When All Else Fails ...Written by Joyce C. Lock
If you're of another temperament type and you hear that God owns everything (and He actually wants to use it to meet your every need), you might readily receive it. But, if you're a pathological doer or have any legalism in your background, such preaching may only lead to further torment.The implication is often that, 'if you just believe enough', God is obligated to come through; which is another form of works. Faith, size of a grain of mustard seed, is actually greatest faith there is ... because it takes least amount of effort on our part and most effort on God's part; placing greatest portion of our faith in none other than Him. As painful as it can be, to get to that place, sometimes, we do have to come to end of our path before we're willing to say, "God, if you don't save me, I'm doomed." Now, see. That wasn't so hard. Was it? It was getting there and humbling that hurt so much. The more we come to recognize Satan's nagging for what it is, quicker our response might be a bit more like ... "God loves us. He won't abandon us, now. So, back off, Satan!" Turn on music that ministers to your soul, pick up The Book, listen to a good sermon, or enter your prayer closet. Just go to your place of light and illumination of God's presence, wherever that be, and tell Satan you're not listening to him anymore. And, it's always ok to ask God to help with our unbelief and even to give you something to hang on to; a promise, anything wherein you can 'know' direction He's taking you. Getting our needs met has nothing to do with one's ability of praying enough, believing enough, doing enough, selling enough, working enough, serving enough, saving enough, or much of anything else.
| | To the Suffering ChurchWritten by Joyce C. Lock
A Wise PreacherBecause preacher was wise, he taught people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set "in order" many proverbs. Eccles. 12:9 Let all things be done decently and "in order". 1 Cor. 14:40 When passages are explained or even quoted "in order", as per our understanding (in our own language), their original intent cannot be missed. (example to follow) ~ To Suffering Church ~ Turn Down Oven 1 Corinthians 12:18, 22-26 Just because one's comely parts have 'no need' does not mean those, whose service seems less comely, do not have purpose, too. In fact, when one's gift shines above another, that was God's doing, not ours. Those members of body, which seem to be more feeble, are NECESSARY ... not only for reasons yet to be understood, but because, also, God hath tempered body! When Jesus warned that forbidding others 'trying to grow in service for Him' would cause suffering (Matthew 19:14), fruit inspections were not a given option. When one member suffers, oven temperature goes up; wherein, all members are made to suffer ... because degree of being tempered has to make up for another's lack in being able to fulfill what God has called them to do.
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