rejected

This morning the lesson I received was a continuation of the lesson about Jehu, king of Judah. Out of self ambition he had slain more people than the Lord intended and brought judgment on his household in the 4th generation (Hosea 1:4). While reading further, though, the Lord reminded me of a dream from 12/14/08 and impressed me to write it down for you. It shows how one man’s self-promoting spirit affects the faith of the church. Here it is:

I was at a church-type meeting. The speaker had a very convincing car salesman-type voice. He gave us all clothes from the cleaners which each had a large plastic saran wrap-like label ironed onto them which said “rejected.” His talk was to convince us that we were rejected by God. Then, he indoctrinated the people into thinking that, if they discussed his topics from his book, they could be set free. The skirt I had received was royal blue with pleats near the bottom of the front (I had actually owned this skirt at one time). I began pealing the label off, but it was very hard to remove it all.

There was a break and then we returned to our seats, which were like desks. I saw a man across the aisle and went to him. I wore a bandana-scarf as a head covering, and said “I can’t believe you are here!” He looked like he wavered in holding to the speaker’s beliefs. I told him that what he was hearing was wrong . . . we weren’t rejected. I perceived that he had doubted God was with him in the past, and because of this he had felt rejected. After I gave him this word of knowledge the man indicated that I was correct. I again spoke to him about the speaker’s doctrine being untrue.
I walked towards the door and the usher stopped me, asking why I was leaving and if I still felt rejected. I said “I’m not rejected anymore,” but he thought I had accepted the speaker’s lessons and had become un-rejected through them. I didn’t tell him he was wrong. He smiled and let me out. Outside a large car drove up with young men in it. They were not refined in their attitudes, and looked forward to hearing the speaker. End of dream.

If a servant of the Lord, being a pastor, evangelist, teacher, prophet or apostle, devalues the people of God, he devalues Jesus Himself. Jesus told us this. “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his rewards.” (Mt 10: 40-42) The opposite of receiving each other is rejecting each other. When a minister uses his own teachings (remember the desks) to make men dependant on himself, he will cause them to also reject what God has to give them through the other members of the body of Christ. Ultimately, being dependant on the minister will cause the listeners to feel rejected without him, and outside the acceptance of God. This is not true. Yet, so strong is our desire to belong to each other that many will subscribe to false teaching in order to not experience rejection.

May I encourage you today, that you are accepted in Christ. It is He who paid for you and includes you in His family. If there is any teaching which causes you to be dependent on another for acceptance, please set those lessons aside, for they are false. If there are any words which cause you to reject other members of Christ’s body, please set them aside, for they are contrary to Jesus’ words. Let us receive one another today, and thereby receive Christ Himself. Amen.