What's Your Price?
- Kingdom Kulture
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
A few years ago, God told me to part ways with the areas in my life where I was compromising in my relationship with Him. One of these areas was my relationships with others, including with some of the people I called friends and even some of the people I considered to be my family. The truth is that if we are complacent with relationships or positions that devalue our intimacy with God, we are simply not in love with Him as much as we think.
4 You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love? James 4:4-5 AMPC
If we are honest, we'll agree that even as imperfect humans, we expect to be the first priority in the lives of people whom we call friends or family.
According to scripture, in order for our prayers to be heard we must be considered righteous in the eyes of God. This doesn't mean that we never sin, but rather that we have separated ourselves from people and things that have the ability to quench the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and a worshiper of Him and does His will, He listens to him. John 9:31 AMPC
A few weeks ago, I was invited to serve at a community meal. It reminded me a lot of what I grew up doing, so my heart was open for a slight resemblance of the home and service to God that I longed for. This organization had been serving the community for a long time, feeding hundreds of people each week. Even on the night that I had the opportunity of serving, we were able to feed almost 300 people in person and also send out food that went to hundreds of people within the community.
This is what Church looks like according to the Bible, not just offering ineffective prayers to a hurting community, but offering food and fellowship to the lost and broken. I was happy to have found a place committed to the service and empowerment of the community that surrounded them.
27 External [a]religious worship [[b]religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. James 1:27 AMPC
One evening during the community meal, I got the opportunity to speak to one of the church's Assistant Pastors. Sharing similar roots in the state of North Carolina, it didn't take long for us to connect and become more vulnerable with one another. After sharing many laughs and heartfelt concerns for prayer, one thing that was shared left me speechless.
I was informed that the Head Pastor was currently in a homosexual relationship. I was completely blindsided, considering the Word of God was something that was used as a tool for the guidance and direction of the community gatherings. I didn't personally know what to think of this, but I was led to Psalms 1 and it seemed to me as though God spoke clearly.
1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. 4 Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor [b]sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God]. 6 For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought). Psalms 1:1-6 AMPC
One thing I've noticed, however, is that God judges fairly and I was rebuked in the midst of my partially-biased judgement. He told me that He doesn't see a difference between a homosexual man claiming to be a pastor and a man led by his flesh and his own desires in many other ways while also claiming the title of apostle, bishop or pastor. I was convicted because I realized that my problem wasn't with sin but rather with a particular sin that I personally couldn't relate to.
11 For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another].12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law. 13 For it is not those who merely hear the Law [as it is read aloud] who are just or righteous before God, but it is those who [actually] obey the Law who will be [a]justified [pronounced free of the guilt of sin and declared acceptable to Him]. Romans 2:11-13 AMPC
I was quick to run away from a homosexual pastor's congregation, but I didn't have much of a problem with pastors who preached based off of the flesh in ways that I liked.
3 For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, 4 And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 AMPC
The sad reality is that I've noticed most humans, including myself, have or have had a price for their loyalty to God. Some of our prices come in regard to our relationship with God and our own personal relationships. We claim to love God but are not willing to depart from business partnerships or other relationships that do not align with biblical principles. Other prices fall between our commitment to the will of God and the deceitfulness of riches. We are willing to reject the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit for more lucrative deals or what brings money or status.
In the midst of my judgement, I was left in a state of repentance myself.
7 Do not judge and criticise and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticised and condemned yourselves. 2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. 3 Why do you [a]stare from without at the [b]very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam [c]of timber that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam [d]of timber in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-5 AMPC
Oftentimes in the Bible, standing with God usually meant standing alone. We see in Hebrews that some of the greats in the faith often didn't have places to stay because they understood it was a price that had to be paid in regard to their commitment to God. Living with a homosexual pastor is off limits, but staying with someone who rejects God in every other way shouldn't be considered any different in the mentality of a Christian.
Will a place to stay make me give up my intimacy and respect for the things of God? Will a higher salary cause me to reject my own salvation? These are questions every follower of Christ must ask themselves. Do not be fooled. The same standard and expectation that was set in Hebrews stands for all of us today.
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:32-40 AMPC
We understand being left outside in the cold for a spot into a concert or sporting event, but what if that same spiritual stance is what is needed for our spots in Heaven?
Question of the day: What tempting offer has made you sway from the will of God in your life or in your heart?
