The Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) are not for personal gain. All the Gifts, within the Written Word, are or can be used, deceitfully (Jeremiah 48:10[a]) - for personal gain. Yes! Even the position, talent and God-given authority with personal arrogance going contrary to God's Will stemming from the idolatry of riches (better known as greed) can be bewitching - as witchcraft. These are Christians with the world still standing throughout the most part of themselves appearing as a brighter light or "fool's silvery sheen" than the world itself. They are saved and on their journey to Heaven, but definitely have wandered from their first love (Revelation 2:4) - by what hasn't been surrendered of their own selfish withholdings, from being used fully by, of and for the building-up of God's Spiritually True Kingdom of Heaven upon earth.
The value system of this present world has taken hold of their sinful selfish motives. Even though they still preach the Gospel, teach the Word, heal the sick, etc., their main thrust has succumbed as their main motivation to building a materialistic empire with their own name for the prominence of taking credit and prestige for it; for which the followers fall directly in line with it all, and mistakingly gravitate with the down-spiraling course of detourings.
Fallen From Grace
(1) Adversive - The Devil's Lie
(2) Subversive - The Devil's Angels (Imps) with belies of the lie.
(3) Subcontrary - The Devil's Angels (Imps) with belies of the belies of the lie.
(4) Subterranean - The Devil's Angels (Imps) with belies of the belies of the belies of the lie.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
""Brethren, if a man [woman] be overtaken in a fault [this is singular, not plural], ye which are spiritual, restore [meaning: redeemable by a specified signal of action] such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Galatians 6:1.
The wounds of a friend shows more love than the sweet kisses of an enemy. See Proverbs 27:6.
If one refuses to be God's Workmanship, after been given two warnings (admonitions), then the individual is to be turned over to Satan to destroy the works of the flesh. See Titus 3:10, 11.
Beware! Even Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22:27-34), under God's anointing, prophesied [telling the truth as it is] because God did the anointing - the donkey didn't do the supernatural of himself. Romans 11:29 implies "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." So keep in mind that God, for His own reasons, will anoint persons - such as King Saul, knowing that they will fall away from their first love to show Himself as Ruler yet! However, no one needs to stay with these high-gifted Leaders, no matter the degree of intellectual convenience Satan has allowed his "bench-work" in keeping people in bondage to become likened to them. That is, to become just like the Leader(s) being led astray himself (or themselves) because of the blindness of the greed of worldliness within his or their own hearts not given up to God for the graceful sweetness and perfumed fragrance attending a crushed rose for His Eternal Glory!
The Written Word of God is very clear in all its necessitated Spiritual Truth - likened to Jesus - The Christ. One of the uppermost and foremost tell-tale clues of Leadership going astray or awry (with no salt of the savoring), is the anointing is no longer within the wonderful anointing that rhymes and chimes with the theology of the same dynamic; but rather "an imparting of ambition" focused upon money, numbers and extrinsic or outward signs of their own success and prestige. This doesn't reflect upon the intrinsic or inward person of Who Jesus Is; or even how He works to accomplish His Workmanship within and throughout His called-out ones. If this unhealthy condition continues or persists, the subordinates need take a closer look at the messenger and how equally the theology and gifted anointing measure together because it will become their "package of acceptance" to their own loss and deception as well.
The "first key ingredient" to steer the Leadership back into Spiritual Health again and even the Body of Believers is to "bring to the table," after affirming themselves in private prayer, all suggestions towards turning or guiding Leadership and the body, group, fellowship, or church back to the place they together got off from their innocence and return to God; to know nothing among themselves but Christ (1 Corinthians 2:2); as little children, staying in the attitude of humility.
The "second key ingredient" is taking a long hard look into each and every spirit of themselves; the Body of Believers can be just as detrimental to Leadership as Leadership can be to The Body. Keep in mind that when worldly business messes up; almost always at least 90 percent of the time, it is because of misdirected management. If the ways and means used by Spiritual Leadership is of worldly origination what else can ever be expected? As soon as the glow of a fire diminishes, there is something amiss with the fuel.
The Written Word has the answer to the "second key ingredient" without repentance upon God's part. This is found in Hebrews 12:23(b) "to the spirits of just [fair] men made perfect [in agreement with Jesus' Grace]." In addition, read all of Hebrews 12, as it is God's testimony for holy and obedient lives to stay in His Way, Truth and Life; and warns in verses 14-29 what drastically happens to the "Pearl of Great Price" when the sparks of human religiosities trample Him underfoot for the applause of this world's humanistically oriented pseudo persuasion of following men's luminaries not of God, or of God's original anointing, but leaving it in the dust of this earth. God's Way and the world's way(s) are on a collision course. But we must obey God in the Spiritual Truth of God's Written Word before any and all men's plans, conveniences or cooperative "efforts of worldly acclaim and/or ambition." If just men's spirits are in the corrected right positioning to God's Will vertically to Heaven; then their souls become the corrected right position horizontally with one another here upon their journey together upon this earth; and their bodies in the right alignment on the vertical with God's Spirit and Will altogether, focused upon Christ's consistent Kingdom [as described in this simple chart]. Is your Leader(s) and the Body of Believers hitting the mark, or missing it!? Which? How?
Jesus said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).
Please note that Leaders (as candles burning) and followers or disciples (as reflections of the candles burning) are in so close proximity one to the other; that one or the other knows if and when the candle dims or goes out; or, if the mirroring of it no longer reflects to spill to the overflowing travel of light into the world about it.
The second-half of Matthew 6:33 (referred to above) if taking preeminence; as it does so, so much of the time and/or space of churchiness or religiosity making; cancels out God's Kingdom and His right-standing,and is left to be trampled underfoot or even wasted by the wayside of undeveloped and unmatured Christianhood of individuals seeking, asking and knocking to be saved fully in every area of their lives. Their earnest plea was to be His all, full and whole with alike-gracious-characteristics as Christ Jesus Himself, victoriously undefeated as retaining His Spirit, Will, Mind, Emotions, and Body against the wiles of the Devil, the world, and the sin in the flesh.
Grace Living has only two commandments or principals together to combine all that the Cross should, could, or would have the proposed Old Testament rituals obedienced; compared to the New Testament purposed Plan of Redemption fulfilled in whosoever believed and lived-out His Life within them, for every generation to their life-journey's end. The only two witnesses (Caleb and Joshua) of the New Generation of God's Good Grace going into the Promised Land after Ancient Israel's 40 years of wandering was because all, including Moses, died attempting to keep the law - and none did; thus proving no one except Jesus was ever God Anointed to do so; thereby pouring out all His Grace upon the converts of the New Covenant of Grace forever!
The vertical of the Cross of Christ is found in Matthew 22:37: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." And the horizontal of the Cross of Christ which is in every instance, incomplete at any time one is given priority without the other being prioritized throughout the other is in Matthew 22:39: "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Think deeply about that, as in saying: "Selah!" As of, in, with, and through these two principals exchanged all the Old Covenant law and the prophets stipulating obedience to its weakened condition to save to the uttermost from the guttermost; to all who would futuristically believe on Jesus as their Lord and complete Saviour by His Quickened Grace to dignify each Son and Daughter to His Friendship!
If any are still lingering with Old Covenant laws and the New Covenant of Grace and confusing them as together, please read Romans 1 and 2: and especially centering on: "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Romans 1:20, 21). Also, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4).
To "put on Christ" means to allow Him into the heart (spirit) and once in, to be allowed the full territory of one's will, mind, emotion, and body!
Oh! What a Friend we have in Jesus!
No Uprighted Man Stops Upon His Greatest Success Or Decadent Failure!
Let's not hold into an issue more than we wrestle holding on to God. God desires to live the changes of grace within you. God has carried you over unto broader and wider experiences. God is walking with and in you. The narrow depth and height is always His; but the breath and width - that is, from east to west- is always a broadening Highway within and throughout all Nations of humankind, for He is not willing that any should perish!
May God speed His blessing upon the righted Spiritual conceptualization, preparation, reception, and reflective inspiration of His Written Acknowledgeable Word. This is our prayer in His Peaceful Name, and each soul's spiritually-true, highest aspiration! Amen!
Copyright 2008, 2009 Christianist Libertarian Fellowship. This article may be printed in its entirety for personal study and free distribution. Please include the following statement: "Permission granted by Christianist Libertarian Fellowship for Free Distribution Only - Never To Be Sold". "Buy [possess] the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Proverbs 23:23). Jesus said: "The kingdom of heaven [He Himself] is at hand ... freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:7, 8).
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