Massage?
It's sad to hear so many "soft" messages - which I refer to as "massages" - rather than telling people things as the Lord has said...the way He did.
When God gives you a message for someone/a group how do you deliver it? In it's orginal form as given by God or do you change it to a "massage"?
When God gives a message, we must not massage it - we owe it to the recepient(s) to deliver it without modification. Softening messages doesn't soften the punishment for sin.
The Bible has examples we can learn from.
In 1 Samuel 3:15-19,* we see an example of a really young person who was afraid to give God's message verbatim. The recipient of the message pronounced a curse upon the messenger if he dared withhold or even massage the message to make it more "palatable."
In Ezekiel 13, we see God pronouncing destruction upon those who say things He did tell them to and then in chapter 33**, He pronounces curses those who don't say what He told them to. God obviously has zero tolerance for those who mess (around) with His message... in fact He messes up their lives. We're in the end times when people will have itching ears*** - wanting the Word to suit them instead of adjusting themselves to suit the Word.
The truth is bitter - we only get better when we take it in its pure form. Be one of those who share the whole truth so the hearers and doers may be made whole.**** It's not about man's applause - our target must be God's approval at all times. When we deliver God's messages properly and promptly, we'll get divine massages from Him...pleasures in His presence.
References:
*1 Sam 3:15-19 - Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the Lord ’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel, saying: "Samuel, my son!" "I’m here," Samuel said. "What did he say to you?" Eli asked. "Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you." So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. "He is the Lord , " Eli said. "He will do as he pleases." So Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail. (CEB)
** Eze 33:7-9 - “You, son of man, are the watchman. I’ve made you a watchman for Israel. The minute you hear a message from me, warn them. If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked man, wicked woman, you’re on the fast track to death!’ and you don’t speak up and warn the wicked to change their ways, the wicked will die unwarned in their sins and I’ll hold you responsible for their bloodshed. But if you warn the wicked to change their ways and they don’t do it, they’ll die in their sins well-warned and at least you will have saved your own life. (MSG)
*** 2 Tim 4:2-4 Preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient. The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear. They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories. (CEV)
**** 2 Tim 3:16 - God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. (NIRV)
Samuel didn't want to give Eli God's message....remember what Eli said?
May it be to your enemy.....who was this?
not messages.
