DENIED: THE TWIST
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (March 22, 2015)
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”, (St. Luke 15:33), King James Version (KJV) [Those denied discipleship].
Greetings In The Holy Name Of Jesus,
My brothers and sisters how many of you have been denied by those you hold dear in your hearts? Did your best friend deny your friendship? Did the man or woman you married deny you in front of others---not once or even twice but every chance available to them every time you are together with other people? Did your children deny you as their father or mother when ever they are with their friends at social gatherings and even in the intimate family circle? Did your own father or mother deny you to everyone in your family and to all their friends?
Does your heart bleed out every time you feel the pain of denial---broken spiritually; shattered? Do the ones who denied you feel it was the time of your comeuppance [a deserved rebuke or penalty]---long overdo? Are they even willing to explain why they denied you and why they feel it is your comeuppance? If you answer yes to any or all of those questions then you obviously know a little bit about how Jesus felt the day he was denied. Firstly, I feel compelled to ask you, Did you deny any or all of those people who denied you?
Is it not the competitive spirit of love driving the quality of responses from the hearts of man?
I know I have felt the pain of sibling rivalry since the death of my parents---the competitive spirit that made them want to cast me aside, kick me to the curve even though they did not get the chance under the watchful eye of our parents but nevertheless strongly felt it in their hearts unbeknownst to me until years passed by and we grew into adulthood. Did you love your sister or brother but still feel something was a little---off in your relationship even though they tried hard to show you love, you knew something was a little off and you could not put your finger on it and you did not know why the feeling kept haunting you that something was wrong in your love relationship? Or, did you live through those feelings with your parents---denied the blessings of your father and mother?What about friends---I know I have been denied by my friends; have you? How many people suffer in this sort of darkness---feeling the pain but never receiving validation of the wrong you have done? Is it better to speak it out every time you cross a person the wrong way? Or, is it best just not to remember.
Who do you love? Is it your father, mother, brother or sister? Or, do you solely love God? Is it possible for you to leave all earthly relationships behind and love God? Is earthly love too difficult or is spiritual love too difficult?
What makes love so competitive? How many true confessions have you heard say they tried to kill their sister or brother when they were children but they were not successful? Did you laugh at their truth? Or, did you think it was truth? Adam and Eve obviously did not believe their son Cain would kill their other son---his brother Abel? Was it because his love for God was so strong that he wanted so much to please God above and beyond what ever his brother Abel did so much so until he felt denied God's love because he felt his brother stood in the way with his excellent performance in competition to please God? Is that why God sent Cain on his way---separated him from his mother and father for all times? Did this competition for God's love start with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Eve when she strayed away from Adam and disobeyed God yet Adam was held accountable with Eve for their sin? ---Did this earthly competition in love come out of the heavenly dispute--- when Archangel Michelangelo cast Satan out of heaven down to earth because he competed with God's decisions and rallied many angels to stand against God?
If, you love me, then...? What does it mean to follow the Word of God? What does it mean to
2
follow Jesus? God's will gave us Jesus, the second Adam. God's will did not let the death of Jesus [the
self-destructive nature of man prevail against us] condemn us as man's nature dictated so often in competition; the death of Jesus saved us, the blood of the lamb saved us “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (St. John 3:16), KJV [The witness of John].
How many of you are ready to be born of the water and of the spirit to enter into the kingdom of God, if you love God as you say you do, forsaking all else? Nicodemus said, “...How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (St. John 3:4-5), KJV [Of regeneration and faith].
Why do you need to compete for God's love against your father, mother, brother, and sister---friends in Christ Jesus if the end game is to enter into the kingdom of God when the holy word spoke what you need to do---that you need to be born of the water and of the Spirit to enter into God's kingdom? Do you think you can deny your love for God by not doing what he told you to do and deny your love for Christ Jesus because you must go through Jesus---to send your prayers for intercession to God yet you focus all your time that God gave you in your gift of life in battle against your family---friends of Christ Jesus instead of being born of the water and of the Spirit? “What is that to thee? follow thou me” (St. John 21: 20-22), KJV [Christ's charge to Peter]. Is that what Jesus told Peter about John the beloved discipleship?
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. In The Name Of Jesus. Amen
