When I was dating my now husband it was no secret that my dad did not like him. Dad was convinced that any young man who played college football and belonged to a fraternity could be after only one thing. He also hated that Jeremy was from a different denomination than us. I was always told that I should not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. Jeremy was a believer, by the way, he just wasn’t of the same persuasion as us. Because my dad was a Pastor of a charismatic church we often had ministers in and out and they often took notice of me because I was the eager and active daughter. One particular set of traveling “Prophets” came through and proceeded to point me out of the crowd and tell me that I was making a huge mistake dating Jeremy. That I would be choosing the wrong path if I continued this way. Because I was terrified of disappointing God and ruining my life by choosing the wrong path I was devastated and confused. I was in love but also, apparently outside the will of God, because the “prophet” said so. I had to break up with him, I couldn’t possibly choose Jeremy over the will of God. My heart was broken. I knew that Jeremy loved the Lord and that he was just raised different. After what seemed like weeks (maybe it was days that felt like weeks) I found out that my dad had lunch with these “so called” prophets and that he had mentioned his distain for Jeremy so this man had done my dad a favor. I was furious but relieved and ran straight back to what I knew was true regardless of the false prophets and the manipulative effort to maintain control of my life.
I say this because so many people are manipulated and controlled by men with fancy religious labels who are nothing more than peddlers of snake oil. If what you are listening to isn’t pointing you to Jesus and His finished work then run like the wind. If your Pastor or anyone with a fancy religious label tries to “thus say the Lord” be sure and check it at the door. If it’s not Jesus and the goodness of what He already did and who He is in you today then click delete and move on down the road. And if you are a minister and you use that office to manipulate and control by beginning statements with “thus says the Lord” you better be careful you may end up with a daughter who knows better and a son-in-law that will take her far away:) By the way we had a great 23rd anniversary yesterday!
Life Without Definition 