I saw a woman in the library trying to use her flash drive. She had no cover for the head of it and when placed in the hard drive of the computer she found all of the information stored was gone. She pulled the travel disk (as it has been called) out to blow on the head and placed it back in the hard drive. To no avail, all of the information she painstakingly put into it had been lost. She went to seek assistance from the library attendant who came to where she was sitting. She gave him her flash drive and he asked, "where is the cover?" To wit, she replied, "oh, I lost that awhile ago, but anyway, can you help me get my resume from it? When I try to use it nothing comes up." He looked at her thoughtfully knowing what's going to happen but he went through the steps anyway for her to understand. Afterwards, having no success, he said, "you must keep this covered or dust will get into the head of it and then it will be ruined." He gave the piece back to her and left. She sat looking at the blank screen and the instrument that was no longer any good to her.
This is an analogy of how information has been received to live a life that is holy and acceptable unto God. We receive the information from ministries, our parents, counselors, and other influential people but instead of taking heed with what we have learned, we go about in our own way of doing things; as if we know better. As I tell my children, I am not out for their hurt but looking out for them only desiring the best for them. If I tell you something is going to burn you, I would think with that warning they wouldn't do it. But children don't always listen and at the end of all they have learned, there they sit enduring the pain of the punishment and trying to recover from the sting of it or recall the information they chose to neglect.
How could any of us look at the children of Israel going around that mountain and think we would never be in that situation - ever? We have done it and so did this woman in the analogy. Why would the manufacturer design the travel disk with a cover if it weren't necessary to use? Why would God send Jesus to shed His blood on the cross if it weren't necessary for us to use?
The devil is going to come to do his job - steal, kill, and destroy. If you don't stay covered under that blood (the anointing), you get what you get. In the analogy, she lost all of her information. Will you have to get to that point before hearing God? From a Christian perspective, the analogy speaks volumes.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
That Doesn't Hurt
It is about 5 in the mroning (it could be earlier) and your eyes are barely open. You have a knowing to get up to pray and the longing to go back and slumber. Having full knowledge of who He is, you battle the flesh to get up and be obedient. You enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4 AMP) as you begin your prayers in the Spirit. Within the first 15 minutes, thoughts about your day and all that you have to do try to come. So while in prayer, why not start writing your to do list? How about getting a few minor household chores out of the way; its like two birds with one stone sort of a thing. Hey, that laundry isn't going to fold itself. Isn't it garbage day? Why not take it out to the curb while you are up doing stuff anyway? Are you still praying?
When I was a child, my parents taught us to pray just before bedtime. We knelt at the side of the bed with ourhands pressed together saying the same rehearsed rhyme that we said in those impressionable years. We thank God for everyone and loved people all the same. Feeling good about going to bed, oddly enough, after those prayers; we got a kiss from Mom and the lights were switched off for the night. No big deal, right?
Then as adults and returning back to church, many ministers have taught certain methods to pray as they understand scripture to be. I have heard to kneel and use the Word. I heard to sit with another chair facing you as if you are speaking to God. I heard to pray in the Spirit and do other things like multi-tasking. I heard that people literally get into a closet while others sit under large pieces of furniture. I suppose one could mimick anyone of those techniques based upon who was teaching and how their life has fared or do what seems just right for you.
Nit-picking through what got others out of their issues is a waste of time. I decided to do the multi-tasking thing because kneeling at the bed side was getting hard on the knees, my feet would go to sleep, and sometimes I would be waking up from that kneeling position wondering if I had finished praying or not. I deducted that I did and moved on with my day. Throughout my faith filled life, I made sure that my prayer time was anything but uncomfortable. If I kneeled it was on my bed and sometimes under covers. Most of the time I prayed while doing something else. If the phone rang, I answered it. If someone was at the door, I saw to it. I figured that I was getting things done and that should please God. Well, that was my reasoning and not godly thinking.
In my studies on the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22 AMP), I came upon longsuffering and was stumped. The term in of itself seemed to contradict what I thought Jesus came to rid believers from. How can we suffer when He said He would not leave us without comfort (comfortless). Doesn't comfort and suffer oppose one another? And one must endure with suffering and periods of length (long)? I refused to receive that understanding of the Word. I had to be getting that wrong. I studied and defined that word and still I just didn't like what I got. So I casted the care on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7 AMP) and continued with my faith the way I understood and liked.
I cannot explain the strange things that has happened to me over the years. The battles of anxiety and frustrating issues are to numerable to mention. I prayed and prayed. I called prayer lines to have them pray for me too. I woke family members in the middle of the night to pray. Peace within my soul needed to be still. I read scriptures and I was quieted for a time, but then I was back on the prayer lines and waking folks up again. I didn't know what else to do. So I talked with God and asked where was I disobedient to receive this chastisement? I didn't hear anything for many days but I did gradually receive Peace again.
My multi-tasking prayer life continued the way it was. Sometimes I realized that when I kept still and focused on the specific prayer, the answer came sooner. I also noticed when I stayed still the release of the prayer wasn't an all day project.
Eventually, God brought me back to the longsuffering question. I believed when Jesus came and willingly allowed Himself to be beaten, tortured, and ridiculed for the sins of the world, true believers didn't need to go through that. Jesus was crucified on the cross unjustly. He had done nothing wrong; and still He went through the pain and suffering because He loved us so much. He did this so we wouldn't have to. He broke the laws of sin and death. We believe and so we receive ever lasting life. No pain. No suffering. It makes sense. It is a reason to rejoice. Thank you Jesus - right?
Then Paul went and wrote because Jesus suffered so do we. If we don't suffer, we aren't His (Romans 8:14-17 AMP). What?!!! Why does he write stuff like this? I tried to make sense of it and couldn't. Pain wasn't something I was willing to receive not after believing my latter will be greater and anticipating (Haggai 2:9 KJV) the abundant life Jesus said is mine.
So where is the clearing of this path? What is going to move this mountain (Mark 11:23 KJV)? Jesus didn't leave believers comfortless. We have the Holy Spirit and the maintenance of the Spirit of God is developing and cultivating the fruit thereof. Having been born in an evil nature (Romans 13:13 AMP) before receiving Christ, we developed many habits that needed to change. Some were easier than others. Some took diligence and with the decision to not to return in that mess, came the reward. The renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2 KJV) by faith is instantaneous. Walking in love in all you do must be taught for the willingness to do so can be easy. Waking up in the wee hours of the morning can give reason to be grouchy but understanding that someone did it for you makes the adjustment much easier.
Longsuffering is fruit that no one initially would like to cultivate. It sounds painful. Bowing at the knees to pray for as long as it takes with the tingling in the feet, creaking of the back, feeling like the circulation stopped in the arms and the occasional snooze in between to start the prayer all over again is a pittance compared to those who would not get up early to do so therefore; suffered through financially. Or those who complained about praying so long and went through a lost deal, having no transportation, fired from a job that was guaranteed, a failed marriage, peace of mind is troubled, or whatever you could be facing now.
No, we don't have to do what Jesus did. His ministry is unique of its own. Paul wrote the truth and none of that fruit from each of us is the harvest God looks for. Seriously, in comparison with what Jesus did, does your knees really hurt?
When I was a child, my parents taught us to pray just before bedtime. We knelt at the side of the bed with ourhands pressed together saying the same rehearsed rhyme that we said in those impressionable years. We thank God for everyone and loved people all the same. Feeling good about going to bed, oddly enough, after those prayers; we got a kiss from Mom and the lights were switched off for the night. No big deal, right?
Then as adults and returning back to church, many ministers have taught certain methods to pray as they understand scripture to be. I have heard to kneel and use the Word. I heard to sit with another chair facing you as if you are speaking to God. I heard to pray in the Spirit and do other things like multi-tasking. I heard that people literally get into a closet while others sit under large pieces of furniture. I suppose one could mimick anyone of those techniques based upon who was teaching and how their life has fared or do what seems just right for you.
Nit-picking through what got others out of their issues is a waste of time. I decided to do the multi-tasking thing because kneeling at the bed side was getting hard on the knees, my feet would go to sleep, and sometimes I would be waking up from that kneeling position wondering if I had finished praying or not. I deducted that I did and moved on with my day. Throughout my faith filled life, I made sure that my prayer time was anything but uncomfortable. If I kneeled it was on my bed and sometimes under covers. Most of the time I prayed while doing something else. If the phone rang, I answered it. If someone was at the door, I saw to it. I figured that I was getting things done and that should please God. Well, that was my reasoning and not godly thinking.
In my studies on the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22 AMP), I came upon longsuffering and was stumped. The term in of itself seemed to contradict what I thought Jesus came to rid believers from. How can we suffer when He said He would not leave us without comfort (comfortless). Doesn't comfort and suffer oppose one another? And one must endure with suffering and periods of length (long)? I refused to receive that understanding of the Word. I had to be getting that wrong. I studied and defined that word and still I just didn't like what I got. So I casted the care on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7 AMP) and continued with my faith the way I understood and liked.
I cannot explain the strange things that has happened to me over the years. The battles of anxiety and frustrating issues are to numerable to mention. I prayed and prayed. I called prayer lines to have them pray for me too. I woke family members in the middle of the night to pray. Peace within my soul needed to be still. I read scriptures and I was quieted for a time, but then I was back on the prayer lines and waking folks up again. I didn't know what else to do. So I talked with God and asked where was I disobedient to receive this chastisement? I didn't hear anything for many days but I did gradually receive Peace again.
My multi-tasking prayer life continued the way it was. Sometimes I realized that when I kept still and focused on the specific prayer, the answer came sooner. I also noticed when I stayed still the release of the prayer wasn't an all day project.
Eventually, God brought me back to the longsuffering question. I believed when Jesus came and willingly allowed Himself to be beaten, tortured, and ridiculed for the sins of the world, true believers didn't need to go through that. Jesus was crucified on the cross unjustly. He had done nothing wrong; and still He went through the pain and suffering because He loved us so much. He did this so we wouldn't have to. He broke the laws of sin and death. We believe and so we receive ever lasting life. No pain. No suffering. It makes sense. It is a reason to rejoice. Thank you Jesus - right?
Then Paul went and wrote because Jesus suffered so do we. If we don't suffer, we aren't His (Romans 8:14-17 AMP). What?!!! Why does he write stuff like this? I tried to make sense of it and couldn't. Pain wasn't something I was willing to receive not after believing my latter will be greater and anticipating (Haggai 2:9 KJV) the abundant life Jesus said is mine.
So where is the clearing of this path? What is going to move this mountain (Mark 11:23 KJV)? Jesus didn't leave believers comfortless. We have the Holy Spirit and the maintenance of the Spirit of God is developing and cultivating the fruit thereof. Having been born in an evil nature (Romans 13:13 AMP) before receiving Christ, we developed many habits that needed to change. Some were easier than others. Some took diligence and with the decision to not to return in that mess, came the reward. The renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2 KJV) by faith is instantaneous. Walking in love in all you do must be taught for the willingness to do so can be easy. Waking up in the wee hours of the morning can give reason to be grouchy but understanding that someone did it for you makes the adjustment much easier.
Longsuffering is fruit that no one initially would like to cultivate. It sounds painful. Bowing at the knees to pray for as long as it takes with the tingling in the feet, creaking of the back, feeling like the circulation stopped in the arms and the occasional snooze in between to start the prayer all over again is a pittance compared to those who would not get up early to do so therefore; suffered through financially. Or those who complained about praying so long and went through a lost deal, having no transportation, fired from a job that was guaranteed, a failed marriage, peace of mind is troubled, or whatever you could be facing now.
No, we don't have to do what Jesus did. His ministry is unique of its own. Paul wrote the truth and none of that fruit from each of us is the harvest God looks for. Seriously, in comparison with what Jesus did, does your knees really hurt?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Pearls
The Word says he who asks for Wisdom God gives to him liberally and upbraideth it not (James 1:5 KJV). Wisdom is far more precious than rubies (Proverbs 3:15 AMP). It is the principle thing we have with our faith by fearing God. With the way God sees things and Wisdom being what it is, what do we do with her once she has been found?We have seen and spoken to people that don't use the good sense God gave them. Should we take the time to give the Wisdom that God gave to us when we asked? And if we decide to do so, is God pleased?
An elderly man who is fascinated by the artwork that I do, comes to the office to where I am drawing and to ask to see the latest piece. He then shows me of the artwork he did years ago using acrylic paint and a solid piece of clear acrylic. He is talented. We began discussing various artworks of famous painters. I showed him somethings on the internet and how he could make money selling his pieces. When it meant for him to put forth some effort with his own talent, he stopped talking. He stopped asking to see pieces of my work. He would only peer over my shoulder and smile. I asked why wouldn't he do something so simple to use and having computer knowledge already? He explained how he retired from being so busy. He went through his mundane itinerary that we all do over the course of the day. I stopped trying to make him see what he refused to do. It was pointless. His excuses for not doing anything didn't seem worth while for me to make him change his mind.
God gives Wisdom to those who ask. We use it to further advance our lives in the abundance Jesus came to give. God is pleased with our prosperity (Psalm 35:27 AMP). When you can see where someone could be, is it hard for you to not say anything? With the love of God, I can't see how I could keep myself from not saying anything. Yet there does come a point where no matter what you say, the listener refuses to hear. He/she has their mind made up. You cannot force it down their throats.
Could this be relevant when witnessing to others? Of course, we would like to win souls for Christ. We wouldn't have anyone be lost. This is the wish God has as well (1 Timothy 2:4 AMP); however, wouldn't it be more beneficial all the way around that you be a good listener to His voice before forcing someone to listen to you? He orders the steps of a good man (Psalms 37:23 AMP). He can change the heart of a king (Proverbs 21:1 AMP). Your abilities are only limited through Christ. When you force your faith on someone else and they clearly aren't interested, you changed that love walk into your walk and that's evil no matter how good your intentions are.
Personally, with Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, when someone beckons me for the purpose of saving my soul, my immediate response is to roll my eyes. When the one speaking doesn't change his/her mind after seeing this, I know they are not listening to God. Why would God tell you to come to me and I already live, breath, and do for Him? When the outcome is annoyance, why persist? How is that a love relationship depicting God? Anyone could see that as stalking and it is not good; therefore, it is not God.
Do you see any value in pearls? Would you lay a string of pearls in a pig pen? A pig would attempt to eat the pearls but once finding them inedible, the pearls become a part of the dung-filled mud that makes his environment. Once covered in dung and mud, do the pigs care (Matthew 7:6 AMP)? Did they ever?
Would this be the same when going to church? If you know the pastor hears from God and the message he is called to preach is reminiscent of a message you heard not just a few months ago. God is telling you something. If Jesus prepared a table for you and what you received was a plate of strained baby food, would you ask why or continue to eat the baby food? Would baby food sustain you? How long would it be before you get hungry again? Infants are fed milk every 2 hours. Would milk sustain you? Would Wisdom be speaking for you to move on? Wouldn't it be to your benefit to seek His face to be placed in a church where the harvest is plentiful?
On the other hand, pastors cannot be afraid of the congregation growing to be sons and moving on to what God has called him/her to do. Pastor should know by now that God will fill the empty seats? It took faith to get the pastors where they are. Why use anything else when the ministry is in full operation?
The Word tells us to seek Wisdom early while we can. Would this mean that there will come a time where Wisdom will not be heard? Pearls have no value to someone who worries. If a problem is exacerbated with worry then the God who knew you before you were formed in the womb has been minimized if thought of at all. Worry is a euphemism for fear. When one instills fear, Wisdom cannot be found. For this reason, when witnessing, the fire and brimstone message isn't good. God woes us with love. We use that same love with people. Wisdom cannot be found when a pastor worries that the collection plate is lighter than usual. He is the same God that paid the mortgage, why would He leave you in your time of need? The same God that fed you well in the ministry where you were saved. God will continue to lead, feed, and provide in the place He is sending you.
Keep the pearls God has given liberally. Know when to give those precious words and when not to. Recognize His voice and know when those precious words are given to you unless your preference is the mire of dung and mud.
An elderly man who is fascinated by the artwork that I do, comes to the office to where I am drawing and to ask to see the latest piece. He then shows me of the artwork he did years ago using acrylic paint and a solid piece of clear acrylic. He is talented. We began discussing various artworks of famous painters. I showed him somethings on the internet and how he could make money selling his pieces. When it meant for him to put forth some effort with his own talent, he stopped talking. He stopped asking to see pieces of my work. He would only peer over my shoulder and smile. I asked why wouldn't he do something so simple to use and having computer knowledge already? He explained how he retired from being so busy. He went through his mundane itinerary that we all do over the course of the day. I stopped trying to make him see what he refused to do. It was pointless. His excuses for not doing anything didn't seem worth while for me to make him change his mind.
God gives Wisdom to those who ask. We use it to further advance our lives in the abundance Jesus came to give. God is pleased with our prosperity (Psalm 35:27 AMP). When you can see where someone could be, is it hard for you to not say anything? With the love of God, I can't see how I could keep myself from not saying anything. Yet there does come a point where no matter what you say, the listener refuses to hear. He/she has their mind made up. You cannot force it down their throats.
Could this be relevant when witnessing to others? Of course, we would like to win souls for Christ. We wouldn't have anyone be lost. This is the wish God has as well (1 Timothy 2:4 AMP); however, wouldn't it be more beneficial all the way around that you be a good listener to His voice before forcing someone to listen to you? He orders the steps of a good man (Psalms 37:23 AMP). He can change the heart of a king (Proverbs 21:1 AMP). Your abilities are only limited through Christ. When you force your faith on someone else and they clearly aren't interested, you changed that love walk into your walk and that's evil no matter how good your intentions are.
Personally, with Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, when someone beckons me for the purpose of saving my soul, my immediate response is to roll my eyes. When the one speaking doesn't change his/her mind after seeing this, I know they are not listening to God. Why would God tell you to come to me and I already live, breath, and do for Him? When the outcome is annoyance, why persist? How is that a love relationship depicting God? Anyone could see that as stalking and it is not good; therefore, it is not God.
Do you see any value in pearls? Would you lay a string of pearls in a pig pen? A pig would attempt to eat the pearls but once finding them inedible, the pearls become a part of the dung-filled mud that makes his environment. Once covered in dung and mud, do the pigs care (Matthew 7:6 AMP)? Did they ever?
Would this be the same when going to church? If you know the pastor hears from God and the message he is called to preach is reminiscent of a message you heard not just a few months ago. God is telling you something. If Jesus prepared a table for you and what you received was a plate of strained baby food, would you ask why or continue to eat the baby food? Would baby food sustain you? How long would it be before you get hungry again? Infants are fed milk every 2 hours. Would milk sustain you? Would Wisdom be speaking for you to move on? Wouldn't it be to your benefit to seek His face to be placed in a church where the harvest is plentiful?
On the other hand, pastors cannot be afraid of the congregation growing to be sons and moving on to what God has called him/her to do. Pastor should know by now that God will fill the empty seats? It took faith to get the pastors where they are. Why use anything else when the ministry is in full operation?
The Word tells us to seek Wisdom early while we can. Would this mean that there will come a time where Wisdom will not be heard? Pearls have no value to someone who worries. If a problem is exacerbated with worry then the God who knew you before you were formed in the womb has been minimized if thought of at all. Worry is a euphemism for fear. When one instills fear, Wisdom cannot be found. For this reason, when witnessing, the fire and brimstone message isn't good. God woes us with love. We use that same love with people. Wisdom cannot be found when a pastor worries that the collection plate is lighter than usual. He is the same God that paid the mortgage, why would He leave you in your time of need? The same God that fed you well in the ministry where you were saved. God will continue to lead, feed, and provide in the place He is sending you.
Keep the pearls God has given liberally. Know when to give those precious words and when not to. Recognize His voice and know when those precious words are given to you unless your preference is the mire of dung and mud.
Read It for Yourself!
To not know things in this day and age can prove to be detrimental for your health. We simply don't put our trust in anyone and everyone anymore. We should know better than that, not only because of what we have been taught but simply because of what we have said and done ourselves. For instance, I would have loved to take my children to Disneyland when they were little. We were saving every nickle and dime we could find. But as a young mother some years ago, I had to weigh purchasing diapers for the baby or fulfilling the idea I planted into the minds of my children. My now ex-husband and their father wasn't working and the pressure was on. Diapers, of course, won.
What sort of pressure would pastors be under when stepping to the pulpit to teach a lesson that hearers need to act upon? Have the bills been paid? Did someone sue the church and win the case? Are there any marital problems that might weaken the ministry? Are the staff that was hired by the pastor above reproach? Is scandal looming anywhere in the ministry? You wouldn't know and most ministers don't divulge that sort of information to their congregation.
Over the years I have heard thousands of sermons, messages, and prophecies. And while most of them I believed were anointed, coming straight from God, in those tender years of salvation I stumbled a few times believing all that I heard and not being a hearer only (James 1:22 AMP). Because of any number of things that could go on in a speaker's life, fear could cause the speaker to make mistakes; what the bible refers to as err (Isaiah 9:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:3 AMP). When this err is heard, the listener goes and acts upon it and then is in err as well (2 Timothy 4:3 AMP). This ripple effect can cause the very thing the pastor feared - the congregants leaving.
A prime example is a message I heard, "If You Take Care of God's House, He'll take Care of Yours." It sounds like a good deal seeing God is not a man that He should lie. So the listeners to this message gives financially believing their debt, burdens, and worry will be miraculously relieved. You know, believe to receive and you shall have. Well, it worked - for the pastor anyway. His bill can be paid. You, on the other hand, must stand on faith to receive. One, two, three, four, months had past and the pressure for your bills to be paid is insurmountable. You can't sleep because of it. Can you go to the pastor and preach his message back to him and get your bill paid? No? Why? What is he going to say? Put your faith to work? You did by giving, why won't he, now that you need? And there is the err that was initiated by fear the pastor or minister acted on.
What is your recourse? If you succumbed to a message laced in guilt or made you feel obligated or ashamed, ask God for forgiveness and repent. When the test comes again and that feeling isn't cheerful as God requires, speak the Word (2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV). There is no fear in God (1 John 4:18 KJV). Jesus already paid the price (Romans 6:23 AMP); you are not obligated to no man. You are to owe no man anything but to love him (Romans 13:8 AMP). Understand this doesn't mean you should pilfer or negate your responsibilities with giving your tithes and offering; that money is holy and is actually not yours (Leviticus 27:30 AMP). Just know that as you must walk by faith so does that man or woman of God teaching the message. Let them also believe to receive without burdening the people with fears that should have been cast over on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7 AMP).
That, being one example, because money seems to be a problem at times. Nevertheless, with any topic taught in church, you cannot put your trust in the one speaking. Yes, love him, pray for him, bless him, and by all means take notes so you can go and read the verses for yourself. There has been too many times where scripture was taken out of context, wording switched around to mean something else, or other folk tales are used instead of the Word (1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 1:14 AMP). When phrases used that sound familiar to a group of people, they are more than likely to respond. That is why song lyrics are a common favorite to some speakers. Though praise and worship is made for the Lord's delight be watchful when you hear lyrics to make a message rhema (2 Peter 3:17; 2 Timothy 4:3-5 AMP).
With that message of God taking care of your house because you took care of His, you must remember that those kinds of deals God doesn't make. He provided first. He loved us first. He tells us to draw nigh to Him because He doesn't bombard us. Why would He change that for a message that seems to sound good? God changes not; for He is good. Man still has to get there (Ephesians 4:13 AMP). Can you now see why we put all of our trust in Him? When we do this, there is no trust left for man and Peace rules and reigns for the righteous (Isaiah 26:3 AMP).
What sort of pressure would pastors be under when stepping to the pulpit to teach a lesson that hearers need to act upon? Have the bills been paid? Did someone sue the church and win the case? Are there any marital problems that might weaken the ministry? Are the staff that was hired by the pastor above reproach? Is scandal looming anywhere in the ministry? You wouldn't know and most ministers don't divulge that sort of information to their congregation.
Over the years I have heard thousands of sermons, messages, and prophecies. And while most of them I believed were anointed, coming straight from God, in those tender years of salvation I stumbled a few times believing all that I heard and not being a hearer only (James 1:22 AMP). Because of any number of things that could go on in a speaker's life, fear could cause the speaker to make mistakes; what the bible refers to as err (Isaiah 9:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:3 AMP). When this err is heard, the listener goes and acts upon it and then is in err as well (2 Timothy 4:3 AMP). This ripple effect can cause the very thing the pastor feared - the congregants leaving.
A prime example is a message I heard, "If You Take Care of God's House, He'll take Care of Yours." It sounds like a good deal seeing God is not a man that He should lie. So the listeners to this message gives financially believing their debt, burdens, and worry will be miraculously relieved. You know, believe to receive and you shall have. Well, it worked - for the pastor anyway. His bill can be paid. You, on the other hand, must stand on faith to receive. One, two, three, four, months had past and the pressure for your bills to be paid is insurmountable. You can't sleep because of it. Can you go to the pastor and preach his message back to him and get your bill paid? No? Why? What is he going to say? Put your faith to work? You did by giving, why won't he, now that you need? And there is the err that was initiated by fear the pastor or minister acted on.
What is your recourse? If you succumbed to a message laced in guilt or made you feel obligated or ashamed, ask God for forgiveness and repent. When the test comes again and that feeling isn't cheerful as God requires, speak the Word (2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV). There is no fear in God (1 John 4:18 KJV). Jesus already paid the price (Romans 6:23 AMP); you are not obligated to no man. You are to owe no man anything but to love him (Romans 13:8 AMP). Understand this doesn't mean you should pilfer or negate your responsibilities with giving your tithes and offering; that money is holy and is actually not yours (Leviticus 27:30 AMP). Just know that as you must walk by faith so does that man or woman of God teaching the message. Let them also believe to receive without burdening the people with fears that should have been cast over on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7 AMP).
That, being one example, because money seems to be a problem at times. Nevertheless, with any topic taught in church, you cannot put your trust in the one speaking. Yes, love him, pray for him, bless him, and by all means take notes so you can go and read the verses for yourself. There has been too many times where scripture was taken out of context, wording switched around to mean something else, or other folk tales are used instead of the Word (1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 1:14 AMP). When phrases used that sound familiar to a group of people, they are more than likely to respond. That is why song lyrics are a common favorite to some speakers. Though praise and worship is made for the Lord's delight be watchful when you hear lyrics to make a message rhema (2 Peter 3:17; 2 Timothy 4:3-5 AMP).
With that message of God taking care of your house because you took care of His, you must remember that those kinds of deals God doesn't make. He provided first. He loved us first. He tells us to draw nigh to Him because He doesn't bombard us. Why would He change that for a message that seems to sound good? God changes not; for He is good. Man still has to get there (Ephesians 4:13 AMP). Can you now see why we put all of our trust in Him? When we do this, there is no trust left for man and Peace rules and reigns for the righteous (Isaiah 26:3 AMP).
Making A Vow For Life - Then Relinquishing It
What we should know, by now, is that God hates divorce. What may be the real question, especially during the time of offense and being away from the very one you vowed to be with for the rest of your life is getting on your nerves, is why does God hate the very thing that could set you free? Understand that it is only the truth that makes and sets anyone free. The truth can only be found in the Word; so let's go there to really and truly be delivered from that which binds you.
First, let's set the stage for those counselors and ministers who try to place a band aid on cancer. Like it or not when a couple comes for godly counsel one must look beyond the religious views of training and delve into what the couple is saying. When two people have contemplated divorce and are Christian, there has been 1 or all 3 things that have taken place:
1. There was no godly pre-marital counseling before the preparation of the ceremony.
2. Lust was involved, so rational and common sense were removed.
3. Divorce was not an impulse decision but something that has been fed by speaking it and thinking it whenever there was an intense argument.
It is already a given that selfishness is the foundation of the decision; reason being, it was the base by which the marriage was developed. Though everyone heard the beautiful words and mannerisms initially, God saw the hearts of them both and they were not stayed on Him. Therefore, the volatile disposition they have towards one another is suppressed for the sake of the counseling session and should be considered before stating a panacea verse that neither one is willing to understand or do based on their previous behavior.
The questions I would have for the both of them in separate sessions would be:
1. Has anyone prayed?
2. Have you crucified the flesh daily and how?
3. Define Love: first from the heart then from the Word.
4. Why is there a difference in the two definitions?
Then based on those answers and understanding (or lack thereof), the two would be brought together to compare notes. Their salvation in Christ Jesus would be a topic and how life was the decision for them both when entering into the commitment of Christianity. The question then would be if they would ever consider going back to their old ways (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP)? Their answers, even the pauses would register as being very important here. Those answers redirect the journey of the session. Whether the thought is:
- should I answer based on my belief?
- should I answer based on whether I have to stay married?
- should I answer to prove whether I love my spouse or not?
- is this some sort of trick?
The long and short of it is, the counseling of a marriage headed for divorce court cannot be about if he is loving her as Christ loves the church or is she reverencing her husband, It is obvious that the 2 babes in Christ don't have that understanding. So if the counselor/minister doesn't have the patience to get down to the brass tactics of salvation and the benefits of remaining married, if not for themselves then for those around them, the counselor then must flip it to discuss what the couple came to do - get a divorce.
There was a time where the mere mention of divorce scared me. It used to be because of the reminder of what my family went through when my parents decided to do it, but then the Word states that God hates it (Malachi 2:16 AMP). There is a list of things that God hates and we know not to do; yet divorce has become so common, the scariness of it now is, what is the punishment for going through with it anyway?
We know that God hates sin. We know that the wages of sin is death. So with God hating divorce, should we put divorce on the same scale as sin having the same effect? We see that studies have shown that with both parents working, divorce still has a financial drain on the income. The stress factors increase. The health issues men had before marriage return. Women increase in the workplace have shown through career choices that where men's health issues were women are now getting those same issues. She carries more of the load that she is not equipped for - nevertheless she does what she has to do according to standards that are not written in the Word. Look again at the Proverbs 31 woman. In comparison, we can now see that divorce does have the same sort of lacking effects on the separated individuals.
With this in mind, would there ever be a good reason for two Christians to divorce? The vow based on scripture states, what God has joined together let no man put asunder. If divorce is the answer with a couple, did God join them together? The Word says to not be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14 AMP). Could the inequality have been discovered in the marriage? The Word says how can two walk together unless they agree (Amos 3:3 KJV). The Word tells us that arguing doesn't promote righteousness (James 1:20 AMP). We know that righteousness is an element needed for Kingdom Life (Matthew 6:33 KJV). So in seeking those good things, realizing that a mistake has been made; would God still be in opposition of getting the divorce?
The Word tells us if the spouse asks to leave, then don't try to keep that from happening. It also says that the saved spouse should stay with the non-believer because it keeps the non-believer safe and the children clean (1 Corinthians 7:15 AMP). That last statement can be the turning point for some because the question of the life altering decision is for the benefit of the children - that is if the 2 adults aren't too self absorbed.
This blog doesn't promote divorce. What I am allowing the believer to see where those verses in the bible are and to use in prayer when making such a drastic decision. God allows the true believer to do as he/she pleases; however, the Word reminds us while all things are permissible, they are not all profitable (1 Corinthians 6:12 AMP). The struggle when deciding to divorce will be there, but all is not lost.
First, let's set the stage for those counselors and ministers who try to place a band aid on cancer. Like it or not when a couple comes for godly counsel one must look beyond the religious views of training and delve into what the couple is saying. When two people have contemplated divorce and are Christian, there has been 1 or all 3 things that have taken place:
1. There was no godly pre-marital counseling before the preparation of the ceremony.
2. Lust was involved, so rational and common sense were removed.
3. Divorce was not an impulse decision but something that has been fed by speaking it and thinking it whenever there was an intense argument.
It is already a given that selfishness is the foundation of the decision; reason being, it was the base by which the marriage was developed. Though everyone heard the beautiful words and mannerisms initially, God saw the hearts of them both and they were not stayed on Him. Therefore, the volatile disposition they have towards one another is suppressed for the sake of the counseling session and should be considered before stating a panacea verse that neither one is willing to understand or do based on their previous behavior.
The questions I would have for the both of them in separate sessions would be:
1. Has anyone prayed?
2. Have you crucified the flesh daily and how?
3. Define Love: first from the heart then from the Word.
4. Why is there a difference in the two definitions?
Then based on those answers and understanding (or lack thereof), the two would be brought together to compare notes. Their salvation in Christ Jesus would be a topic and how life was the decision for them both when entering into the commitment of Christianity. The question then would be if they would ever consider going back to their old ways (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP)? Their answers, even the pauses would register as being very important here. Those answers redirect the journey of the session. Whether the thought is:
- should I answer based on my belief?
- should I answer based on whether I have to stay married?
- should I answer to prove whether I love my spouse or not?
- is this some sort of trick?
The long and short of it is, the counseling of a marriage headed for divorce court cannot be about if he is loving her as Christ loves the church or is she reverencing her husband, It is obvious that the 2 babes in Christ don't have that understanding. So if the counselor/minister doesn't have the patience to get down to the brass tactics of salvation and the benefits of remaining married, if not for themselves then for those around them, the counselor then must flip it to discuss what the couple came to do - get a divorce.
There was a time where the mere mention of divorce scared me. It used to be because of the reminder of what my family went through when my parents decided to do it, but then the Word states that God hates it (Malachi 2:16 AMP). There is a list of things that God hates and we know not to do; yet divorce has become so common, the scariness of it now is, what is the punishment for going through with it anyway?
We know that God hates sin. We know that the wages of sin is death. So with God hating divorce, should we put divorce on the same scale as sin having the same effect? We see that studies have shown that with both parents working, divorce still has a financial drain on the income. The stress factors increase. The health issues men had before marriage return. Women increase in the workplace have shown through career choices that where men's health issues were women are now getting those same issues. She carries more of the load that she is not equipped for - nevertheless she does what she has to do according to standards that are not written in the Word. Look again at the Proverbs 31 woman. In comparison, we can now see that divorce does have the same sort of lacking effects on the separated individuals.
With this in mind, would there ever be a good reason for two Christians to divorce? The vow based on scripture states, what God has joined together let no man put asunder. If divorce is the answer with a couple, did God join them together? The Word says to not be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14 AMP). Could the inequality have been discovered in the marriage? The Word says how can two walk together unless they agree (Amos 3:3 KJV). The Word tells us that arguing doesn't promote righteousness (James 1:20 AMP). We know that righteousness is an element needed for Kingdom Life (Matthew 6:33 KJV). So in seeking those good things, realizing that a mistake has been made; would God still be in opposition of getting the divorce?
The Word tells us if the spouse asks to leave, then don't try to keep that from happening. It also says that the saved spouse should stay with the non-believer because it keeps the non-believer safe and the children clean (1 Corinthians 7:15 AMP). That last statement can be the turning point for some because the question of the life altering decision is for the benefit of the children - that is if the 2 adults aren't too self absorbed.
This blog doesn't promote divorce. What I am allowing the believer to see where those verses in the bible are and to use in prayer when making such a drastic decision. God allows the true believer to do as he/she pleases; however, the Word reminds us while all things are permissible, they are not all profitable (1 Corinthians 6:12 AMP). The struggle when deciding to divorce will be there, but all is not lost.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The Halloween Happenings
It's Halloween. Why has it become such a big deal? When I was a child, there were still parties and going out at night for candy, but it wasn't so anticipated (or made to make one anticipate it) 30 days before the actual day. No matter how much marketing it has been given, it will never equaled the enormity, excellence, and loving Spirit as received when Christmas is near. Tomorrow, for us should be just another day for thanksgiving. Nevertheless, people still minimize the effects of the participation in costume has on the faith or the life of a Christian. "Oh, its for the kids," one would say. "Its just for fun," says another. "Com'mon, its free candy! What's the harm in that?" But then for a good portion of the next 364 days, this same person wonders where is the joy, peace, and love that was once experienced when first receiving the gift of salvation.
When one knows what Kingdom Life is and how all things will be added unto us when sought after, why mess with that? We also know that righteousness is in the mix. So on all hallows day even when the costumes of ghouls and goblins that was practiced by Druids, how would righteousness stand in the participation of that?
Were you convinced or influenced to go to a Halloween party with your children? So any consequences shouldn't affect you or your family? Hm, let's see how that reasoning fares with the Word:
Do not give the enemy place (Ephesians 4:27 KJV).
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10 KJV).
Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (Psalms 1:1 KJV).
...the curse causeless shall not come (Proverbs 26:2 KJV).
...the effects of righteousness is quietness and assurance forever (Isaiah 32:17 KJV).
All of these verses would apply to the participant of spiritual rituals that were once practiced creating what we now call Halloween. Am I being too religious? If so, disregard what you have read. However, when crap happens, as it does to others, do what they do believing its just a part of life. As for me and my house we will continue having the faith of living an abundant life. We will maintain that in righteousness there is life and in the pathway thereof there is no death (Proverbs 12:28 KJV). We will continually believe that in righteousness we are far from oppression and terror shall not come near us (Isaiah 54:14 KJV). We will be steadfast with in righteousness no evil shall befall us nor plague come nigh our dwelling (Psalms 91:10 KJV). Hm, sounds like those few verses describes the wish of God in my life (3 John 2 KJV), but you go on and have your temporary fun and free candy.
If you need to know the history of Halloween, read the information from this link: The Real Origins of Halloween.
When one knows what Kingdom Life is and how all things will be added unto us when sought after, why mess with that? We also know that righteousness is in the mix. So on all hallows day even when the costumes of ghouls and goblins that was practiced by Druids, how would righteousness stand in the participation of that?
Were you convinced or influenced to go to a Halloween party with your children? So any consequences shouldn't affect you or your family? Hm, let's see how that reasoning fares with the Word:
Do not give the enemy place (Ephesians 4:27 KJV).
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10 KJV).
Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (Psalms 1:1 KJV).
...the curse causeless shall not come (Proverbs 26:2 KJV).
...the effects of righteousness is quietness and assurance forever (Isaiah 32:17 KJV).
All of these verses would apply to the participant of spiritual rituals that were once practiced creating what we now call Halloween. Am I being too religious? If so, disregard what you have read. However, when crap happens, as it does to others, do what they do believing its just a part of life. As for me and my house we will continue having the faith of living an abundant life. We will maintain that in righteousness there is life and in the pathway thereof there is no death (Proverbs 12:28 KJV). We will continually believe that in righteousness we are far from oppression and terror shall not come near us (Isaiah 54:14 KJV). We will be steadfast with in righteousness no evil shall befall us nor plague come nigh our dwelling (Psalms 91:10 KJV). Hm, sounds like those few verses describes the wish of God in my life (3 John 2 KJV), but you go on and have your temporary fun and free candy.
If you need to know the history of Halloween, read the information from this link: The Real Origins of Halloween.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Boundaries
How close do you allow people to be to you? How completely honest are you to every question asked? When do you tell someone that the information was more than you asked (TMI)? When is it time to just walk away?
The Word tells us if we would like friends to show ourselves friendly(Proverbs 18:24 KJV). My mother would tell me as a child to smile more and people will naturally gravitate towards you. Both have been proven to be true; however do those who come are the kind of people we would like to be around or have around us?
I counseled a woman who couldn't understand that the five different men who fathered her five children had the same exact personality she would rather her children not to be like. Yet she kept meeting the same kind of man. Why?
Some men voice what they like in women and have every intention of meeting such a woman but the end result is that he settles for the polar opposite of what he spoke of. How many of us are content with the relationships we invited into our lives? And if you aren't content with them, what are you doing about it?
In the bible, scripture tells that when God asked Abraham to leave his kinfolk, he brought Lot with him. Lot did not do what Abraham did to get the blessings that God provided for him, yet Lot was blessed because of the overflow and the promise of God said about Abraham's seed. When desention was in the camp, Abraham immediately made the decision for Lot to go his way and Abraham would use the path Lot didn't choose to go. what was Abraham doing? Seeking peace. peace became more important to have then friendship. More important then family.
What will it take for each of us to make that same decision? We already chose life as it is written in Deuteronomy. Now what? The Word tells us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness . We find that the Kingdom of God is love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. So could your happiness be caught up in not seeking for those in your life?
If God has already set us apart from the world calling us a peculiar nation, why would we try to be apart of the band wagon? What boundaries have you placed and would never compromise?
Personally, I don't like to nit-pick, criticize, or nag and I don't like to hear such things; therefore, I won't choose to be associated with those who can justify and continue to do those things. People have been comfortable enough around me to let slip how they will lie, steal, and cheat to get whatever they have to getr. Should they be surprised when I am not as readily available to shop, converse over the phone, or go to the movies with them?
God tells us that blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. If you recognize acts and/or speech that doesn't line up with what you believe, yes, you pray for the person; but do you continue to associate yourself with him or her? When do you say no? When is enough, enough? Are ungodly associations more important than Kingdom Living? If they are, what kind of life have you created for yourself?
The Word tells us if we would like friends to show ourselves friendly(Proverbs 18:24 KJV). My mother would tell me as a child to smile more and people will naturally gravitate towards you. Both have been proven to be true; however do those who come are the kind of people we would like to be around or have around us?
I counseled a woman who couldn't understand that the five different men who fathered her five children had the same exact personality she would rather her children not to be like. Yet she kept meeting the same kind of man. Why?
Some men voice what they like in women and have every intention of meeting such a woman but the end result is that he settles for the polar opposite of what he spoke of. How many of us are content with the relationships we invited into our lives? And if you aren't content with them, what are you doing about it?
In the bible, scripture tells that when God asked Abraham to leave his kinfolk, he brought Lot with him. Lot did not do what Abraham did to get the blessings that God provided for him, yet Lot was blessed because of the overflow and the promise of God said about Abraham's seed. When desention was in the camp, Abraham immediately made the decision for Lot to go his way and Abraham would use the path Lot didn't choose to go. what was Abraham doing? Seeking peace. peace became more important to have then friendship. More important then family.
What will it take for each of us to make that same decision? We already chose life as it is written in Deuteronomy. Now what? The Word tells us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness . We find that the Kingdom of God is love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. So could your happiness be caught up in not seeking for those in your life?
If God has already set us apart from the world calling us a peculiar nation, why would we try to be apart of the band wagon? What boundaries have you placed and would never compromise?
Personally, I don't like to nit-pick, criticize, or nag and I don't like to hear such things; therefore, I won't choose to be associated with those who can justify and continue to do those things. People have been comfortable enough around me to let slip how they will lie, steal, and cheat to get whatever they have to getr. Should they be surprised when I am not as readily available to shop, converse over the phone, or go to the movies with them?
God tells us that blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. If you recognize acts and/or speech that doesn't line up with what you believe, yes, you pray for the person; but do you continue to associate yourself with him or her? When do you say no? When is enough, enough? Are ungodly associations more important than Kingdom Living? If they are, what kind of life have you created for yourself?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Children Keep the Nest Full
I have listened to thousands of sermons and more qualified ministers then I care to count. It has only been recent when listening to a radio evangelist accuse pastors of keeping the congregations immature did I really start listening to messages more intensely then ever before. Isn't the whole purpose of a minister is to get the good news to God's people so we all can live an abundant life that Jesus died and rose again for? But how can that be obtained if the message is twisted to only benefit the one speaking it?
One of the few topics the church doesn't address is sex and everything that goes with sex. Such as, dating, sexual positions (which are acceptable and which ones aren't), cohabitating, petting is sex too, etc.The shunning from the topic is supposedly for the purpose of not encouraging the behavior. You know ignorance is bliss kind of thing. Except the trouble with that is the Word tells us that My people perish for lack of knowlege.
A church I attended made it known to a mid-week congregation what the topic would be the following week - sex. A middle of the week service barely carries the faithful few but that following Wednesday, there wasn't one empty seat.
Sunday morning I listened to a pastor that stated before beginning his sermon that as hard as he tried to find, there are no rules written in the bible about dating. Therefore, he took it upon himself to give the congregation all of the ins and outs in a simple 10 step guide to date appropriately as a Christian. Though peppered with "aw, you not gonna like me" throughout the message I had to change the channel after the second step. He was so pleased with himself to get across to every one that the first step being physical attraction went over well that with my son watching the same program I had to speak what I know about what God says. My son said nothing.
I suppose this would be the reaction of anyone who has read the scriptures for himself and then hear a spiritual leader speak of a matter opposing what is written. The Word says that in the last days there will be prophets that will tickle the ears of the listeners. What will be said are the things that people would much rather live by then to change and do what is right. Its supposedly easier to give into the desires of lust then deny your body that physical release that is not life threatening. What is the quandry when disease arise from lack of discipline? Is it still too hard to deny lust then?
Dating, sex, and any other subjects not knowing what to do can be found in the Word. That pastor over stepped the boundaries of Christianity when he made spiritual maturity number two and physical attraction number one. Our whole basis of belief is by faith, the definition of which is not by sight. He couldn't find that in the scriptures? He told men that if they like double D's not to encourage a flat chested woman. Though there were chuckles, the faces that the camera scanned were not laughing. The truth to that is when those double D's fall to her knees, there better be something else there that's supporting the strength of that marriage or it will fall too.
I have written a guide to dating for men and a separate one for women based on the Word of God. I really detest when ministers try to teach a delicate subject matter like sex with both genders in the same room. The speaker always tries to feel which one to bash with his sermon. Mostly, it is the women and the subject is usually the one of being ugly. It is suppose to be funny and it takes up 45 minutes quickly and the men just love it. They tend to come back to hear more of anything that isn't their fault. Women have gotten use to it and are just glad to see more men in the church so we weigh it and put the masks on to take it for the sake of winning those souls to Christ.
Trouble is, lies don't win souls. Men are the leaders and if they can't wear big boy pants and take it then we will continue to have babies going around the same mountain again and again. If women continue to be approached by these same men, having been made leaders, they will soon believe this is what men are made of, will marry them, only to raise up seed just like them. The families having never grown to know the real truth stay in constant fear and remain under the tutorialship of the very one who also believe the lie or he has discovered this evil and instead of ridding himself and congregation of it, he justifies its means to keep his church full.
One of the few topics the church doesn't address is sex and everything that goes with sex. Such as, dating, sexual positions (which are acceptable and which ones aren't), cohabitating, petting is sex too, etc.The shunning from the topic is supposedly for the purpose of not encouraging the behavior. You know ignorance is bliss kind of thing. Except the trouble with that is the Word tells us that My people perish for lack of knowlege.
A church I attended made it known to a mid-week congregation what the topic would be the following week - sex. A middle of the week service barely carries the faithful few but that following Wednesday, there wasn't one empty seat.
Sunday morning I listened to a pastor that stated before beginning his sermon that as hard as he tried to find, there are no rules written in the bible about dating. Therefore, he took it upon himself to give the congregation all of the ins and outs in a simple 10 step guide to date appropriately as a Christian. Though peppered with "aw, you not gonna like me" throughout the message I had to change the channel after the second step. He was so pleased with himself to get across to every one that the first step being physical attraction went over well that with my son watching the same program I had to speak what I know about what God says. My son said nothing.
I suppose this would be the reaction of anyone who has read the scriptures for himself and then hear a spiritual leader speak of a matter opposing what is written. The Word says that in the last days there will be prophets that will tickle the ears of the listeners. What will be said are the things that people would much rather live by then to change and do what is right. Its supposedly easier to give into the desires of lust then deny your body that physical release that is not life threatening. What is the quandry when disease arise from lack of discipline? Is it still too hard to deny lust then?
Dating, sex, and any other subjects not knowing what to do can be found in the Word. That pastor over stepped the boundaries of Christianity when he made spiritual maturity number two and physical attraction number one. Our whole basis of belief is by faith, the definition of which is not by sight. He couldn't find that in the scriptures? He told men that if they like double D's not to encourage a flat chested woman. Though there were chuckles, the faces that the camera scanned were not laughing. The truth to that is when those double D's fall to her knees, there better be something else there that's supporting the strength of that marriage or it will fall too.
I have written a guide to dating for men and a separate one for women based on the Word of God. I really detest when ministers try to teach a delicate subject matter like sex with both genders in the same room. The speaker always tries to feel which one to bash with his sermon. Mostly, it is the women and the subject is usually the one of being ugly. It is suppose to be funny and it takes up 45 minutes quickly and the men just love it. They tend to come back to hear more of anything that isn't their fault. Women have gotten use to it and are just glad to see more men in the church so we weigh it and put the masks on to take it for the sake of winning those souls to Christ.
Trouble is, lies don't win souls. Men are the leaders and if they can't wear big boy pants and take it then we will continue to have babies going around the same mountain again and again. If women continue to be approached by these same men, having been made leaders, they will soon believe this is what men are made of, will marry them, only to raise up seed just like them. The families having never grown to know the real truth stay in constant fear and remain under the tutorialship of the very one who also believe the lie or he has discovered this evil and instead of ridding himself and congregation of it, he justifies its means to keep his church full.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Not Bad At All
The economy, good or bad, never really had an affect on me. When it was at its worst I was too young to care even with people onm the highways with work to eat signs. I saw them but didn't know why they couldn't find a job. My parents were working was the myopic view of my world. Other times, when old enough to understand that if the elite rich weren't shopping it changed the financial environment drastically. Still, even then I had a job and was doing fairly well. I thanked God for the provision and blessed where I was led to do so.
This go round with companies' answer to the drought in the shopping sprees, was to down size. Many people felt the push of "your services are no longer needed." Signing that "at will" termination contract never looked to be a good idea for those doing the work so the elite could shop (that sounded sour). I felt the pinch then. I didn't panic, at first. I knew the education, skills, and faith would take me to a new place of employment. God will provide, I kept saying to myself.
The weeks soon turned into months and panic was knocking. I went from searching for jobs in my field of expertise to looking for flipping burgers or cleaning office jobs. I found jobs that were available but no one answered my inquiry, resumes, applications, phone calls, or the taps at their office windows (I can see you in there!). It was like the Twilight Zone comes to reality. I answered the door to panic when I was given an aptitude test to work at Subway and froze in trying to answer what seemed to have been questions about polynomials! It took me forever to finish. I knew when handing that test in, I wasn't going to be called back.
I search online everyday - eight hours per day until I just gave up. It had been over a year without a paycheck. I always had a means to purchase whatever I needed but now with this change, I was at a loss as to what to do.
I stopped with all of the ideas that seemed to go nowhere in getting employment. I stopped looking for jobs on the internet. I stopped inquiring about positions I applied for and just got quiet. What was I doing? What did I need? Why was I in that emotional state?
God provided for me in the past when the economy had dropped before. He made a way for my parents to where I didn't feel any financial drop from what they had always done before. Why should now be any different?
I went back to studying the Word and praying like a normal Christian instead of the pleas and wailing to God as I did. When my Peace returned I was called in for a very odd sort of job. I would be the emergency contact for the Jewish elderly if they needed help calling 911 or some domestic problem in their apartments. It sounded easy enough. The strangeness was that in lieu of a paycheck, I would receive and apartment with utilities and cable paid for. I agreed.
It felt odd at first. No paycheck? But what would I need it for? God provided again as He always does. The shopping I do is minimal and when I look around, my barns are full (closet, cabinet, and refrigerator) and presses are filled with new wine (I am over joyed). I am in want for nothing. It is the M/O of the Good Shepherd.
It wasn't too long ago that I saw a verse in the bible of which I must have read over and over again but it wasn't as appropos as it was when I saw it this time.
"8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God."
Proverbs 30:8-9 Amplified.
This go round with companies' answer to the drought in the shopping sprees, was to down size. Many people felt the push of "your services are no longer needed." Signing that "at will" termination contract never looked to be a good idea for those doing the work so the elite could shop (that sounded sour). I felt the pinch then. I didn't panic, at first. I knew the education, skills, and faith would take me to a new place of employment. God will provide, I kept saying to myself.
The weeks soon turned into months and panic was knocking. I went from searching for jobs in my field of expertise to looking for flipping burgers or cleaning office jobs. I found jobs that were available but no one answered my inquiry, resumes, applications, phone calls, or the taps at their office windows (I can see you in there!). It was like the Twilight Zone comes to reality. I answered the door to panic when I was given an aptitude test to work at Subway and froze in trying to answer what seemed to have been questions about polynomials! It took me forever to finish. I knew when handing that test in, I wasn't going to be called back.
I search online everyday - eight hours per day until I just gave up. It had been over a year without a paycheck. I always had a means to purchase whatever I needed but now with this change, I was at a loss as to what to do.
I stopped with all of the ideas that seemed to go nowhere in getting employment. I stopped looking for jobs on the internet. I stopped inquiring about positions I applied for and just got quiet. What was I doing? What did I need? Why was I in that emotional state?
God provided for me in the past when the economy had dropped before. He made a way for my parents to where I didn't feel any financial drop from what they had always done before. Why should now be any different?
I went back to studying the Word and praying like a normal Christian instead of the pleas and wailing to God as I did. When my Peace returned I was called in for a very odd sort of job. I would be the emergency contact for the Jewish elderly if they needed help calling 911 or some domestic problem in their apartments. It sounded easy enough. The strangeness was that in lieu of a paycheck, I would receive and apartment with utilities and cable paid for. I agreed.
It felt odd at first. No paycheck? But what would I need it for? God provided again as He always does. The shopping I do is minimal and when I look around, my barns are full (closet, cabinet, and refrigerator) and presses are filled with new wine (I am over joyed). I am in want for nothing. It is the M/O of the Good Shepherd.
It wasn't too long ago that I saw a verse in the bible of which I must have read over and over again but it wasn't as appropos as it was when I saw it this time.
"8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God."
Proverbs 30:8-9 Amplified.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
You Can Do All Things?
As a young believer in Chirst I listened to many seasoned fellow Christians thinking they had my best interest to heart. I had got myself in all sorts of trouble listening to these so called believers in the things of God instead of reading the Word for myself.
Now as one who has been following Christ instead of every "narry-do-weller," I have a better understanding and my life is consistent with what the Word says will happen as long as I adhere to it. This is true for all who continue to walk by faith and not by sight. The faith is through Christ.
The operative phrase is "through Christ." This operation is also true with the scripture, "I can do all things..." For what reason does one believe all means anything? That would be insane! Just because all is defined in the message given by the speaker, doesn't make it so that you can do whatsoever comes across your mind and still be called a true believer in Christ. You can't, you can't, you just can't - so stop believing the lie!
To make this more credible to you, I will show how that verse has been manipulated to do mischief and, as my mother use to call it, devilment. A major peeve I have is in the five-fold ministry. How can you teach, preach, and counsel believers to do one thing according to the scriptures and then that very speaker, teacher, preacher, counselor does otherwise? How is that possible and still maintain credibility in what you do, say, and how you appear to others? If that is following Christ, then sinners can make it to heaven without believing too, right? But if that's true, heaven would be a mess with all kinds of chaos and confusion. Yet seeing that God's throne is in heaven and He is not the author of confusion, having what He created decent and in order, that would then put a gliche in all sinners will be in heaven without believing. The proof of hypocracy is in the life of the minister, preacher, teacher, prophet, and/or evangelist. The anointing coming from Christ tends to all matters of a believer's life. When a hypocrit looks good by appearance there is some other aspect that isn't all good. Why? Because hypocracy is giving place to the devil who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. When your favorite teacher, preacher, evangelist, pastor, and/or prophet becomes ill, loses his ministry, the church gets robbed, finances are gone, the family has issues, or so forth and so on, the answer is he gave place to the enemy who is doing his job. This is one example as to what you cannot do (say one thing and do another - hypocrit) thinking that it is through Christ.
Another would be the ways of the world being incorporated in the church. I could go on and on with the ways of the world and you should know as a believer that those ways can lead to destruction. The ways of the world cannot be through Christ. For it is written, broad is the way to destruction and the ways of the world are broad. The world has changed many principles that came from the scriptures. Is it archaic for women to wait to be proposed to? When a woman proposes, isn't she essentially saying, "I need your help" rather than the other way around? Is she proposing through Christ too? How happy is that Christian marriage? Will the husband rise to the occasion of being the head of the household or does he cower in the face of adversity and looks to her to take control? Is that what's suppose to happen? I guess it would for those men who prefer that and the women raised to be in control yet, where does the reverencing of her husband fit when it is required of her through Christ? How does she honor her husband being the head of him? When that man grows up because he no longer needs a surrogate Mommy, the aggravation in the marriage may be defined as irreconciable differences or falling out of love but actually it will be him realizing that he doesn't need that woman who proposed to him. He no longer needs that kind of help - Mommy help.
At the same time, the controlling man that realizes his help is with his wife takes those controlling matters too far. He isn't secure with who he is in Christ so he believes his wife is property with which he can do as he pleases including terrorizing her into submission. This terrorizing can be through emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and he keeps her by quoting scripture believing it is through Christ.
Doesn't through Christ mean just what Christ has done? Doesn't it mean following in His footsteps? How is he loving his wife as Christ loves the church and abusing her into submission at the same time? How is abuse and love synonymous? Should Jesus treat this man in the same manner as his beliefs with his wife? That would be seed sown and God cannot be mocked.
What I am trying to show you is the Word cannot be twisted. It is written to keep you out of trouble. Jesus came to set the captives free. The captives are those lost in sin. He came. We have been set free and as He told the woman at the well, go and sin no more.
Now as one who has been following Christ instead of every "narry-do-weller," I have a better understanding and my life is consistent with what the Word says will happen as long as I adhere to it. This is true for all who continue to walk by faith and not by sight. The faith is through Christ.
The operative phrase is "through Christ." This operation is also true with the scripture, "I can do all things..." For what reason does one believe all means anything? That would be insane! Just because all is defined in the message given by the speaker, doesn't make it so that you can do whatsoever comes across your mind and still be called a true believer in Christ. You can't, you can't, you just can't - so stop believing the lie!
To make this more credible to you, I will show how that verse has been manipulated to do mischief and, as my mother use to call it, devilment. A major peeve I have is in the five-fold ministry. How can you teach, preach, and counsel believers to do one thing according to the scriptures and then that very speaker, teacher, preacher, counselor does otherwise? How is that possible and still maintain credibility in what you do, say, and how you appear to others? If that is following Christ, then sinners can make it to heaven without believing too, right? But if that's true, heaven would be a mess with all kinds of chaos and confusion. Yet seeing that God's throne is in heaven and He is not the author of confusion, having what He created decent and in order, that would then put a gliche in all sinners will be in heaven without believing. The proof of hypocracy is in the life of the minister, preacher, teacher, prophet, and/or evangelist. The anointing coming from Christ tends to all matters of a believer's life. When a hypocrit looks good by appearance there is some other aspect that isn't all good. Why? Because hypocracy is giving place to the devil who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. When your favorite teacher, preacher, evangelist, pastor, and/or prophet becomes ill, loses his ministry, the church gets robbed, finances are gone, the family has issues, or so forth and so on, the answer is he gave place to the enemy who is doing his job. This is one example as to what you cannot do (say one thing and do another - hypocrit) thinking that it is through Christ.
Another would be the ways of the world being incorporated in the church. I could go on and on with the ways of the world and you should know as a believer that those ways can lead to destruction. The ways of the world cannot be through Christ. For it is written, broad is the way to destruction and the ways of the world are broad. The world has changed many principles that came from the scriptures. Is it archaic for women to wait to be proposed to? When a woman proposes, isn't she essentially saying, "I need your help" rather than the other way around? Is she proposing through Christ too? How happy is that Christian marriage? Will the husband rise to the occasion of being the head of the household or does he cower in the face of adversity and looks to her to take control? Is that what's suppose to happen? I guess it would for those men who prefer that and the women raised to be in control yet, where does the reverencing of her husband fit when it is required of her through Christ? How does she honor her husband being the head of him? When that man grows up because he no longer needs a surrogate Mommy, the aggravation in the marriage may be defined as irreconciable differences or falling out of love but actually it will be him realizing that he doesn't need that woman who proposed to him. He no longer needs that kind of help - Mommy help.
At the same time, the controlling man that realizes his help is with his wife takes those controlling matters too far. He isn't secure with who he is in Christ so he believes his wife is property with which he can do as he pleases including terrorizing her into submission. This terrorizing can be through emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and he keeps her by quoting scripture believing it is through Christ.
Doesn't through Christ mean just what Christ has done? Doesn't it mean following in His footsteps? How is he loving his wife as Christ loves the church and abusing her into submission at the same time? How is abuse and love synonymous? Should Jesus treat this man in the same manner as his beliefs with his wife? That would be seed sown and God cannot be mocked.
What I am trying to show you is the Word cannot be twisted. It is written to keep you out of trouble. Jesus came to set the captives free. The captives are those lost in sin. He came. We have been set free and as He told the woman at the well, go and sin no more.
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Prayer Closet
What has happened to the prayer closet? No one speaks of it or teaches it to the younger believers. Is it no longer necessary? Or maybe its so archaic, it has passed away with all of the other old things?
I was taught to pray unceasingly (as it is written), but only in the Spirit which doesn't mean you have to stop doing your regular tasks. I never thought of the lesson much just incorporated it into my everyday life as with all that I have learned since coming into the knowledge of the Truth.
There is no harm. I am still doing what is written; although, I don't recall Jesus doing this. It would seem when He prayed, He made it a specific time and place though it may not have been a closet, it still had some scope of solitude.
Being isolated from everyone can make some men go crazy; as we know of prison inmates who misbehave. They are already in prison. Their freedom has been taken away and still they have a tendency to be mischievous? What else can be done but to put in a real life time out? There he sits all alone in solitary confinement to think of what he has done with his life. The longer he sits, the more he thinks. If he is not saved, he will talk to himself. If he is in there for a certain length of time with no human contact, he will answer himself or a voice will answer that he knows not of (that's schizophrenia). What would be the benefit of this having no good training for him not to misbehave anymore? Won't he come from there angry and do worse? Yet, we are not prisoners but have been set free through Christ Jesus.
The prayer closet is a means for those who can be distracted not to be. The isolation from media, family, the telephone, work, and anything else ceases because of this specific place for the purpose of being in His presence. While one might think it is complete solitude, with practice you know that you are not alone. Peace, Love, and joy encompass the focus you now have in Him and all that you may have thought you would have liked for yourself is no longer important. Life becomes more pleasant - even brighter. Rhema knowledge sits before you and still how can it not be taught the importance of the prayer closet?
Skeptics? Well, best thing to do is make this more visual for better comprehension. My youngest son comes to me with his personal plights. Many times I think he makes some things up just to see if he can stump me. As he got older his attention span seemed to be equivalent to a gnat. He asked me a question and as I was trying to get him to understand, he had papers to gather, the channel to change, he's walking, looking outside the window - so I stopped talking for him to collect himself. He stopped being busy the moment I stopped talking and said, "what?" I asked him, "are you finished?" He replied that he was multi-tasking. I called it being rude. If you are interested in what I am saying, you will give me your undivided attention.
When we have problems too big for us to resolve and we go before the Lord, aren't we believing that He is listening to every single wailing word, snifle, and cry we have? What if He was multi-tasking and you could see Him do this? Wouldn't you think that what you were asking wasn't very important to Him? Then why would we do this when we come to pray and worship? Is that honoring Him? Is multi-tasking reverencing Him? Is He pleased with your efforts?
Tell me again, how archaic is the prayer closet and why don't we teach it to the next generation?
I was taught to pray unceasingly (as it is written), but only in the Spirit which doesn't mean you have to stop doing your regular tasks. I never thought of the lesson much just incorporated it into my everyday life as with all that I have learned since coming into the knowledge of the Truth.
There is no harm. I am still doing what is written; although, I don't recall Jesus doing this. It would seem when He prayed, He made it a specific time and place though it may not have been a closet, it still had some scope of solitude.
Being isolated from everyone can make some men go crazy; as we know of prison inmates who misbehave. They are already in prison. Their freedom has been taken away and still they have a tendency to be mischievous? What else can be done but to put in a real life time out? There he sits all alone in solitary confinement to think of what he has done with his life. The longer he sits, the more he thinks. If he is not saved, he will talk to himself. If he is in there for a certain length of time with no human contact, he will answer himself or a voice will answer that he knows not of (that's schizophrenia). What would be the benefit of this having no good training for him not to misbehave anymore? Won't he come from there angry and do worse? Yet, we are not prisoners but have been set free through Christ Jesus.
The prayer closet is a means for those who can be distracted not to be. The isolation from media, family, the telephone, work, and anything else ceases because of this specific place for the purpose of being in His presence. While one might think it is complete solitude, with practice you know that you are not alone. Peace, Love, and joy encompass the focus you now have in Him and all that you may have thought you would have liked for yourself is no longer important. Life becomes more pleasant - even brighter. Rhema knowledge sits before you and still how can it not be taught the importance of the prayer closet?
Skeptics? Well, best thing to do is make this more visual for better comprehension. My youngest son comes to me with his personal plights. Many times I think he makes some things up just to see if he can stump me. As he got older his attention span seemed to be equivalent to a gnat. He asked me a question and as I was trying to get him to understand, he had papers to gather, the channel to change, he's walking, looking outside the window - so I stopped talking for him to collect himself. He stopped being busy the moment I stopped talking and said, "what?" I asked him, "are you finished?" He replied that he was multi-tasking. I called it being rude. If you are interested in what I am saying, you will give me your undivided attention.
When we have problems too big for us to resolve and we go before the Lord, aren't we believing that He is listening to every single wailing word, snifle, and cry we have? What if He was multi-tasking and you could see Him do this? Wouldn't you think that what you were asking wasn't very important to Him? Then why would we do this when we come to pray and worship? Is that honoring Him? Is multi-tasking reverencing Him? Is He pleased with your efforts?
Tell me again, how archaic is the prayer closet and why don't we teach it to the next generation?
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Its Alright, he Comes Home to me
It has been brought to my attention by way of just talking to people, how certain habits have been brushed over or over looked for the sake of the relationship. It is much like realizing that the most powerful man in the country has an extramarital affair for years but we are told to just focus on the issues and his policy making skills. If I weren't one to practice keeping my tongue from profanity; that, at one time, would have taken me to the point of temptation.
First, the problem we seem to over look. Checking out porn from time to time and/or masturbating isn't something we should think as being normal. The answer being, "well he comes home to me so its alright," is not acceptable. It is not acceptable to God and should not be acceptable to you.
We, as Christians should be seeing porn as a means of voyeurism. It is looking at the intimacy of others and getting aroused by it. Then if the spouse isn't there, the matter of arousal must be tended to, so he does this himself. Problem is, when it comes to satisfying the spouse, there is no arousal. He believed the lie that satisfying himself is perfectly normal. He believes that everyone is doing it and not being punished so he can too. He believes that he can continue with this behavior and it does become a habit. This habit, whether he knows it or not, is feeding the flesh. The flesh then becomes determined to get fed and now he has a problem with sex. He either is not able to get an ejaculation or cannot stop ejaculating. One is called sexual addiction and the other is a called erectile dysfunction. There is medication and therapy for both. Well, at least someone is profiting from all of this.
The President or any other elected official having an extramarital affair is an issue. He made a decision not to be faithful to one woman - his wife. His policy making skills and other matters in his life will falter because of his disloyalty to the one person closer to him than God. It is a character flaw. If we wouldn't accept this flaw in our own relationships, why would we be so readily accepting of it in our government where the official would have to establish relationships with others to make peace. How can he make peace if he doesn't have it in his own house?
God tells us there should be no other gods before Him. He tells us to love Him with all of our hearts, mind, and strength. He tells us this for us to maintain an abundant life by which Jesus came to give us. Anything else begins to muck up the waters by which we were planted. Our clarity isn't there, we blame others, and we justify sin.
Sin, no matter how much we justify it, will have its way if continually fed. It will come to collect the debt that Jesus already paid for. With or without you making excuses for the behavior, the Word still remains: for the wages of sin is death.
First, the problem we seem to over look. Checking out porn from time to time and/or masturbating isn't something we should think as being normal. The answer being, "well he comes home to me so its alright," is not acceptable. It is not acceptable to God and should not be acceptable to you.
We, as Christians should be seeing porn as a means of voyeurism. It is looking at the intimacy of others and getting aroused by it. Then if the spouse isn't there, the matter of arousal must be tended to, so he does this himself. Problem is, when it comes to satisfying the spouse, there is no arousal. He believed the lie that satisfying himself is perfectly normal. He believes that everyone is doing it and not being punished so he can too. He believes that he can continue with this behavior and it does become a habit. This habit, whether he knows it or not, is feeding the flesh. The flesh then becomes determined to get fed and now he has a problem with sex. He either is not able to get an ejaculation or cannot stop ejaculating. One is called sexual addiction and the other is a called erectile dysfunction. There is medication and therapy for both. Well, at least someone is profiting from all of this.
The President or any other elected official having an extramarital affair is an issue. He made a decision not to be faithful to one woman - his wife. His policy making skills and other matters in his life will falter because of his disloyalty to the one person closer to him than God. It is a character flaw. If we wouldn't accept this flaw in our own relationships, why would we be so readily accepting of it in our government where the official would have to establish relationships with others to make peace. How can he make peace if he doesn't have it in his own house?
God tells us there should be no other gods before Him. He tells us to love Him with all of our hearts, mind, and strength. He tells us this for us to maintain an abundant life by which Jesus came to give us. Anything else begins to muck up the waters by which we were planted. Our clarity isn't there, we blame others, and we justify sin.
Sin, no matter how much we justify it, will have its way if continually fed. It will come to collect the debt that Jesus already paid for. With or without you making excuses for the behavior, the Word still remains: for the wages of sin is death.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Man Pleasers
Christians are all over the place. We have to be to do as God has called us to do. Some make it known and at one time the mood of the room changed - for the better. Others make it known and their behavior says something else. Then there is a small amount of those who let their lives speak for themselves which also allows an immediate response. In any of those cases, it is still good. Why? The Word tells us so and it still works today.
True believers make it their aim to be obedient to God. This allows spiritual maturity to the point where God trusts the believer to do as he would like. To acknowledge Him is still there only because the practice of the faith walk, the believer knows with no doubt what is good and acceptable unto God. The quandary of the voice of the Lord has dissipated and is replaced by the assurance of righteousness. This is prosperity and God is delighted because of it. Therefore, this does not mean that God's servants should focus on their prosperity. It means that because serving is the focus prosperity ensues. Its much like meditating on the Word day and night - then you will be successful. With the saturation of the way God does things, then it is obvious that person will do what he has meditated on. This person not only speaks it but lives it as well. Blessings can't help but to pursue this person with force.
Only, how is this person recognized? Would a Word saturated servant of God, mature in Christ, be looking to appease every situation? Would he be the "yes" man to those that are in authority? Would he be the brown-noser? Would he be working hard to keep his reputation? Would he be in the midst of chaos? If asked, would everyone he works with know that he is a Christian?
Jesus asked His disciples, "who do men say that I am?" Was He asking about His reputation, if His fame preceded Him, or if what He has been teaching has made an effect on the people? Jesus came to set the captives free. Would the calling we have be any different than His? Who do men say that you are? What effect have you had on others? Who have you influenced and in what way?
Having a career and making as much money as you can is what the next generation has been taught in the public school system. It was taught in my generation too. With career being the precedence, faith becomes secondary (if that). Pleasing God is no longer the goal and if that is not troubling enough, there are those calling themselves believers of the Word who have no qualms with this. There is nothing wrong with making money. True, only what does your heart look like while making it? Can you or would you still allow your light to shine? If making a six figure salary and the CEO announced something for all employees to do that could compromise your reputation (integrity or character), could you do it? Would you remain with the company? Could you refuse the directive and risk losing that salary?
If answering those questions trouble you, leave you in a quandary, or even causes you to hesitate before responding - you have man pleasing tendencies that need a faith fight. To those who answered the questions with boldness and total assurance in your right standing with God, I suggest that you look for the test. It is coming.
True believers make it their aim to be obedient to God. This allows spiritual maturity to the point where God trusts the believer to do as he would like. To acknowledge Him is still there only because the practice of the faith walk, the believer knows with no doubt what is good and acceptable unto God. The quandary of the voice of the Lord has dissipated and is replaced by the assurance of righteousness. This is prosperity and God is delighted because of it. Therefore, this does not mean that God's servants should focus on their prosperity. It means that because serving is the focus prosperity ensues. Its much like meditating on the Word day and night - then you will be successful. With the saturation of the way God does things, then it is obvious that person will do what he has meditated on. This person not only speaks it but lives it as well. Blessings can't help but to pursue this person with force.
Only, how is this person recognized? Would a Word saturated servant of God, mature in Christ, be looking to appease every situation? Would he be the "yes" man to those that are in authority? Would he be the brown-noser? Would he be working hard to keep his reputation? Would he be in the midst of chaos? If asked, would everyone he works with know that he is a Christian?
Jesus asked His disciples, "who do men say that I am?" Was He asking about His reputation, if His fame preceded Him, or if what He has been teaching has made an effect on the people? Jesus came to set the captives free. Would the calling we have be any different than His? Who do men say that you are? What effect have you had on others? Who have you influenced and in what way?
Having a career and making as much money as you can is what the next generation has been taught in the public school system. It was taught in my generation too. With career being the precedence, faith becomes secondary (if that). Pleasing God is no longer the goal and if that is not troubling enough, there are those calling themselves believers of the Word who have no qualms with this. There is nothing wrong with making money. True, only what does your heart look like while making it? Can you or would you still allow your light to shine? If making a six figure salary and the CEO announced something for all employees to do that could compromise your reputation (integrity or character), could you do it? Would you remain with the company? Could you refuse the directive and risk losing that salary?
If answering those questions trouble you, leave you in a quandary, or even causes you to hesitate before responding - you have man pleasing tendencies that need a faith fight. To those who answered the questions with boldness and total assurance in your right standing with God, I suggest that you look for the test. It is coming.
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