Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Choose Life!

I know this seems like an elementary thing to write about. We already did this, it is why we are called believers. However, it still comes to my attention when I hear that life has all of these choices for us. It has been described as this virtual smorgasbord of things we can choose from. We tend to think that it is the abundant life that Jesus has offered to us and it just isn't at all.

That smorgasbord is a type of thinking that the world has. You know that broad way. But we know where that broad way is going and I don't mean the one in New York. We all know that the view and the path we take has been narrowed, so why are we broadening our horizons, looking at the big picture, and seeing the world from all of the different perspectives?

I heard this a speaker tell a collesium full of people to do it afraid if you don't know what to do. I have written about this before. It just isn't the thing to do no matter how it sounds, it just isn't in the Word of God. If it isn't the Word is just isn't right.

First, let's make it as clear as possible when listening to men and women of God who is suppose to be teaching His Word. You must read it for your self to be truely set free. You must have an understanding of what it means so that it can be digested and become a part of who you are. Trying to get an understanding is what the teachers, evangelists, pastors, prophets, and ministers are for (Ephesians 4:11-13 KJV). But if there is a glich in the system of reading, hearing the Word taught, and studying then we must find that cog to get the system flowing again.

You must be mindful who is the one teaching. If the person doesn't walk the walk or talk the talk in his/her own personal life then there is no way they can take you to where they have never been. It is why the scriptures have guidelines for Bishops and Deacons. Those positions are very different in the dynamics of ministry. Therefore, between a Bishop and deacon, there are other positions. God would not have those other positions do anything less in than He expects of a Bishop or a deacon (1 Timothy 3:8-13 AMP).

Those who teach the Word already knows that God judges them by a completely different standard (James 3:1-4 AMP). They move people in one direction or another based upon what people will and won't believe. It is a highly honorable position and should not be taken lightly. However, people are people. Some hear the voice of God to be teachers and not the rest of the instruction. So they are teachers without the training to do the task. Eventually, I believe they find out later when they see what they must do to maintain the anointing. It still doesn't diminish the responsibility of the student. You must study day and night. It is the step needed to be set free.

In that time, here are some other matters that you should be aware of. Notice when being taught, how many scriptures are being used. If there is only one scripture during the soliloquies and it doesn't have anything to do with that scripture but what is being said is holding your attention, you know you are going to be responsible for what you ate and how it is faring with your life. If there is a barrage of scriptures being said but no message - actually the same result because you could have done that on your worst day. Nothing was taught. But if there is an average amount of scriptures and some seemed like it corresponded with the message and there was a little added something else, what do you think that little something was?

When I asked, a woman said it was the revelation knowledge that God gives to the speaker. Well, hey, I am all for that except here is the thing about revelation knowledge; God is not going to go against His own Word!!!Even if it was somethig symbolic, the teacher must make it plain enough for the hearer to understand. If the hearer doesn't understand, the teacher did not do his job.

Have you ever went to a service and left more confused than you were going in? Why do you still attend those services?

Life is what Jesus gave. That's it!!! There is no humongous choice of other things. Its just life. If there are two choices given and you don't have a clue, you say, "I choose life." The other people may not know what you are talking about but God does and He will give you the right one to choose from. The Holy Spirit leads you in all truth and shows you things to come, there just is no doing anything afraid nor is there so many decisions to make. You know Jesus and what He has done. The path of the righteous has been made plain. Be confident and assured that you cannot be led astray with Lord on your side. Seeing that it is impossible to please Him without faith, keep fear away from you (James 4:7 KJV).

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Exhaustion

Have you ever went on vacation and returned home more exhausted then when you left? Have you ever gone on a day of shopping and couldn't wait to get home? Have you ever been invited to someone's house for a nice meal and time just seemed to stand still? Then why do it?

I work in a place where it is relaxed and casual. Being sociable in the community is welcomed but not necessary. I have worked as a Social Worker, Counselor, and Director and some of those skills I am pleased that I have for this position; however, to be extroverted can be a detriment. People smile in your face but when you finally leave to mingle with others, they will roll their eyes as if relieved to be rid of you. My co-worker says I am anti-social yet the rolled eyes are those I see when she moves on to talk to others. I don't defend myself nor do I tell her what I have witnessed. What purpose would it serve when she believes her personality traits are commendable? I smile and greet people as they walk by and oddly enough they tend to migrate towards me to converse. My co-worker doesn't have what the community jokingly calls my "entourage", yet she tries so hard for those rolling eyes to ceased. It has to be tiring and she must be so relieved on her days off.

I use to know someone who spent most of his time thinking of what someone else might say in a conversation before actually having the conversation. How well he fared in trying to manipulate matters in his favor were statistics he kept to himself. He more than likely believed this to be a skill or gift from God he could use his whole life to be successful. Someone else watching the process unfold could see the fledglings of mental illness. How could he keep separate the thoughts of one person from another and among his own?

I recently saw a tele-evangelist explain when having two choices and God said for the person to choose. The tele-evangelist chooses from the two with an unsteady hand, saying, "what if it is the wrong one?" Then states that God replies, "if a mistake is made, He will find you." Which sounds so loving and so God-like; however, if given a choice to do one or the other and you don't know which is better, instead of choosing and be wrong why not remind God of His Word (Isaiah 1:18-20 AMP)? I did the very thing the tele-evangelist described. It was either stay where I was or move to another part of the country and start over. I prayed about it and moved. The trip began with excitement in experiencing the journey before me. The result having spent most of what I saved, trying to understand people I didn't like, and in a place that was bothersome from the word go. I returned where I should have been, exhausted from the experience and a little jaded from that side of the country.

My point, as it will always be, if Peace isn't there, why go (Proverbs 12:28 AMP)? Why must one try so hard to gain results that should already be there? The Word states He has already paved the way so why climb the rough side of the mountain? When given a choice, I reply to God, "I already chose life. Which one of the two will that be for me?"

Talking to people comes easy for me. The ease tells me that it is a gift from God. Excessively speaking trying to have the last word and giving out entirely too much information is exhausting and not God at all.

When one does those things previously mentioned on a regular basis, when will he get rest? Does one ceased from that mental/emotional work on the Sabbath? If you don't is it unrighteousness?

Much Is Given

As babes in the faith, remember when blessings would come by the arm loads? Just the mere thought of possibly liking something and God heard with a supply at the ready. Then we learned some things and adhering to what we learned from the Word; it required changes. Alright, alright, it really wasn't bad. In retrospect, we are now better off for going through it. Whether you know it or not, because of the steadfastness in the faith the promotion went from babe to child (Hebrews 5:13 KJV). Yup, a child of God. No more milk of the Word; we are looking to sink our teeth into the meat and potatoes of His Word (Hebrews 5:14 KJV).

These days ministries are filled because of the meat. This being the last days, ministers and the other 4 of the 5 fold ministry (Ephesians 4:10-13 KJV) must see things differently. Gone are the days of the congregation filled with babes. The milk is no longer enough. If the pastor cannot do better then what he/she has been preaching then it is best to consider merging with a pastor who can. Putting fear and guilt in a congregation so they can stay where they are and not grow in Him, when God doesn't do that, only tells of the ministry's disobedience.

The noise (hollering), whooping, handkerchief throwing, patting yourself on the back, asking the people - you don't hear me, and sermons of song hymnal titles doesn't help anymore. All of those theatrics is even watered down milk. God didn't give His children that.

Children grow into sons. When pastors get a barrage of questions instead of shrinking and avoiding them, the pastors should be pleased for doing such a good job (Colossians 4:6 KJV). (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)Now if there is difficulty in answering those questions, you haven't maintained the first rules and the sheep are doing more than the shepherd. This will cause the sheep to move to another flock.

Jesus said, "foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man has no where to lay His head"(Luke 9:58 KJV). It was taught in the vein of being poor because Jesus didn't have a place. That was wrong. Jesus came to help the church out of the mire of blood (animal sacrifices), despair (not having enough sacrifices to stay righteous), and into a new path (the new covenant). This knowledge retained helps the church to grow and be strengthened (Ephesians 4:14-16 KJV). Sonship of all believers allows the headship of Jesus to be. He would then have a place to lay His head.

There is nothing to fear. He already prepared a table (Psalms 23:5 KJV). Eat, let the body (of Christ)be enriched with the sustenance that He provided.