Pet-peeves...

This week, these pet-peeves have really been bothering me...

1) Using Scripture incorrectly and/or taking Scripture out of context. I think some of this is due to spiritual immaturity, some from ignorance, and other times on purpose to serve a selfish purpose.

As much as it pains me to admit it, I have done this on a few occasions in my life (not on purpose tho) so I do try to give people the benefit of the doubt. It is sometimes easy for a Christian to buy into something because of tradition or because a lot of people you happen to interact or surround yourself with believe it to be true or because you are being led astray by church leadership. 

I don't normally watch T.V. church preachers, but flipping thru the channels, I will sometimes pause a bit to listen. And it makes me so mad sometimes! I think, these people are supposed to be educated! They are supposed to have gone to school to learn in-depth so they help us understand things better! They are supposed to be leading us closer to Christ and the truth, not further away!

I have learned a lot in this area over the years. It is very easy to be misled when you are on a superficial level with the Scriptures. YOU have to dig into the Scriptures and see what God has to say for yourself, not take someone else's word for it. You can't bit and piece the Scriptures together. You have to read the passages in context. Do a little bit of research to see the relevance of why it was written for that time period and see what it means for us today. You have to sincerely pray that God will help you to understand and reveal His truth to you.

2) Putting words in God's mouth and trying to make our will His will.  Again, I think this is due to spiritual immaturity, to ignorance, and other times to serve a selfish purpose. 

Take, for example, all this 'name it and claim it' junk. If you pray it enough, God WILL do it....as if WE can tell GOD what to do!?! Don't get me wrong...God cares about everything. He promises he will never leave us and that he will be there with us through it all, but he never promises to control everything according to our will and our desires. He never promises to get us out of all of our jams or that life will be rosy all the time. 

When we put words in Gods mouth and say he will do something and that something doesn't happen, WE make God out to be a liar. WE instill doubt in people who are desperate to believe these things will happen like we said they would. And when they don't happen? Then what? People are left doubting. They are left questioning God. They turn away. Problem is, God may never have ever been the one to promise that thing. WE did and WE put the words into God's mouth, so to speak. 

3) God is on our side...we will be victorious. Of course, we can't go wrong when we choose to follow God; I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about God automatically helping you win or succeed at something simply b/c you prayed for it or said it. A LOT of people do this. all. the. time. 

2 Christian schools play against each other. Both teams love the Lord equally. Both teams pray for God to help them be victorious. One team loses and the other team wins. So, was God against the losing team? Did He hear the winning team's prayer louder?

2 candidates (and I'm thinking of past presidential candidates) run against each other. One loves the Lord and his walk with God is sincere and evident. The other *claims* to love the Lord, but you have serious doubts b/c there is no fruit, no walk with the Lord, and the actions don't match the words. The follower of Christ loses and the faker wins. The faker's constituents claim it was because God was on their side. So, was God really on his/her side? Was God against the one who sincerely follows Him? 

Anyway, just a few pet-peeves getting on my nerves this week. 

Now that it's all out, I'm going to bed ;)