I just pulled this from someone’s actual blog….someone actually said this and has put it out there for people to read and for some impressionable people to buy in to… (these are not my words)

…”Rick Warren, pastor of the Saddleback Church, was in the hospital this week. He got the sap from a firestick plant in his eyes, and could not see. He tweeted that he was in excruciating pain and asked his followers to pray that his “sight loss is restored.”Later he tweeted that he is not blind and asked that God use the pain for His glory.
In the Bible book of Leviticus it says that a blind man is inferior and can’t approach the altar, and there are several Bible stories where false prophets are smitten with blindness by God.Was the author of “The Purpose Driven Life” afflicted with (temporary) blindness for bearing false testimony? Or was it just a random, purposeless pain-in-the-eye event like what happens to everyone from time to time?”

There seems to be an epidemic of this “calling out false teachers” and “name that heretic” contests lately. I am really saddened by it and I know I will be criticized for saying that I think it is the wrong thing to do right now. If there is ever a time the world needs to see Jesus own words put in to action…it is now.

John 13:34 “…”A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

verse 35 in the NLT says”…Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

I was told one time from a friend to “get thicker skin” if I am to be able to stay in the ministry…I know he meant that for good reasons and my own protection and mainstay…but I believe I am in the ministry because I have “thin skin”…I want to feel…I want to relate…I want to empathize with people I minister with…I want to love.

“…Well you know Ric…we need to call out these people for who they are…heretics and false teachers…we need to expose them…” As if we can do a better job at this than God can…and will do..and I believe He will! All I am concerned about is while we argue the what, how and why with each other…more and more people are missing out of the Good News of Jesus…and yes I believe are going to hell.

When I read the Gospels I see that there were the “call-er out-ers” then too. The Pharicees constantly tried to paint Jesus as a lunatic, demonic, false teacher and liar. Why?…because their view of God and the Law had become dogmatic, pragmatic, empty and had hardened their hearts. They had separated themselves from the world not to draw attention to God but themselves. They went even further by calling the people Jesus seemed to connect with…”sinners and unclean”. Jesus in one of His many “discussions” with the “religious” said…

“When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:16-17

Friends I am just concerned that we seemed to be allowing Satan  to create an “enemies among us” fever while He continues to count his potential souls day by day. We are off arguing and accusing each other and meanwhile no one is in the ER doing “triage” . I may be way off and my theology will more than likely be called in to question. I just hope this is speaking to someone or someone can relate to what I am feeling…I want to continue to ponder this and write again about it…

Paul’s words pierce my “thin skin”…

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

in Him

Ric