“Rise to the Higher Ground”

In a previously Weekly Letter, I spoke briefly about "Sin in the Camp of Ai." I know that many of you were moved to make some major changes in your lives, but for those who failed to be moved into action, I want to appeal to you. You clearly have no idea what’s at stake. When there is sin in the fellowship, it can and will block His anointing. 

In the past, we experienced His blocked anointing. And when we sensed where it was, it took several email conversations to convince one of our top ministers to come clean. Though I sensed there was more than she had confessed to earlier, when she finally did reveal that she had become the OW to a married man, my heart broke. It broke for her, for the wife (who probably has no idea) and my heart also broke that it took so much to convince her to confess everything, rather than continuing to lie, which she had done for almost a month. For over eight months we were fighting a battle coming against us from every side, but had no idea what was at the root. 

If you are a part of this fellowship or serving this ministry as a volunteer it’s for one reason only —to care about others. We are here to restore our own lives and then turn around to help encourage every woman to find the Lord’s love and become His bride “without spot or wrinkle” —due only to being washed with the water of His word.” ALL OF US long to be blessed, but to be blessed by God means that we MUST clear up and clean up those things that will inhibit restoration—sin in the camp. 

None of us wants to work where there is hidden sin. Do you want to do all that you do, and then months later realize you’ve not only have fallen short of "prospering" in ALL we’d been doing but were actually suffering due to someone hiding sin? God promises that if we ABIDE IN HIM, we can ask what we want (every promise we’ve held close to our heart) and He says He will GIVE it to us. But sin is not in the equation. It can’t be. 

Let's all allow the anointing to flow in our lives and especially in our fellowship. Take time to talk to God about getting the sin out of your life today and speak to Him throughout the rest of this week, then confess. 

Moving On To Multiplied Blessings 

Last week we learned that "singing in the midst of the flames" and "embracing" the stake that will hold us still will multiply the blessings in our lives. The second principle, to take a trial and turn it into an OPPORTUNITY for a blessing (and a MULTIPLIED blessing), which we find in these verses: 

Matthew 5:39-41— 

"But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

"And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 

"And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.” 

1 Peter 3:8— 

"To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the VERY PURPOSE that you MIGHT inherit a BLESSING." 

You will notice that it doesn't say IF they ask you to go a "second mile" or IF they ask for your "coat" after they’d already taken your shirt. It clearly tells us that when they ONLY ask for the shirt, that’s when we are to OFFER them our coat. If they ask us to go one mile, that’s when we OFFER to go two. 

The blessing is not in NOT returning the evil for evil or insult for insult, but it is when we rise to the "higher" ground and GIVE them a blessing! 

It is the POWER of the unasked-for coat, the FORCE of the second mile walked, and the INTENSITY of the insult-turned-blessing, which launches us upward and forward! 

It’s because we live in "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14) when it’s actually very easy to be awarded praise from fellow Christians when we simply don't "counter-sue" or take revenge on the person who is hurting us, using us or abusing us. They think of us as a saint! But, oh! how far have we fallen from living in the power of the Almighty! And it continues to get worse. Fellow “Christians” will also be the very ones who try to persuade you that you have no other “choice” than to sue someone. 

My daughter Tara and I experienced this shock when I found that a previous secretary of RMI had been stealing from us for YEARS. Due to several other personal secretaries taking over, each never realized that the cellular company that was being auto-paid was not mine, but from our secretary that we had to let go. Then the first “opportunity” came when I discovered the theft, which had increased over the years. At first, it was only her cell phone, by the time it was discovered she had been adding about one family member each year! 

When I went to the bank, as the cell phone company told us to do, the bank manager stated clearly there was nothing the bank could do to recover our funds, but our only recourse was to have this person arrested or at the very least, sue her for the money. When I explained being a minister and as a Christian, there is no way I would ever sue anyone, the man said, “Well I am an ordained minister myself, and I had to sue my own parents, I had no other choice.” Then he went on to say he was still waiting for God to use him. 

Do you believe yourself to be a true Christian, meaning a follower of Christ “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps . . . and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him (God) who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:21–23)? If so, you need to look, act and react differently and as a reward, He will outrageously bless your life. 

Ephesians 3:20 TLB— 

“Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.” 

The Message— 

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” 

Isaiah 30:18— 

“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He WAITS on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.”