So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:7-8

There was a time (very recently), when I tried to do it ALL. That’s right, I tried to plant, water and I was taking credit for the growth, if any. My intentions were good, but I had missed a key principle to life: I had not realized that I hadn’t identified my role, therefore, I didn’t know to stop when I had fulfilled it. I got caught up in the fact that it seemed like no one else was working, so I figured I’d pick up the slack, but it was way too much for one person. I found  myself depleted and mad with God. He let me sulk in my frustration just long enough for me to discover the issue. I was upset because what I thought was God’s assignment for me, destroyed me. But I now realize that I took on more than what was on my job description and the harsh reality is, you don’t get extra credit for things God didn’t lead you to do. After all, Obedience is better than sacrifice.

The Savior Complex

It took me a while but I finally had to admit that I had it. My desire to help had reached the end of the spectrum where it literally hurt me to not help someone I saw struggling. I couldn’t think of any valid reason to not help a person until helping hurt me. It was rough, but God allowed me to invest in a few situations/people that didn’t have the same goal I had in mind. And that’s the thing about over helping, you tend to develop this expected outcome from your own perspective, without considering that the receiver may not be hoping for the same thing. And in many cases, the receiver doesn’t have a plan.

So many scriptures have come to life for me while learning this lesson, including “Do not to cast your pearls to swine.” My idea of swine was so narrow that I actually missed the stench of it when it was before me. I lost a lot of pearls along this recent journey but I have finally realized the value of my pearls. And that’s where the title of this post ties in.

I care, but I can’t.

I can no longer do more than what is being required of me (by God). People can place expectations knowingly and unknowingly and you have to know for yourself what you’re instructed to give in that moment. I’ve realized that just because I have it, doesn’t mean I have to give it. It’s possible that someone else is assigned to care or provide or it may just be a job for God. I had to learn not to intervene between the Shepard and His sheep.

It’s okay and even good to empathize with others as they go through their struggles and trials of life, but you have to know and stick to the role you play in it, if any. Either you plant or water, but ultimately God brings the increase. Never find yourself taking the credit or even being glorified by the one you help. God enables us to do what we do, therefore all credit is due to Him!

Sometimes in the midst of lending a hand we can’t see what the outsiders see, and it’s important to consider the wise counsel of others. (Hopefully, you have someone whose judgment you can trust.) So if they think you might be getting too involved, consider it and reflect, but most of all, Obey God!

For the Kingdom,

Kiana

I remember in school, there was almost always one student who would shout out answers without raising their hand. Sometimes they’d actually be right, but other times they were wrong and my teacher would say “Look at you, loud and wrong!”. We used to laugh at that student, assuming they were embarrassed for having had so much confidence, only to be wrong. But in actuality, they were in the perfect place to be wrong. The questions asked by the teacher were meant to gauge our understanding, therefore that student’s wrong answer let the teacher know she might need to go back and reteach the skill. That was the best time for the student to attempt to answer the question because it was at that moment that he could receive the help he needed, in order to master the skill being taught.

Spiritually, instead of being like that student who called out without raising his hand, sometimes we are the student who doesn’t really get it but says nothing. We struggle silently, then get to the test and bomb it because we never asked for help. Turns out though, God would rather for us to be loud and wrong.

“For we do not have a high priest who can not sympathize with our weaknesses but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.” -Hebrews 4:15-16 NASB

In order to become a teacher, the teacher first had to be a student and learn. Most likely, their academic journey wasn’t easy nor perfect. At some point, they probably gave the wrong answer or didn’t understand what they were learning. They’ve “walked a mile” in student shoes before. Jesus is our teacher, but before he was promoted to that, he had to walk out this life. He had the opportunity to experience all that we would ever face. He is well versed on trial and temptation; He gets it. Since we know He understands,  it should be easier for us to go to Him and ask for help. He has the answer to every problem and test. Not only that, but He has taken all the tests and passed them!

So why loud and wrong?

The thing is, God doesn’t expect us to have it all together or even know it all. In fact, the whole idea is for us to depend on him completely. Because God knows about the temptation and trials we face daily, He’s already calculated that we would mess up, that’s why He went ahead and covered our sins by Jesus’s crucifixion. Knowing the provision that has been made already, we should come to him boldly or with confidence and without shame. Don’t be ashamed that you’re battling something you thought you were delivered from, don’t be ashamed that you fell after you told God you were done, don’t even be ashamed that it took you so long to come to Him.  J U S T  C O M E. The throne of grace is not for your perfect moments. It’s especially designed for your moments of weakness; when you need help.

The student didn’t know he was wrong until the teacher brought it to his attention. He would have never known if he had kept his mouth closed. You should know that the throne of grace is a safe place for you. Get the help you need and be confident about it.When you do or say something that ends up being wrong, don’t hang your head. Go to your Father and say something like: “I thought this was okay, but I realize it was wrong. I repent God, help me. Show me what I need to do so that I can pass this test.”

Father’s day is this  Sunday June 19th, however on Sunday June 12th, I got a message from God about my father. My father passed in 2009, a week after my high school graduation. We were extremely close, so needless to say, I was devastated. While he was alive, my father had answered the call to ministry and he had been going through the process to become a pastor. Life happened and he was unable to complete the work God had put on his heart. After talking with my friend about it, we concluded that my father hit a glass ceiling because of some requirements of the religious organization he was apart of, which discouraged him and ultimately hindered his ability to fulfill his purpose. So in service on Sunday, God began to lay on my heart how he has been positioning and equipping me to continue my father’s legacy.

I felt that God was telling me to pick up where my father left off. Obviously God has endowed me with a unique set of gifts, but since there is no male nor female in Christ, I believe my inheritance and birthright is the mantle my father once carried. I am commissioned to continue the work and it is a privilege.  We learned about the 7 blessings of passover at my church and one of them was Divine Birthright. Initially, I didn’t think it applied to me because I thought it had to do with the first male child. Since I’m an only child I still wasn’t sure how it worked. Additionally, since my father had passed so long ago, I wasn’t really sure what there was for me to inherit spiritually.

I will admit, God had to change my mind about generational callings. I had heard and seen so many people feel pressured into ministry because of the family legacy, that I had doubted that the calling of God was passed generationally. I still don’t believe that God wants us to feel obligated to do things in His name. He wants us to desire to do it out of our love for Him. You can’t make the exception the rule, so although some people were reluctant to follow in their father’s footsteps, I’ve realized that God indeed moves generationally. Lineage was a big deal in the Bible. Now that I have this understanding, I can better receive what God had been wanting to give me all along.

It is so cool to be about my Father’s business in relation to my earthly father. It’s touching to have a lasting memory of him, remembering his love for God and people. Instead of buying a gift for my father on Father’s day, God gave me a gift in the form of a reminder that I carry my father’s legacy of service and ministry.

From my experience as a school teacher,  there’s always a student or two who is always causing trouble during class. Sometimes that student is actually one of the smartest in the class. What happens is they finish their work quickly and find a way to entertain themselves. Unfortunately they’re usually found being distracting and bothering other students. I’ve learned to always be prepared with a little extra because you have to keep those students busy.

It appears that some local assemblies have reached a place where there are not enough assignments being handed out. There’s only room for those who have already been ordained or those who can do service related duties on Sunday morning. Sunday morning service can be very powerful and life changing but when too much energy is put into the mechanics of it, it loses its substance and focus. If what’s going on INSIDE the church is the biggest focus, we’ve already placed ourselves in a bad position concerning our work on the great commission. I would like to submit that the saints have become like the students in the opening paragraph: BORED.

There are many parts to this dilemma and I will try to discuss them all briefly.

1. Teaching

The sermons we hear seem to be getting further away from the simple message of the Gospel of Jesus. We have so much to say about what God has promised us, where we’re going in life and everything else that seems to benefit us or what everyone is doing wrong without providing solutions. We don’t spend enough time discussing the benefits of a relationship with God, how to serve our community by walking in the supernatural authority of Christ and other matters of the Spirit. We’re not challenged to live better because we don’t recognize or aren’t made aware  of the mandate outside of the church.

2. Assignments

Nowadays assignments are considered to be preaching engagements or leadership positions over church ministries. Of course, those tasks are reserved for a select group of people. The clerical offices are revered, however there is something for all to do, title or not. Or if we acknowledge a person or environment in our life as an assignment, we complain about the difficulty of it and want out before the person/ people even receive what you were there to deposit. A more inclusive Christian lifestyle would commission all who are saved to go out and witness to who ever they encounter.

3. Misuse/Misunderstanding of Spiritual tools

The day of Pentecost was the day when the Holy Spirit filled the disciples and empowered them to go out and spread the Gospel. He gave them strength to endure the persecution they would face while telling people about Jesus and working miracles in places where it was not accepted. We are not properly using the tools given to us by God. Heavenly Tongues is evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit but we rarely use Holy Spirit for his guidance and instruction. The truth is, our assignment is to exemplify God every place we go and to the people we encounter. We should get to a place where our very presence changes people and draws them closer to Jesus, much like the healing in Peter’s shadow.

4. Responsibility and Accountability

It is debatable whether or not giving a responsibility to a person will keep them accountable to the character they should have. But from a different perspective, it seems that the bored saints are living below standard because of their perceived insignificance. If we realized the impact that could be made by us being led by the Spirit in all we do, perhaps we would have more of a hunger and desire to be more like God. But because evil gets more attention than good works, conforming to Christ is a much slower and less sought after process. It is indeed our sole purpose in life. Responsibility does bring pressure but with the strength of God, you can endure and be successful. We ought not shy away from the high calling because of what it costs us. We are instructed to deny ourselves, pick up the cross and follow Jesus.

It makes no sense for us to continue to disregard the fact that there is a harvest that is ready to be gathered as if we have something more important to do. The assembly of the saints should be a refilling station, but can only operate as that after the saints have gone and poured out what they were given. No need to fill a tank that is already full. It’s time that we stop wasting our gas driving around the gas station parking lot and use our gas for something more rewarding throughout our city.

If you find yourself bored, just think about ways that you can display the fruits of the spirit in all areas of your life. It’s sounds simple but it is the mission and God will be glorified as you continue to reflect more of his attributes.

There are a lot of nice things to see and have in this world. Some things we may never see or experience in a lifetime, because of financial limitations. For that reason, many people spend their life wishing, hoping and sometimes praying for God to “bless” them with an abundance of money. I won’t deny that it would be great for nothing to be out of my reach financially, there would be nothing I’d have to deny myself. But there is one thing I don’t think we consider immediately, and that is the weight of that request.
There is a story in the Bible about a rich ruler who sees Jesus and decides to find out what it takes to have eternal life. Jesus gives him the run down of the commandments he should keep and the ruler says “Well, I’ve been doing that, what else?” Then Jesus tells him to give away everything he owns to the poor and that he’ll get a reward for it in heaven. The ruler didn’t respond, he just went away sad knowing that he had a lot of possessions. After that Jesus says “It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:16-23, paraphrased)
So when your desire is to be wealthy, you must realize the risk you run of not making it to heaven. That’s seems kind of extreme, but it’s really that serious. Matthew 6:24 says “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
There are countless other scriptures in the Bible pertaining to money, which further supports how big of a deal it is to ask for and have a large amount of it. The thing is that like I stated before, in this world money can get you everything you want. And on the flip side, many think that they can’t get what they want without it. Because of the “liberty” and access that large amounts of money makes available, it is easy to fall into trusting and hoping in money over trusting and hoping in God. He refuses to be replaced and second to anything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that anyone should desire to be poor, because God definitely is not. The earth belongs to him and everything in it too, and since we belong to Him, we can have access to His possessions, therefore, we need not worry about being taken care of. But what I am saying is that if you are praying a prayer to be wealthy, also ask for an extremely close relationship with God. If you’re in your right mind, you wouldn’t want to “ball out” on earth and have everything your heart desired, if you knew that once this life was over, you’d be burning for an eternity. Eternity is forever, which can’t be calculated. It just continues and you never die. So, is having a bunch of stuff, that you’ll leave here when you die, worth having only to suffer for a very long time? I would hope your answer is no. It isn’t worth it at all. Of course God wants us to enjoy his creation and see everything he made for our enjoyment, but at some point your desire has to match His, which means that if He gives you a large amount of money, you would feel moved to donate it or use it to be a blessing to someone who does not have. Like I mentioned before, money gives you access to things, so why not share your access with someone who needs it, instead of using it to please and serve only yourself.

Don’t get caught up in the things of this world. If you aren’t careful, they will snatch you from your eternal destiny, which is heaven and what God has in mind for us all. He doesn’t want to send us away, He wants us to return to and remain in Him. So if you feel God has called you to steward a lot of money in your lifetime, stay in constant communion with Him. Hear what He would have you to do with the money and always be willing to give. I am so glad God knows what’s best for us and He saves us from our naive and mindless desires which could lead us away from Him.

Focus on a strong and close relationship with God, so that you are prepared to handle the great wealth He will give you. You don’t want to be dragged away by your youthful lusts and be found displeasing to God because of your love for money.

Today I watched “God’s Not Dead” which inspired the title of this post and it’s content. Without spoiling the movie for you , basically a Christian meets a wholehearted atheist who tries to persuade others that God is dead. This Christian takes the challenge of standing up for God. In one of their last debates, the Christian asks the atheist what happened to him. Then it is revealed that when the athiest was five, his mother died of cancer, after him having plead God to heal her. He said that a God that would allow that to happen is not worth believing in. Although that is not everyone’s case or circumstance, many times there is that one situation that has hindered one’s growth in Christ. We can’t always find reason for the bad stuff we experience, especially when it’s still fresh and God has not yet shown a deeper purpose for it. While this may be the case, it was never God’s intention to drive us away from Him when these things happen. His desire is for us to run to Him for comfort in those times.

Just because God allowed it does not mean He doesn’t care about you or the situation. What we need is a greater understanding of God’s ways. James 1:5 says that if any man lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. The dictionary describes Wisdom as ‘knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action’. Religion tells us “Don’t question God.” Yet we find ourselves wanting to understand and having a broken relationship with the Lord because we’ve basically been told we don’t have the right to ask God what’s really going on. The Bible tells us we can ask AND that God finds no fault in us asking. If you can be open enough to receive God’s explanation for your situation, you’ll be better. God’s intent is to draw us nearer to Him when things happen. He wants us to realize that HE is our source of strength, peace, love, etc.

I encourage you to be honest with God. Tell him how life situations have hurt you. I pray that you believe that He is for you and not against you so that you may receive healing and closure from Him.