Confessions of a Busybody

I had always thought being a busybody meant that you were a gossiper, talking about other people.  That understanding is also consistent with Scripture.

"For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies." II Thessalonians 3:11

"And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." I Timothy 5:13

busybodies: Greek word periergazomai meaning to bustle about uselessly, to busy one's self about trifling, needless, useless matters; used apparently of a person officiously inquisitive about other's affairs

busybodies: Greek word periergos meaning busy about trifles and neglectful of important matters; esp. busy about other folks' affairs

Gossiping about others was not my problem; in fact, I make it a point to stay out of such conversations. However, that is not the only meaning of the word. I recently came across a slightly different understanding where I have to admit I was a real offender.

Who is the God of Your Ministry?

The Relationship Idol 

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Ephesians 4:11-12

ministry: Greek word diakonia meaning service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others; of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote the Gospel among men.

Every single believer in Christ Jesus is to do the work of the ministry.  However, notice that the word "ministry" in the text above is singular.  In God's eyes, there are different callings and distinctive works supporting each calling, but there is still only one ministry. The only valid ministry is that which has been birthed by command of God, coming from His calling and being empowered by His Spirit to do one thing: proclaim and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I don't care if there is a "ministry" on how to clean your house, how to make money in your business, how to manage finances, taking care of the homeless, how to raise children, how to be a strong woman, how to find a spouse...if it is not primarily focused on the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is not a ministry inspired or recognized by God. The Body of Christ has many needs which God equips the Church to meet, but the focus is always Christ.

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24

Please hear me.  Ministry is not a word you can just slap on to something for which you think you have a gift. It is not a platform for making money or developing a following; neither does calling something a "ministry" automatically make it a work of God. The essence of ministry is NOT that you are doing something for Christ, but that Christ is at the center of what you do.

Women's Empowerment

Being Teachers of "Good Things"

I have been seeing a lot of "Christian" meetings focusing on the "Women of God", "Women's Destiny" or the more common phrase, "Women's Empowerment".

empowerment: the giving or delegation of power or authority; authorize, especially by legal or official means; to enable or permit; warrant, commission, license, qualify. the giving of an ability.

My initial thoughts were, "Where are the men's empowerment sessions? Where are the children's empowerment sessions? Why are women being singled out so often for empowerment? Who is empowering them and what are they being empowered to do?"

The closest word to empowerment in Scripture that I could find is the following:

power: Greek word exousia meaning power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; physical and mental power; the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege); the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed)

Now, Every Day is Freaky

As I indicated previously, I am compiling and amplifying posts from this blog into book format in preparation for the time when this blog is no longer available.

There is one book in particular which has taken quite some time to compile because the Lord continues to show me that the topic is deeper than I had previously documented.  That book is, "Turning the World Upside Down: The Spirit of Homosexuality and the Last Days."

As I worked on the book, I was reminded of a movie I saw as a child called Freaky Friday.  It was about a Mom and her daughter who switched places spiritually, although each still looked the same on the outside.  The Mom still looked outwardly like the Mom; and the daughter still looked outwardly like the daughter.  Yet, on the inside, they had switched roles.

This is what happened in the Garden of Eden when Adam & Eve fell into sin.  They switched roles: Adam became the submissive one and Eve became the authority.  This upside down perversion - where a man becomes inwardly like a woman and vice versa - is the root of the homosexual spirit.

Everybody's Not Playing

I remember years ago, shortly after I first got saved, I attended a church service where we were singing praise and worship.  I lifted my hands and head, closed my eyes, and tried to look spiritual. Why? Because I wanted to look like everyone else...or at least what everyone else looked like to me.

I remained that way for a while after the song ended, and when I finally opened my eyes, one of the sisters in the church was looking at me quizzically.  She asked, "Where were you?"

"I don't know." I responded in an aggravated tone, "Where were you?"  I have to admit that I didn't appreciate her calling me out like that.  Why would she ask me that when I was doing exactly what everyone else was doing?  Wasn't this what we were all supposed to do anyway? Was I just not doing it right? That is when I realized, "Not everybody is playing."

See, I thought you got saved in order to become religious.  You came to Jesus, acknowledged that sin is wrong (which is not the same as repentance by the way), joined a church, and tried to live as a good person.  Nobody was really changed.  Nobody could really know the Lord, let alone hear Him speak directly to them.  Nobody could really overcome sin.  God knows we are flawed human beings and all that He expects is that we try our best to do what is right.  Aren't we all just trying our best to do right?

And Adam Was NOT Deceived

"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." I Timothy 2:14

Have you ever wondered about this verse?  I have. When I first read it, I am sure my physical expression looked dumbfounded.  What in the world did it mean?

Didn't both Adam & Eve disobey God?  Yes.

Didn't they both eat of the forbidden fruit? Yes.

Didn't they both fall into sin?  Yes.

Then what distinction was God making here?

deceived: Greek word apataō meaning cheated, beguiled, deceived

Satan subtly tricked Eve into believing that his words were true.

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty..." Corinthians 11:3a

Yet Adam, who was with her, was not deceived (Genesis 3:6).  He knew that Satan was perverting God's words and knew that Satan's words were lies.

So that begs the question, why didn't Adam correct & stop Eve?  Why also did he partake of the forbidden fruit?  Knowing fully that such would bring death, why would Adam choose to follow Eve's error?  The answer is clear in God's judgement.