Don't Miss His Mark

Illustrating Israel's downward spiral, G-d said that they were like a "deceitful or faulty bow." A faulty bow is one which is crooked and untrue and undependable. Have you ever tried to hit a target with a crooked bow? You'll miss the mark every time. That's exactly the point. Israel was undependable. Although G-d had promised to bless them if they would follow Him and walk in line with His Law, they were constantly missing the moral and spiritual target that G-d had set up for them. Like unreliable, faulty bows in the area of promises and agreements, "Israel spoke mere words, and with worthless oaths they made covenants" (Hoshea/Hosea 10:4 AMP).

Like deceitful bows, Israel practiced dual allegiance by trying to worship both G-d and Baal at the same time. In fact, Israel missed the target so badly that they thought the prophets of G-d were demented fools. Because of their arrogance and insolence and their refusal to "turn to the Most High" they would be cut down by the Assyrian armies and "their leaders would fall by the sword."

It hasn't changed my friends. The "faulty bows" are still among us .just like they were in ancient Israel. The ancient Hebrews claimed to be G-d's people, but they were very off target in the way they lived their lives. Instead of proclaiming the one true G-d among the nations, they were a disgrace and a reproach to the Name of the L-rd. As believers, we make the claim to be G-d's people, but are we true, dependable "bows"? Are our lifestyles hitting the target G-d has set up for us, or are we missing the mark because we're undependable, like faulty bows?

I see it all the time among the people who claim to belong to G-d, even among the ministry. There are those who are supposed to be servants of the Almighty G-d who cannot even forgive people. There are people so caught up in their victim status or imagined wrong, or how someone else may or may not view them, that they break fellowship and change the way they behave toward people. It really IS amazing to me because I figure we are all under the same Word of the L-rd to forgive and continue on as though there was no wrong. But there is definitely an element among believers who do not believe this. They hold some of the most hefty grudges and harbor some of the most hateful things.

I've seen the snobbery of "believers" who believe they are right and are so determined to be right that they don't care who they hurt or injure in the process, claiming to know the Word of G-d but not even believing it, for if they DID they'd know their unforgiveness and other sins are not forgiven.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our L-rd Yeshua HaMashiach, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement." I Corinthians 1:10 AMP

Are we missing the mark because we've become desensitized to sin? The more we miss G-d's target because of our faulty lifestyles, the more hollow our testimony becomes.

Sometimes I believe I may be the most blessed person on the planet. I already know I'm a sinner and blow it. I know I haven't arrived. As a result, I can readily admit it when I make a mistake. And I truly believe this is how G-d wants us to be, not so big in our own eyes. I just believe the day of the spiritual diva is over.

I have heard and witnessed the past few years more people getting hurt in the body of Moshiach because they have such thin skin. We have to remember that the body of Moshiach is an ARMY. Those that are called into leadership positions do not always have time to pamper, beg, prod people along. As a matter-of-fact, sometimes the spiritual warfare is so intense, a leader in G-d's army may be yelling to get you to move out of harm's way. It's time to follow the chain of authority and trust G-d that the person ranking over you is there because he/she was promoted there by the L-rd. Promotion comes from the L-rd. But if you're walking around as a faulty bow, you will believe the chain of authority is not applicable for you because you don't see the order G-d has set.

Unbelievers see G-d's target and they know G-d's standards. If we claim to be G-d's people they will hold us to those standards! Are we being good witnesses to the world by consistently hitting G-d's target of righteousness? I submit to you that we are deceitful and crooked bows. And if we're going to continue down the road as faulty bows, our walk and our talk actually insults the L-rd instead of bringing honor and testimony to Him.

So what are we to do about this state of affairs? REPENT. Turn around. Go the other way. Make a decision to REPENT for I tell you most assuredly the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

It's a new day in the Kingdom. I have made up my mind to close all doors in my life to spiritual divas. I just don't have time for crooked bows anymore. I've got work to do and I can't afford to let my L-rd down. I urge you to do the same thing. Close the doors on people unwilling to live like Yeshua and move on. It's time to be set apart for His use.

Yeshua is coming VERY SOON. I have so much to do before He gets here that I just flat don't have time for these damage control games. I am not out to please men but my Father.

G-d gave Israel every benefit of the doubt and many opportunities to return to Him. He was incredibly patient and long suffering with His people, always ready to forgive them and restore them. ( We are supposed to imitate our Father.) He's been patient and has given us so many second chances to do what is right. Shall we dishonor Him or honor Him with our lives? Let's don't miss His mark.