Human relationships can take a lot of work and sensitivity to others feelings -- but it's worth it in the long run.
Even between saints, personalities can collide, often with those we
care about. Each conflict should teach us something new to help us to
grow in Christ, although the lessons may be very uncomfortable. To some,
it may seem easier to just walk away rather than take the time to work
things out. But that would be surrender to the devil's scheme to divide
and conquer.
Single people may have a hard time relating to
married friends. If a married woman confides to a single girl about her
struggles, the girl might think to herself, 'well, at least you have
someone to help you in life.' Or in reverse, if the single girl shares
her woes of finding the right man, the woman may think, 'well at least
you are free to do what you want without a man to tell you what to do.'
The grass is always greener comes into play.
Years ago, I shared a
testimony with a friend about how the LORD chastised me when I started
to go astray. Through a major health crisis, the LORD stopped me in my
tracks before I could make a choice that would have potentially
shipwrecked my faith. Through the trial He exposed the nature of a man I
was getting too close to. My fellow single friend didn't react like I
thought she would. Instead of rejoicing with me, she looked all sad and
said, "I wish God cared enough about me to show up in my life. He is
just silent when I fall into sin." She read into what I was saying that
God cared about me but not for her. I in no way meant it that way.
Another friend complimented me on how my grown kids turned out, telling
me I must have raised them right. I tried to give the glory to God, but
in so doing I inadvertently was saying that since her kids turned out
troubled, God cared for me more than her - or heard my prayers for my
kids while hers went unanswered. I in no way was making any such
comparison, but that's how it was taken.
We saints are not in
competition with each other. We're all in this together. We each have
unique struggles and weep over different things than our Christian
friends do. One might have financial success, while another can't pay
their bills. The former might have a rocky marriage and the latter a
loving one -- but Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith and
customizes our circumstances for our benefit (Romans 8:28).
Let's put up with each other and pray over our friendships. Be at peace.
"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if
anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives
himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have
rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear
his own load." - Gal 6:2-5
"Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue
righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of
a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that
they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be
gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who
are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that
they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and
escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do
his will." - 2 Tim 2:22-26
I have wondered on occasion if the LORD had stopped, or at least
slowed down, His supernatural conversion of sinners during this time of
great apostasy. But I was basing that on my own observations - and
certainly, I cannot be everywhere and see all that God is doing in the
world.
There were many years in my 35-year walk with the LORD
when I would be sharing the Gospel with people and I just knew the
Spirit of God would be upon me to speak the Word the LORD would have me
to speak to an individual. I know the difference between when I'm just
going on my head knowledge versus when the Spirit is giving me the
unction to speak the supernatural word of knowledge or word of wisdom or
word of prophecy as He stirs up the gifts.
For the last ten
years or so I just haven't seen as many open doors to share the Gospel.
People just aren't interested in the conversation, and even speaking to
people you come across in life is a challenge when their noses are
looking down at their smart phones or they tune you out due to the
ear-buds bringing in their music to drown you out.
When I do have
the opportunity to witness to unbelievers I can tell if the LORD is
drawing them or not just by how I am able to respond to their questions.
If they are not open to the Truth, it just turns into an argument --
and I get no heavenly assistance. If the LORD is working in their lives,
God seems to just breathe life into the conversation and brings an
expression of wonder to the awestruck individual. It's really a miracle
to behold.
I wonder if any of you have experienced this yourself.
Well, on my third visit to the state prison this past week to teach and
share the Word of God with the female inmates, I again saw the Spirit
of God working on one of the women who came because she had once
committed her life to Jesus and wants to reconnect with Him but her
doubts about certain doctrines was putting up a roadblock to her fully
giving herself to the LORD. She just couldn't accept the idea of the
Trinity since it just didn't make sense to her. The Holy Spirit
gave me verse after verse to help her in understanding the truth of the
Triune God - even to my own amazement. There was no hesitation or
straining to think on my part -- the LORD quickened His Word to me to
give to her -- and once again I saw the expression on her countenance
change as I was sharing.
I know now is the time to go to the
highways and byways as the invited guests seem to be more and more
comfortable in their pursuit of worldly riches and success. I know that
if you get out there, God will lead you to those He is drawing. He will
show us how to sow and water the seed so that His table will be filled
with guests.
Selah!!
"Now all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling
the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has
committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on
Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God." - 2 Cor 5:18-20
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." - John 6:44
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the
word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward
those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be
with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to
answer each one." - Col 4:2-6
A facebook friend recently noted that she has felt rather emotional
recently and thought there might be a spiritual explanation for it. I
have noticed something in myself of late that I haven't experienced so
consistently since I first got saved 34 years ago. For the first year or
two as a new believer, reading the Bible with Spirit-led understanding
for the first time, I could hardly read the words in the good book
through my tears. Every new revelation the Bible would reveal would
create a sense of awe and wonder in me that would cause me to weep.
To a lesser extent lately I've been brought to tears coming upon
certain passages in my Scripture reading. Not every day the way it was
three decades ago, but with a lot more frequency than usual. The verses
that really stand out and get me emotional are Jesus' promises to us, as
well as verses that speak of His glory. Could it be that as we're
nearing His return, the Holy Spirit is preparing our hearts for that
great event?
Although I've been looking at the signs of the times
and seeing how close His coming is for a long, long, time, the
excitement about it is being renewed in me, and as I have observed, with
many of my fb friends as well.
Believers I know who have
drifted away are coming back with zeal and others I know are losing
faith and drifting away. It would seem that there is a separation of the
sheep and the goats going on as the Great Apostasy becomes tangible and
at the same time the birth pangs are making others take notice and get
more serious about their faith. Many are choosing this day whom they
will serve, one way or the other.
Could we be nearing the final call?
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." -- Ps 103:8-12
“He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him
be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who
is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My
reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work." - Rev
22:11-12
I'm still stirred up over Charisma Magazine's honoring of the 40
church leaders who they say radically changed the world. They were a bit
off -- the majority changed the church for the worse and had little or
no impact on the world whatsoever.
Charisma had a similar article
back in the year 2000, honoring Christian leaders whose pictures were
featured on the cover of their magazine. The feature article was
celebrating their 25 year anniversary. As you can see from my response
to that article, some of the same movers and shakers were on both lists.
Their lists should be the Hall of Shame. [ http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/fruit.html ]
I'd like to honor a list of Christian leaders who are worthy of the
distinction. How I wish that the LORD would raise up more like these.
For some on my list, changing the world was not their aim, but being set
apart from the world and bearing the reproach of Christ was their
legacy.
1. Dave Hunt -- His book The Seduction of Christianity
opened the eyes of countless believers to the nature of deception coming
into the church. He documented the sources of those evil influences and
helped those with eyes to see avoid pitfalls of satanic traps.
2. Walter Martin -- His ministry assisted so many people in helping to
get loved ones out of destructive cults. He was bold in his witness to
Christ and his encouragement to others to learn how to defend the faith.
He is famous for his pet verse: Jude 3 -- it was even on his personal
car's license plate.
3 Chuck Smith - the founder of Calvary
Chapel -- the LORD used his voice and father-like love of God's hippie
children to teach the Bible verse-by-verse to baby Christian who were
hungry for God's Word. He fed them and because of his ministry God
raised up many teaching voices. The nearness of the LORD's return was
front and center at all the CCs in its heyday as the signs of the times
were so evident during that last great revival.
4. J. Vernon
McGee -- the funny accented man on the radio who consistently taught the
Bible in a style all his own. He spoke out against the evils of the
world with boldness, but with deep insights and biblical application.
5. Hal Lindsey -- Despite personal failings, no other man since the
Apostle Paul heralded the soon return of the LORD as he did. His book,
The Late Great Planet Earth, had a tremendous impact on the church and
even on the world as he put eschatology into modern man's lingo so all
could understand the truth of the times we are in.
6. John
MacArthur, like him or not, has been a powerful representative of the
church on programs such as the Larry King Show, taking on the new agers
and false teachers to their faces. He also has been a mainstay on the
radio for decades and his mega-church and seminary are still educating
many.
7. David Breese, former host of the weekly broadcast, The
King is Coming, loved the LORD and it showed. His little books like The
Marks of a Cult and His Infernal Majesty were so helpful in
understanding the wiles of the enemy. He is missed.
8. David
Wilkerson -- A Pentecostal power preacher and founder of Times Square
Church, he seemed tireless in his exhortations to his listeners to serve
the LORD without compromise and he never shrank from pointing out false
teachings in the church and reproving and rebuking those who were
bringing in deception. His sermon, Pillow Prophets, is a classic.
9. Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic since the age of 17 after a car
accident, has been encouraging suffering believers for decades. She is
an inspiration to those who are going through difficult situations and
her ministry touches countless needy souls.
10. Jacob Prasch, a
teacher with a Hebraic lineage has helped many to understand the big
picture of God's purpose for creating man, tying in the Old Testament
with the New to see how all of Scripture connects together into a
seamless whole. His zeal against false teaching and false prophets in
the church has steered many out of dangerous groups.
I'm not
saying these individuals were flawless - but their impact on the health
of the church was unmatched by any in Charisma's roster.
"These
all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that
they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such
things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had
called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would
have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a
heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for He has prepared a city for them." - Heb 11:13-16
I love Jesus. And you too love Jesus if you live each day in
anticipation of His soon return. If eschatology doesn't interest you,
then neither does Jesus. The Spirit of Prophecy confirms to our spirits
that He will soon return and rule and reign over this Earth with us by
His side. Scripture testifies to that and our hearts cry out to Him from
the depths of our souls -- Maranatha -- even so, come LORD!!
To disinterested professing Christians, Jesus has this to say:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me." - Matt 15:8
If the fire for Jesus has gone out in your life -- or is fading away as
life takes its toll on us all, stop what you're doing and pray. "LORD,
help my unbelief." It isn't something one can do on one's own.
Walter Martin used to love to quote D. L. Moody who was once asked why
he urged Christians to be filled constantly with the Holy Spirit.
"'Well,' he said, 'I need a continual infilling because I leak!'"
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'” - John 7:38 So be filled with His Spirit today.
"Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, 'How is it that You, being a
Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?' (For Jews have
no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you
knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’
you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.' She
said to Him, 'Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep;
where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our
father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and
his sons and his cattle?' Jesus answered and said to her, 'Everyone who
drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water
that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give
him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.'” -
John 4:9-14
