In Spite of Myself

I Corinthians 5:9-13

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.

*We are not to judge those that are without the church body. We are not to so far remove ourselves from the unsaved that we take ourselves completely out of the world. Being separate is not the same as being in a bubble. We are to avoid close association with those who are BRETHREN that are continuing in sin. Remember, Jesus was also eating with and spending time with those that were lost. He was also looked down upon and talked badly about by the "religious" people of his day. He did not participate in sin, but he did not remove himself from the company of sinners. He came to seek and to save that which was lost and we are to do the same. We are to share the gospel and the Holy Spirit is the one that convicts a man's heart. Not us. This has been weighing heavy on me as I have lately seen many Christians that pick and choose which "sinners" they will reach out to and which ones they consider "too bad" to share the gospel with. It saddens me. Let us not forget, Paul was a murderer and God redeemed him. No one is beyond redemption.

I was thinking a while back about how we spend a lot of time in church talking about the fruit of the Spirit. I came up with a list of the opposing fruit...the fruit of the flesh. Below is the list with their counter fruit.

Spirit = Love                                  Flesh = Hate

Spirit = Joy                                    Flesh = Woe/Sorrow

Spirit = Peace                                Flesh = Insecurity/Disturbance

Spirit = Longsuffering                      Flesh = Impatient/Complaining

Spirit = Gentleness                          Flesh = Harshness

Spirit = Goodness                           Flesh = Evilness

Spirit = Faith                                  Flesh = Doubt/Unbelief

Spirit = Meekness                           Flesh = Arrogance/Pridefulness

Spirit = Temperance                       Flesh = Wildness, Excess

Thought for the day:

What fruit are we displaying?

I've been doing some research on spiritual gifts to try to figure out what it is exactly that I do. Every since I was a child, I have had this ability to know when something is wrong with someone (it's like a flashing red light to me, even though no one else seems to be able to tell). Not only do I know something is wrong, I also know exactly what it is that the person needs (to help them spiritually). I believe that this might have something to do with the word of knowledge mentioned in scripture, since God gives me information that I could not otherwise know. I do not hear an audible voice or anything like that, I just know things. It seems that what I do involves a gift in the area of exhortation as well. These two things work together. Exhortation is all good and well, but one must have the knowledge of what another needs spiritually in order to properly exhort them. I am constantly humbled that God uses me in this way. I am far from the perfect Christian, but I know that God uses me in spite of myself. I think he chooses to do that based on what we read in I Corinthians 1:26-31, which have become my life verses. 

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Below is one definition I found for the word of knowledge. Let me know your thoughts on the topic.

Word of Knowledge

This gift is mentioned only in I Corinthians 12:8, 13:2(?), 8-10, and 14:6. To "know" something, of course, means to grasp certain information. The identification "word of knowledge" reveals this to be a speaking gift, the speaking forth of that knowledge to others. As explained above, it is revelatory knowledge that is in view, knowledge received directly from God, not attained by normal methods of research and learning. In those days before the availability of Scripture, the church relied upon men to deliver Divine Truth directly from God; a man gifted with the word of knowledge was such a man. This gift is similar to the gift of prophecy, differing perhaps in that this gift lacked the ability to foretell the future as could the prophets. More than likely, as the name of the gift suggests, to the one with the word of knowledge God also gave great insight and understanding of truth that had already been revealed. This knowledge would have been revelatory as well.

The men with the gift of knowledge simply delivered and explained God's truth to the church. God gave them the knowledge, and they relayed it to the church. Paul's frequent references to receiving and delivering a divine "mystery" (secret) serve as good examples of this gift (e.g., Ephesians 3:1-5 and I Corinthians 15:51). God simply informed him of the otherwise unknowable truth which he was to deliver to the church.

Many people today are given a great capacity for understanding Divine Truth, but this understanding is attained only by effort in the normal processes of learning. This gift of knowledge needed no such effort: the truth was simply revealed by God.

Jeremiah 2:13

"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."

I was looking at this verse and I started thinking about how this is true for so many Christians today. As born again Christians, we have been given the "fountain of living waters". Jesus said in John 4:14 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Peter says in II Peter 1: 2&3 "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:".

Why is it then, seeing that God has given us all things, that we continue to seek fulfillment and meaning outside of God Himself? How would we live if we really understood that the world has nothing for us? 

I feel compelled to write this today. It is heavy on my heart. I believe there are many Christians (myself included) that continue to cling to these "broken cisterns". We have a divided heart. But the Bible tells us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot "ride the fence".

1 Kings 18: 21 says, "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word."

I think part of the problem is that we do not see things as God sees them. We do not have an eternal perspective. We have a very horizonal view of things. We need to have a vertical view. One day, everything around us will be gone. We need to stop wasting our time on things that have no eternal value. As it has been said, "Only what's done for Christ will last". Everything else will be destroyed.

Peter tells us in II Peter 3:10-14  "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all  holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

Most of us know these verses. We have heard them many, many times. And yet we continue to try to fill up ourselves with that which cannot satisfy, with that which only leaves us emptier. But it does not have to be this way. We need to cast off the things that keep our hearts divided. We need to ask God to purge our hearts of whatever these things might be, and honestly pray Psalm 86:11 which says, "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name."

All of us have many parts, but in those people that have DID those parts are very, very fragmented. I do believe God saves the whole person once....however, with DID the parts are so separated that they take on a life of their own...and they don't all have access to the same knowledge.

The way I see it is that just like we have parts that we hold back from giving over to God...so do those with DID. However, we are connected to all our parts. We are aware of what those parts are and we consciously hold back. This is not so for those that have DID. Their parts do not all have the same sense of awareness and understanding. I believe that it is very important for each part to make a decision to give themselves to Jesus (so they can heal as a whole person).  I know this sounds very strange, but DID is not like schizophrenia. Medication does not help DID. People with DID do not hallucinate or hear voices telling them to wear tin foil on their heads or other such things.

DID comes about from someone (as a child usually) having experienced something so bad they come "apart at the seams". I believe that it can be likened to a rope that was once tightly woven together but has become unraveled due to harsh mistreatment. Think of it as a massive form of compartmentalization that takes place in order to retain one's sanity. 

I was thinking about how people with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and the church have a lot in common. They are all part of one body. And they all have important functions. One part is not more or less important than any other part. It makes me think of I Corinthians 12: 4-26.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

As Paul mentions, if we are born again, we are have the same Spirit (The Holy Spirit). Those with DID have many parts, but they are all part of a whole person. Just like there are not to be schisms in the church body, there ought not to be schisms for those who have DID. In order for growth and healing to take place, everyone has to come together and work together with a common purpose.

Many times divisions are caused in the church because of lack of communication and understanding. The same is true for those with DID. 

Anyway...those are just some of the thoughts I had.

Lord, Speak to Me

Lord, speak to me that I may speak

In living echoes of Thy tone;

As Thou has sought, so let me seek

Thine erring children lost and lone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead

The wandering and the wavering feet;

O feed me, Lord, that I may feed

Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

O strengthen me, that while I stand

Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,

I may stretch out a loving hand

To wrestlers with the troubled sea.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach

The precious things Thou dost impart;

And wing my words, that they may reach

The hidden depths of many a heart.

O give Thine own sweet rest to me,

That I may speak with soothing power

A word in season, as from Thee,

To weary ones in needful hour.

O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,

Until my very heart overflow

In kindling thought and glowing word,

Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

O use me, Lord, use even me,

Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,

Until Thy blessèd face I see,

Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.

Fran­ces R. Ha­ver­gal

Remember, some years ago Psychiatrists would open up the heads of their patients in order to help them heal from their disorders, and mess with their brain until many turn into a vegetable stage. I don't see how they aren't doing this now, but this time with drugs, I believe that everyone in the world has a "mental illness" which a Psychiatrist can subscribe some crap like this.

"The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders, and interfering with God's work within us. "

— A.W. Tozer

To have a correct concept of God it must include the following: God is in absolute control of all His creation. He is absolutely perfect in all that He says and does. Anything that you believe that contradicts this is false.

"Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards.

Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him."

Written by Hudson Taylor

"If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem be against us, we do not believe Him at all."  Written by Charles Spurgeon

"Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?"

Written by Corrie Ten Boom

"Go the extra mile. It's never crowded."

A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend; one human soul whom we can trust utterly; who knows the best and the worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults; who will speak the honest truth to us, while the world flatters us to our face, and laughs at us behind our back. -Charles Kingsley

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him.

 -Joseph Stowell

Dark

Black

Anguish

Deep

Despair

Pulling

Me

Down

Gasping

For

Air

Choking

On

The

Darkness

Bleeding

From

Within

Tattered

Soul

Hanging

By

A

Thread

God

Help

Me