I'm not at all perfect...but in Christ, I strive to be.... so can you!

Something I got from the sermon today by Joyce Meyer (Seven Characteristics of a Perfect Heart) :

God will keep bringing people/circumstances into your life that aggravate, frustrate, cripple, and anger you until you get to the point where they DON'T! This is one of the reasons why we keep going around the same mountains and dealing with the same issues over and over again and never seeing resolution - we've yet to pass the test. Many times, God will send someone or something to correct you in regards to this as a form of help but if we don't have the right heart, instead of receiving the correction we rebuke it and run from it, claiming it to be of the devil or "hating" when in fact it's not that at all. What it really is, is correction brings pain, discomfort, guilt so we'd often rather stay in bondage to the sin that is familiar and comfortable - making excuses for it although we see it taking us lower and lower - than receiving the word, checking our attitudes, actions, hearts, and repenting before God and allowing Him to change the behavior. So, we don't pass the test, we go right back around that mountain instead of getting off the ramp like God desires. And each test gets a little bit harder. What tests are you facing today? What correction has been given to help you that you've shunned? When are you going to give it up and let God do His work?

I know for me personally it is dealing with people who do things that upset, hurt, frustrate or bother me. It is also dealing with sometimey Christians - you know sometimes they saved around one group of friends and then sometimes they are not around another group of friends. I have a really bad habit of talking to my closest confidants  and even my partner about them out of "concern" because I felt it wasn't "Gossip" if I know the people I talk to won't spread it to the masses but we just discuss it among ourselves - but to God, it's still gossip (I've repented and God is helping me in this area now) and I also have a terrible time not allowing my anger or frustration with the person come out in my attitude toward them - not that I go off but you can tell by the way I cut them off, my conversation is cold, or I generally just ignore the person which is not showing God's love at all, as God has said to me time and time again, what if I acted this way towards you every time you let Me down? ouch!  God has really been dealing with me on this to alert me of the fact that this is an area I need to work on and I am grateful for it because conviction/correction bring change and if you can't receive either - you are not open to change which means you are stagnant in your spiritual life.

Now I know some of you are sitting here saying OH YEA YOU NEED TO WORK ON THAT but  even saying that shows the attitude is totally off - this is not about me, though I shared to show I am not perfect even as one who comes in and teaches the word - but this is about all of us. What areas are you sloppy in? What areas do you make the excuse that you're "only human" or you "can't help it" or "Jesus ain't done with me yet" as a pass for your sin? At the end of the day sin is sin and if you know enough to say "I'm only human" or "Jesus isn't done with me yet" then you know it's wrong. It is time out for sloppy Christian living confusing people in the world as to what is of God and what is not.  Receive the correction God provides through the various outlets, heed it, repent and begin to study in those areas where you are weak (i.e. for me it is gossip/attitude when someone (I feel) does me wrong and the Love Walk) and stay prayerful in those areas and allow God to change you - but don't just pray and expect it to change like wala! You have to make a conscious effort to not engage in these things. If you know something you are doing is of the flesh (i.e. I'm only human) as long as you continue to do it  - you are willingly sinning and grieving God. Why not start today to make that change and fully commit to God?

Too Self Righteous?

Ok so today the topic of being "overly self-righteous" (or coming across that way to others) came up for discussion. It kind of bothered me because you know when you are living for God and people start to call you "self-righteous" that can be like a slap in the face, especially if it comes from others who are also walking serving God. I understand self-righteous to mean that you think you do no wrong and you look down on everyone else and judge them as unworthy and hell bound - in essence you think you are Christ and you carry on like the Sadducees and Pharisees of the bible. However some look at it as being "too holy" and having a biblical perspective on everything so much so that they can't be themselves around you without feeling convicted or judged.  I guess the definitions vary depending on whom you are speaking to. But based on my definition of the word you can see why it bothers me so cause I know without a doubt I still got a lot of junk in me that needs working out and I don't look down on or judge anyone (at least I try not to and don't mean to but that doesn't mean people don't take things that way). And unfortunately, even when you say things from a place of love, support, and general encouragement - if a person is not ready to hear or receive these things, they just won't take them the way they are put out there and it could create resentment and discord.

I went to God and said, show me Lord if I am indeed doing this so that I can stop and correct it. God certainly didn't say I was "too holy" in fact, He encouraged me not to change my zeal, love, and fervor for Him for anyone. Yes, I try to be Christ minded all the time and I don't allow me being human to try and cover me when acting out in the flesh. If being human were an excuse for sin then 1. Christ would not have died for us. (Romans 4:25) 2. We would not receive "new life" when we accept Christ (2 Corinthians 5:16-17, Colossians 2:13, Romans 12:2) and 3. God would not command us to do away with the things of this world and die to the flesh that we may walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-25, Romans 8:4, Ephesians 5:8). What He shared with me is that we all get to that place at a different point (something a wise woman I consider a mentor told me today) and though we may feel we are doing someone a favor by trying to urge them to that point a little sooner than later, sometimes it does more harm than good if the person isn't ready to receive it (a word from a friend).  Simply put, many times - the best word is no word at all, just an open ear and a heart to pray afterwards.

There have been may times I've listened to people and though I wouldn't throw scripture at them, I will often give a (what I think) to be a solution, or idea, or suggestion or otherwise to "fix" the problem (even from a non-spiritual perspective) or share something that happened to me (trying to relate and help them understand I've been there) and that's not always needed, even if you mean well. Sometimes, our well-meaning actions can create more of a problem than there was to begin with. So I asked God well, what do we do? And He said, "Let the actions in your life be a light (Mathew 5:16) to those who are hurting...LOVE THEM because LOVE covers a multitude of sin" (1 Peter 4:8). At first, I thought that scripture meant love covers a multitude of sin only in the aspect that God would forgive them but now He's helped me to see that it also covers sin by softening hearts, removing jealousy, taming tongues, resolving discord, healing hurts, and so much more. So God convicted me today in this area and I was grateful for it, thought I would share with others who may also need to hear this word that you may too get something from it.

For it is not our jobs to be people's personal saviors, our job is just to love them - even when it's difficult or you see them going through something that is hurting them ...or even when they give you backlash, hurt you, or call you "too self-righteous" or "too holy". Love them (sometimes that means quietly and without your advice, opinions, thoughts) and let God deal with the rest.  Here is the devotional I read that really blessed me in this area thought I'd pass it along: Crosswalk Devotional by Kelly Givens