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Liberty and Diversity

Posted by Dion Todd November 18th, 2024 1,377 Views 22 Comments


Teachings inspired by the Holy Spirit are refreshing, but teachings from men are like throwing a wet blanket on the fire: they quench the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings freedom, but legalism and men's doctrines bring bondage. Consider these two verses:

(2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV) Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

(Luke 11:46 NKJV) And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

The "lawyers" here were Scribes, religious leaders who were experts in the law of Moses. They imposed heavy burdens and added additional requirements to the law of God. Then, they taught the people to obey them, but they also created elaborate loopholes for themselves, leading to some crazy teachings.

For example, the Scribes taught that on the Sabbath, a man could not carry something in his hands, across his chest, or on his shoulders. But he could essentially wear a backpack, carry it in his shirt, or drag it with his foot or elbow...

It was forbidden to tie a knot on the Sabbath, with the exception that a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if they needed to draw water from a well on the Sabbath, a man couldn't tie a knot to the bucket and raise it up, but a woman could tie her girdle to it and lift it out. Problem solved.

The Scribes took the sanitation rules of (Deuteronomy 23:12-14) and applied them to the city of Jerusalem, so everyone was supposed to go outside the city to use the bathroom. However, when combined with the Sabbath travel restrictions, it meant that no one could go to the bathroom on the Sabbath day. It's like common sense had left the building.

(Mark 7:5–7 NKJV) Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

(Mark 7:8–9 NKJV) For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

"Hypocrite" means an actor, someone who pretends to be someone else. They honored the Lord with their lips but not with their hearts, for they pretended to keep His commandments but devised workarounds. Their heart was not in it.

We must leave our personal preferences and revelations out of our doctrine and not add them to the Word of God as if they were for everyone. I occasionally have someone tell me the Lord told them to avoid coffee, and then they begin to judge others for drinking it, but that was a personal word for themselves. Perhaps they became annoying when they drank it and would be better off without it. Point: Coffee is not in the Bible, and we shouldn't add it to ours.

In the 1990s, I traveled with a Prophet on a tour around the country. He loved doing anointing services, and the Holy Spirit would show up in powerful ways, even in restaurants. We preached in a dozen states, sometimes twice a day, for forty days. We were in a different church every night. He would line the people up, pour oil over their heads, and prophecy to them. I would catch them before they hit the ground.

The diversity was eye-opening to me. I noticed that in some churches, people sat in pews with name plaques, while other churches preferred chairs, and a few had theatre-style seating. At some churches, everyone wore suits with neckties, but in others, they wore shorts. In some churches, the women wore only dresses, and in others, they wore pants. Some wore jewelry and makeup, others didn't. Most of the time, they dressed like their Pastors did. Some churches consisted of all White people; others were all Black; some were Latino, while others had a variety of colors. Some sang hymns from a book, while others had a choir, and few seemed to have full-on rock bands.

I caught doctors, lawyers, bikers, and housekeepers as they fell to the floor, for the Lord loved each one of them. It was Joel 2:28:

(Joel 2:28–29 NKJV) "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days."

I've never looked at church the same. The mind, once expanded, cannot be shrunk. Our petty differences and personal preferences can prevent revival from coming to us. When we are busy looking down on someone else, don't expect the Holy Spirit to show up. We need to set aside our differences, love the Lord and one another, and forget our dumb, man-made doctrines that creep in like: you must dress like this, you must listen to this type of music, or you must read this Bible translation. No, you don't...

Imagine what would have happened to the church if Isaiah had made what the Lord told him here into a teaching that applied to everyone:

(Isaiah 20:2 NKJV) at the same time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet." And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

Or if the marriage advice the Lord gave Hosea was for everyone:

(Hosea 1:2–3 ESV) When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

The Lord loves the diversity in the world. After all, He is the Creator of it and could have made things any way He wanted. So He did...

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for another day! Please help me see the world through Your eyes and be aware of when I am judging someone else. I want to be pleasing to You! In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!



Note: The Creation Photographers group theme of the week is "Family Moments". All are welcome to join in with the theme or post anything that inspires you! To join, just click on the group name and then the join link on the page that will follow. As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network.

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Post from Nell Neathery

1 month ago


Pastor and Sylvia, has there ever been a revival with Refreshing Hope Ministries' members and vistors?

Pastor's prayer: Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for another day! Please help me see the world through Your eyes and be aware of when I am judging someone else. I want to be pleasing to You! In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

i catch myself when I feel like I am judging, and I tell myself I am not a judge. I am glad my church is a "come as you are, a little country church!"
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days."

I love this Bible verse! "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days."




Post from Wesley Paulus

1 month ago


Amen!




Post from Sylvia Todd

Sylvia Todd commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Good morning, y'all, praying you have a magnificently blessed Monday! 🙏🌞💛



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Comment from Dan Remley

1 month ago

Good evening to my RHM family ❤️ I love you ❤️


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Comment from Valeri Frank

1 month ago

Happy Monday Sylvia... 🌻😊 This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 😊 one of my favorite verses...


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Comment from Lynn Brown

1 month ago

Happy Monday RHM!🌞



Post from Lynn Brown

Lynn Brown commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Thank You Jesus that You make it so much easier for us! Good morning everyone!🌞



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Comment from Dan Remley

1 month ago

Amen Lynn ❤️ Good evening to you friend ❤️


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Comment from Valeri Frank

1 month ago

Good morning Lynn 🌻



Post from Yvette York

Yvette York commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Amen Good Morning Everyone Have A Bless Week 😀



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Comment from Dan Remley

1 month ago

Good afternoon Yvette ❤️


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Comment from Valeri Frank

1 month ago

Good morning Yvette 🌞



Post from Debi Burton

Debi Burton commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Thank you for this devotional today. Just what we all needed and I do want to be pleasing to you Lord! ❤️
Good Morning to everyone! 🌞



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Comment from Dan Remley

1 month ago

Amen ❤️ Good evening Debi❤️



Post from Dan Remley

Dan Remley commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Lord, thank you for another day for me and mine. Please remind me to never judge others especially when they might be different then I am. I know your the creator of all men and women. Let me always remember that we are all one. That we are brothers and sisters. Remind me when needed to show love to all. Amen ❤️




Post from Liesel aka lisa Wardle

1 month ago


Amen and Amen, and thank you Lord for another blessed day, being able to join together as a family, hearing another great and spirit filled message from Pastor Dion!! Thinking of legalism way back many many years ago, when we attended a legalistic church for only a short while, which pitted people against one another, far from being spirit filled, and there was no love! Thank you Lord for Your mighty Holy Spirit granting us freedom to worship as we are!! 🙏




Post from Sherry Mccosh

1 month ago


Heavenly Father, thank You so much for another day! Please help me see the world through Your eyes and be aware of when I am judging someone else. I want to be pleasing to You! In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen! Excellent devotion today. I see many churches doing the things you spoke about, wanting all people to conform to their style of worship and their believes. We are all different and we are free in Jesus to pray as we feel is right to do and honor God with our life.



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Comment from Mike Martin

1 month ago

Amen great message for today



Post from David Krull

David Krull commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Amen




Post from Debi Burton

Debi Burton commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Heavenly Father, thank You so much for another day! Please help me see the world through Your eyes and be aware of when I am judging someone else. I want to be pleasing to You! In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen ❤️🤟🏻




Post from Wanda Pennington

1 month ago


Heavenly Father, thank You so much for another day! Please help me see the world through Your eyes and be aware of when I am judging someone else. I want to be pleasing to You! In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!



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Comment from Valeri Frank

1 month ago

Amen! 🙏🏼



Post from Celeste Strenn

1 month ago


Amen!!!




Post from Marisa Jackson

1 month ago


Amen 🙏!! Amen 🙏!! Amen🙏❤️🙏!!




Post from Theresa Bright

1 month ago


Amen 🙏🏻




Post from Bella Colliander

1 month ago


PTL!🕊️




Post from Brenda F

Brenda F commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Amen




Post from Raju Williams

1 month ago


Amen.🙏🙏




Post from Kay Collinsworth

1 month ago


Amen




Post from Dana Rozell

Dana Rozell commented on Dion Todd's blog post: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Amen!




Post from Schalk de Beer

1 month ago


Yes, amen my Lord.




Post from Dion Todd

Dion Todd added a new video devotional: Liberty and Diversity

1 month ago


Teachings inspired by the Holy Spirit are refreshing, but teachings from men are like throwing a wet blanket on the fire: they quench the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings freedom, but legalism and men's doctrines bring bondage. Consider these two verses: (2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV) Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (Luke 11:46... Read the full post here: Liberty and Diversity






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