Offended, Cheated, Deluded, Deprived or Mistaken?
Offended, Cheated, Deluded, Deprived or Mistaken?
(Quite A Long article. Thanks for Reading patiently and graciously. Lemme know if it helps)
After the razzmatazz of the flamboyant charades that came with being a very influential figure in an enclosed environment, which was a microcosm of the society. The party is over, the tenure is concluded, the baton is handed over, everyone is leaving, the lights are off - the many privileges and respected opinions, the artificials are not needed any more like initially. Thoughts after thoughts begin to bang. After all these, who am I really? What's next? How about relevance? ...
If the title or privileged office/position is no more how much influence will you wield? - I think this calls for caution and a reality check!
Someone said, positions, titles, flowcharts, ... Do not make a leader - that's a discussion for another day sha.
The hurts, regrets, and pains of feeling cheated or deluded or taken advantage of can be dangerous not knowing that it's just one mistaken.
'Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when desire cometh, it is a tree of life' Prov 13:12
The feeling of hope dashed, expectations cut can be sickening. The thought of being deceived, feeling cheated as a result of poor performance in other areas of life after expending oneself in kingdom service is not new. Meanwhile, we can't interpret scriptures with experience nor discredit scriptures with experience. Scriptures interpret scriptures (this I'm learning more deeply)
In fact, when the word of God stares me in the face, I drop my preconceived notions like hot potatoes. So let's stay with the consistent nature of the Father - God is Love! Look again at 1 John 4:7-10 (mutter it under your breathe)
You know that kinda depression many had suffered esp during transition periods or during a disappointment, the feeling that comes after one seemingly had been so involved in kingdom service faithfully, done all the good possible, 'did nothing wrong' and something went wrong, it appears like others who never did succeeded better in life.
(Those who know that feeling, know...its not a good one)
Well it's not uncommon, I feel it's a product of poor knowledge on some areas, a deception, one of those 'stronghold things'.
First, putting things in perspective, we see how that we don't engage in service to swindle or manipulate God to do us a favor. It's first a love response that helps us to appropriate our inheritance and minister to God by ministering to the Saints.
Love is a better motivator than fear or needs.
And yeah, we need to settle it I'm our heart that God loves us, not because of what we did or about to do - we can never qualify for His blessings on our own. No need reinventing that wheel trying to impress God by the flesh, 😂 Jesus already did for us and we are accepted in the beloved!
'For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for His name in ministering to [the needs of] the saints (God’s people), as you do... show the same diligence [all the way through] so as to realize and enjoy the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.'
HEBREWS 6:10-12 AMP
Folks, let's receive by Grace through faith which is same way we've been saved. And engage it, as Paul said, (1 Corinthians 15:10) "I labor more abundantly yet not I but the grace..."
If our earthly parents being evil know how to give good gifts, God is better than them and is more willing to see you stand complete in him, having no necessities!
God loves us beyond our faults and inadequacies that's why, while we were yet sinners, Christ died!
Say with me: God loves me! And He's committed to do me good!
Lemme quickly remind you adding from something I gleaned from another.
The elder brother syndrome : Many who have served and today feel left behind, the story of the offended brother.
The story of the father and his two sons as narrated by Jesus is a very powerful illustration, it speaks to the very things people experience in their relationship with God.
As the party of the "prodigal son" was going on, his elder brother on approaching the house heard the sound of music and dancing. This was very rare and so he was shocked and enquired concerning what was going on. We will later see that though the elder brother had never experienced a party in his father's house he truly desired it deep within.
Upon his enquiry, he found out that his younger brother was back home and their father was celebrating it. He was deeply offended not at his brother but really at his Father. He didn't think he was just in his dealings with him. Reading it just on the surface one will think the elder brother's problem was with his younger brother and at the party but it was really not so.
What really was the problem, his words revealed it. Read
Luke 15:29
"And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:"
The real problem was he had served for many years and it appeared his father took no knowledge of it. A great deal of offence is stemming out of the hearts of people who have been in the faith for many years, they have a track record of having served and "worked" in the vineyard of the Lord but today it all seems to be "empty." Then they see those whom they do not think merit positions having a party with the Father.
It is important to always place fellowship before service or else you are going to feel "cheated" that the system is rigged against some of you. If the elder brother was truly in fellowship with his Father he would have known what the Father was saying that service was the way to appropriating all that he had. If we are truly in fellowship, once we enter into service our inheritance in Christ begins to manifest before our very eyes.
Look at Stephen as an example of this. Criteria for being enlisted into service was that a man had to be full of the HolyGhost and that only comes through fellowship. See how the inheritance showed up once he began to serve tables in Acts chap 6:3-8
"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business... And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, ...Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them... And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people"
When men come into the kingdom, we have a responsibility to help them understand the nature of their fellowship with God before enlisting them into the rigours of service. Too many people are zealously working for God but void of knowledge. The absence of true fellowship is what is responsible for the offence in the heart of some. Can you imagine how Martha and Mary felt after pouring expensive oil on Jesus and wiping his feet with her hair in service only for their dear brother to fall sick and later die. Service void of fellowship has created the platform for the offence many are carrying today.
Let's get the order right true fellowship with the based on truth first and then service will follow with that you will see the inheritance manifest.
(Adapted - Updated - Edited)
Lemme know your thoughts on the matters raised
We connect, learn and share!
™ IGNITE
(Quite A Long article. Thanks for Reading patiently and graciously. Lemme know if it helps)
After the razzmatazz of the flamboyant charades that came with being a very influential figure in an enclosed environment, which was a microcosm of the society. The party is over, the tenure is concluded, the baton is handed over, everyone is leaving, the lights are off - the many privileges and respected opinions, the artificials are not needed any more like initially. Thoughts after thoughts begin to bang. After all these, who am I really? What's next? How about relevance? ...
If the title or privileged office/position is no more how much influence will you wield? - I think this calls for caution and a reality check!
Someone said, positions, titles, flowcharts, ... Do not make a leader - that's a discussion for another day sha.
The hurts, regrets, and pains of feeling cheated or deluded or taken advantage of can be dangerous not knowing that it's just one mistaken.
'Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when desire cometh, it is a tree of life' Prov 13:12
The feeling of hope dashed, expectations cut can be sickening. The thought of being deceived, feeling cheated as a result of poor performance in other areas of life after expending oneself in kingdom service is not new. Meanwhile, we can't interpret scriptures with experience nor discredit scriptures with experience. Scriptures interpret scriptures (this I'm learning more deeply)
In fact, when the word of God stares me in the face, I drop my preconceived notions like hot potatoes. So let's stay with the consistent nature of the Father - God is Love! Look again at 1 John 4:7-10 (mutter it under your breathe)
You know that kinda depression many had suffered esp during transition periods or during a disappointment, the feeling that comes after one seemingly had been so involved in kingdom service faithfully, done all the good possible, 'did nothing wrong' and something went wrong, it appears like others who never did succeeded better in life.
(Those who know that feeling, know...its not a good one)
Well it's not uncommon, I feel it's a product of poor knowledge on some areas, a deception, one of those 'stronghold things'.
First, putting things in perspective, we see how that we don't engage in service to swindle or manipulate God to do us a favor. It's first a love response that helps us to appropriate our inheritance and minister to God by ministering to the Saints.
Love is a better motivator than fear or needs.
And yeah, we need to settle it I'm our heart that God loves us, not because of what we did or about to do - we can never qualify for His blessings on our own. No need reinventing that wheel trying to impress God by the flesh, 😂 Jesus already did for us and we are accepted in the beloved!
'For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for His name in ministering to [the needs of] the saints (God’s people), as you do... show the same diligence [all the way through] so as to realize and enjoy the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.'
HEBREWS 6:10-12 AMP
Folks, let's receive by Grace through faith which is same way we've been saved. And engage it, as Paul said, (1 Corinthians 15:10) "I labor more abundantly yet not I but the grace..."
If our earthly parents being evil know how to give good gifts, God is better than them and is more willing to see you stand complete in him, having no necessities!
God loves us beyond our faults and inadequacies that's why, while we were yet sinners, Christ died!
Say with me: God loves me! And He's committed to do me good!
Lemme quickly remind you adding from something I gleaned from another.
The elder brother syndrome : Many who have served and today feel left behind, the story of the offended brother.
The story of the father and his two sons as narrated by Jesus is a very powerful illustration, it speaks to the very things people experience in their relationship with God.
As the party of the "prodigal son" was going on, his elder brother on approaching the house heard the sound of music and dancing. This was very rare and so he was shocked and enquired concerning what was going on. We will later see that though the elder brother had never experienced a party in his father's house he truly desired it deep within.
Upon his enquiry, he found out that his younger brother was back home and their father was celebrating it. He was deeply offended not at his brother but really at his Father. He didn't think he was just in his dealings with him. Reading it just on the surface one will think the elder brother's problem was with his younger brother and at the party but it was really not so.
What really was the problem, his words revealed it. Read
Luke 15:29
"And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:"
The real problem was he had served for many years and it appeared his father took no knowledge of it. A great deal of offence is stemming out of the hearts of people who have been in the faith for many years, they have a track record of having served and "worked" in the vineyard of the Lord but today it all seems to be "empty." Then they see those whom they do not think merit positions having a party with the Father.
It is important to always place fellowship before service or else you are going to feel "cheated" that the system is rigged against some of you. If the elder brother was truly in fellowship with his Father he would have known what the Father was saying that service was the way to appropriating all that he had. If we are truly in fellowship, once we enter into service our inheritance in Christ begins to manifest before our very eyes.
Look at Stephen as an example of this. Criteria for being enlisted into service was that a man had to be full of the HolyGhost and that only comes through fellowship. See how the inheritance showed up once he began to serve tables in Acts chap 6:3-8
"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business... And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, ...Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them... And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people"
When men come into the kingdom, we have a responsibility to help them understand the nature of their fellowship with God before enlisting them into the rigours of service. Too many people are zealously working for God but void of knowledge. The absence of true fellowship is what is responsible for the offence in the heart of some. Can you imagine how Martha and Mary felt after pouring expensive oil on Jesus and wiping his feet with her hair in service only for their dear brother to fall sick and later die. Service void of fellowship has created the platform for the offence many are carrying today.
Let's get the order right true fellowship with the based on truth first and then service will follow with that you will see the inheritance manifest.
(Adapted - Updated - Edited)
Lemme know your thoughts on the matters raised
We connect, learn and share!
™ IGNITE
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