WHEN FAMILY BETRAYS YOU

When your family doesn't take time to see you, and you haven't seen them in a long time...what do you do? Have you ever thought maybe, you just had been too far away to ever "return" and it is probably just best to go away and not bother anybody?

I have a dear friend who is leaving their family because they don't feel wanted.  Do you know what this is like or how this feels?  Has your family ever pushed you so far away, you felt thrown out like the garbage? In Bye Bye Birdie, Alma Mae Peterson opens up the movie talking to her son on the phone. She is a Jewish mother who says, "Ok son, so you don't have time to see me, so just throw me out with the garbage!"

Probably one of the most devastating blows any person can know or understand is rejection. It is a weapon more powerful than most ever realize.  The second weapon which has been called the sin over all other sins is....gossip. If you perpetuate a lie and you continue to live in a lie and be entangled by the spider web woven against you, it has the power to crush you, your spirit and everything around you.

So here is the plan. Let's go into the war room together and take a few moments and begin with intelligence. It is the first line of military strategy in facing war.  There is a war going on for your life, right now, this minute and it is big. This is a war of the mind, body and spirit and it's objective is very simple. The war is about robbing, deceiving and killing you, in every way.

WORDS ARE SPEARS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

A daughter will call and tell her dad, "Is this the kind of man you have become father, I don't want to see you anymore".  A grandfather will say, "I don't ever want to talk to you again".  A mother will cuss out her child and say, "You are the worst thing that ever happened to me.".  A child will tell their parent, "You no longer have a voice in my life" or even, "I now have adopted another religion and as far as you are concerned, you are DEAD".

Do you see and hear how powerful these spears become when you are defeated? Do you realize what you do to your family when you betray them? Do you realize what happens when you don't forgive them? Do you realize the sentence you are carrying out, when you don't call them, invest time in them, work to be in fellowship and real community with them? 

Why does it say to honor your father and mother anyway?  Why do you think this is important?

One of my godchildren is in trouble, real trouble.  He has gone through the worst experience of his life and right now, he needs the love of his parents, but he has post traumatic stress consuming his life and the demons of rage, of bitterness and anger are at his doorstep.  What do you do to help him and how can the message of hope begin to infiltrate his life?  

This week, my pastor in Nashville, Clint Thomas prayed one of the most powerful prayers as he asked the Holy Spirit to invade the very room where this young man has been placed.  To walk into the room, to fill this young man with hope and love and to allow him to see the true love of Christ.  Wow, I thought I would love it if every single one of us had people in our lives praying the Holy Spirit would invade our own hearts.

LETS TALK ABOUT YOU

Let's talk about you.  Is the Holy Spirit invading your heart? Are you filled with a love unending that is so amazing and beautiful you walk with God in a way like never before? Do you sense a spirit of Christ so powerful, all you want to do is be in a community of love with people who DO LOVE?  

Make those closest to you know your needs, don't choose to live talking negatively about others, don't fall into the lie of gossip and use weapons of vocal destruction, instead be different.  Choose to start over, choose to live your life full of hope and begin giving.  Give to those who reject you. Pray and love your enemies in a way they never would imagine how this miracle is happening.

START LIVING FOR CHRIST TODAY

If you have not chosen to live every moment for Christ, start today.  Call your family, connect with them, invest in them, love them even when they are NOT lovable. Choose to forgive, choose to bring joy and hope and there is no "lost cause" and no reason to "give up", but instead to give in to His love more and more every single day.

RESIST GIVING THE SENTENCE

Personally, I am trying to never give a sentence anymore.  I am choosing to resist the temptation of hurling bad language, bad behavior and judge anyone.  This is hard, especially when we know someone deserves what they get right?  We all like when the bad guy gets it, but I can tell you giving someone a sentence only will imprison you, your heart and your joy.

Live in freedom, give your life over to Him today and ask Him to help you so you can feel the liberty once and for all. For those family members who have gone away, if it's possible call them today and let them know you love them, you make mistakes and you want to see them.  I know this is big, but God will bless you.