A Phantom Jesus?
Before anyone freaks out about the title, let me explain it. 🙂 A few days ago, I was sitting with my husband. He wanted to hear some music, from musicals. At first we started, by listening with our “kids.” But, then we retreated to go to sleep. He requested a song from a famous Broadway show. I bet by the title, you can guess which one. It was “Phantom of the Opera.” I listened to the lyrics, for maybe the first time ever. I mean, I had sung them before. Even with passion, I had vocalized the words. But, until that day, my 39th Birthday, I had never realized how much DARKNESS was there.
Many are believing in a phantom Jesus. One that just lets us do and be, whatever we like. The problem is the REAL Jesus is often, getting shafted. Do we realize how many reject HIS LOVE daily? I would say billions, in one way or another. The REAL Jesus is about LOVE. But, disobedience comes with consequences. Sometimes those consequences are obvious. Other times, they are a bit more subtle. The Phantom Jesus allows us to take Grace for granted, and never says a corrective word to anyone.
Just look around you. I am certain you will see many serving this Phantom. It is sad really. SO many affected by religion, and justifying bad choices, that do not honor God. But, yet it is NO surprise to the REAL Jesus. In the show that I mentioned earlier, the main character is filled with evil. In fact, He has been overtaken by it, and yearns to torment and bring it to others. Is this NOT like our enemy? I never considered the parallel before, until recently. The times that God put something together, and satan, would come in and try to destroy it.
The enemy may come to steal, kill, and destroy, but should he get to? Where is our authority? Do we not remember who we ARE in Jesus? Because, the phantom is simply something that looks like God, but is anti. It is appearing to be good, but clothed in evil that may look pretty. Isn’t it time, over 2,000 years later, for the REAL Jesus, to be respected? The one who is moral, kind, loving, compassionate, correcting, healing, and so much more; deserves HONOR. He dies on a cross, the most gruesome death. He took on HELL and had victory then, and NOW.
It is because of HIS valor that WE exists at all. EVERY single gift we have, we ow to HIM. Yet, the church has fallen away from it’s first LOVE. It has, as a whole lost it’s anchor. No wonder the earth is crying out. No wonder there are floods, and stormy weather. Heaven is calling us, into our HOME to be made whole. But, will we respond with JOY? Or will we respond with ANGER? It’s a choice. It has always been a choice.
Know that when you choose JESUS, you choose LIFE. There is a season to learn and Grow. In fact, there is Grace in that place for a while. But, Jesus loves us too much to let us stay in darkness. He is a rescuer. There is Grace to grow, yes, and Grace to learn, but not Grace to stay stuck in the muck and mire. His refining FIRE is present. But, will we receive, from a good place, or a bad?
In my life, I have had a lot of Phantoms. It seemed that I was always searching for the REAL Jesus to show up. I took a lot of bait, and fell into a lot of pits. But, even when I could not SEE, He was watching over me.