Blackmailed
This crime has been enacted for centuries, as a particular crime to extort predominantly funds, and then after payment, then the goods, family for other objects held are then promised to be returned, and they often turn up dead and not living, empty promises. People find or catch out others in compromising situations, and so one coerces, extorts the other for their discretion and to buy their silence. Blackmail, extortion, bribes, even gifts can often buy silence, or for the turning of a ‘Blind Eye.’ You find people even in their prayers, who will attempt to ‘Blackmail,’ ‘Coerce,’ ‘Promise God,’ that if he will only do this particular thing for them, then they will perform a certain action for God’s benefit in return. Satan even tries this one, ‘you’re too evil to come to God, he will not ever accept you,’ and so many other lying ploys to hold sinner’s captive in his grubby paws, when freedom and salvation is just a prayer of repentance away.
Christians often try to ‘Blackmail’ or ‘Extort’ from God with a ‘You Owe Me,’ I have done all these things for you, followed you for these many many years, I have been a ‘Missionary,’ taught and preached, so God, you owe me big time. God is not swayed by our petty tantrums, often backed by pure ‘Selfishness,’ of ‘I give God little,’ and he ‘Gives back castles and lands, servants and abounding wealth,’ and this looks so like ‘Sin’ and not ‘Salvation.’ Psalm 50:10-12 “For every beast of the forest [is] mine, [and] the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field [are] mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world [is] mine, and the fulness thereof.” We waste so much time and effort, going on pilgrimages, fasting and prayer, attending church and special meetings, holding special positions in church, all in the hope of ‘Blackmailing’ God. What a big waste of time, for God loves us period, Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God already loves you, even while we fight against God, he is continuously working and loving you, seeking you to just give him your heart, let him have access to your plans and your life, only then will great things happen, because the Psalmist gives us concepts of God even loving us decades before we were even thought of, even born, while we were an embryo developing in the womb, all through our development and growth, right up to the present day and beyond, for God has plans for us way into the future. 1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” So why do we try to give God such a hard time, pout and throw a king-sized paddy, vainly trying to get his attention, when we already have it. 1 Samuel 15:22-23 “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry.”
It is ‘us’ that has it all wrong and not God, we so often want the wrong things, why not let God have control, by repentance and confession, give God the drivers seat, and to with wrapped attentiveness gaze out the window at the numerous wonders that he wishes to share with us, God in control, us walking with him in humble obedience. Quote; “We are not worthy of God’s love, but Christ, our surety, is worthy, and is abundantly able to save all who shall come unto Him.” {AG 185} I read somewhere something that goes like this, Quote; “When man had sinned and separated himself from God, he was now no longer due one breath of air or one Mosel of food, as all these belong to God alone. Man chose a new leader in Satan; thus his allegiances are now to him and his life, breath and sustenance is now to be supplied from his new leader.” {Anon} Sounds a bit tough, but to divorce yourself from God, why then do you expect life and light and all the good gifts from God, have you not chosen a new leader and provider, who actually is totally unable to give life and to preserve life, his ways are only unto death, wages of sin? But let us view this from our understanding in a Modern Parable. You run a very successful international corporation, your range of products are high quality, fit for purpose, great warranty, and backed by great service and spare parts for any damage or maintenance. But you have a competitor who advertises heavily, sells a similar line of products, very inferior in quality, welcome to a ‘Throw Away’ world. Well your ‘Senior Executive’ one day walks into your office and hands in his notice, effective immediately, and is gone. The next thing you hear is that he now works for your bitter rival, then he is now complaining that you no longer pay him his bountiful salary, no more ‘Profit Sharing’ or bonuses, what about his ‘Medical Insurance’ and ‘Free Travel?’ Now before we jump up on a soap box and wave some placards, is that not what we do, we go into Sin, reap the rewards of sin, blame God, it’s his fault, and then we want God’s Pay, and not the ‘wages of sin.’ A humorist once penned this; “God sends the rain on the Just and the Un-just fella, but more upon the Just, as the Un-just stole the Just’s Umbrella.” Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” You see, when we abandon God, accept Satan as our leader and provider, God in his mercy and love still continues to pay us, though we deserve it not, as God Woo’s us to seriously consider where all the good things come from, God gives ‘Good Gifts,’ where sin only brings sorrow and grief. So next time you try to “Blackmail God,” just consider that you actually have no bargaining chips, we all need to repent, be converted, come humbly back to God, whence commeth all good things. Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.” ‘Blackmailing God’ will never work as it is our sin and iniquity that has separated us from God, but repentance and confession, putting things right, living righteously in Christ Jesus, loving God in your daily live of obedient service, this gets God’s Attention, a fulfilling life enjoying more love and more power, and an Eternity of amazingness as well, so choose God!
