism for me. Immediately, one of my favorite preachers came on Daystar and guess what he was preaching? That's right, Baptism. He gave three examples in the Old Testament that were type and shadow of the practice. Noah's Ark...the Ark was Salvation, and then the water came....washing away the old and bringing in the new. Then, the flight out of Egypt....Moses came to God in the desert (40 years), led the children out, then the old was washed away in the waters and the Promised-land lie ahead. I fell asleep by the third. Throughout the night, God gave me dreams, talked with me, and here is what I came to understand.
      The Gospel (Good News) stands alone. You can not add to it or take away from it. In the Revelation (of Jesus Christ) 22:17-19, we are told, "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whosoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." In the verse alone, John captures the complete operation of the Spirit, the water, and the life. Was it not Jesus who said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)?" Everything we need for the salvation robe, is in Jesus. Heaven is open to whosoever will. God is not ignorant. He knows that many will come to the party, but only the first-fruits who are consecrated to God (Levites-God is their inheritance), will want to know deep intimacy with God. He can deal with that. That is how much He wants Heaven to open to anyone who wants to be there...even if they are only a tiny bit interested in knowing His Son....and the Price of His Gift.
      In the following two verses, we are warned, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Did you see that at the end? You will not lose your salvation....but your inheritance. I love how much God loves us. He literally covers anyone who wants to come to Him.
      Finally, I will continue what the Holy Spirit has showed me in a blog entry tomorrow. The anointing and baptism are important, but they come in a timely manner after salvation. They can not, in any way, be added to salvation. His Gift was all the Gift we will ever need to enter into Heaven. I don't know about you, but I am rejoicing over the Good News of Jesus Christ.