TRANSPARENCY WITH GOD, Pt 2

 

 

Two years ago, one a dear pastor-mentor asked me if I would connect in a woman who seeking a prayer warrior. I agreed and contacted the sister. We clicked.  I couldn’t wait to “storm the gates” of hell with her in prayer each morning. She was also a natural healer-practitioner who wanted to assist me in my Lyme Disease and Dystonia battle. We had our love for our cats and composing worship songs as common ground and talked about everything wonderful, musical and spiritual under the sun. She introduced me to a very complicated and very costly protocol, (costing well into thousands of dollars). I balked at the cost and reminded her that healing from Jesus never put anyone into a lifetime of debt. I wasn’t being facetious, just concerned about the burden of juggling so many supplements with foods and the RIFE machine. I was shocked when I received an eight page very angry,  condemning letter that made me cry for half an hour! When I emailed her and as her if she was mad at me, I got no comment and never heard from her again. That last I heard, she emailed my husband with news she had lost her rental house and was living in her car. She I was heart-broken that she was destitute and sick. Mark and I decided to bless her with a check and one of my hand-made beaded chokers to let her know she was still a Queen in Father’s eyes.

I reeled with shock and grief at the sudden severing of this relationship, but abrupt endings of this nature happen everyday for people all over the world. It can emotionally traumatic to receive a damning letter from someone you loved and trusted. Events like these often disturbed my peaceful momentum, especially since I came from a background of abuse, but I’ve learned to focus on restoring peace and harmony by bringing the schism to the Lord, forgiving and praying for the person. I then become creative and joyful again. Our response to angry confrontations is to pray for those who persecute or offend us and especially if they are our brethren. We should also not gloat over any misfortunes that befall for the way of love is showing compassion.

When we are hurt, insulted or accused of something we didn’t do or say, our flesh can allow our tongues to set aflame a forest fire of retaliatory damage. We must consistently abide in Father-Jesus presence to keep our flesh bridled. Paul tells us in Rom 12:18 to try as much as possible to live at peace with all men.

The glorious and transforming essence emanation emanating from Holy Ghost through us determines the outcome of Father’s blessing and provision. When we discipline ourselves to flow in His unconditional love, (and forgiveness) we will see a local, national and global soul-harvest We often hear it said “There is strength in unity” We just have to read our newspaper headlines blaring examples of chaos and disunity all across our own America everyday. Scattered groups seethe in civil disobedience. Racial hatred and rioting brews between law enforcement and angry protesters. Political parties are also in disunity about how to address and solve the problem of an ever-rising and astronomical debt. Going down the line, we see husbands and wives at enmity with each other mistrusting each others motives, manipulating to get needs meet and controlling to Lord over. Here is an example of a fragmented and disunified America at her worst.

To God’s dismay, His people are in the same position, disorganized, squabbling, impotent , pathetic, not to forget busy-bodies scrutinizing everyone’s walk and business but their own. Do we really think Jesus is coming for a bride in this condition?
It is time to look in the mirror and ask Holy Spirit to scrutinize us for the purpose of purifying us.

We cannot continue in our state and expect to see God’s supernatural signs and wonders. His hands are tied by our self-righteousness, unresolved conflicts, prejudice, harshness, and condemnation which weakens the fragile fibers of God’s tapestry, His church. Imagine a complicated machine with many parts and electrically powered. If there is a short somewhere in the wire and the connecting wires are severed, the machine won’t work. Once the breach is repaired either by soldering or reconnecting the wire, the machine does its magic. This is how the body of Christ also operates.

Apostle Paul gave us a beautiful descriptive picture of how important everyone of us is in the body. Each child of God is a crucial part of the smooth-running of His body! Two people, a couple or a group can have a schism and all are affected. The momentum of the machine is slowed down or stopped. We wonder why our ministries, marriages and finances are not flourishing and as an ever-flowing fountain of water. We cannot expect for fruit from works of the flesh. Peace and joy comes from an uncluttered and pure spring. When we walk in love, we bear patiently with each other and are tender-hearted.

Paul tells us to bear each others burden Gal 6:2 We are all responsible for each other growth and well-being. We shouldn’t stand idly by if a brother or sister is in sin or making poor choices for his life and family. Wise and mature elders are to groom and teach the younger and inexperienced. This is how the body of Christ should operate, in fullness and harmony. The trend of Christian apathy must change in the United States and the heavy burden should not be borne by the tiny percentage of intercessors? All of us are responsible with our gifts, talents and abilities to mesh with each other in divine harmony.

… 25 …so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 1 Cor 12 25-27

I’ve had to deal with many other disturbing and confrontational issues with various people. I most stressful one with one of my husband’s friends, a fellow minister who thought it was his calling to scrutinized my every spontaneous ministry endeavor-activity. He’d often counsel my husband.

“You need to control that situation.” or ” My wife would never do that. Anita is out of order.” Once too many times, my husband would remark during a spat, “I need to put my foot down like pastor ( no name disclosed)  says!”  Looks like an insecure, controlling and manipulative spirit here. This  man needs to mind his own business and pray about me if he is that  bothered. that much by my excitement to go out spontaneously to minister at a nursing home. This type of scrutinizing and controlling advice is  greatly damaging to a marriage and certainly does nothing to build up a wife’s hospital ministry!

I also had to deal with  the contention of another Christian brother who would start a discourse with my husband and end  six to seven hours later into the wee hours into the night!  Though his visits were infrequent, the tiny window of time my husband and I was often devoured by his nebulous conversations. He could not see my concern for my husband’s need for  sleep and our need for quality time together on the week-ends. He was obstinate with pride and refused to be courteous and respect our marriage covenant and relationship. The last time he came to visit, he exploded in anger when I asked my husband to reserve the last hour of Sunday night for our time. He was so enraged by my request to my husband that he wrote me a 10 page letter beginning with how domineering I was. I couldn’t believe that the same man I prayed with in my car after my grocery shopping two years ago was the same person who lunged at me in rage in my own house!

He has yet to apologize, but I’ve forgiven him and moved on in prayer for him and God restoring our friendship.

Another strange confrontation happened to me about eleven years ago. A dear Christian musician-artist sister’s husband bawled me out one day by phone with the most hateful accusations. He didn’t believe my intentions with his wife (or our relationship) was godly. I loved being around this sister and loved being involved in perforating and ministry. he called me a user and manipulator and that I manipulated my best friend-music partner for years. I was so shocked and sick for days!

I didn’t hear from this dear woman for over eleven years, but never ceased praying and blessing them. Just imagine the fruit of our friendship, the fellowship and ministering to souls with our combined gifts. Satan loves to disturb the balance and harmony of God’s people with mistrust, hard-hardheartedness and pride.If this couple would have sat down and we all reasoned and listened wirth the Spirit, many wonderful things could have been accomplished for the kingdom.

Satan’s spirits are usually at the root of angry, hateful confrontations or accusations and we must be on guard to his devices. When the body is weakened by unforgivesnness, bitterness and false slander, we cannot overcome the attacks that come our way. Our prayers are hindered by our prideful resistance to apologize and reason in fairness and love!

So, here is the connection between the rise of ISIS, racial tension, persecution, genocide and every other malignant evil. The body of Christ is the salt of the earth.We are the city of a hill and from which all nations should look too because of our righteous and obedience to god’s commandments and ordinances!Proverbs 29:2 tell us that the righteous increase, the people rejoice. But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

America and the rest of the world are groaning!

The enemy gains power when God’s people are weak with strife, disharmony and pride. For the creation awaits in eager expectation for the revelations of the sons of God! Rom 8:19. It is time that we all gaze into God’s mirror and see the haggard, weary sin-scarred visage staring back at us. Let us not believe in the deceiver who has fooled us into thinking that we are right with God because we are memorizing scripture, attending Saturday or Sunday services, keeping the Shabbat, tithing (and even praying (in the flesh). Let us worship…in Spirit and in truth. John 4:24

How fruitful are our “godly” activities when we’ve ignored and minimized our broken or strained relationship? Husband do you belittle or ignore your wife’s passion to win souls and her passion for heavenly things? Wife do you neglect to cook, take care of the house and honor your husband? Children, do you disrespect and rebel against your parents? Pastors and elders are you meddling in people’s “out of the box” marriages and ministries when it’s none of your business? These are some of the “insignificant”(in our eyes) sins, but crucial as far as the health and fruitfulness of the body of Christ.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Let us not love not in word but in deed. 1 John 3:18 Let us not do cheap lip service, “I love and pray ” for so and so everyday, yet we talk about them like dirt behind our backs. Beloved, Help us Holy Spirit to love each other fervently and with pure hearts., forgiving each other.
Help us to be transparent with You and with each other, confessing our sins so we can walk in healing and joy!

In the matchless name of Your Son, Jesus, Yashuah
Aman