ARE YOU LIVESTOCK, A PET, GAME OR A CHILD? There are three kinds of animal keepers and breeders: Domestic owners, commercial farmers and zookeepers/game rangers All three keep animals All three care for the animals They feed, groom and protect them But that is how far the similarities go! You see, the zoo keeper or game ranger keeps animals for drawing visitors and making money in the process. So he grooms, feeds and protects them so that people keep coming to see them for a fee. The zookeepers animals are called GAME because if he did not capture and rescue them for safe-keeping, game hunters would have killed them and either consumed or used them for other personal or commercial purposes. Great zookeepers and game rangers attract a lot of visitors and make money in the process. Game or zoo animals homes are called ZOOS OR GAME RESERVES The commercial farmer on the other hand keeps animals mainly for the slaughter and sale. So, while he feeds, grooms and protects them (for a while), he does so until they are fat enough for slaughter and/or sale. The commercial farmers animals are called LIVESTOCK as they are under his care while he fattens them for sale, slaughter or personal consumption. Livestocks homes are called FARMS OR KRAALS The domestic owner on the other hand keeps animals out of personal interest and love. The money and resources spent on them is not seen as investment but as acts of love and care. He develops a different kind of relationship with the animals; something similar to a family relationship. For the record, the animals under the owners care are called PETS and these animals place of safe-keeping are called HOMES. It is the same place the owner and his family also call HOME All three animal keepers hate losing LIVESTOCK, GAME AND PETS, but for different reasons: The zookeeper for professional and commercial purposes The farmer for purely commercial purposes, and The domestic owner for personal and emotional reasons If you were to interview LIVESTOCK, GAME AND PETS, I bet they would all testify of the love their keepers have for them but you and I know these keepers love these animals differently and for different purposes Coincidentally, animals are not all that are under the care of their keepers as these keepers also have other beneficiaries of their hospitality, generosity and love - these are the keepers CHILDREN WHAT MAKES THESE CHILDREN DIFFERENT FROM THESE ANIMALS IS THAT THE CHILDREN WERE BIRTHED BY THE KEEPERS AND BEAR THEIR DNA, RESEMBLANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS NOW, WHILE THESE CHILDREN ALSO PUT A DEMAND ON THE KEEPERS CARE,RESOURCES AND LOVE, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE THEM FOR COMMERCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL REASONS BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE THEIR CHILDREN NO ONE IS GOING TO BUY THESE CHILDREN FOR A FEE, AND NO ONE IS GOING TO VISIT THE KEEPERS HOMES TO SEE THE CHILDREN FOR A FEE. SO THE KEEPERS ONLY KEEP THESE CHILDREN FOR ONE PURPOSE - LOVE! Churches are like ZOOS/GAME RESERVES, FARMS AND HOMES, and PREACHERS are like ZOOKEEPERS/GAME RANGERS, FARMERS AND PET OWNERS - VERY FEW ARE REALLY PARENTS!!! Some Pastors keep people for display like zoos/game reserves and people flock to them and are so impressed with their GAME that they keep coming back for a fee. These fees, the pastors call TITHES, OFFERINGS AND HONORARIA (HONORARIUM). Please Note - While there is biblical merit in these practices, MANY HAVE ABUSED THEM FOR PERSONAL GAIN. Others keep them for the slaughter like farmers, and consumers visit these churches to buy these people - these consumers are demons, satan, the wicked (including these pastors because they also slaughter and devour the people) To some pastors, these congregants are just pets they love and share their homes with. But then, there are personal benefits for the pet owner in keeping the animal as some pets are useful (dogs guard homes and cats consume pests). The other side to personal gain is in the pride the owner derides from keeping these pets. THE SAD THING IS, FROM A DISTANCE AND IN THE EYES OF THE ANIMALS, ZOOKEEPERS/GAME RANGERS, FARMERS AND PET OWNERS REALLY SHOW LOVE, BUT IT IS LOVE WITH DIFFERENT MOTIVES, OBJECTIVES AND INTENTIONS! VERY FEW PASTORS ARE PARENTS WHO PURELY SEE THE PEOPLE AS THEIR CHILDREN AND AN EXTENSION OF THEIR LIVES NEXT TIME YOU SEE YOUR PASTOR, PLEASE LOOK HIM STRAIGHT IN THE EYES AND ASK HIM - DEAR PASTOR, AM I YOUR GAME, STOCK, PET OR CHILD? Todays Meditation Galatians 4 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth? 17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you. 19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you. 21 Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. 24 These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. 27 As Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!” 28 And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. 29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit. 30 But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman. PEACE
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:03:27 +0000
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