The Trap of Comparison

How many times do we not live to our full potential because we compare ourselves to others? There are two ways comparison happens:

1. Comparing our "strengths" to someone else's "weaknesses"--That would be called being haughty. "Haughty" is an adjective describing one who behaves in a superior, condescending, or arrogant way.

2. Comparing our "weaknesses" to someone else's "strengths"--That would be called having an "Inferiority Complex." To me that's when someone has an overdeveloped sense of being inferior to others. In other words, that seems to be all they think about! Believe it or not, having and inferiority complex is just as much pride as being haughty, because the focus is all about self.

Let's take a look at some examples of these in the Bible. First we'll look at someone who was haughty. Luke 18:9-14 (NKJV), Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You, that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Notice the Pharisee compared himself to another man, but the tax collector (or "Publican" as the KJV says) compared himself to a Holy God. Go back and read the last verse again and see just which one ended up being lifted up.

Next, let's think about Moses, our example of one who had an Inferiority Complex. God showed up to him in a very powerful, supernatural way in a burning bush that was not consumed. God asked him to go lead the Israelites out Egypt where they were in captivity as slaves. Moses kept giving excuses why he shouldn't be the one to go. “Who am I that I should go?” “But I am not eloquent in speech.” “Can’t you send someone else?” All the while, God was proving He would be with him. Read it for yourself in Exodus 3 and 4. Thankfully, God still used Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and turn the tide of history setting the stage for people of God to be delivered for ages to come. It was certainly not because of Moses' abilities, or should we say lack or fears?

My prayer is that when God nudges me to do something, He will remind me to look to Him, and not compare myself to others or focus on my lack of abilities. I need to remember, as Paul said in Philippians 2:13 that it is God who works in me both to will and to do for His good pleasure. If He has put a desire in me, He will give me everything I need to accomplish it. He has promised to complete what He starts in me. Thank you, Lord!

'News from Legacy Ministries'

Click on the title of this post above to read the May Newsletter for Legacy Ministries and the Legacy Equipping Center. God is on the move! Your prayers, support and attendance at events is greatly appreciated as we go forward "...for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ..." Ep. 4:12.

Jump into the Cleansing Stream!

What a weekend! I attended the Cleansing Stream retreat Friday and Saturday in Augusta, GA with a group from my church who have been going through a 12 week discipleship course to be cleaned out from the inside out! This is one of those things that cannot be explained but has to be experienced. It's all about the two things I am so passionate about....discipleship and inner healing!

There were hundreds of others who were also getting delivered from "stuff" that had kept them bound from that abundant life God wants us to have. The worship was amazing. At the beginning I entered the sanctuary with worship music going on that just stirred an expectancy of what God was about to do! As the weekend progressed, worship increased from people who were getting rid of all the garbage that was stopping them up from free worship...you can only imagine how free the worship was becoming as the weekend progressed.

God showed me some areas in my life that needed to be washed with His amazing Living Water that I did not even realize were issues. I have been walking through some trials lately, but they only served as primers to get me ready to be set free this past weekend! It is so true that God's truths will totally set you free! Now I want to offer this discipleship leading to diliverance at the Legacy Equipping Center this fall.

For those of you who are local, if you are interested in participating in Cleansing Stream at the Center, let me know. If you are interested in getting this started in your own church, click on the title of this post and it will take you to the Cleansing Stream website. You can see all about the ministry and hear some testimonies about what God has done in others through Cleansing Stream. Let me know if you start the program. I want to hear what God does! Below is a video of a testimony I got from the Cleansing Stream website.

Have a Cookie....or Not!

(The following is the article I wrote for my monthly ezine column “Sense”sational Musings for the April, 2010 edition of www.ithristnw.net.)

One day the Lord gave me a vision in my mind’s eye. I saw a woman taste a chocolate chip cookie and throw it down in a fit of rage, obviously upset with what she tasted. When she did, crumbs shattered all over the ground. Then she tried frantically to eat the cookie, but it was difficult because of all the crumbs.

I inquired of the Lord about the meaning of this vision. What came to me was that the lady represented any one of God’s children. The cookie represented the lady’s false image of what she thought God was. When God did not do what she thought He should do, she threw the cookie down in anger and it shattered. We need to keep in mind that the cookie represented the lady’s image of God; it did not represent God Himself. God did not shatter, because that was not who He truly is.

I then saw many cookies--each on their own platter--on both sides of a big hallway. These cookies represented more wrong concepts of God. They are cookies, because everyone says "He is good." Some that have been around for a long time are crunchy. Others are fresh-baked and soft.

A crunchy cookie has been the wrong concept of God for a long time in a person's mind. A soft one is a new wrong concept of God that is fresh baked. When one eats of it and throws it down, the newly baked cookie doesn't shatter, because it is soft. Consequently, though the taste of the soft cookie does not satisfy, it is not as disappointing as the old cookie that shatters into crumbs and is harder to eat afterward. Trying to pick up all the shattered pieces only leads to more anger. I had the sense that the first cookie in the vision was a very old cookie from the batch and that God understood that.

The Lord was showing me that even though the lady in the vision was so angry with God, deep down she really desires Him, or she would not have tried to eat all the crumbs afterward. He knows that. She will find Him because somewhere deep in the recesses of her heart, she wants to.

When we find ourselves holding on to cookies and we are angry at God, we need to surrender to Him so that He can take our deceptions and replace them with truth. This will only happen when we turn to Jesus. We have to go to Jesus without any of the cookies--or crumbs--in our hands, because if we have them when we approach Him, we will still be looking at the cookies instead of genuinely seeking God to show us who He truly is. We can either lay down the cookies before we approach the Throne, or we can ask God to take the cookies when we get to Him. Either way, we cannot hold on to them after we get to Him and expect answers. Jesus IS the answer, and He IS there. However, as long as we hold the platter of cookies we will not be able to see Him, because our focus will be on the cookies instead of Him. We will find that as we surrender our platter of misconceptions to the Lord, He will then give us food from Heaven that will be better than any cookie we have ever tasted! Unlike cookies, His food has everlasting sustenance that brings us nourishment for specific needs we are not even aware we have. 2 Cor. 3:14-18 talks about the Jews having a veil over their eyes when they read the scriptures. They have the truth in their hands, but they cannot see it. The Bible then says, "Nevertheless, when one turns to Jesus, the veil is taken away! Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!" FREEDOM!! He is FREEDOM--not just “good” like a chocolate chip cookie.

When we see Him as He truly is, love and true worship automatically flow out from the deepest part of us to God. Right now He reveals to us His character one concept at a time. Each time another false conception of God is taken away, we truly taste and see that He is good in that aspect of God, and it is everlasting! One day, when our corruption is overtaken by incorruption, and we are changed in the twinkling of an eye, we will see Him as He is--in His entirety--not one concept at a time, but every concept. 100% purity---and it is GOOD! It is then that we will experience everlasting FREEDOM forevermore!

You're Getting Sticky!

I recently called a great friend to ask her to pray for a fellow pal who was going through tremendous trials. She said to me, "You're getting sticky!"

Thinking I had a bad phone connection, I replied,"You mean my phone connection is bad?"

"No," she said, "YOU are getting sticky! You're taking it on! Remember the 4 L's, Tammy."

"What are the 4 L's? Please tell me!"

"Love them. Listen to them. Lift them up. And LEAVE them to the Lord!"

Oh, Yes! She then began to pray the most refreshing prayer over me, and it was as if I could literally feel God lift the burden off me and begin to anoint my spirit with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that I remember to take time every morning to spend time with God for Him to apply that oil to my spirit so that I won't be sticky when people come to me to share their burdens. My desire is to do what Isaiah 61:1-3 says:

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to [those who are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

The only way that people are really going to be set free from the brokenness they come to me with is if I am so "oily" with God's anointing so they are not dependant on me. Believe me, I have seen time and time again that I am so not capable of setting anyone free! I can only take them to the ONE who has proven time and time again that He not only can but He will, and that is God! And what a privilege it is to take them!

So, are you one who needs to be set free? Are you ready to be released? Are you ready for God to reach down to that part of your heart that has been crushed and seemingly forgotten about and for Him to pour in that long awaited love? Just take a moment; close your eyes; take a deep breath of His love and let Him know you're ready! See what happens in the next moments; the next hours; the next days; the next weeks.

Are you the one who is getting sticky? Do you need to remember the 4 L's as you try to take others to the throne room? Let's do it! Memorize the 4 L's with me and ask God to do it through you.
Love Them
Listen To Them
Lift Them to the Lord
Leave Them with God! He is FULLY capable of taking care of them Himself! :)

Happy Resurrection Day!

What a glorious day this is--the day we Christians celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour from the dead! Think about it; Jesus had more influence on this world than any other person in history. The whole calendar is based on His life. Many people from different religions think highly of Jesus. Some say He was a great teacher. Some say He was a prophet. Others think He was a great philosopher. And of course, we Christians believe He is God. Don't you think that with so much admiration for Jesus that there would be a shrine at His grave with flowers and incense burning 24/7? Well, the reason you don't hear of that is because He's not in a grave! He has risen! He has risen indeed! That's what sets Jesus apart from any other religious leader.

Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, is himself a proof of the Resurrection of Christ. Why else would someone who was so against Christ and His followers, to the point of persecuting Christians and even killing them, change his whole life to preach Christ and even be persecuted for the Gospel himself, if the proof of Christianity (the resurrection) was not proven to him? He wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 (NIV), "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also..." He went on to write in verses 12-14, "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."

I'm with Peter when he wrote in 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV), "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you."

'News from Legacy Ministries'

Click on the title to this post to read the April Newsletter for Legacy Ministries. Thank you for your prayers and support!