June 1, 2010
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quick update/prayer requests – June 1, 2010
Dear friends in Christ,
I’ve found myself in the midst of writing another post on transparency and intimacy in our relationships within the Body of Christ as a follow-up to these:
- Transparency in blogging & the struggle for sanctification
- more on transparency ~ “Mercy on Me” by Sho Baraka Feat. Chinua Hawk
I’d appreciate your prayers for writing (as usual).
However, as I’ve been working on this post, as sometimes happens, the Holy Spirit convicted me once more of my lack of love for my brothers and sisters in Christ. (Blogging for my own sanctification = Priceless. As has been said, if the preacher is not preaching the message first to himself, then what kind of effect can his message really have on his congregation, what kind of life will inhabit his words if the words haven’t broken him first?)
How could I not be convicted when I found myself writing and then asking myself questions like these (I’m not actually sure these will make it to the final post or not…I’ve been changing it up a bit since I first wrote these, but haven’t gotten to editing this section of the post yet):
When we don’t have such fellowship with our brothers and sisters who are in the light, can we say we are God’s beloved children?
When we don’t have such fellowship with our brothers and sisters who are in the light, can we say we are walking in love toward them?
When we don’t have such fellowship with our brothers and sisters who are in the light, can we say we are loving them as Christ loved us?
When we don’t have such fellowship with our brothers and sisters who are in the light, can we say we are a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God?
The Lord once again caught me in my impatience toward, lack of love for, and judgmental attitudes toward those in the Body who may not believe exactly the same as I do. I’m not talking about differences in essential doctrine. To tell you the truth, I’m pretty sure I’ve never met anyone who believes exactly the same as me on the nonessentials. Even though I highly value unity in the Body, I still keep tripping up and trying to remake people into my own image. Grrr! Make war against self! Make war against the lust to scheme and manipulate! Yes, I am so much a Jacob. *sigh*
Sure, there are things I can pray for people that I believe they ought to be growing in, but I can’t be the Holy Spirit to them. And besides that, who’s to say my understanding is 100% correct. Please! Self-centered much?! All I know is that I’m to lift up Christ, to present the Word of God as the Spirit shows me and empowers me, and to do so in love (it’s not really the Spirit’s work if it’s not bathed in love, is it?!), to pray expectantly (yes, pray more!) and to be patient and to trust the Lord to work as He wills and not maneuver and usurp the Holy Spirit’s unique place in convicting, teaching and guiding His people into all truth – that’d be His truth, not my version of it.
Once more I Corinthians 16:13-14 came to mind:
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.
Yes, we’re to be watchful, stand firm in the faith, and be strong…but along with that we’re to let all we do be done IN LOVE!
Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner…I have a hard time loving like You loved me.
I John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Um, brain drain…there was something else I’d wanted to share here, I think, but I can’t remember it right now. Well, this is plenty, and this is plenty important.
So, I guess this is my small step of obedience into a little more transparency. (Practice what you blog, or rather blog what you practice, right? Isn’t that part of what James was talking about ~ James 3…)
Thank you for coming here to read. I thank and praise God for each of you and very much appreciate your prayers and your kind words and support.
If there are any ways I can be praying for you, please let me know.
Yours in Christ, a sinner saved and sustained by His grace alone,
Karen
Comments (4)
I think we all face similar challenges properly relating to other Christians. You say so much better, but loving others in general is a challenge for my. People confuse my easy going nature as an indication of a nice man. lol It isn’t funny, but then again, that is my sense of humor. I always notice that the oldest men left first, when Jesus said that the one without sin could throw the first rock. What does that tell you.
I will pray for you as you write that the Holy Spirit will fill you with the Love of Christ and the wisdom and knowledge of the Word of God as you prepare your postings here and elsewhere.
blessings
frank
Lord, these are evil times and yet You have called us out and chosen us to be Your children, entrusting us with Your precious Word. Yet so often I have wasted time arguing foolish things, majoring in the minors, so to speak. Often I have thought myself wise, but now I realize I was foolish, arrogant, self centered, self important.Today I was reading in Ephesians chapter 5 when I came on this familiar passage. It is to my shame that it is so familiar yet I have not heeded it:
‘ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.”
Lord, I do need your help in submitting to my brother. He is no less important to You than I. Help me to be an encouragement to Him not a hindrance. Help me to be truthful and open to him so that I do not appear to be flaunting goodness I don’t even possess…You are all my righteousness. O Holy Spirit, when You give me a word for someone help me to deliver it faithfully as You have given it…in love and then to leave it to Your convicting power and Your teaching to apply it to his heart. All I have, I have received from You O Lord. You are my hiding place. Without You I am nothing. Amen.
Footnotes:
@ANVRSADDAY - Thanks so much for your prayers, Frank.
@quest4god@revelife - Amen to your prayer, brother.