Pleasing and Acceptable: Allowing the Word of God to Define the Definitions: Part 7

Summary/Reflection/Conclusion

* Remember to read the previous parts of this series first

To wrap up this series, I would like to present to you a short parable in order to make this a bit more understandable, if you'll allow me. Imagine if you will that today is your birthday. You have told me for 30 years that on this birthday, more than anything in this entire earth, you desire for me to give you a jar of strawberry jelly (I know this is seemingly silly, please follow along). You have told me that it is all that you want from me and it alone would please you. Nothing else could even be received, you said, so be sure to get it right! You even told me where to get it and how to present it to you so that I could fulfill your birthday wish.

When your birthday rolls around, I present to you a beautiful bag that I adorned myself with ornate gold and purple ribbon. I say "Look at the beautiful bag! I made it myself just for you" You respond, "It is what's inside that matters to me. It is the contents that I desire!" I hold it up to you and I open it and before your eyes you see a jar. As I turn the jar around you begin to see a label. "Peanut butter? You have given me a jar of peanut butter? What is this?" you ask in disappointment. I respond with, "Well I know what you wanted but I thought I'd just do this instead. It's still a great gift, right? Everyone told me that peanut butter is what everyone is giving these days! Aren't you excited?" You hang your head down low and say, "You have given me a jar of peanut butter. I cannot receive this gift for it is not even allowed in my presence. You could even say that I am allergic. I'm sorry, I cannot accept this gift. I am greatly disappointed. You must leave my presence now. You have been told the one thing that I would accept and you have failed." As tears roll down my face, nondescript beings come to escort me away from you. They ask me to open a small pantry door to my left. As I do, I peer in and see an endless sea of items within this vast pantry that seemingly has no walls. It is full of everything you could ever imagine. As I set the jar of peanut butter inside the pantry, I softly close the door. As I look above the door I see a small label and begin to weep. It simply states, "Unacceptable".

This, my friend, is what we have done and in fact are doing, to our LORD. We are bringing Him gifts all wrapped up in pretty packages yet the contents cannot even be allowed into His holy presence. It looks nice and we think it is great but in His sight is unacceptable. Will we continue to give our offerings out of obligation and law? Will we continue to offer up unacceptable worship because it is easy and costs us nothing? Will we continue to meet with the Body as we deem right even if it opposes the Word?

I am no poster child for doing it all exactly right. You will not find my name if you look up the names of those who have perfectly exemplified Body life. I have much to learn and it is a process. My ongoing challenge – am I learning? Am I consistently willing to leave behind traditions of men for the biblical plans of God? Words cannot express how grieved and even downright angry I get when I see what is labeled acceptable "Christianity" in my generation. It's in magazines, bookstores, television, "church" campuses, "Christian" music - it is everywhere! Nearly all of it completely contradicts His Word. I cannot say it enough! I would scream it from the top of my roof if I thought anyone would listen! I would buy an ad in the biggest magazines and newspapers in the world if I could! The fact is however, few will hear what the Spirit is saying and be willing to change. Few are willing to bring an actual sacrifice of praise. Few are willing to allow God to dictate what is acceptable and what is not. Few will even consider forsaking all that they've known to be Christianity and embark on a new journey of rediscovery. What we see in the Bible is what we see today. Few will see. Few will listen. Few will step out of the lines of conformity and go. Will you? I daily remind myself that I have enough areas within my own walk to address. I too have religion that was engrained within me. I daily seek to forsake what I like and exchange it for what my Father desires. It will ever be my life process, to live as Christ.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

For those of you who might say, "You know what, it is time that I step out and see if there's more to Christianity than what I've known" and desire to move in this, standing upon what the Word deems as acceptable unto God, I encourage you to address your mindset, not your actions. It is all about the origin, not the resulting actions. Turn your innermost being to the LORD. Change your mindset by putting on the mind of Christ. Formulate what your Christianity looks like according to the Word of God. Results will come when the origin is right. Walk by the Spirit. Be moved and guided by the Word of God, not by the trends of what the majority have deemed to be right and acceptable. Allow the LORD Himself to be your primary Guide and Teacher. Envelope yourself with people that model what the Word defines as acceptable unto God. Most of all, ask the LORD to speak to you, to direct your paths.

He is longing for His Bride to awaken and see. He is longing for Her to release worship that makes its way all the way to His beautiful throne. He makes the rules. He says what is worthy and what is not. We can no longer be ignorant when He has told us what He desires. We must be obedient. All that we do is for Him. Many have joined in on the discussion throughout this series. Many have asked "how" and "where do I begin". As difficult as it may seem, just go! Step out! Dare to see if there's more! Just what if a vast land that you never dreamed of awaits you and you never ventured out to see it? It is all about what our Creator desires and what He has deemed as acceptable. There can be no other way for those who truly desire to live for Him. No subsitute will ever satisfy. We must seek to be found holy, pleasing and acceptable in His sight above all else. May the LORD unveil our eyes to see all that He desires us to do and be!