Experiencing Grace has little to do with walking down an aisle, saying a prayer, asking Jesus into your heart, then reading your Bible... all to learn about what you are committing.  The whole point of God's Grace is that He committed to you.  All we have to do is agree with Him.  Now, that's not all that controversial, but what happens next may be.   So far, it sounds warm and fuzzy, like a soft pillow.  If that's what you're hearing, you didn't hear the powerful impact of what God has done (for) you.

I've had the blessing of getting to know many Apostles, Prophets and other such leaders.  When we speak of a 'leader' in the faith, I'm talking about talking about sharing the Gospel and demonstrated with power.  All too often titles are only on our business cards or Facebook walls, but there are many who have a heart to see the generations following us experience more than us.

Man's experience on Earth is one where sin urges the need to be in control, in order to make sense out of everything.  For the believer, that is where you will find 'your' cross.  Our egos need control but Spirit is what leads by Love, Peace and Joy.  You've been given a personal Via Dolorosa.  Your life was designed by God to teach others The Way.  Don't miss the mark; don't navigate around everything that doesn't 'feel' good.  Our need to control can be defeated by simple, child-like faith, but it may not be pretty.  It may often be filled with sorrow and loneliness.

Letting go of anything is often difficult for the flesh.  We find written in The Word, 'the root of all evil is the love of money'.  It's only money because that's often man's method of CONTROL. We use many things like money, in order to control our destinies; so the root is more about loving control.  Your life is either being led by Flesh or Spirit (Galatians 5).

I won't belabor my point... It's in our weakness, He (Spirit) is strong.  How often do we tell our stories without really connecting to the Truth being told? Probably more often than we'd ever admit. If we really believed it in our weakness He is strong, then we'd display what we're truthfully feeling/experiencing.  Okay, so maybe we do intellectually believe this, but are we just refusing to participate in the plan? I think so... At least for me anyway. So often, I'm not as open and genuine about the death experience going on inside me, all because I'm afraid of what others will think (more Control- love of 'money').

It's Pastor Appreciation Month again. I'm wondering whose idea that was? I'm sure it was some very appreciative people, but just like most things, we start pure and end with commercialization, making it a holiday. I believe there are many powerful leaders with a heart for God. I'm confident many leaders do their best, according to their understanding. But, just like single parent families do their best, a spiritual leader who doesn't have leadership in their lives are likely not to understand many things. In either case God gives leaders after His own heart to watch over you.

If your 'pastor'...
1- is having a banquet for himself
2- takes payment for services he should have been training you to do
3- constantly teaches about the attitude 'you should have'
4- treats the pulpit like it's God's mouthpiece, while failing to teach you that you are His mouthpiece
5- is more into the 'show', than spending time with you, when no one else is around

...he probably isn't one of those 'after His own heart' leaders, but it is possible he simply is not exercising good judgment.

There are many Godly men who are 'after His heart' yet remain children. Most simply aren't under authority themselves so they don't know what a functional father/son relationship looks like.  Being a Godly man doesn't make you a shepherd. Nothing he or she does or doesn't do can either make him a shepherd. Everyone is a leader to some extent but there is a Grace for being set in leadership. Maybe in the world, they were leaders, so everyone assumed they were called into organizational ministry. We do what 'seems' right, because it's all we know.  We present what itching ears want to hear, because we're fearful we may lose our job or position in the organization. We most likely submit to leaders only 'if' we receive benefit for 'their' work. Our allegiance is secretly to a denomination or a vain imagination in these cases.

If your 'pastor' is 'like' the above list, pray for him, but if he's in your life, you don't have to run for the hills. Become more spiritual yourself but don't expect him to lead you where he isn't willing lift you, or where he has no leadership in his life to lift him. He most likely associates leadership with an organization or thinks they are unnecessary, which creates an interesting scenario, since he evidently thinks you need one.

Everyone has a podium, given by God, and yours is your body. God didn't put you 'under' anyone. If they are really spiritual leaders in your life, you'll be taught they are under you, holding you up. These type leaders are those who should receive honor. And the ones who speak truth and teach application, they should receive double honor.  See him through the eyes of compassion, get to know him as a person and before you know it, you'll discover that he isn't the enemy. He's just probably doing the best he knows to do.... so help him.

#DontShootTheMessenger