Day 25-Religion of Oppression

"All of the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast" (Proverbs 15:15).

Many have adopted and embraced a oppressive religion. These individuals subscribe to the notion that life is hard, full of struggle and strife. They hold that the Enemy is at war with God and everything is a battle. Religion of Oppression has crippled the lives of many, who feel they are not worthy of any good thing.

I have noticed that many people have a hard time dealing with compliments. In many communities if you give a person a compliment, they feel that the person who shares the compliment is not sincere and wants something from them. Can you imagine individuals feeling this inferior? In addition, most times when you compliment a person they just don't know how to respond, many will even disagree with the compliment, e.g. "This old thing..." or "It was nothing."

The sad reality is that people who are oppressed don't even know that they are oppressed. They live their lives unconscious to the limitations that they have embraced and they rationalize that it is life and God's plan. This is oppression at its best.

The writer of Proverbs suggest that life is not hard. Can you imagine not climbing up the rough side of a mountain. The reality is that I had no clue that there was a rough side. The writer is clear, "the oppressed days are wretched..." those who subscribe to disempowering perspectives, erroneous theologies and limiting personal philosophies. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he..." Our lives can only be as empowered as the philosophy that we embrace. Most are unconscious of their philosophy of life, so instead of living they simply exist.

Jesus, shared "...I have come that you might have life and have life to the full." Life is Greek is more than existence, it is a life that is purposeful and fulfilled; One translator called it, "a God kind of life." This ties in with the Proverb, "but the cheerful heart has a continual feast." Imagine a life that is a "continual feast", a joyous celebration! Try this kind of life on for size!

I want to encourage you to LIVE and make the most of the time that you have on this planet, to glorify the Father. I believe the Father is proud when we maximize all of our talents, gifts and abilities and make this world a better place. We have the ability to transform and change the world,however, we cannot do that by simply embracing an understanding of God that is not empowering.

Make the decision to embrace life and adopt an empowering view of God and yourself!

Living with Faith and Power and Creating a Phenomenal Life!

Bishop Keith Russell Lee
Hoffman Estates, IL and Los Angeles, CA

Spiritual Focus: Embracing an empowering theology and philosophy of God and Life!

Spiritual Prayer Treatment
Father, I repent from the disempowered thinking and
embracing the philosophies of the world that has tainted
my perspective of you, myself and life.
I embrace your Truth and Life!
I walk in your Truth!
In the Name of Jesus and Through His Power!
Amen! And So It Is!