Respect Does Not Mean Agreement

Respect is not synonymous with agreeing with another person. I think for some this is a real challenge on a regular basis and for many of us it can be on an occasional basis. It’s lovely when we can agree and see eye-to-eye on everything; but that is not realistic.

I was having a conversation with someone, as I have had in the past many times over. Unfortunately, there is a recurring meta theme that it is desirable to always see things the same way and if not, to sometimes threaten conflict. The need for total, unquestioning agreement is born out of insecurity in many cases.

What do we gain by always agreeing? What if we are agreeing on something that is dead wrong or feining agreement? In psychology, we call the latter, pseudomutuality. Isn’t it more respectful to speak genuine opinion and certainly of most profit, to speak truth based on the Word of God?

I also have had opportunity to dialogue with others recently about what it means to live your life as a Christian especially in these days, which I believe are the end of the age. It is concerning to me when I hear studies citing that up to 88% of Christians do not read their Bibles, at least not on any sort of regular basis.

I’ve had several encounters recently where I made comments about believing we are in the final days, the mark of the beast, being willing to be martyred for the cause of Christ and so on.

I am so concerned for the state of individual Christians and the corporate Church. (I am specifically refraining from using the term the Body of Christ because not everyone in the church is part of the body.) By no means am I saying that I have arrived or have it all understood or figured out. I do firmly believe, however, that we are to embrace the main purpose for our lives – being transformed and conformed to the image of Christ. I also believe that if one does not stand courageously through the power of the Holy Ghost now, that they will almost certainly be doomed as times get tougher.

I think that we/the True Followers, will be labeled as nuts and doomsday propagators as we take a stand. I think a lot of people are not benefiting from pursuing the deep level of relationship that can be had with Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior and Holy Ghost. I know I’m not fully satisfied and want to grow closer on a daily basis.

By the power of Holy Ghost, I’m all in! What does that mean exactly? The bottom line of it is that I want to seek a deeper relationship and hear from Abba daily, in fact several times a day, clearly. I want to stay in an attitude of prayer and be in prayer throughout the day. I want to go to the mat for the Lord! He has raised us up for such a time as this. Now is not the time to cower or shrink back. In Luke 9:62, Jesus said, “Anyone who puts their hand to the plow and looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.” Now is the time to stand, be radical as led by Holy Ghost (not provoking the satanic realm from your own desire), be bold andcourageous (not intimidated) just as we are encouraged in Joshua 1:9 because God is with us everywhere we go! It means being a martyr if that’s what we are called upon to be. Martyrdom is actually a great privilege.

While people are kindly silent when I express these sorts of what I believe to be truths based on the Word of God, I wonder, are they ready? Are they ready? Please, get ready. God, help me to stay ready!