Daily Deprogramming

Ardith begins her Daily Devotional today with, “Serving the Lord means thinking of Him first, His agenda first, and His Body first.”

Ardith has her wires crossed again.  Not only should we think of  our God first but always. He has no agenda to my knowledge, He’s more creative than that.

Regarding the  thinking about His Body first;  His Body is not more important than our mates.  After 5 marriages it probably gets cloudy,  but we are to love our marriage mates as He loves the church.  One husband and one wife till death do us part!  Our husbands or wives and our relationship with them is a picture of His love for His Bride the Church. The earthly relationships we have been given here on earth are not somehow eclipsed by the Church.  This is cult thinking.

She says, “His heart is ravished when you think of Him.” 

I found the scripture reference  for  these words in Song of Solomon 4:9. “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; (my bride) thou hast ravished my heart with one of your eyes ; with one chain of your neck.”KJV

Almost everywhere I found the word  “ravished” in the Bible it spoke of a husband and wife and the marriage bed/bond. Yes the beautiful example of Christ and His Church is a Husband and Wife and a Christian marriage. It says so in Scripture. Not several mates ,but one mate faithful for life.  This is precious to God. It is sacred and Holy.  He is a jealous God with only one Bride,  he expects the same of husbands who represent Him,  as well as wives, to be faithful to one husband.

Ardith says, “You are so precious to Him- Is He enough for you?”  His word says if you don’t love your brother whom you have seen , you can’t be loving Him whom you have not seen.  If one husband wasn’t enough for you, is He enough for you?  If your teaching counsels young people or anyone else to leave their mates, without the grounds of adultery you are totally off base!  A little leaven ferments the whole lump. A little falsehood makes all a person teaches unclean.

We  are precious to Him, precious enough for Him to chasen, discipline and tell us our faults. The one who really belongs to Him listens to the Truth.  Jesus said, “The hour is coming and now is , when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.” John 4:23-24 

Do Christians have Rights? Well, Ardith is on the same old soap-box today. Some poor soul must be squirming and wrestling ,longing to escape. We have another long list of “DO NOT’s” and “You have no rights” screaming at us from her Daily Devotional today. Nothing has changed, has it? She loves to tell Christians what they can’t do, then as an attorney she claims to protect the very rights she deny’s Christians! This rebuttal was writen in 2006 but (sadly) still holds true today…..

We are fortunate here in America to have many human rights. Christian lawyers fight for these rights even for Christians. Sometimes defending the rights of Christian women in distress because of bad treatment. Sometimes defending children who are abused. If Christians have no rights, why would a Christian lawyer like Ardith Keef do this? Isn’t this a conflict of interest when you believe we have no rights? Ardith Keef had this to say:

A humble Christian does not have to ask “why?” Above all else, the Lord has asked for Obedience, not compliance. If we had the capacity to understand why, we would not have to walk by faith. The Believer who has to know why, is looking to approve of God’s reason. God wants Servants who approve of His reason without having to know it.
What does it mean to be a Soldier of The Cross?
It means leaving all behind to follow Him.
You have no human rights - only heavenly privileges.
Settle these things in prayer, once and for all:
You do not have the right to “good” circumstances.
You do not have the right to be well-treated.
You do not have a right to humanly deserved, earned honor.
You do not have the right to avoid misunderstanding.
You do not have the right to self-defense. (One of satan’s most effective tools.)
You do not have the right to achievement.
You do not have the right to a sweet, perfect family.
On the other hand, you have the right to stand before The Throne.
You have the right to Eternal Life by The Blood, because of Grace.
You have the right to be Loved beyond anything you can imagine.
You have the right to have your needs provided - your real needs, not your list of needs.
Soldier, you must get this down. There is release when a Servant finally sees by faith that he is not entitled to certain human things. Then, he can stop wanting and expecting them.
Take the Bible in your hand. Stand before the Lord. Tell Him you give it all up. Tell Him aloud.
Tell Him today.

Copyright 2006 Ardith Keef

I beg to differ with the ‘DO NOTS’ of Ardith’s devotional. The gospel message or the “good news” is a positive message because in Him ,that is in Christ Jesus are all the “yes” answers!

John 3:16 says,” For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes on Him might not perish but have eternal life.” Even a child or a mentally handicapped person can understand it.” The Word of God is not designed for high-minded intellectuals. It is written for the simple.

Jesus said that unless we come to Him as a little child we will never even see the Kingdom of heaven.

We have many rights in the heavenlys but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t want to bless us here and now. We live here on earth and He says that we can ask anything in His name and receive it!

Yes, He sometimes allows hardships and trials in the midst of our blessed lives. These are skillfully planned for His definite purpose in our lives. We ought to welcome with joy the various difficulties that He allows to come our way. But this is not the center of Christianity. Neither is the center all the “do not’s ” included in the daily devotional above.

The (positive ) center is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ . When we receive Him as our personal Savior and Lord we are forgiven of our sins and have no condemnation. His precious Blood and His Grace has bought our redemption. We believe (cling to, rely on and trust in Him). John 3:17 says that He didn’t come to condemn us.

If a happy , well formed, loving, Godly family environment wasn’t beautiful to God, how could the promise of being a child in His Family be beautiful to us? A delightful human family is a lovely representation of the heavenly family. The Lord made families, He Loves families! He wants one of His own!

This devotional makes our amazing, loving Lord and God sound harsh, negative, demanding, and not at all like the Jesus who laid down His life for us, Who physically healed all who came to Him.

Yes , child of God, Take the Bible in your hand. Ask Him to teach you of and instill within you Love, Grace, Mercy, Compassion, Tenderhearted Pity, Sympathy, Empathy and Kindness, so that these things( which make up just a few of His own attributes,) will be yours as well.