2 Words in 1

 

Titles

It seems in this hour, that everyone must have some kind of title. It’s like there has been a swarm of positions added to what we once had in the church. I was told once, that giving everyone some kind of title or position, caused them to be more faithful and they would work harder. It looked like a good idea in the beginning, and perhaps it’s needed in very large type assemblies. The question is, has it made them more spiritual?

Let’s listen to what a young man said to Job, after the elder friends had all finished speaking. “Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto men” (Job 32:21).

Of course, many will ignore this verse, because it is in the Old Testament. It seems like living in the New Testament, gives everyone, a new set of rules, or new set of values. But you see, the apostles were very smart. And furthermore, they were all led by the Spirit. They clearly said, we should not esteem, one above another. The Spirit knew, that folk would find excuses, for what they do.

If someone is truly interested, they might visit Job chapter 32 and verse 22. It just talks about how God would disapprove if he did such a thing. In our day, this esteeming some above others, has caused great hurt to many. It was obvious to a lot of people, that those in charge, seemed to have rights and privileges, the rest of the flock did not have. The who’s who group, was a reality, not something people just imagined. These associates, got the front row seats in the big meetings and were invited to sit on the platform.

I don’t care what you call me. As long as I remember that I am just a sinner saved by grace, I’ll make it just fine.

I know what happens when people seek their own recognition, and start giving titles to one another. We most often, end up with too much flesh; too much focus on who WE are and what WE do. I’m not wishing to offend, or discourage anyone. Note, some folk need to be encouraged in who they are, and what their position really is. I get frustrated, that the real order of ministry, has not been fully allowed.

How many shepherds, does a small flock need anyway. We’re uplifting self, and we cause others to feel less than. If people were allowed to function in the gifts and calling they were meant for, we likely would not have all of this celebrity style management.

We need to go back to being humble sheep that love people. God does not care about what I call my self. What He does care about, is how much I emulate His Son Jesus Christ, and how much I love those around me. After all, “Who Am I.”

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God, I thank you, that I am not like Them!

It does not matter really, how much we have read and studied the letters which were written to the churches. Or all the prophecies of the last Book, if we have only skimmed over the four Gospels. If we’ve omitted the things Jesus taught, to be more like Paul and the others, we’ve missed the whole point of it all. Missed it. I feel the Spirit is leading us back to the things Jesus taught; His lessons.

I read today, something that completely amazes me. You see, it’s there. It always has been; we either just skipped it or did not take it seriously. I was blown away by what was written here. The scripture says, that He spake a parable “unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9).

I thought I didn’t hear right. First of all they trusted in themselves; that speaks even enough already. We might wonder where all of the self-righteous came from; they trusted in themselves, that they were righteous. They were righteous, in their own eyes. Self, will do that to us.

And they despised others. Woe. This is what we’ve seen so often, but we could not put our finger on it. Jesus, saw it quite clearly. That’s so hard for me to believe; it really is.

It hurts me, that any of us could really think we are so good, so right, so holy; and yet, we would despise other people. We can run from this teaching if we want to; we can say those people of that time did not have the Holy Ghost. Consider. Jesus was a prophet. And He was full of the Holy Ghost. He could speak for the moment, and for the far future also. He spoke of what was happening then, and what would be also happening in the days ahead. Fact is, His apostles, said the same thing.

These righteous church folk, even went on to name the kind of people that they were not like. You know, sometimes, we don’t have to say anything at all. Our actions, and our attitudes, can reflect what we really feel about some people; we don’t have to say a word. A look, a turning of the head, a lifting of the chin, or, a total lack of anything to say to someone at all. If we read on here, we find where Jesus also said something some overlooked also. Well, we don’t see the seriousness of it anyway, so why bother. It said something about those that lifted themselves up, would be abased?

I might as well say something else that is on my heart. Jesus said, He even had sheep, that others didn’t even know about. That tells me, that He has a lot of people who know Him and love Him, that many, thought impossible.

Just because we discard or ignore others, doesn’t mean that He does. I still can’t get over that; they despised others.

I guess one might not understand that, unless you’ve been on the receiving end. Despising people. So that’s what many felt from some of those. So that’s the spirit that hurt people so deeply. And still does. It’s no wonder, that the missing, remain; . . missing.

 

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn