Gorillas in Our Midst.

 

Good morning and Happy Monday. Brand new week. Brand new attitude. The past is the past. The future is unlimited. As we keep with the theme of Gratitude in September based on 1st Samuel 7:9-12 I want to examine some of the things I used to hear or even phrases we used to say that I do not hear much today. I know the youth are saying " You are doing too much ", "You ratchet " and " turnt up but that does not mean that some of the phrases back then does not hold true today. Most of the phrases dealt with the animal kingdom such as " You are a snake in the grass", which meant ( no I did not go to Dictionary.com, at least not yet ) that your were sneaky and conniving like a snake. Another saying that we used to say was that " You are a fly in the ointment", which meant that even though things are going right for me here you go ( here you go was a phrase that came along later  ) trying mess it up. And lastly "You have a monkey on your back ", which meant you have an addiction of some kind. In the world today the enemy prides on these monkey on your back situations and try to make it becomes bigger. The enemy Satan wants Monkeys on are backs so he can place Gorillas in our Midst.

In these times we are force to do things we do not want to. We have to pay the government taxes. We have to shop at big businesses to get a better deal, We have paint portraits that the world likes or we will not be recognized. We are forced to watch entertainment ( even on the internet ) that is horrible ( ie Bad Girls Club ). We are still reading about bad news in the print media and the social media. We still are struggling with issues with our families. Our views on religion differ so much so instead of thanking God we bicker. We would love to go to school but the cost are too high. All of this happens because we have let Satan, the gorilla in our midst. I now go to Dictionary.com to get the meanings of gorilla and then midst. The meaning of gorilla is as follows; the largest of the anthropoid apes, a ugly brutish person, and a hoodlum or a thug, especially one who threatens or inflicts violence. The meaning of midst is as follows; the position of anything surrounded by other things or parts, or occurring in the middle of a period of time, course of action. So in the next paragraphs I will give a few example of Gorillas in our Midst.

One of the instances of Gorillas in our Midst is how acceptable gambling is today. I played the horses and there was nothing like the thrill of winning but most often I lost. It would be times I would lose 300.00, win it back, lose it again, win it back and lose it again in a one day period. Or I would play the lottery hoping to win the the Pick 3, Pick 4, Little Lotto, Mega Ball, Lotto and tons of instant Lottery tickets. We accept it because of the hoodlums surrounding us with other things and parts. In 1st Kings 18:21-40 Elijah showed Ahab and Jezebel that God is stronger. We must understand the people who run the boats and casinos are running a business. They are there to make money. The state and local governments get a piece of the lottery ( a big piece ) and if the states are crying broke how can they afford to pay big payouts, In Matthew 8:28-34 we see how Jesus was able to conquer gorillas in his midst. He still does it today.

In the next example of Gorilla in our midst is we tend ( I included ) to still not understand or listen to our youth or even talk to them. We are so busy with our lives and issues that we see the talents they have but so does the enemy. He does not want tour child to be the next great painter or artist so he gives them a secular audience so they can sell their music or paint their graffiti. He wants to have the media beat them down for wearing certain clothes certain ways. He wants communications between parent and child to be nonexistent. Satan wants the youth to threaten or inflict violence as their only course of action. In 1st Kings 22:15-26 we see how the prophet Micaiah stood up to the gorillas in his midst and held his ground about what God spoke to him. So we can offer our children a place to do their art in maybe our driveways. Fine tune music by listening to them rap about God. Help them start their own social media site dedicated to their fashion. Talk with your children and be open minded about what they tell you. This may stop them from going down the wrong path. In Mark 8:10-13 the gorillas came into the midst of Jesus. Once again he put them in their place. We are children of God. Get the gorillas out your midst.

In my last example of Gorilla in our midst I want to mention the subject is homosexuality. As I write this I will probably lose some people because we accept is as being true. We have gay marriages ( civil unions ) gay parades and even gay people making laws. In Genesis 2:18-25 was the plan God gave for men but the gorillas in our midst do not want to hear that. So we accept their beliefs in our churches and educate all on being sensitive to their feelings. Wow. In Jeremiah 38:14-23 Jeremiah tells the king the truth no matter how bad it sounded. The ugly brutish person is in the middle of our period in time trying to make us understand that even though it is wrong it is right. Huh. We in the religious areas must take a stand and educate our believers even if it means you are vilified and protested against because right is right.

This man took a stand and made a statement about his beliefs. As of this writing I have forgotten his name but his restaurants, Chick-A-Fil was protested by his beliefs. We cannot even voice our opinion about how wrong it is for a man to love a man or a woman to love a woman without being bullied. I know churches needs people who tithed but at what cost. Is this how we educate or believers. In the book of Luke we see in the 16th chapter starting at verse 1 and ending at verse 14. He said you cannot serve two masters. The Pharisees were hot. It was not too long after these sayings and other sayings that they went through in their plot to kill him. We must always put the word of God into the forefront. We must take a stand. There is another old saying that has stood the test of time and that has rang true. If you do not stand for something you fall for anything. It is time we Christians quit eating the Oke-doke popcorn and get into the Word of God. God does not lie. It says it in Hebrews 6:18. Let us educate the gorillas in the midst of our churches and help them.

So in closing lets write our congressmen, senators, aldermen, mayors and whatever elected official we have to get the gorillas out of our midst. I love every person and we all fall short of expectations God has for us. But we have a forgiving Father in our Lord God, a person who died for our sins and made us whole ( Revelations 1:5 ) and a Holy Spirit who still lives on the inside of us and guides us ( Acts 10:34-43). Say goodbye to the gorilla in our midst. To God be the glory. You can follow me on twitter @brandnewweek. I am on Facebook as Frederick Wesley. I write for thegeekchicmag.com and I teach Sunday School at Valley Kingdom Ministries International. My book I Slept with the Choir is still on sale. Join me for my next blog called Gratitude for the sisters. Have a great week.