When Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and Sadducees, they demanded proof from Jesus through signs and answers to their various testing questions (Matthew 12:38-42; Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:11-12;Matthew 22:15-22; John 8:3-11). They sought Jesus out merely to have an argument with Him because they thought they knew everything that there was to know about the scriptures and were correct about all of their beliefs. They brought many tests before Jesus and tried to use the Scriptures against Him, from Taxes to Death to Divorce, and many more areas. They even told Jesus to correct His disciples (Luke 19:39). Jesus was also questioned about if He was who He claims, then why did He not know who touched Him (Luke 7:39-40). They demanded to know by whose authority Jesus made His claims (Luke 20)
Jesus was there to be a blessing for the people He encountered, but these religious minds would never accept or receive anything He had to offer. The only motive behind their questions was to prove Jesus wrong and make Him submit to them. They were not interested in the truth because they felt they were the truth. If they had been open to Jesus, their whole lives would have radically changed in ways seen and unseen.
I want to drive this point home. When God wants to challenge your wrong thinking, He will Send you to a person for a blessing who goes against your belief system. And you know God is pointing you in that direction to get a specific blessing, but when you get to that person’s door, you see things that shake your tree. Instead of sitting with God about it, and think for just a second- God sent me to get a blessing only; you instead attack with everything you have, just as the Religious leaders did with Jesus. You are not interested in hearing what the person has to say, and you long forgot why God sent you in the first place. You launched your attack before you even had a normal conversation with them first. Your guns and cannons were already locked and loaded.
And what you find is that more than likely they feel zero obligation to explain anything to you. They answer to God, not man. Instead of getting the blessing, AND the revelation that God was setting you up for, you got nothing but a few days of dwelling on the conflict that was never supposed to be.
So what do you do next? You go look for more people to have disagreements with, and they seem to be everywhere. God will keep sending you people who will shake your tree, until you finally understand that it is GOD alone shaking your tree. He will send person after person to rub you the wrong way, until you get the lessons that He is doing in your life. God is not sending you to war with your Christian brothers and sisters. Iron sharpens Iron. Sometimes, you are the one who is dull and in need of service.
Stop before you launch your well practiced and written attack. You may just find out that God is not pleased with your behavior towards His Beloved, and that it is you that is wrong. It does not matter how passionately you think you are right. God is only interested in truth, and is not all about your misguided agenda.
If God really wanted to work on the other person, He wouldn't send someone who attacks. He may not even need to send a person regardless. Some people really listen to God when He speaks directly to them the first time. God cares about the love that we demonstrate, and how we support and encourage others. He wouldn’t hide an alternate assignment within a mission of just getting a blessing. How will you get a blessing after you had a conflict? More than likely, that person will want nothing to do with you again, and they are in their right to feel that way. The enemy will use your incorrect thinking, and even plant more seeds in there, just so that you live in conflict with everyone around you.
Pay attention to what God is really doing in your life. It will save you years of grief and missed opportunities. He is not sending you for one thing with the intent that you will correct the very one who is suppose to bless you. But the enemy will send you in for that assignment. Life and Death of that relationship depends on how you discern what you are to give and receive. You are sometimes only supposed to receive and do so graciously.
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