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Leave It To GODBy Martha Gilbert

Proverbs 20:22(AMP) Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you.In Proverbs, God tells us not to repay evil but let Him do this for us. Often we want to avenge our self because we may not see what God is doing to avenge us happening in a time frame we want. Yet when we get ahead of God or out of His time frame we suffer for it due to disobedience drawing us to evil actions. In an old John Wayne Movie Angel and the Bad Man, there is a plaque on the wall quoted in the movie that reads “Each human being has an integrity that can be hurt only by the act of that same human being and not by another human being.” I find this to be a very true statement in that only our actions can ultimately harm our soul. It is by our choices and the actions resulting from those decisions that we either are helped or harmed. For instance if I choose to drop a rock on my foot my foot will be bruised accordingly to the size and force of the impact made by my choice to drop a rock on it. However if I throw a rock at someone else then I have harmed myself by that choice also, and I will have to pay the consequences of that action. I might get hit back with the rock or another object. I could be arrested for assault and placed in jail then have to pay fines and restitution to the person I hit. In the case that none of those things happened I still have to face God one day and explain why I chose to hurt someone else. So ultimately I am the one harmed most by my choice. It does not mean that others are not effected by each of our actions. Only that we are effected more by them personally. Also even if no other action was taken against me I would feel bad and have anxiety over the fact I did this mean thing because I have a conscience that would keep me upset till I did everything I could to right my wrong. Now do not misunderstand me not everything we do always makes us feel guilty enough to fix or change our actions. For instance if I choose to over eat, I may not feel guilt over that till I gained way too much weight. Basically till it effected me adversely. Same with other bad choices not every choice has immediate repercussions. However every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It is a physical law like gravity. If I sow bad seed (strife, gossip, division among people, etc…) then although I may not have the same events come against me immediately, one day I will have to reap what I have previously sown. This is God’s Law of reaping and sowing. So when bad things happen ask yourself am I reaping something I sowed in the past? At the same time if you sow good seed then you will be rewarded with a good harvest to reap from. The idea is to always sow more good into the lives of those around you and yourself than bad. Sometimes we should keep our mouth shut. The one problem is we so want to ask questions or give advice or find out who did what then be appalled or critical of their actions but never think about our own. Remember that friend you were gossiping about so and so with will be gossiping about you with someone later. That is truth. Well Martha what can we do about that? One be bold tell your friend you love them but you simply do not want to discuss other people and their problems or troubles. First off it not my business second it is not helpful to butt in to their life if they have not asked for your help and third most importantly it is simply wrong to gossip and telling something so you can pray over it is still gossip ladies and gentlemen!!!! One thing to remember also is a story never gets told the same twice so that by the time it goes around the church gossip mill (YES I SAID CHURCH) it is never the same. So much gets added and taken away that it does not even resemble the original conversation. Example you say…ok here is a story for you…Mary was talking to Emma about a couple she knew in the church and asked Emma to pray for them they were having a difficult time of it. Now one of the church gossip ladies named Lisa overheard this. Lisa did not ask about the difficulty but she told Sally “you know we need to pray for that couple they are having marriage problems I think. Well Sally told someone else and so forth and so on till the whole church understood that this couple was getting divorced because one or the other of them was having an affair

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with someone else in the church. Now the difficulty this couple was having was simple they were expecting a baby and needed a new place to live because their one room apartment would not be big enough for the them and the new baby. Do you now understand how harmful gossip can be? No not yet then the rest of the story is some good meaning man whose wife was part of the gossip mill told the husband he knew either he or his wife was having an affair which ultimately caused this young couple to separate and get a divorce because the husband was sure that his wife had cheated on him and the baby might not be his. Just who do you think God is going to hold responsible for this???? Now this story happens to be fictional but I have seen things just like this happen with equally horrible results and the gossips never get the lesson till it hits home and they are the target of events like this. Sometimes not even then unfortunately. So no matter how well meaning you may be unless someone specifically asks for your help and even then only with their permission should you ever ever repeat what you are told or think you know. I am tired of the answer to being caught gossiping being “my intentions were good”. The result of good intentions paved the road to hell. Yes and while we are on the subject of keeping your mouth shut let’s go here also your opinion is just that yours and you should keep it to yourself unless specifically asked what you think, then be polite about it. There are some old sayings that go good with this “A closed mouth gathers no feet”,” If you cannot say something nice, don’t say anything at all”.Scripture references:Proverbs 6:16-20(AMP) These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you]. James 4:11(AMP) [My] brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another. He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but a censor and judge [of it]. Romans 1:28-30(AMP) And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome, Until they were filled (permeated and saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, iniquity, grasping and covetous greed, and malice. [They were] full of envy and jealousy, murder, strife, deceit and treachery, ill will and cruel ways. [They were] secret backbiters and gossipers, Slanderers, hateful to and hating God, full of insolence, arrogance, [and] boasting; inventors of new forms of evil, disobedient and undutiful to parents.Further Study: Exodus 23:1; Proverbs 11:13, 16:28, 20:19; Ephesians 4:29; Psalm 101:5; Titus 3:2; 1Timothy 5:13; Luke 6:31 Love, hugs n prayers; Sister PastorMartha Gilbertwww.holyministry.org

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