I was struck with Leprosy...... Warning post may be PG - 13!

Yikes.   The HOly Spirit and I have been chatting a bit for the past two days.  If you were following me around, you would see me talking to myself, closing my eyes, thinking, and then praying, and heading back to something to read - either my bible or the book I am reading.  And then God and I would chat again, and I would seek HIS Word again.  And I would wrestle with this BLOG...as I believe some toes are going to be stepped on and I believe I will offend a few -- and I believe that some won't agree, but Lord,  I know that this 'word'...this blog is burning to be released.   Oh and....I am packing too....being obedient to what God has called both my husband and I to do -- being 'uncomfortable' for a bit -- but knowing, HE is purging a few items of 'stuff'...but HE is also asking us to rise up.  read on....

First read...from 2 Chronicles 26...

Uzziah’s Sin and Punishment

¹⁶ But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. ¹⁷ Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. ¹⁸ They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!”

¹⁹ Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the Lord’s Temple, leprosy^[g] suddenly broke out on his forehead. ²⁰ When Azariah the high priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him. ²¹ So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.

OK -- so -- where am I going with this?  

Praise God that I have not been STRUCK with leprosy -- period.  I have been reading the Old Testament through and YES...it is a 'hard' read at times, but it is  important to read the Old with the New Testament.  And, praise God that I don't have leprosy....As if you read this portion of scripture, King Uzziah followed God's laws and did 'well' in HIS sight but then got proud.  It says his power went to his head and he wanted to do something that was not allowed - according to the law.  His friends,  the other elders,  even warned him...'don't do it'...and he continued to do what he was NOT suppose to do and INSTANTLY...did you read that - verse, 19 -  INSTANTLY LEPROSY broke out on his forehead.  

I went to the internet and googled leprosy and saw the images - many TOO graphic and awful to post.  

And as I read this  again, and as the Holy Spirit and I spoke back and forth today -- I thanked God that I live now...that HE does not strike leprosy on one's forehead because they have disobeyed...and become too proud.  God, thank you for Jesus.  

But think.....

What if  --  

                      I am going to say this first and then explain a bit...

YOU CAN'T continue to habitually SIN....and believe that it is OK...or that YOU are still covered in GRACE.  I mean...seriously....Habitual sin...habitual sin...continuing to know you are sinning and continue......at some point...  there is a decision to be made .....

I say this statement from experience.  I have lived it.  And I have witnessed it.  

Heaven or Hell?  .....   

I don't want to have a major theological debate about 'working out your salvation' or 'saving grace'...or 'eternal security'. 

   Right now...I am speaking to a person and  several around me  that I have been praying for... anonymously.  

You can't continually sin - and disobey what God has asked you to do.

What God has showed you - is wrong...

What God clearly has stated in His word is sin...  You can't continue to do that...and EXPECT everything to be fine and perfect.  

You just can't.  

I have seen it in my own life.  I believe in God's mercy and grace and when you are immature or perhaps not listening to the Holy Spirit because you are just that YOUNG in HIM.... God extends such mercy.  But...when you have been taught...been told...and you  - yourself have 'preached'...it...and YOU decide to GO Back and habitually sin....

Just spend some time with my husband - he will share what God has shown him.  

Spend some time with me -- I am screaming right now - PRAISE God I do not have leprosy - as I should of gotten it...NUMEROUS times.   

 Prayer time:  

Lord,  they are yours.    She is yours.  I am 'giving' them to YOU...I am NOT giving up, but I am DONE trying to enable...or pacify...or be sweet -- UNLESS...LORD, you intervene with this one, that continues to walk this path...God - I pray that she picks the RIGHT road and I pray that SHE decides...to get a FIX with you.....  I can't do it for her...for them.   But Lord, I am here...and I will love, show love, and continue to pray when they return.  I will.
Lord, I know how my heart ached when I realized that a dear loved one was in habitual sin and how I had NO control to stop it...so I just prayed that this person would be SO sick of the sin......and SO miserable  that this person would stop..and SEEK YOU!
Lord, it was a painful time.  Lord, there are others right now that I pray the same prayer...and I know that YOU have them...YOU love them as much as me...and I will believe that one day - they will see YOU and reach out to you and it will not be too late.  Amen. 

Now Lord, for the remainder of this blog - protect it -- I am sharing some personal REAL stuff...but there are women out there that need to read this and understand that - they too - could be struck with leprosy...but praise God, YOU are there to have the 'cure'.

So, back to being struck with Leprosy -- I will confess my sin.  I thank God that I did not get that disease when I know that for a period of almost two years...I would purposely flirt with married men and total strangers to get 'love' and feel better because I knew I was not loved by the one I married.

I thank God that when I led bible studies and led prayer groups that I did not appear with leprosy each week...as there was unconfessed sin within my life...and idolatry...and pride.  So much pride and a religious spirit that 'felt' I was better than most.

I thank God that I did not get leprosy each pay check -- as I robbed God of what He asked of me...my tithe.  For years...and years....

I thank God that I did not get leprosy when I gossiped, slandered, and put others down to make myself 'better'....and I knew that I knew -- I did that and yet -- it continued.

I thank God that I did not get leprosy when I lied and lied and lied and lied...all the time.  Whether it was because I was scared, or I was trying to impress, or I had told myself a lie ...that it became real to me.  Point is..I lied.

I thank God that I did not wake up with leprosy on several  Monday mornings in college after I had spent the night with my boyfriend.

And I thank God that I don't have leprosy....
Get the picture?

What about adultery?  Hatred?  Wrath?  selfish Strife?  Heresies or divisons?  Murder?  Merder with your heart?  Lust?  Sexual Immorality?  Deceit?  Pride?

I guess, as I read and reread this portion of scripture today, and as I thanked God that I DID not have leprosy....I knew that I knew ... I 'deserved it'.

But -- Christ went to the Cross for me - and for you .  HE paid the price and I have mercy -- a CLEAN bill ...a GET out of jail free card...in HIM.  AND HE covered me with HIS blood so I won't be 'struck' with leprosy.

But...what about that habitual sin?
What will this dear one decide?   If she continues to sin -- and disobey ...she is YOURS God and I will trust that she won't be lost...that YOUR hand of grace won't be pulled away.

I don't believe anyone can 'snatch me' out of God's hands and my eternal home.  But I know that my OWN sinfulness and my own choices and actions could make it pretty hard to believe that heaven could still be awaiting for me.  

Maybe if we 'did' get struck with leprosy here and there...some of us would be more careful and SEEK to be HOLY before HIM...and SEEK to really change some habits.

And Maybe if we 'did' get struck with leprosy ...others would TAKE notice and realize....that we are NOT playing games here on this earth...this is NOT our eternal home, this is ONLY temporary.

Ok - enough said...  My  heart is heavy this eve and yet full of peace.
I pray that my intent is heard...

God wants you to stop sinning...  God wants you to be holy in HIS sight.

God wants to have communion and fellowship with you -- and HE wants to bless you and make "all stuff" right...but if you continue to mock Him...lie to HIM...and put HIm 2nd...  how can you really expect "stuff" to get better?

amen.

Enough said.