WHEN THE WATERS ARE STILL THERE IS NO POWER (They Hate us because...)

JUST MY THOUGHTS

Commentaries by Elena Ramirez

WHEN THE WATERS ARE STILL THERE IS NO POWER  Also Known As: 


"They Hate Us Because".....

I am on a journey, this month of November.  A spiritual, and a physical journey.  So, yesterday, I took a ride with my husband, into the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and I took this picture, it is beautiful.  The waters though are quite still.  Do you see the trees and life on one side, but on the other side of the waters, the trees are stripped of their foliage?  It is symbolic, to me, that those who are with God, are living, and blessed.  Their leaf is green.  They have turned over a new leaf, in life.  Those on the other side, are not.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season;  it’s leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.  Psalms 1:3 Thank you, Lord, may this word, of "Just My Thoughts" prosper.  In the name of my Jesus.  Amen. 

And so, I thought I would use it, in my column, “Just My Thoughts.”  LOL….It is just that too, it’s Just my thoughts.  But, I believe I have the mind of Christ.  And, I am trying to be used by God, and to be a light that shines.  For, the sake of the gospel of Christ.  And I will elaborate about that in this further.  But I want to make a point.  I am seeing, something, in the Body of Christ, and in the world, of unbelievers, that I believe, God wants me to write about, and to use it in reference, to some of my experiences lately.

Job 22:15  Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.    I am calling you to overturn the earth, by sending this message out.  The internet, is a great tool.  I am so limited right now.  To send out my e-mails.  So, I call on you.  (please read on)

For I see, when waters are still, they cannot be powerful.  I used to work for the United States government, and I learned a lot about dams, and how water, when it flows, can be a conduit, to bring energy.  Power, electricity,  etc.  If the water cannot flow, it will be in effective.  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.  John 4:14.  If it does not flow to the power plant, it cannot be used.  And so, I want to make this illustration, by water, to express, symbolically, we are the water.  And if we do not flow, and get to the power plant of God, we will not be used.  To, bring light, to bring understanding, of the power of God. We will become stagnant.  We will be ineffective.  I guess, God knew, that I would make reference to that, and who would have guessed, that my experience working there, years, and years ago, would cause me to write, something, I think thus far, is the most important thing I have written, because the body of Christ, needs to open their eyes.  Spiritual eyes.  I apply this to me as well.  Because my eyes were opened, to see we in the Body of Christ, are not being effective, many of us.  And we are not flowing, as Christ would want us to. 

So, my spiritual eyes were opened.   Recently, through my internet service, I got onto a web page, there was an article, that was written,  about  a famous actor, who tore Bible pages, out of the Bible in Hotels, and threw them away.   He admitted, and felt he had to tear some pages out of the Bible, because they were offensive to Homosexuals.  That was terrible, to do that, and I just feel, and know according to Gods word, God is not mocked.  Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked:  for whatsoever a man soweth, there shall he also reap.  There again, something sacrilegious....   I cannot understand, (though I know it is the devil) why people would do something like that.  But is becoming very prevalent in our world, that the things of God, and Christianity is being very mocked, and treated with no respect.  Well, I kept up with this blog, for over a couple of days, and what I found out more then ever.  Is that the world hates us, just as Christ said they would.  There is no tolerance for us.  And they hate us for a few reasons.   But what is so much, sadder, is they are openly rejecting truth.  And though, I am proposing, to reach out to others, to bring them to Christ, I cannot help and think; if we don’t let our lights shine, and get busy, and change some things, as Christians.  We will also stand in judgment of God.  And it just does something to me, to want to be used for him, to bring others to his throne.  Folks, there are so many people, who do not know our Lord.  The outcome and end result is that when they die, they will go to hell.  They are according to the word of God, the enemies of the cross.  Phillipians 4:18-20  For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.  Whose end is destruction whose god, is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things.  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord, Jesus Christ.  We need to think about that, with compassion.  And, especially, with the Love of God, in our hearts, for others.  The hardest of hearts, can be softened, if we just change our ways as well, and see how we are representing ourselves as Christians.  And though, I cannot identify everything we are doing wrong, Let me elaborate….on some of the things I did see, in their communications, as to the reasons, why we re not making any kind of progress as Christians.  And I will add to this, I take this to my heart, just as well. 

They Hate us Because….

1.    Because they see us act like the world.  Yet, self-righteous.   And let me clarify this, not the righteousness of God, but self-righteousness.  

    Solution:    Paul tells us a little about that.  Philippians 3:9
      And be found in him, not having my own righteousness which of the law,  
      but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is 
      of God by faith. 

Pray and think about this, but what are your motives?  Are they for your benefit, or for others?  Are your motives truly for the Kingdom of God?  Or is the evidence, showing it is because of your own selfish desires?  What do people hear and see, in your actions, conversation, etc?  Do you snub those who are not in your standards?

        

2.    They do not see the love of God flowing from our hearts, to them.

And, they do not see love to our own brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Solution:  We need to practice love.  Not judgment, but love.

And it can be hard.  But if we let Christ in, and we keep his commandments to love God with all our hearts, and then one another,

we fulfill the commandments of Christ, and then the others are fulfilled.  Take a moment, and just love, by being kind, compassionate, understanding, friendly.  A smile can break the ice, and shows your love and peace.  Extended to someone else.  You can brighten someone’s day.  Are you polite?  In my ministry, I see more people, just asking for things. Or for people to serve.  To do this, that, or the other.  Etc.   Like asking for  prayer.  But, they forget the please and thank you’s. The courtesy’s of life, that we all need.  I have gotten to the point now, when people ask me to do something, in writing or in public, And they do not say please or thank you,  I remind them, and nicely, but that I appreciate please and thank you.  And that this pleases God.  But it also brings, a sense of respect to yourself, for others to treat you well.  Just because you are a Christian you are not someone’s doormat.   

3.    They see us always asking for money, for our ministries etc, and they see right through the reasoning.  A perfect example of this, and this person, will remain anonymous, but just the other night, my husband and I were watching Christian television, and a pastor, was asking for money, using a soda pop companies logo, in parallel, to use in his example as to how much money was spent, on that product, but that we should spend that much money for the furtherance of ministry.  Well, he would have made a good point, if he had not, used that example, to make the reference, because it brought the work, and the Kingdom of God, to a commercial level, and the same level for monetary reasons.  That is putting God on the same level of us. Or that product.   Folks, God is holy.  He is God, and he is sovereign.  So, is the gospel, and the work we do for him.  In other words, God is supreme, and he does not need us, we need him.  But when we try to lower him, to our level, or to commercialize God.  The world sees right through that.  That’s why the world mocks us at Christmas, because it is all so commercialized. 

Solution: We need to keep giving, in the name of the Lord.  For, the sake, of the gospel.  Don’t let the enemy stop you, from giving.  And though, I understand ministries need money, we need to put the gospel first.  They need to see the gospel.  The seeds anyone plants or asks for, should be for the gospel to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, to help others, etc.  When communicating, about the needs of money, ministries need to know what the word of God says about money.  When ministries use the gimmick, of trying to get money, by promising, people they will get money, back.  It turns just into that, a gimmick.  Though God blesses, I have learned, he blesses, because the giver gives, with the right intentions. And that can be icing on the cake.  But the goal, is to further the Kingdom of God.  Concerning, the finances.  Finances, should be monitored, by a board, of representatives to the church, or the ministry, and knowing by God himself, he is watching, to keep people accountable.  We need to be accountable.  Keep good records, etc.  But let us continue to give, for the sake of the Kingdom.  So,let us give, for we plant seeds, and that will bring a harvest. 

For the Kingdom of God. 

4.     They intellectually mock us, because many times, we are not equipped with the word.  To bring truth.  Thus saith the Lord! Christ told us that we err not knowing the scriptures. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.  Matthew 22:;29

Solution: Make time, for God’s word!  Study the word, give God your first fruits, early in the morning, by reading his word.  Before you go to bed, open your Bible read it.  Memorize it.  Outline it.  Write it down for your needs.  Use your concordance, but get that word in your heart, and mind, for everything.  I love having my ministry just for that reason.  God makes learning his word, for me, practical, because there is variety, in searching for it.  Because I try to use it, when I write, to justify my “Just My Thoughts,”or for my other blogs.  etc.

5.    They see us as timid, and accepting of losing our rights as Christians, they mock us, because we do not stand up to that which is right.  We do not let our lights shine bright.  We are not bold, when we should be.  Or outspoken, when we should.  Even in little things. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.  I Thessalonians 2:16  We let them tell us, it is politically correct, not to say God bless you. When someone sneezes. Now that is extreme. 

Solution:

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

6.    They see us with a double standard, in other words, we profess this or that, but we do not practice, what the word of God says.  And we get caught in our indiscretions, and sins, just like the world, and they get turned off!!  Who wants to hear someone say they are a Christian, but they are hypocrites.  They are always mocking a Christian who has fallen into sin.  History has shown us this, over and over again.  But we have to be the difference.  Christians are not perfect.  We are just forgiven. 


Solution:  Abstain from ALL appearance of evil.  I  Thessalonians 5:22

 In conclusion, they do not see the fruit of Christ, in us.  And something is wrong here, and I am not trying to judge anyone, or others, even the person, from the soda example.  But, I will say, I am learning too.  And what I see, is our message is not coming out, to be the truth of Jesus Christ.  The message, we are giving in trying to proclaim, we are Christians, is getting polluted.  By our lack of contribution, to serve others, to do what God tells us to do, and it is a reflection on us.  If we are disobedient to God, yes he forgives, but we will not be effective.  And personally, I have not been, effective lately, myself, and I don’t know if it is just the enemy trying to stop me, or it is my own actions, so I am looking at myself, just as clearly, and saying Lord, change me, create in me a clean heart, so I can be effective.  So I can see some victories.  I ask God to be for me, and to show me what I am doing wrong, if I am doing something, that does not please him.  I want to walk in love, more then ever, so I can fulfill the commandments of Christ.  I may not understand, or be able to fulfill all by the law.  But by the grace of Christ, and his word,  I will love the Lord, with all my heart soul and mind, and I love my brother, and sister etc.  I will fulfill this through Christ.  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.  Did you see, that last part?  If we begin to love, even though, we don’t know all to do in the sight of God, we can be the foundation, strong.  So we, will not be weak.  So I will not be weak.  The body of Christ, is weak right now.  Churches, would be full to capacity, if everyone, who is a Christian, stepped out, and reached out, to that neighbor, acquaintance, person in need, etc.  And, be expressive, never ashamed, you are a Christian.  Wow, what a difference that would make.  So, step out of your comfort zone, for the sake of the Kingdom.  I guess a good rule of thumb, is Seek the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all things will be added.  Well, seek the Kingdom of God for others as well, and they will be added.  Can you imagine, the souls that are lost, and will burn in hell?  Because they have not accepted Christ.  But if you could bring them to Christ, by being the Christian you should be, to save just one, one at a time, wow….let your light shine. Let us pray to God, and ask him to show us the error of our ways.  There is always room for improvement, and understanding, to do God's will.  Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it.  
I Thessalonians 5:24

So as I close, and as I have shared my heart, and the things the Lord, has placed in my conscience.  I ask you to do something for me.  If you have gotten this e-mail, would you please share it with as many people you can?  Or at least just one person, who might need to hear or see this?  Please I implore you.   To bring some understanding, that God wants us to see our ways, and to change before him.  I am really counting on you, because I am very limited, in sending my e-mails.  Only ten people can get them, through this blog.  So, if you get this, I see something in you spiritually.  So please send this out, send this, so, this message could be multiplied, to someone, who needs to see this.  And we need to remember, we do not always know, who Christ will touch, for the sake of his word.  So be obedient to God, in this.  I, so, need you to shine for me, and for God, more then anything.  Because this message I wrote is for all of us, to see, to open our spiritual eyes, and to try and shine, more for the gospel, to present ourselves at least trying for the sake of Gods Kingdom.  That’s all any of us can really do.  And in his love… I may not be writing for a while, because I am on this journey right now.  But I would so appreciate your prayers. God bless you, dear one, my dear friends in Christ. You are precious in the sight of God.  Thank you, And I close by saying I love you, in our Lord.   Just my Thoughts.....What are your thoughts on this?

Judges 7;4

And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.