Pastor Peter: You are a very practical, practical man! Jesus has given you exceptional experience and you know how to talk to unbelievers and give yourself to God’s work for His Glory. Jesus is the one who gives us peace in our inner man because it is His Peace…“My peace I give unto you not as the world gives.,give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,neither let it be afraid.” . New believers are trying to know right and God and need to love God with all their heart and mind and soul. To love God and follow him is to learn of His Mighty Love. The more we have God in us; the more we can love sinners into the kingdom. My loved ones I carry in my heart. I pray daily for grown children living far away from me. My Karen, My Marla….. I carry many in my heart ! In Jesus Name, bless and give wisdom to my Pastor Peter!  Let us with Holy Spirit guidance love all members of Christ’s family so that he can come back for a bride without spot or wrinkle! Many Christians don’t understand one another and to me the hardest offence occurs not from sin in the world but from shortsightedness in other believers who criticize each other.  How God’s heart must hurt! God help each of us to love with your love! Love and Prayers Gigi Hagey

1SAM 2:29 ‘Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’

JER 1:10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.”

There are some things that God in Christ Jesus gets offended by and does something about it!I Scriptures tell us that at the beginning and end of His ministry Jesus Christ drove the money changers out of the House of God? And even today the wicked who continue to rule over God’s people are those in the house of God not outside of it! 

We see today that the so called church of Jesus Christ today which I call the church of the flesh is full of liar, rapists, thieves and deceivers! Full of men whose primary interests are me myself and I and not the best interest of the sheep.

And that is why we have so much pilferage in the name of the LORD who would never do what they do but would make a whip and drive them out stating “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” (Matthew 21;13).

So we should also be offended by those who have made a ‘house of prayer’ into a ‘den of thieves’ and do something about!
 
God, who kills and makes alive, promotes and demotes, honors and dishonors men, makes rich and makes poor, has no love for thieves, liars or hypocrites especially in the house of God! Our loyalty in life must be must be first of all to God, and we must seek first His kingdom–even when things seem to be going wrong.

God never forgets. He never forgets those in the heat of the battle, when others give up, those are faithful and loyal to God no matter what. And He never forgets those who betrayed Him by doing what He has not told them to do!

Greetings in the name of Jesus Brother Peter, I would like to thank you for your message of Hope in Christ only, and it has taught me to not be judgemental to the sins of others but to be like Jesus and help rather than accuse the brethren…May God be more alive in you as your preach out to the lost souls..Love you in Jesus name your sister in Christ Lillian

Brother Peter, I wanted to ask “did Jesus get offended when people were gambling and selling in His Fathers house? He overturned the tables…I will look into the Word about it again…this must have been before he died for our sins, and I know he was without sin..I want to be careful with what I share when I testify for Jesus, and I want to let the Holy Spirit to guide me in every way…thanks once again…Love you in Jesus name!

Dear Peter:
This is a really good word and is a true display of Christian love and forgiveness…Thanks
I had sent a prayer request a week or two ago and was just curious if this is in response.
Our love in Christ,
Mike & Debi

Right on. The sad saga of religion is that the church at large historically has talked about the gospel-good-news but hasn’t really believed it. Fearing relationship with Him and doubting His LOVE, we validate our fear and unbelief with misinterpretation of God’s intentions toward us, and thereby convey our versions of scripture through the same distorted lens and call it ‘gospel’... and the world around us knows the difference! The Good News of Christ will shine bright and dispel every voice of religion and all will know their destiny is to live loved!

Dear Pastor Peter,
Every day since I first began to really “hear’ the message of the grace of our Lord Jesus, I find that I am realeased from yet another lie which has been a strong link in the chains that bound me.
Thank you for the message “Offended Christians”. I was truly tossed back and forth between offence and hurt when Christians are made fun of, and the realization that in many cases we deserve it. Then I would feel guilty for not being outraged at the “evil” around me. I was afraid that my “live and let live” attitude was actually just mediocrity and passivity. I felt I had “lost my zeal.”
All I really wanted to do was love the people, but look at the paragraph above and notice all the “I’s”. No wonder! If I focus on whether or not I am thinking right all the time - it is still all about me!
You’ve helped me to relax and go ahead and love the people Jesus loves. What a lovely Easter present - thank you Pastor Peter - thank you Jesus.
In Christ,
Lynda Marquis

I agree—wholeheartedly.
Let’s focus on the finished work of the cross, not be cross.
Let’s remember the crown of thorns, not be a thorn.

Before I made the conscious descision to accept Jesus, I was very easily offended and reactionary.
My family and friends have noticed the profound change He has made in me. I laugh a lot more, and I have not flown into a froth-at-the-mouth rage ever since.
Whenever the old knee-jery reaction comes on, I just turn to Him and remain with him until it passes.
I have also noticed that when I turn back to the world (as one must - we still live here too) it has changed - the thing I was going to react to has gone away.
Whodunnit?

Jesus did not go around ranting about offenses, but he did not shy away from calling Herod a fox as in Luke 13:32, and he overturned the moneychangers tables and drove out the merchants from the Temple with a cat of nine tails, did he not?  Also, Paul warned about Alexander the Coppersmith in Second Timothy 4:14-15.  He also told of the perils among false brethren, etc. in Second Corinthians 11:26.  So, while we are not to be overwhelmed with offenses, we should not close our eyes to them, either.  We are to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.

Thanks Peter! What a great thought…

Peter, We enjoyed this excellent article. Our home group has been studying Steve McVey’s book Grace Walk and we were discussing this very subject this morning.
We are looking forward to seeing you on April 16, in Victoria.

Praise the Lord, how true that is, the very offence that some christians take on, is the very thing in which seperates them from the people that the Lord wants them to touch. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Pastor Peter for sharing all the knowledge in which the Lord has given you, this has taken me from religion to life.
Thank You!

That reminds me Peter:
Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or rude. It does not insist on its’ own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. love never fails.
Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
But I tell you who hear me: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Amen.
Happy Easter to all and may Jesus live in your heart and mature and guide you and may God Bless You all.
-Pat

I sometimes feel shocked, offended and angry at all that’s happening. But not when I look out the window. It happens when I look in the mirror. The sins of unbelievers doesn’t make me angry at them. It makes me feel sorry for them.
A long time ago I was there, groping in the darkness together with them. I was there not because I was evil and was actively and consciously working against God. I was there because I didn’t know any better. I didn’t have Hope. I was confused, misinformed and afraid. It was dark and cold and I had to take care of myself coz if I didn’t do it, nobody else would. But one day as I sat angry in that darkness, the light broke thru. The truth came in and He said He would care for me.

Abba took me in His arms and said “Rest”.
When we see others in their darkness, I hope we don’t say ” you sinner! You’re going to Hell! Repent Now!” Just Take them by the hand and lead them to Jesus. He will Save them. And you can’t bring someone to Jesus with a scowl on your face. You can’t bring them to the giver of Joy while wearing a frown.

The world has become a dark place without God. Why get shocked, offended or angry, were you expecting anything else. But through our lives the light of God shines into that darkness.
When I look in the mirror I sometimes still see the sinner, But the Holy Spirit whispers in my ear….. “You are Righteous in Christ”....Then suddenly the darkness disappears ......and I see….. Sunshine, Blue skies, Waterfalls, a cool breeze, rainbows…...rainbows.
Then I climb into Abba’s arms and take a nap

Right on Peter, you mentioned we get offended about the stuff we hear on TV, I think we could do without TV or at least one tenth of the time would be more than sufficient, God bless you and all the work God lays before & that is a good message for me too.

Proverb 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Happy Easter!
PTR

This theme, offended Christians has been comming often in recent months. As recent as yesterday, a person messaged me simmillar theme on my facebook area. It appears the message of the day for us, we Christians, we need pay attention for our good.

Right on the money pastor, good blog. I love the fact that you used the term ‘Isolationist’, I’ve been to churches where people had the mentality that they had to separate themselves from the world around them, but how are we supposed to reach the lost if we want nothing to do with them? That’s not right. This is one of the key reasons why so many people want nothing to do with God or the local church, because WE (the church) forget that we live in a world where not everyone is going to behave the way that we think they ought to. Instead of reaching out and being gentle and loving and guiding them toward our triumphant Savior, we are letting their faults hinder us from doing what we were called to do in the first place: Reach them!

I like this. I`m one of them and I pray that God will really set me free over this easter season.
Thankyou Peter

Its true that many want to show their spirituality by acting shocked, which is hypocrisy that must be condemned, but what if you are actually shocked(should you pretend not to be?).
But the more important thing is to know that Pual and Phillip did not spend hours being entertained by the coarse language, or sinful behaviour(Romans 1:32b)(which happens a lot on TV). They were actually greived in their spirit, and preached the good news gently and in a way that did not disrespect them for their ignorance or disobedience.(Galatians 6:1)

AMEN!

I have just written about this subject! When Jesus said that people who has bin driving out demons, prayed, and done “all things right” but still have not done “THE right thing” he must mean that only LOVE will save us and give us eternal life. And this love is of course to love others, as he loves us!
It´s so easy to judge other, but to show mercy and forgiveness is harder!
No one is perfect but God of course. And he is not looking for our perfection, he´s looking for our hearts!!

Be blessed Peter, and God wants U to preach even more then ever! He has a new plan for U and the devil is afraid, hahaha, but him who lives in U are so much bigger!
In Christ!
/Madeleine

Yes this is true. I thought that when I was thinking that way that I was wrong but you showed me that I was right.
Thanks

Nadyn
God bless you and never forget how much God really loves you!!!
Jon. 3:16

Hey Walter,

You said in your post that God “...has no love for liars, thieves or hypocrites…”  Are you serious?  Who do you think He came and died for?  If God doesn’t love liars, thieves and hypocrites then He doesn’t love you my friend.  Choose your words a little more carefully next time - that last post condemned yourself as much those you were trying to set straight.

Thanks for that Pastor Peter,
Truth is most christians havent rightly divided the Word of Truth.Luke 17:1 says we mustnt get offended, whether its an attack on our faith or not, Jesus demonstrated this in Luke7 when John sent his disciples to ask a rather ridiculous question.
Pauls approach in Athens, before legalistic men in Acts18, Jesus before pilate and the high priest, further tells us to hate sin but love the sinner.
The gospel is for them and its of Gods love and not condemnation (John3:16-17)
The Condemation of the unbeliever is doubt induced, when he doesnt believe the Gospel (John 3:17-19) Mark16:15-16)
God help us to preach the Gospel and not a flesh induced message to get back at people

I love it Pastor!
Ahh it’s so good to read such glorious message!
I seriously love your teachings!
Thanks Eliazar

Loved this post - very encouraging and always pointing us back to Jesus!

I recieve this message Pastor Peter Youngren. I travel the public transit a lot, and it is very easy to get judgemental with some of the other passengers, who seem to display behaviour that could be offensive if recieved that way. But this message certainly delivers the message to love one another as Jesus has instructed us. The bible tells us not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2).  And we are to be sincere and without offense till coming of Christ (Philippians 1:10).

Why did God ignore humanity for the first 250,000 years of its existence?
Then he decides to intervene in an obscure tribe in the backwards part of Palestine to the detriment of other peoples for a couple thousand years, then he opens up salvation to everybody 2000 years ago (again, in the backwards part of Palestine) so that even today, many people have never even heard the news… And even then, you have to telepathically accept this sacrifice or you go to Hell, regardless of whether or not you wanted it…
Makes no sense.

Pastor
I really do believe the reason some Christan leaders are not killing today like the did during Inquisition and witch-hunt time it is because the Church lost that power. Hence, Some Christan leaders they spew their genetically disposed anger as well as condemnation & guilt on television.
God bless you Pastor :)

Geoff.
We have to ask God that kind of question when or if we come to heaven. The importance for me today is that Jesus came and gave me life through him. I have seen him doing so much in my life and in others that I can´t doubt he´s good heart and willing for us human beings:). Maybe it´s not ment for us to know everything:)
Jesus is the only way…

There will always be this dilemma whether we are to work out our faith or not to do anything that, as Pastor Youngren has put it, using our indignation as a badge of righteousness.  This is really a fine line to walk on but grace message has saved us all.  It is not in our doing for the sake of doing, it is God’s love being shown through us that is most important.  And the basis of our ‘doing’ has to be established on the fact of ‘done deal’ that the blood shed for us on the cross is enough to bring us to heaven.

So about James letter to get us to work out our faith?  My view is that once we get the correct perspective on how grace has worked in the Christian life, then anything that we do, we did it based on gratitude that we have for Jesus who died for us.  To me, it would be second nature akin to Paul saying how we can be trapped by sin again if we are in a position of righteousness.

‘Right believing begets right living’

We just have a very bad episode of secular values versus Christian values in a women’s group in Singapore and it really reflect badly the society as a whole and Christianity in particular.  I can’t fault anyone as everyone has good starting points and good intentions.  But intention is not enough in the Court of God, and the Court of God have to rely on some sort of standard and that standard by far the best for the unsaved, is the one handed down by Moses.

If we are more in tuned to God’s plan for us to be salt of the world as described in this post, I think we will be in a better position to engage and convinced the unsaved.

Such irony—the commenters who are offended at your remarks, cite bible verses with righteous indignation!  And they either jump back to the OT - totally overlooking Jesus’ ministry - or they cite the clearing of the temple and miss the fact that the one thing that got Jesus most riled up was the actions of religious people who interfered with others coming to know God.  And the Highly Offended Ones don’t understand that this is just what they are doing.  sigh…