Authority and Like Passions

Okay, so this morning I had to argue with the electric company which is threatening to cut off my electricity. I ended up with this very patronizing guy in the credit department. He got me so annoyed that I said to him, "Okay, if you're telling me the truth, God bless you! But if you're lying, may you get cancer and die by the end of the year!" Yes, I know. Very nasty of me. Trust this to 8 days of an hour sleep every night. And I really meant it. Still kinda mean it. Yes, yes, I get very nasty with bill collectors because they're very nasty with folks.

But it got me thinking about two Bible scenes. The first is Elias who was a man of like passions as we are and who got so peeved he called down she-bears to kill children who mocked his bald head. The second is the Sons of Thunder -- James and John-- who once they understood the authority that God had given them ...wanted to call fire down upon their enemies. I mean, even Jesus got so peeved that in a fit of pique (caused by anger) he cursed a fig tree.

I suspect this is one of the tough things about authority: our easily hurt feelings and our tendency to be spiteful...overly-so if wounded in our pride or heart. No wonder God is wary of allowing folks so touchy, egoistic, and prone to angry mouthing off to really feel his power. Yep, am including me...but it also seems to be a reason why many folks don't have power.

It also seems to be the reason why black magic is so powerful. Satan doesn't care if we're nasty or hurt and want to lash back. In fact, he likes that. God on the other hand, refrains from giving his power to those who are unforgiving and who aren't full of his love. Aaargh, back to the drawing board.

Actually, now that I'm talking about black magic, white magic, authority, and the like I've got to say I've been listening to a lot of lovely sermons by some lovely folks. Most of these folks would be considered pentecostal flakes by mainstream Christians, and a couple might even seem flaky by evangelical standards. But I like them. I discovered William Branham's sermons when I got the word "Watchman, what of the night?" Instead of looking in my concordance and doing a word study, I plugged the phrase into google and next thing I knew found a sermon by him with that name and a trove of his sermons. So have been listening and growing my faith.

I googled him and wow, are folks divided about him. I'm pretty wary about false prophets and I like to think I have discernment but on the other hand I also let a lotta things go. Heck, Andrew Wommack has some theology that I consider a bit wrong. Creflo Dollar too. Heck, everyone. So I'm relatively easygoing.

But other Christian folks not so much. It amazes me that folks actually create sites to slam certain ministers, folks saying Benny Hinn is false, etc. (Okay, some folks are a bit way off the track...like Peter Popoff) But Benny isn't "that" wrong in many things. A gift needs time to be perfected, and even teachers make crappy mistakes. But it annoys me that Christian ministries waste so much time looking inward inside Christendom and blaming each other over petty small differences when the world is going toward Wicca (largest growing religion in America), Islam, and Mormonism. Folks, learn to discern and do apologetics about those groups. Not to fight about stuff like days of worship, tithing, healing, the days of miracles, etc. Time is way too short.

That said: I still am wishing the bill collector learn about what it means to be needing mercy yet not to be able to get any. *sshole! -C