I Have Decided

A sister passed along this "Thought For the Week", which I found encouraging.

I was going to highlight a couple of statements which resonated with me; however, once started realized I was changing the font color almost entirely!

May the Lord strengthen you where ever you might be in the battle.

"There is a song I remember from the days of my youth that I still find running through my mind. The opening line goes, "I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back."  Those were brave words for a young man in the early battles of life's struggles with Satan. They brought to mind shiny new uniforms and victorious  battles -- a hero of the Faith with medals of valor.

The second line was even more presumptuous. "Though none go with me, Still I will I follow. No turning back, no turning back." It never crossed my mind how lonely that boast might be. After all, if David could "Walk through the valley of the shadow of death" and "fear no evil," surely I could walk alone in the earthly shadows and be brave.

But, the years have passed and the battle is still engaged. The uniform is worn and tattered. While there are many scars from the wounds, there are no medals to attest to heroism. In fact, there has been precious little to point to with pride. There have been days of glory, but also days of shame. Wonderful moments when the Spirit has helped me "soar on eagle's wings," and days of deep darkness and despair.  I have come to understand the Psalms of King David much more clearly as he rides the roller coaster of the battle of life.

But, the song is still there... and though ragged and scarred, I find the words of decision no less true. I have learned that with all my strength I am a pitiful mismatch for the forces of Satan, but I serve in the army of a King who has assured the victory! I long for the faith of Job to cry out, "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him" (Job 13:15), but I find "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13), much more appropriate. Still, the song hasn't gone away, "I have decided to follow Jesus!... No turning back, no turning back!""


(c) 2004 Bill Sherrill
"Thought For The Week"

Compromise

Lev 18:3  After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

The verse above was part of my reading this past week…which seemed to dovetail well with an issue I was grappling/praying about.

I’d received an invitation to a ‘Blessingway’ party…and put it aside because I knew if I researched it, I’d have to ‘think’ about it.  L-A-Z-Y.

Seems I’ve been borrowing a page from Jonah’s playbook…keep quiet, keep your head down, and go the other way.  Or in other words: “Don’t make ‘waves’.”

Because really is anyone listening?  Will it matter if I speak up?  Or will I be told I’m a clanging cymbal?  Or legalistic?  Or you know we have ‘liberty’ in Christ.

Imitating an ostrich (head in the sand) and ‘ignoring’ the ‘flag’, until a friend asks if I’m going to the party… *SIGH*

Now I’ve GOT to research it.  Because the name just sounded ‘odd’, had the white wash ‘blessing’ to it, but really, what is a blessing way party anyway?

While on the surface this 'sounds' sooo good, is it?

Research and find it's based on Najavo tradition, this 'ceremony' incorporates some pretty interesting stuff.

Prayer/poem beads

Circles (typical new age/occult useage)

Candle lighting

Cord tying

Drumming

I browsed some other websites and found this:

Bellybelly - "It doesn’t matter what religion (if any) the mother is — a Mother Blessing honours all belief systems"

Mindbodygreen - "A healing ceremony rooted in Navajo tradition."

Native American Concepts - "a ceremony to awaken one to natural (hozho); choosing constructive and life-affirming choices; healing from intentions and decisions that destroy oneself and others."

Mystic Mama - '...create a ritual space...'

The Bump - '...bring...a bead to symbolize fertility, birth or motherhood.'

Canadian Women's Health Network - 'Sage can be burned at the beginning of the Blessingway to bless the woman's house (for either a homebirth, or for after the baby is brought home from the hospital). The mother can have her hair brushed or braided with flowers by her sister or mother (or, in lieu of their presence, by friends).'

Is this honoring to Him?  Would HE want us to 'sanitize' a ritual from a pagan nation?

Jer_10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

Lev 20:23  And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

While my admonition was received, and amazingly someone else VOICED some of the same concerns (thank you Lord I am NOT alone), the party was supposed to be modified.  I still 'felt' like I shouldn't be there.  Too many questions and study left.  Whether it was or not, I don’t know and that’s not the point of this post. It’s not my ‘job’ to make someone do or not do something.  I’m just supposed to speak when He says.

Regardless of whether or not it’s heard, followed, prayed about, ignored, etc.  I really don’t ‘feel’ like I belong anywhere.  Not in the world because it’s completely contrary to Him.

And sometimes not even the ‘church’ because it’s so wrapped up in itself of being ‘relevant’.

Found this interesting article on compromise – “But our standard always needs to be, “Is it biblical?” not, “Does it work?””

Subheadings:

1.     Compromise with the world is a danger for even the most godly of believers.

2.    Compromise with the world is a danger because of its subtlety.

3.    Compromise with the world sucks you in through wrong relationships.

o   Wrong spiritual relationships--Jehoshaphat finds himself lined up with 400 false prophets against the lone prophet of God. How do you think Jehoshaphat felt as he watched this godly prophet boldly speak for God and then get hit in the face and get thrown in prison while Jehoshaphat marched off to battle on Ahab’s side?

o   I often hear Christians say that Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by our love and unity, so we need to bury our doctrinal differences and proclaim our unity and common ground. The current push is even to break down barriers between Catholics and Protestants, as if there were no significant differences. Certainly, Protestants have often divided over petty issues, and that is sin. But, core theological issues mean the difference between heaven and hell! Some denominations are so spiritually corrupt that we cannot join with them in any cooperative sense without tarnishing the name of our Savior. “Love” that compromises cardinal truth is not biblical love.

4.    Compromise with the world bring disastrous results.

So dear Christian…we’re all compromising somewhere, somehow…the question is does it matter and do we care?  Do we care enough to change?  To even pray about it?  To even ask Him to show us where we’re deceived and compromising?