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What to do with this abundance

Galatians 5:13 (AMP) For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another.

Out of the abundance of love, it is that we serve. Some have already tuned out just because I have used the word “serve.” This only can be done through the abundance of love that we receive. Why? It is hard to give what you are already lacking in. Did I just call it what it is? Yes, I did.

Romans 12:9-13 (AMP) Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good. Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor; never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord; constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.

The Modern English Version starts off with verse thirteen as, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Who are we called to serve? This right here says I am to serve the Lord. How can I do that if I omit His people? Does it say it is permitted to only serve your family? This right here says that in the body of Christ we are all members of one family. Can we pose the same question that Jesus was asked when they inquired about who is their neighbor? Who is my family?

Ephesians 2:19-22 (AMP)  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Here is what I tell our church, and I personally watch out for, if it is of the flesh (me trying to live) then I am going to have to keep defending it. A defensive person is usually refusing to let go of something that God does not think is beneficial any longer. That is not living in the abundance of His love.

John 12:25-26 (AMP) The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Jesus was not too popular when He talked about loving your neighbor, forgiving seventy times seven in a day, serving, taking up their cross, etc. Really any instruction that was not their idea or their ability to live any old way was not popular. Serving when you want something in return is not going to be fulfilling. Serving yourself is not fulfilling, that includes saying that you only serve your family (that is self-serving). Serving only when you feel like it will not be fulfilling. It is out of the abundance of His love that we serve and that is the only way it will be fulfilling. Serving is how we tell the world what love looks like.

Mark 10:45 (AMP) For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

What about the age-old excuse, ‘my gifting is not serving’? Yes, there are those that have a gift of serving. There are those that have a gift of giving. There are those that have the gift of teaching. However, every one of us should be doing some element of each of these in our lives. Just like it is not the job of the fivefold evangelist to be the only person that ministers the gospel. This is why I am willing to be outside of myself and do for others.

John 15:9-15 (AMP) I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing. “This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. 

There are three different roles God gives us in this new life in Christ. We are adopted in as family, sons and daughters. We are also bond servants, as Paul calls himself over and over again. We are also friends. We all start off as sons and daughters. With deeper revelation of His love, we become servants and willing call ourselves bond servants (willing to do serve in any capacity). This does not diminish our place as sons and daughters, yet it elevates it. Lastly, we become friends. Not in the familiarity way that we do with people today. This is a holy role, and it is out of an abundance of reverence that we get to be called friends.

There was recently a well-known mega pastor that is now serving time in jail for what he had done to some teenage girls years ago in his home. Can God forgive? I believe so, with a truly repented heart. Here is where many in the church have an issue, they do not want him to be restored. If his reason for going through the steps is just to get to the restoration of a pulpit ministry, then I would question his heart motive. To me, he would be of greater testimony of forgiveness is if he would go back in the church and pick up a mop. A leader who will not serve, does not need to be a leader. That is why we watch before promoting. If serving is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you. If you are not wanting to serve, but willing to take a leadership role, then you have missed what God called a servant.

What about Acts chapter six? What about the disciples having men chosen to distribute the food so they could devote themselves to prayer and ministry of the word? Do you think they never gave to the needy after then? Do you think they never served in other capacities? Feeding the widows and orphans was not beneath them, they needed help to fulfill what other areas they served. I do not believe their hearts were not to meet the needs of others when they had the capacity. This would be contradictory to what Jesus lived and taught. They had become out of balance. Serving without abiding leads to burnout. Abiding without serving leads to stagnation. I want to be counted as faithful, even until the last breath that I take. Prayer, reading the Word, spending time in His house and serving one another in brotherly love is part of living in the abundance of His love.

Abba, Father, our Banner, You are worthy of all honor and praise. You are Holy and Marvelous. Thank You for sending Your Son to restore our relationship with You. Through Him we are born again and made new. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Friend, and for Your Word. We repent for seeking gifts to build ourselves up and for only participating in the body when it serves our own desires. We are sons and daughters, also Your bondservants to the Gospel. We long to know You more and to be called friend. You reveal Yourself to us in ways beyond our imagination. We are grateful for spiritual gifts, but above all, we thank You for Your love. May we desire Your love above all else. Let us be trees of righteousness. You set the captives free so that we seek fulfillment only in You. We choose surrender today. We choose love today. We choose joy today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Do not let the roar of the lion drown out your voice

Amos 3:17-18 (AMP) Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come] to His servants the prophets. The lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?

Did you know that when you speak you are prophesying? There is a difference in the five fold ministry of a prophet and a born again believer being a prophetic. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” If my words have power, then that would mean that they are prophetic. My favorite words to speak are those found in His Word.

I love the words in Ezekiel 37 when God tells him to prophesy to the dry bones. He did not just say “get up, dry bones.” He said, “dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.”

The question regarding whether we really heard God can be like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). Although a lion roars, a true servant of God listens to the voice of God above the roar of the lion (John 10:27). If it lines up with His Word, do it, and in boldness, say it. It might look foolish to others (believe me, I battle this too). Often I will argue with God before delivering a hard word. I do not take it lightly. As a teacher of the Word, I know I will be held accountable far greater than those who are not (James 3:1). The call to follow God in obedience should be louder than the roar of defeat.

He speaks through us to others, encouraging them and affirming them, and upon occasion, giving a word of correction for them (this is the part I wrestle with). I have learned to dust off my feet after I have been obedient (Matthew 10:14). My heart is to see people grow and to be blessed. It is not my job to make sure they receive it. My job is to deliver it. May I add a little thought provoking question? If you sit through services and listen to your pastor and it does not prick you to take an evaluation of yourself, has your heart become hard? Being sweet has nothing to do with the status of your heart. Love will propel you to seek the best for others, unselfishly.

Here are some questions I ask myself. Does it line up with His Word? That is not the same as it making you feel good or stroking your spiritual ego. Does it line up with His character and nature? Not how I want Him to be. Sometimes we want God to conform to our image of Him. Finally, will it bring freedom (even if it is correction)? We are called ministers of reconciliation. If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions. Then be obedient. Do not let Sanballat’s (Nehemiah 4:1) in your life deter you from what God told you to do. Be bold and courageous. Here the voice of the Lord and go!

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Begin Again

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and for the past few years my husband and I take the time to talk to the church together about marriage and relationships. This year it was important that we talked about managing conflict and walking in forgiveness. This year with the pandemic we have spent more time with our families, especially if you were in a stay at home order like we were.

I think we did pretty good with it. The stressful activity we did was to paint the outside of our house. We have a ranch style home built in 1968, addition was done in 2000. Part of the house is on foundation, the other is crawl space. It is a brick home that was painted a sea foam green. When we moved in thirteen years ago I had always wanted to paint the house, I did not like the color. The home has sixteen windows that looks to be original to the house (except for the addition) and they have the pained glass. We had gotten quotes to get the job done. They ranged from six to eight thousand dollars. The pandemic hit, and we all had to stay home together. My husband and I went out and bought a paint sprayer, rollers, brushes, paper, tape and lots of paint. Stay at home did not mean we could not go outside, and I did not want my kids playing video games all day.

Marriage, more than any other relationship, is going to highlight your flaws. A project of this magnitude with two teenage boys, was going to highlight some flaws as well. We each had a job, and we assisted each other when our job did not need to be done at the moment. The struggle that we found was when we needed help, how to communicate that. In the middle of the frustration on not being able to do this task or problem solve it, how to communicate without filtering that frustration in how we talked to each other.

Ephesians 4:1-3 (TLB) I beg you—I, a prisoner here in jail for serving the Lord—to live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit and so be at peace with one another.

We each have faults. In love, we must make allowances for each other. Grace needed to be applied to each other. Be patient with your children and spouse. Have faith in what your marriage/family can become. Do not heap on expectations on where you think you should be. Enjoy the journey.

Hebrews 12:2 (MSG) Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. 

If in the process of painting the house we fixed your thoughts on the faults and failure’s of each other the project would probably had never gotten completed. Our family relationship would have suffered a great loss. The problems in our marriage/family are going to be magnified if we do not keep our eyes on Jesus. Study how He lived His life. He had some different personalities to do life with.

The problems in our marriage/family are going to be magnified if we do not keep our eyes on Jesus.

The bigger picture is that I want my children to have lasting relationships. The highlighted flaws that their parents have are going to come out in front of them. When my husband and I first got married my reaction to a question or statement would have been returned with a quick straight to the point answer. I filtered my responses through defense. I thought I was always under a microscope waiting for someone to point out my flaws, this person now being my husband. In return, how I answered was not clear or was often misunderstood because of how I said it, not in what I said. This escalated the conversation into a fight. My husband when he is flustered can come off as very aggravated, this combined with filtering through defense was a combination for disaster. One of us needed to do something. I went to a really good source. I went to my Word.

Colossians 3:13 (NLT) Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Philippians 4:8 (TLB) Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.

When tensions started to flair, we had to go back to this. Someone was not ready to change how they approached the problem, that is okay because they need grace in the moment and we are going to give it to them. Did we have a few blow ups? Yes! We are not perfect. In the end, I do not recall what they were about. I do know that the house is painted. We have to redo the porch, we did not seal it…oops! We still love each other. We still enjoy each other’s company. We have had to tackle other projects together and did not dread it!

It is not too late for your marriage or your family. For us, it started with one person making up their mind that they were not going to hold onto offense and to be quick to forgive. I just so happened to be that person in my home. I had to lay down my pride and me wanting to always be right. In turn there was a change in me. I no longer responded in defense. Peace was raging in me, so it was also becoming a part of what our home would be.

You can make up your mind to begin again. What if you spouse is not wanting to make the change? You make the change. Let God work on them. At the end of all of this, we will give an account of what we did, not what they did. I want to hear “well done good and faithful servant”. We are not going to hear “well done perfect servant.” So please stop putting that expectation on the people you have relationships with, including leaders. I want to point out that He uses the word servant. Are we serving in our families? If not, you can begin now. It is not too late. I do not regret making that change. I have my moments, because I am not going to be perfect at it all the time, in return my family have made allowances for me as I have made allowances for them. It is pretty nice.

If you need prayer or would like to talk about anything feel free to email me at amanda@desiringformore.org.