02/12/13

1 Corinthians 13 (NIV) Love Does Not Dishonor Others: You Are The Salt of The Earth

This is a world of usage thus there exists service. The term user is applied to many applications today. Mankind delights in service. We expect others to serve us because we live in a generation of conveniences. Whether someone is paid to do that service seldom enters our thoughts. Yet, there are volunteer positions in society and paid positions. What distinguishes one from the other? A paid position comes with a salary. Volunteer positions do not. Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines salary as: “fixed compensation paid regularly for services”, but does compensation define the worth of the position? No. As a person who has occupied both paid and volunteer positions, I feel qualified to express that a position is not defined by whether it is compensated, but by the worth of the position in the servant’s heart. It is connected with passion, with calling, and with the ability to listen to GOD’s Holy Spirit.

The term salary has its root in the word ‘salt’. Salt has maintained an important position throughout history as a seasoning, flavor enhancer, and preservative. It is priceless to some. Jesus says in Matthew 5:13:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by man.”

A job is one thing. A calling is another. A calling never loses its flavor, its appeal, or its seasoning. This is because GOD is the salt, the flavor, and the appeal. He is the one who draws, much like the salt, upon our hearts and our spirits. By GOD I mean the Persons of the HOLY Trinity–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They do a perfect work using imperfect beings to prepare the way. This is a key point. Imperfect people do imperfect things. Does this deter GOD from using them? If that imperfect heart knows and expresses true repentance, and if they are willing to be used, GOD will use them to do His will.

Numbers 18:19 states:

“All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before The LORD with you and your descendants with you.”

We enter into covenant with GOD when we honor those things that are worth “their salt”. Who determines their worth? GOD does. Mankind is judgmental to the extent that leaving the task of determining the worth of persons or things becomes totally subjective. What appeals to one person may not appeal to another, be it tangible or ideological. It is not our job to determine worth–this is the work of The Holy Spirit. Just imagine how much more could be done for the Kingdom of GOD if we would refrain from judging others so harshly that we make their ministry ineffective. I have had opportunity to hear and observe how others view former leaders or followers. This is a disposable generation. When someone who has served moves on it is understood that there are others who can take their place. Their ministry is placed on the table and sifted to determine its former effectiveness and how that person can be replaced. Yet, if we are all individuals made by GOD for specific purposes–how can we be replaced? Even if the task at hand requires simple skills–no one does it the same. This is not egotistical, it is logical. Does this mean that the earth will screech to a grinding halt because we have left a task behind? No, because someone will pick it up. What it does mean is that each person is unique in their approach to life and ministry. Their service, if done in Christ, should be treasured as a gift to those whom they have served. As a result–respect them and love them as GOD loves you. You are both imperfect. You may not always agree on the methods or results of a person’s ministry in Christ–but never lose sight of the fact that they have served you. Love does not dishonor nor cast out others.

One more thought. It is not mandatory to love those who have given you their time, love, and support. It is GODLY.

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Footnotes:

1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames

03/27/12

I Give You My Heart [This Is My Desire] Hillsong

credit: ForGodSoLoved777

Charlene’s Source: youtube

Honor GOD Above Self: A Lesson in Humility

Revised: September 7, 2015

There are times in our lives when we must make a decision to either place GOD above all things, or to allow ourselves to be tempted to exalt ourselves above His authority. Each of these actions will yield results, but the results nor the rewards will be equals.

To illustrate this point, I will be using what I perceive as a correlation between King David and King Uzziah as we read about King David in 2 Samuel 6 and King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26. This correlation is founded in them both approaching the altar of the LORD, but receiving a different response based upon the LORD’s perception of their hearts. King David chose to do what was honorable before the LORD, so his offering was accepted, while King Uzziah chose to promote himself above the LORD, which resulted in rejection. They each received their own reward from a just GOD.

King David of Israel

2 Samuel 6: 12-23 (NIV)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

¹²Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, ¹⁵while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

¹⁶As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁹Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

²⁰When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

²¹David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. ²²I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

²³And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

King David had respect and reverent awe for the LORD GOD Almighty. He understood the importance of the Ark of the Covenant, and he gave offerings and sacrifice as they brought the Ark from the house of Obed-Edom. He danced and gave praise to the LORD as they journeyed and entered Jerusalem. King David had an humble heart, and even though he was despised by Michal, his wife, King David chose to honor GOD above all others.

King David consecrated a place of worship for the LORD and burned sacrificial and fellowship offerings unto the LORD after bringing the ark triumphantly into the City of David. He showed humbleness before the LORD as he blessed the people, and his reward was more prosperity. Again, because he danced before the LORD and acted clamorously foolish, and reaped the disrespect of Michal his wife –his humble heart had led him to do so. GOD blessed him mightily. Michal was given a barren womb because of her disrespect for GOD and for her husband. Sometimes we forget who controls the universe and who has the power to make changes in His creation.

Uzziah King of Judah

Burning Incense In The Temple

2 Chronicles 26: 1-23 (NIV)

1 “Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.

³Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. ⁴He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁵He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

⁶He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. ⁷God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. ⁸The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

⁹Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. ¹⁰He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.

¹¹Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. ¹²The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. ¹³Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. ¹⁴Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. ¹⁵In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

¹⁶But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. ¹⁷Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. ¹⁸They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

¹⁹Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. ²⁰When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.

²¹King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

²²The other events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. ²³Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in a cemetery that belonged to the kings, for people said, “He had leprosy.” And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.”

King Uzziah went into the temple and attempted to burn incense upon the altar. Was this a bad thing? Yes, because his heart was filled with arrogance, not awe for the LORD GOD, and this was not his appointed task.

King Uzziah had reigned for many years, and he was blessed mightily by GOD in numerous ways. Where the dilemma came was in his inability to listen to the voice of humility, to the Holy Spirit. King Uzziah became puffed up in his own importance because of his prosperity. It is hard to hear GOD when you have no needs. There is less desire to seek GOD when nothing is amiss. It is a human trait, this inability to remain humble and contrite in our successful times, yet we do have the strength to overcome temptation provided by GOD’s Spirit.

When is it necessary to hunker down and look to GOD for deliverance? During our times of prosperity. Our eyes can be blinded and our ears stopped up, and our hearts can be hardened by prosperity. King Uzziah lost his kingdom due to arrogance. He was struck down with leprosy. Let us try to do better.

Always keep your spiritual guard up during the prosperous times. Remember that GOD gives and that He can take away.

Charlene

Women Under His Wings

Empowering People Through The Word

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