TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT
I always speak in love and I always speak in truth. When you read My word and are offended, look at yourself first. There is no wicked way in Me. Is there any in you? Repent and be restored.
JESUS IS OFFENSIVE
I don’t know if we’ve ever lived in a day like today where people get so offended so fast over things that really don’t matter.
Well, let me tell you, they would have been extremely offended by Jesus. As a matter of fact, He still offends them today because He calls their behavior sin. Because He tells them to repent and live a different way. People don’t like that.
“Pastor Troy, I love me some Jesus and He would never offend me.” You may think that now, but wait until Jesus doesn’t show up when or how you expect Him to. Wait until He tells you to go somewhere that isn’t pretty to help somebody that you don’t think deserves it. Oh, Jesus will offend you.
He will tell you to love people whom it is offensive to love just like He did to Jonah, asking him to rescue Israel’s hated enemy the pagan people of Ninevah. Why does God do that? Because He loves them and wants you to meet Him in that place of loving the unlovable. If you are highly opinionated on the matter, you’re going to stop seeking.
You and I get offended and we stop seeking Him. We either think He wants too much out of us or we fall back on the classic, “I tried that Jesus thing once and it didn’t work for me.”
I want to just tell you, there’s a very offensive side of Jesus. It’s just outright offensive how He’ll show up and tell you to be a giver when you’re broke or tell you that you’re called to the nations, but you barely have the means to catch the bus to Shreveport.
It’s outright offensive that He’ll wake you up at three in the morning and tell you to seek Him. My friend, if you can’t get past the offense, just go back to sleep and miss the most important upgrades of your life.
Do you see yourself here? If you do, repent! Grow a thick skin and say, “Jesus, you can show up when you want, how you want and send me anywhere you want to anyone you want. I don’t deserve your love and mercy but you’ve given it to me because of who you are – not because of what I’ve done.”
Become un-offendable and see where Jesus will take you. It’ll be the adventure of a lifetime, I promise you that.
A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. – Proverbs 18:19
FROM MY SERMON SERIES FIRST THINGS