The Sin in Me

Yesterday in class we talked about 'presumption' vs. the gift of discernment. While GOD does give us gifts to minister to others.. such as 'A Word of Knowledge, A Word of Wisdom, or Discernment about something in the life of a person... it can be grossly polluted.. when instead we think that the gifts are a 'broad blank check' we can use in anyone's life, any time we choose to. OUCH!

GOD gives us these gifts to use under the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the WORD of GOD. Anytime "WE" operate in these gifts apart from the LORD.. and walk in the 'flesh' with them.. we go from ministering to WOUNDING... we go from GRACE and FREEDOM offered.. to manipulation and control... that comes from Pride and Arrogance. UH-oh.

We can never presume that we know ALL of a person's circumstances, or their heart, or all of the reasons they do what they do and why. Most times it is our own imagination that takes over and what we 'think' is not so.. not even in the slightest. We have to be very careful to make sure we HEAR right.. so we don't ADD more to a person than they already have.. Hopefully those we minister to are mature enough to be able to discern themselves with GOD's help what is FROM GOD and what is not. This is why I always stress that we operate in our gifts as responsibly as we can. Honest mistakes are one thing.. carelessness and flippiness with our gifts are another.

The LORD showed me this morning that HE is the one who leads us into our dealings with the sin in us that we are often most blind to and sometimes others see and hear more readily... and that HE is the one who Reveals to us what we need to hear and when. The LORD never lays on us more than we can deal with at a time.. and HE is the One we need to hear from... but often He will send others along to minister as well. Again.. BOTH sides need to be discerning and humble about what they hear. As GOD reveals and pulls back the curtain in our lives.. things are exposed and both love and counsel are administered.

Jesus knew what it was like to have a Crown of Thorns placed on His Head. Let's NOT be the ones who do so to one another. The Crowns we place should be of honor, respect, and the affirmation of one's godly identity.... but ALL Crowns in the end will be laid at Jesus feet. 

"Let us Love one another in word, in deed and in Truth."..knowing we are a part of one another.

Lastly...there are different types of intimacy in different relationships... ALL should be kept pure and honorable before the LORD.

Somehow we think as the Body of Christ that we are parts.. but disconnected. Someone once told me.. 'if you are a hand, and I a leg... we share Christ.. but I have nothing to do with you or you with me.. we just 'do our own thing' in the LORD." I answered a reply.. but let it go. There is no sense in arguing with people. GOD will be the one to reveal. But.. this is WHY we are SO disconnected in the Body of Christ as well. If we study the human Body and how it works... EVERY part is connected and NEEDS the other to fully function. Sometimes the best remedy for a headache is not to touch the head.. but to RUB between the Thumb and the pointy finger.. in that little soft tissue connection. Almost instantly the tension is lessoned. ALL of the Body of Christ is to be intimately.. and Purely... in a godly way... connected to one another.

To add to this... a friend said yesterday... you don't need to know me after the 'flesh' just in the Spirit of GOD. While I understand his point and it's a no brainer not to reveal personal information to those on FB obviously... The LORD showed me that my friend does not understand the scritpure's meaning entirely.. To know no one after the "Flesh" means that we disregard GOD in that relationship and we pursue the knowledge of another human being based soley... on who they are apart from the LORD.

The LORD has made each of us as unique as a fingerprint and a snowflake... HE LOVES VARIETY... if you doubt that... just look around. It was no accident.

He values each of us SO much in the Spirit.. yes.. but also in the rest of our being... that includes our mind, our emotions, our bodies.. EVERY part.. and He uses our personalities to minister to different people. Some who would not hear me.. would hear you because of the way you deliver a message. GOD does NOT hate our flesh and it is false humility to think otherwise. GOD loves ALL of us.. as a matter of fact.. HE is giving us NEW bodies when this is over and our personalities will be healed and purified. It is false humility to hold back any parts of us.. Hebrews states that GOD even uses our senses when matured. As long as we put GOD first in our relationships we honor GOD by developing intimacy in the Body of Christ. 

The first disciples ate together, worshiped together and share all things in common.. they even met in one another's homes. GOD does not need us to 'give others the WORD' as if we were the only source of it. GOD is the source of His Word and we share it with one another AS we share ourselves and our lives with one another. THAT makes us a STRONG CORD that cannot be broken.

In today's society we have to GUARD not being self-centered and isolated in our own world. We have to use wisdom in our relating with people and make sure that our hearts are truly striving to stay in the right place. But, we also need to reach out to one another and to make His Body strong and a loving and powerful force! We can only be that force as we know Him and one another. 

ALL things should have the motive of loving Him and one another behind it.. and when we find we are in error to confess and reconcile to one another. None of us are perfect... but it is our hearts that need to be in the right place.

Let's be careful with the BEST GIFTS GOD has given us... One another. <3