The Group

This is hard to write. But, it's heavy on my heart. We live in a world that is full of groups. Each group is defined by their particular viewpoint, whether religious or secular. Look at it this way, thoughts become words, words become visions, visions become ideologies, and ideologies become entrenched. People are gathered along the way. Entrenched thought continues to add adherents through time, and people are born into the world where they are encouraged to pick their preferred group. Does that make sense so far? Rarely will anyone venture into some other avenue of thought, and they are chided if they attempt to do so. They are shut up. Now, the Lord calls us out of the world. He calls us to Himself. He admonishes us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. He says we will be persecuted as a result...that we will be considered 'peculiar'...that we will be shunned. Now, the hard part. Many of the groups are religious groups. 
The Lord was recorded as being angry several times. First, He was angry with the religious elite. They were supposed to know His Word, but HE IS the Word and they sure didn't recognize Him. They help up the ideals of their particular sects (groups) and attempted to shut Him up! Matthew 23:27, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness". 
The other one He was angry with was Peter. Bombastic Peter flew to the 'defense' of the Lord when he began to understand what was going to happen. The Lord was speaking about His impending death and Peter was trying to push such a thought away as fast as he could. The Lord rebuked him...Matthew 16:23, "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men". 
How many times are we like the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and Peter? Like the religious in Jesus' day, we do our best to be what those in our group say we should be. We 'try the spirits' against our beliefs, to be sure they measure up. And we stubbornly 'do not care' what others think of our religious behavior, because we are backed by our (very pious) group. We, perhaps have made the outward appearance 'beautiful', but what's really happening in our heart? 
Or, like Peter, we do not understand what is happening, but it is definitely not what we expected, and it sure doesn't sound 'right'. But, it was right. It was the very Plan of God for you and me. 
If we cannot depend on our group, and we cannot depend on our own understanding without incurring the ire of God, how can we know what is right before Him? If we can actually know the Word, be students of the Word, even preach the Word (like the Pharisees did, and the Sadducees did, and like Paul did too), and not be right at all, how can we know? It's very important...eternally important, that we figure this out. The religious elite never figured it out as a group. Peter finally shut up and paid attention to what the Lord was trying to say...he 'got it' later on the day of Pentecost, and Paul, (Pharisee of Pharisees) 'got it' when he met Jesus, left the group, didn't confer with any flesh and blood for three years...not even the other Apostles, but received it by the revelation of the Holy Spirit! Now, obviously, we need to forget the group speak, forget what we have learned from them, and ASK the LORD HIMSELF to have mercy upon us, to forgive us for our errors, to show us what those are, and to speak to us by His grace, to reveal HIS TRUTH, by the power of His Holy Spirit...give us ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying! Much of the time, what we have learned is very close to the truth. It is a form of what God does in reality. What makes it even more confusing is the depth of passion displayed, that people actually 'love' God, follow Him (to the best of their knowledge), but hear...Mat 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity". They ARGUED with Him at the Judgment Seat!!!
Look at what they say...we PROPHESIED, we CAST OUT DEVILS, we did WONDERFUL WORKS! People! I cannot emphasize the importance of getting before God with this issue. Be willing to let Him scrutinized what you believe! You are in good Hands, if you will listen only to HIM. The rest will fall into place as you seek HIM. SEEK HIM.