Obnoxious and Offensive

by Betty Baker Bailey

I have been urging everyone to recognize the guilt we have before the Lord for failing to deal with the sins our nation now considers completely acceptable. Many see me as harsh, sometimes even too harsh to deal with. But here's the thing: God is the One we have to deal with. Where is the kindness in ignoring the sin that brings His wrath upon us? There is none. We can not escape Him. We can not over-power Him and He will not suffer our disrespect forever. There will come an accounting. Truly even now we are seeing that in our nation.

Do not foolishly believe, as some do, that this is the work of man for the battle is spiritual. We had to be given over by the One who protected us for these things to come to be. Nor should you be comforted by the idea that it is the end times. For the "end times" began with the coming of Christ and may yet continue for another thousand years. Or do you not realize that the early church prepared for Christ’s immediate return? Yet, 2000 years have passed. No, dear brothers and sisters, I tell you the truth, we are in judgment. IF the Lord returns now, He will not be nearly so happy with us as many choose to believe.

For the sin of ignoring the slaughter innocents, we will see bloodshed and death. For the sin of treating Him as though He had no authority over us, we will find ourselves abandoned to those powers that wish evil upon us. For the sin of disrespecting the cross, we will suffer persecution for our faith.

Some like to place the blame for all these rebukes on our governmental leaders, but in truth it belongs with those who call Him Lord; because:

It was our job to stand against the slaughter. It was our job to insist His authority be maintained, and our job to uphold His laws as law.

Our founding fathers set the system up according to Biblical principles. Instead of holding to them, we have incrementally allowed them to be replaced by humanism, secularism, and socialism -- from a nation founded for freedom to worship the God of the Bible as one pleases, to one where the worship of any god except Him is acceptable. So concerned were we with offending others, that we offended Him. So comfortable were we with our wealth that we alienated Him.

So, do not rant, dear brothers and sisters, against the earthly powers that oppress us. They are in place for cause. Look around you. Do we not now see: fornication, adultery, the shedding of innocent blood, lying, stealing, homosexuality, etc. as accepted practices? Even those who call themselves “His” consider these things "inevitable" or "normal". Yet, for such sins Christ suffered and died.

The consequences of these sins are death to a society and its people. We do not show love to the homosexual by embracing his sin. No, we give him over to physical death and judgment -- the very real wrath of God. We do not elevate women by allowing them to kill their children. No, we sentence them to decades of remorse and regret, followed by judgment -- the very real wrath of God.

We act like we've either forgotten or never understood that God did not make laws because He could; but rather, for our own good. We should obey and teach them, because He is God. Failing to do so for that reason, we should then teach them because they are life, itself, to us and our children. As errant children, we have ignored and/or spurned them as though they mattered not.

Yes, people find me obnoxious, and offensive -- and some walk completely away from me, but some listen and turn. To those turning, I am seen as loving to the point of sacrifice, because I risk myself to reach them (far beyond what many know). To those who plug their ears, I am unacceptable and inexcusable. From the later come accusations of self-promotion. Yet, since I do not charge nor am I paid, their argument falls flat. No, my benefit lies purely in knowing that I am obedient, in believing that obedience to Him is imperative, and the hope that by my faithfulness some will be saved from the wrath to come.

Yes, I prefer to be considered offensive to being guilty before Him. If I did not love those caught in sin, I would be silent. They would still be punished, and I would avoid the aggravation of trying to save them. It is to great extent a thankless task. However, I would still find myself trying to explain to God, who knows all – including all He has shown me, how I could be so heartless as to not speak the warning I have been given. Man’s wrath versus God’s? I’ll take man every time. Although I love my brothers and sisters and would be at peace with them, I am nothing without Him. He is my everything. How can I not obey?

Through it all, brothers and sisters, I do know that what I am saying must be said. Truly, I do not sit around thinking of things to say nor do I do scan the Scriptures looking for things to pad my texts. No, I ask God. The things I take a hard stance on are the things He has shown me His offense at. Not only is He still speaking, He has plenty to say about His disappointment in those who have treated His generosity with such disdain.

We have embraced evil by indifference, by silence, and by allowing other gods to be given equal -- or higher positions -- than Him. If the reality of that does not give you pause, perhaps you don't know Him as well as you think you do. These are things the God of the Bible will not long tolerate. We think He will, because He has been patient with us, but His graciousness will come to an end.

Old Testament prophets were usually rejected by those they tried to reach. Both John the Baptist and the Lord were rejected by the religious leaders of the day. The Lord’s earthly mother and brothers came to put Him away, thinking He had lost His senses. The gospel is by its very nature foolishness to those who do not understand it, because it is spiritually discerned. The spiritual leaders of Christ’s day thought themselves so far above Him that they considered it insignificant to kill Him – though they knew who He was!

Therefore, do not put your hope in the leaders of this day. Far too many are more concerned with their own lives than His will. They promote themselves. They speak for themselves. They do not hear Him, because they do not honestly seek Him nor are they interested in His direction for they prefer their own. They are applauded and loved by the world, but they do not serve Him. No, like the priest of Yeshua’s day, they love their position more than Him.

Instead, brothers and sisters, look to God. He -- who took the time to create you, provide for you, and sent His only Son that you might be saved – is still very intimately concerned for you. He is not silent. He did not leave us to the men and women of this world. No, He still seeks a personal relationship with you. He still wants to commune personally with you. If you ask Him . . . if you seek Him, as if looking for pure gold . . . as it is promised in the Scriptures, He will be found. Then you will know that these things I have said to you are from His heart. True to His nature, He does not want anyone to be lost. Therefore, He sends someone to tell those who will listen and those who will not, that it is He coming against them. He does this in order that those who will listen may repent; and that who will not, will have no excuse.

I lament losing some I love to the love of the lie. My heart breaks for them, but they had a choice. I did not make it for them. I have done all I know how to encourage them to choose wisely. If they can hate me for that effort, then I have to let them go – for the only other choice is to choose hell with them. (There are only two sides. We will choose God or we will choose to be without God, refusing to choose results in not choosing God. Behaving as though God does not effect change in one’s life is to not be changed by God; and so, not belong to God. Those are the rules. I didn’t make them; but rather, just report that they are true.)

To those brothers and sisters who know I am speaking according to God’s will, I encourage you to spread the word. We do not know that He will not have mercy on us if we truly repent; only that He will not, if we do not. Even David, though his sin was great, continued to plead for mercy until the child died. For while the child lived, there was still a chance. Let us, too, be faithful to seek repentance instead of acceptance. There is yet time for God to have mercy. It is His nature to give mercy where it is undeserved; but only where there is sincere repentance. Therefore I plead with you to urge repentance to all who will listen.

To those who have separated from me, but long to reconnect – I bear no ill will to anyone. Time is short. If you seek me desiring reconciliation without needing to control, we can be reconciled. Understand, if I let you control me, I will not be led of God. I am hard at work for the Lord, the Spirit urges me onward with conviction. So, I will not be muzzled by those who do not understand. It is enough that I understand and am convinced that it is God who speaks to me. Be assured I have not stopped caring for you; but rather, I have just given you over to the choices you’ve made. You, alone, can unmake them. You know who you are. You know where I am. Do not let a fear of being rejected keep you from seeking resolution.

I am encouraged evermore to stand fast on what I have been shown. I believe the time for repentance is very short. Please, dear brothers and sisters, repent before it is too late. Churchology does not save us. It can’t, because it is manmade. We suffered a supernatural death in Adam. We must be imparted a supernatural life through Christ. It is the only way.

God’s peace.