Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Dude
I need to change. I have what is called a prophet personality and all it does is get in the way. It's encouraged in the church I'm now forced to go to, and that's NOT good. It always comes crashing down. What I mean by prophet personality is that I'm extremely conscience of other's sins and such and want to tell them about it. It also comes with Fire and Brimstone preaching. I know it's all about love, but this stupid 'prophet personality' gets in the way. It needs to go. It's doing wayyyy more harm than good to me and to others. Sad thing is, I don't know how to get rid of it. I wanted out of the church that I'm going to, to go to a church that emphasizes love more--like they should, but my dad forces me to go to the "independant fundamental baptist" church I go to now. Sad thing is, I'm very much so opposed to denominations. As Paul said,"Is Christ divided??" So basically, I don't know how to get rid of this... any suggestions?
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Wade, Brother,
If you figure out how to get rid of it before God does what he put me through to stop that character quality in me, let me know. The book would make a mint. I have had people in my church's tell me that I am more of an Elijah in my personality than I am a Paul. I believe this was their polite way of saying the same thing. My problem was being saved and it being from out of the depths of sin. I was overly conscious of the debt that I owed, which Christ paid. When I started studying for the ministry I was appalled by the lackadaisical of the "Christians" with me in Bible College who had grown up in the church as Pastor's kids or Missionary kids or just strong Christian families. Many of them were less moral than many of the guys I knew in the Rangers. And these guys had the motto: "If you kill for pleasure, you're a sadist. If you kill for money, you're a mercenary. If you kill for both, you're a Ranger.
Taking my first Pastorate when I was still a sophomore in Bible College didn't help matters. I figured that God had put me through all the things I had gone through up until then to make me strong enough to stand up to the deacons and accuse them of their sins and worldly practices. I didn't believe in what I would call today Christian tact, I applied Military tact, which is defined as, "Being able to tell someone to go to Hell and have them be happy to be on their way." Not exactly the example of Christ, I know. You need to get a handle on this as soon as you can or your ministry will die on the vine before it is even planted.
One thing I would suggest is to stop before you say something and think about how you would react if someone said to you what you are about to say in the manner you were going to say it in. If that doesn't work ask yourself is this how Christ would have handled it? Now I'm not talking WWJD here. Jesus knew when righteous anger was not only called for, but He used it as well. But then, He was righteous in all things including His anger.
I had to tell a Pastor that I had once respected, and who was also the President of a local Seminary that he was sinning in the way he was running his church. I laid it out for him chapter and verse from the Scriptures what he was doing and encouraging that was sin. When he answered me and replied, "I'm the Pastor of one of the largest ministries in the area. We have over a million dollar a year budget. I would say that this is proof enough to show that I am doing what God wants me to do. You only have a ministry here because I let you." I quoted James 3:1 "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment." to him and told him that as the Senior Pastor he would answer to God for all the error he was allowing into the church, and that because he was egotistical enough to insist that the Pastoral Studies program be run as his example did, that God's judgment on him was going to be swift and a terrible thing.
Within 3 months I got word that he had been diagnosed as having brain cancer. The first symptom was that he lost his ability to speak. He was a popular man because he was such a charismatic speaker, so God took that first. At this point I was pressed in my spirit to go and see him in the Hospital and remind him that God could stay the judgment if he would repent. Till the day I die I will regret that I disobeyed that clear leading of the Holy Spirit because I was too proud and took offense at what he had said about me. That comes to mind every time I feel like I need to speak to someone about their problem with sin. I haven't been called an Elijah since that day, but the Lord has increased my ministry above and beyond what I ever thought it could be. This Forum is just icing on a cake I can't eat.
Don't let the same thing have to happen to you, brother. Remember the words, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will. . ."
Don M