Saturday Musings Augus 16 Rule of Law

I was looking at a YouTube post recently https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCW2hxux3Ro  In it this man speaks about the rule of law and that where the rule of law is missing, there is "no protection of life." Repeatedly we have seen the coming forth of the "man of lawlessness"  so to speak where laws that are on the books are ignored or superseded by states and other governmental officials. And it is easy to point fingers at those people. I live in a State that voted in laws that violate the laws of the United States and now there is effort to get the federal laws repealed.  This is "lawlessness."  When a nation's leaders choose to enforce some laws and not enforce other laws, we are well into a state of "lawlessness." However, if we look at the Body of Christ, perhaps we can find explanation for what is happening in the larger realm in states and nations. And I must use myself as an example as I am guilty of the very thing that I deplore that takes place in government these days and find that many of my brothers and sisters don't recognize  their own guilt in this situation. My guilt is under the blood and I have changed my thinking on this matter (repented) and no longer advocate the behavior that I once myself engaged in. So I am free to share this story. Back from 1986 up until 2001 I was a part of a marriage in which domestic violence involving physical injury or threats occurred. On repeated occasions starting in 1992 the police were called in when my life was threatened and as a result restraining orders were put in place by the court.  In repeated ways I violated those restraining orders thinking they were "impeding" my ability to work on my marriage.   That is why, of course, that the issues continued from 1992-2003 when the marriage was finally dissolved. One of the things my children have expressed their disgust with me over has been the fact that in spite of the "law" that was there to protect me, I wanted my husband back in the home and my marriage "intact."   So I took calls from my estranged husband while there were restraining/no contact orders in place. I went places with him and at one point even invited him back into the home. All the time I was praying and trusting God to be healing my marriage and dealing with the issues of alcoholism and anger that had destroyed it.  As you are reading this you probably wonder, how could she be so silly?   One principle that I have come to learn since then that is not subject to compromise, is that  when a law is broken deliberately that is not against the "royal law" don't expect blessing!!!!!    As a counselor in the past 12 years I have seen this scenario replayed over and over and see it currently in friends who are going through the same thing.  It comes down to a very basic principle concerning the rule of law and God's ways. If we deliberately break the rule of law (except where it violates Royal Law) we cannot expect the blessing of God.  I do have to say that during the years that my husband and I both violated those laws meant to protect us that God's hand was still on my life and He protected me and my children and my husband many many times, for which I am thankful. I did call upon His Name, I did pray, I did seek His Presence....it "felt good", it was all I had to hold onto in those years. But it wasn't about HIM, it was about ME and what I wanted. People often refer to the Isaiah scripture that speaks of the fire not kindling upon you, the flood not overtaking you, Isaiah 43.2  But that wasn't the scripture that God performed in my life..Instead it was Isaiah 28:16-22 but of course ending in verses 23-29. One doesn't often hear sermons on Isaiah 28:16-22.  When the floods come, it wipes out stuff....all that has kept a person from the knowledge of the Lord!  All the idols in ones life gets wiped out.  And I had called upon the Lord and trusted Him, so He was faithful to removed all in my life that was exalted before Him. Talk about being stripped naked! If we violate the law, expect consequences. I was a part of groups of Christians and pastors who rather joked about their "speeding" on the highway.  There are consequences in our lives when we engage openly in such behavior against the law. Today it is true of those who will text or be on their cell phones when they drive without using speaker phones or other bluetooth mechanisms when the state says it is against the law. My daughter went on a Father Daughter outing with her dad  years ago and her dad was  a professional truck driver and generally an excellent driver. During the outing, the pastor who was driving the van of dads and daughter played games with the vehicle while he was driving.  He called it "fun".   It is never fun when it is a violation of the law. The law was there to "protect lives"...the initial intent of the "law".  Sadly, the "Christian pastor" was bearing witness to a non-Christian of lawlessness, not of Jesus Christ. Where there is no rule of law there is no protection of Life, and more so, there is given an open door to destroy life. How many churches do you know that violated their own bylaws?  One of the precious groups I was apart of in my youth and early adult hood did just that, never repented, and they literally lost their lampstand. It was one of the earliest founded churches in this county and it no longer exists. Many of you on this list carry a prophetic voice. It is time we were listening to The Spirit of Truth in the fear of the Lord. Holiness is being ONED with Christ who himself said He was the Truth.   If we look across the world at the disasters and tragedies that are coming, it is easy to see Truth has been buried.  In our nation, the rule of law itself and the procedures to enact law have been circumvented in so many ways. Yet, if we are going to combat this, it isnt' enough to "speak about them."  First of all it is about us personally, then secondly the congregations that we are a part of.  I know friends who have been given the left foot of fellowship because they spoke Truth into a situation that leadership didn't want to hear. Ok, so some us have learned wisdom and discretion the hard way but that in no way changes the reality of Truth that some of us have spoken or that we are being asked to speak about today.  Speaking the Truth IN LOVE!  Love isn't some attitude...it is GOD HImself, Christ in me...is love. So when I speak what He is saying about a situation, it will be "in him".  Learning just who we are in Him and who He is in us, will only increase our understanding of HIm as Truth. If we take this one step further on the international scene: where Truth isn't held up, any opinion that disagrees with my opinion, philosophy, etc, is subject to my wrath....or the opposite, my "love."   Love never despises Truth but they are intrinsically connected because they ARE HIMSELF. God is Love, Jesus said I am the Truth...the way, the life. My heart breaks as I see a close friend violating a protection order while their domestic violence issues awaits a court date for resolution.  Most of all I understand her situation because I was there and no counsel anyone could give me or stories of their own failures and consequences could "change my heart" that had a idol in it...my marriage, my husband. How do we tell others that when we violate the law, we have idols in our hearts and if we are crying out to God, we can expect some things to come tearing down.   I have lost so much over the years because of the "idols" in my own heart. And there will not be the ability to be all we want as Christians until we deal with our own hearts, and in Christ show forth a respect for the law and show a measure of honor to our leadership. Then we will be able to speak Truth and have a major effect upon this society. Recently someone on Facebook spoke about stubbornness. Stubbornness is as idolatry..just as rebellion is as witchcraft so the scripture says.  Stubbornness in the life of a Christian who is calling out to the Lord, will find themselves broken if they truly are crying out to God.  He says he will bring the blind by a way they know not of!  I was blind to my idolatry. I was not blind to the fact that I was breaking the law. I just didn't understand or "want to see" what the significance of breaking the law spiritually was. I didn't ever get caught nor did my husband at the time but we paid a horrible price. My own integrity becomes suspect if I encourage another to break a law and be a coconspirator with it.  But our God is faithful to allow the Isaiah 28 scriptures to be fulfilled if we are really serious and he promises that He won't plow for ever or blow out a dim burning wick.  Sometimes we give up without yielding to the Lord and the risks at that point are pretty serious which accounts for much of the depression and suicide in the Body of Christ.  It is a choice at some point to hold onto our own way of doing and thinking rather than choosing His ways in this type of situation and many others.  I have seen it over and over as a counselor. The most difficult client in drug and alcohol counseling was a Christian who wasn't willing to own his own problems. In the Domestic Violence field, the most difficult clients are those that don't own their own problems. If those who live with these issues don't get their own lives in right order, how do we really think God will bring healing and restoration? Instead many of us like me, actually bind the ones we love in their blindness because we fail to own our own idolatry. If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face.....and of course we forget what goes on before this...if the rains don't come ( or maybe if they do come in super abundance and floods)....etc.. THEN....he will heal the land! Meri