TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

What I have for you, is yours alone. Nobody else has your heart, your mind, your gifts or your purpose. Embrace what I have for you and take your eyes off the destiny I have for others.

FINDING YOURSELF

I’ve had firsthand experience of people who’ve come in among us at the church. Then, they left and told people terrible things about us. They joined into the intimacy of relationship with us only to break that bond of trust and trash whatever intimacy – and ministry – we had.

For example, I trusted a close friend to be part of the leadership team. I had been out of town, and for some reason, my friends were coming to me and asking to pray for my marriage. I was confused? What I didn’t know was that this person, on my team, whom I’d trusted had been telling my friends things that were not true. And, because they were close to me, they believed the lies. 

Let me tell you something, that changed our relationship. I had to tell him we had a place for him in one of our seats, but not in leadership. That bond of trust, once broken, can never be repaired.

“Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition…” – Titus 3:10

When you’re in relationship with somebody – whether family, a friendship, a work relationship or marriage – there’s a trust factor involved. Trust is a crucial component of relationship, especially in ministry. Ministry is all about trust.

There is no room in the church for these two things: envy and gossip. Envy often ends in theft. When you’re jealous of the gifts someone else has, when you want their relationships, contacts, and anointing, you not only want what doesn’t belong to you, you forfeit the good thing God has planned for you. 

As for gossip, let’s just call that what it is – murder. You don’t get to murder someone’s reputation and God not take notice, especially in ministry. Rumors and lies not only kill intimacy, they destroy relationships and keep the church from being effective for the Kingdom.

Are you a thief or a murderer and you don’t even know it? Envy and gossip are not God’s plan for your life. What is His plan? If you don’t know, you’re not in intimate relationship with Him. Find that secret place and find yourself.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES PRAY FOR RAIN – INTIMACY