Be not, Bitter Vessels
4 Words in 1
False Humility is Hidden Pride
So many persons put up a pretense of being humble, when in fact they are arrogant and prideful. They say titles don’t mean anything to them, until you don’t address them with one.
They say, “Oh I’m not hard to please,” until you do something to them that they feel is beneath them. They say, “I’m not about natural gain,” until you give them a love offering less than one thousand dollars for one hour of saying nothing.
They say, “I don’t care if you never acknowledge me,” until they don’t get their name called to the crowd.
People can only pretend for so long, then the evil prideful twin comes out and creates an all out war.
I have been asked to come to places to preach and they tell me before hand, that I am expected to acknowledge everybody holding a office in the church before i get to the word, and if i don’t call every name, they said people will sit in the congregation rolling eyes at me all through the message, because i didn’t call their name.
I quickly refused their invitation, because they are more concerned about announcing twenty names every night, than the will of God being done.
If you are going to start a war because your name wasn’t called out each Sunday or everywhere you go, then you need another altar visit. Yes, I believe in respect, but when you start acting like a spoil brat because you didn’t get recognized, there is a problem.
I have seen preachers walk out of a service because the Pastor didn’t call their name. I have heard people demand that you absolutely use their title and go off into a rage if you don’t.
Now I know some people do not address you, because they don’t respect who you are those persons allow God to handle.
Leaders, there is a way to handle those who do disrespect you, because they want to belittle you, or don’t believe in who you are, without making a big scene. You have to know the difference, on rather, you are reacting because the person is mocking who you, are and disrespecting you, versus rather then you are upset because of your ego and pride has got in the way!
Trust me you, will know the difference!
Ministry Marriage Tips
Husbands and Wives, if your spouse is in ministry in any capacity, they will have to deal with members of the opposite sex. They can’t Pastor, oversee or cover and never speak or interact with the members of the opposite sex connected to them in ministry.
If you married them, you should of been secure enough in who you are trusting enough in who you married and emotionally mentally and spiritually healthy enough to be able to deal with the mandate upon their life.
Most of the time, I find that jealous, suspicious spouses, act like that because they have issues within themselves, and they think their spouse is operating in the same spirit they are trying to hide, that they are secretly struggling with.
Let me drop this nugget: If they are lustful, cheating and running games after they got married, they were already doing it before.
We tend to override the Holy Ghost’s check system when we fall in love. He tries to speak to us and show us before we say, “I Do,” but love tends to blind people until they settle down after the marriage. Then the lightbulb comes on.
Real Talk: If there are things that need to be address before you get married that will cause difficulties, you need to reveal them before the marriage. The worst thing you can do is to allow your spouse to find out your dirty little secrets on their own after you have told them that you have been upfront with them.
Men especially, if your wife finds out she turns from this loving, supported, stand-by-her-man woman into a suspicious, insecure, nagging will investigate you like the CIA/FBI woman.
Special Note: Being truthful honest and upfront about things gives the person the option of whether they want to marry you and endure the test associated with your issues, or to gracefully bow out the relationship, because of the drama that may come with it. But at least tell the truth, so if they choose to go on and marry you, they will know the warfare they will have to deal with.
Even with something being the will of God, we yet have the option of acceptance or rejecting. Marriage can be loving wonderful beautiful and long lasting but you need to start it out correctly without secrets so that both parties will know exactly how to cover and war in the Spirit for each other.
Don’t nobody move won’t nobody get hurt
Even the priest in his priestly attire who was designed and ordained by God, couldn’t stop the judgment of God from killing him when he went before The Lord unworthily!
Some of you put more emphasis on your outer garments and preaching attire, than you do on being holy and righteous before God.
Some of you don’t think you are anointed until you put on those robes, because for some reason, you feel like you are anointed if you look deep and wonderful. Your outward appearance doesn’t mean that the Glory and power of God’s presence is in your life. Your robe doesn’t mean you are anointed.
Your character attitude and lifestyle should line up with the word of God and the ways of Christ. It takes more than outward appearances to qualify you as a usable and available vessel for The Lord!
Be not, Bitter Vessels
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of The Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in The Lord,” 1 Corinthians 15:58.
As I laid before The Lord this morning, I keep hearing these words, BITTER VESSELS!
So often those in leadership or in the prophetic office, become bitter against their assignment because they feel unappreciated for the work they have done in the lives of the people. They begin to resent what they are called to do, because they don’t receive the recognition for their hard work either from those they are called to and helped or they feel God has abandon them, because they are struggling or being persecuted.
Quite often, persons in ministry feel they are owed something for their obedience to The Lord. They don’t understand that they have been chosen to perform an assignment in the earth that doesn’t guarantee them any recognition any personal gain.
In fact true mandates true missions true purposes will bring much warfare many trials and serious persecutions. All God wants is our obedience our humbleness our dedication.
I hear quite often the words, “I’m quitting,” from those in leadership, because people don’t appreciate them, or nobody cares enough to say thank you, for what they are doing in the kingdom.
Like others, I use to feel this way also, until I learn better. As I studied the life of Jesus and the life of those in the bible, I recognized that they did, what they were called to do, not so much for recognition or gain, but because they wanted to please God.
They only were discouraged when they felt like they hadn’t please God, or were not effective in turning the hearts of the people. They were not motivated by the applause of the people or monetary or natural gain. Whether the people ever said, “Thank you,” or sowed a seed, they just obeyed The Lord and did His will.
That should always be our motivation, to just obey the will of God and to be pleasing to Him.
If we understand that only what we do to please Christ will last, then we will not get caught up in being offended when someone doesn’t appreciate what we are doing.
~ Apostle Barbara R. Thomas
