question of pride vs faith

[EagercoG]

We all know pride is an ugly monster. This is one of my biggest problems, personally. I go to a very small church, I've been going for about 3 years now. You can see when someone is hurting and in need of intercession prayer. When I see that the first thing I do is pray to God for His will to be done in their lives and whatever is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Now some times when it is an elder or leader, of course, I follow the same suit. But sometimes I wish I could just grab their hand and pull them up to the alter. Not to bring shame to them. But to show them no matter how far you've come we are 1 a body for a reason. 2. I don't believe we should care whether someone is judging us or not.

I've always been very self conscious. But I remember when my need for Him was greater than being self conscious. For me, this is when He seems to move. I do understand when getting to a leadership role we should be able to seek Him in prayer and in His Word. But why can't leaders have the same comfort of going up to the alter?

I understand the world's view of being a leader, is not needing help, but to help. But if we are living by the worlds view aren't we doing something wrong? We are all members of one body. Are we not there to help each other? Jesus is the head. If your leg was hurt would not the hand help? And if you truly are a leader in the body of Christ would you not be humble enough to seek help? I do understand sometimes we are just to wait to hear from God. When we are in need of patience.

Besides all the other questions I posed. Is this a question of pride or a question of faith? Pride-not wanting others to see you still have work to do, as a leader. Or faith-knowing God always comes through and to not despair?

 

[Brighthouse]

A very good question,and a most excellent point Sister EagercoG! Two points I wish to share with you to consider.1. Our faith and belief, lies greatly upon the support of our body of Christ. MOST TRUE!!! As any leader, in any body of Christ,the leader is to remind herself,or himself,of who he or she truly is!A servant to all in that body of Christ. Many younger believers would be greatly encouraged to see a leader in there church come to the alter as they themselves dthers in the church may also lose respect for that leader wondering why he or she has such a need?

For they are above me,how can they teach me,if they themselves seek a need which I myself seek? Hence the problem for the leader. it is not that they are afraid,but as a more mature person in the word,they wish to be a good and proper example to others in there body of Christ.Here is such an example from the Word of God to help many in this sis.( Acts 9:36-43) Look at verse 40!! Why did Peter send the rest away?? It was not done to give him any glory!LOL It was not done because they were less then he was!He did this because the power of God was not believed by the rest of them.

He did this to show how a mature believer has true belief in our Lord Jesus. Peter learned as many of us learn, what coming to the cross really means,the sacrifice we make to the cross, is not just being before the cross,but rather a picking up of that cross upon our lives,to love,and extend God's whole grace upon so many. Rather then telling them a hurtful thing like you just do not have enough faith in this to join me,he sent them out,so that the action he was about to take in Christ Jesus,they themselves would learn as he did,how to follow in Jesus. As we learn sis!

So please do not be to harsh upon a leader in your church.They have a purpose in not only there words,but also in there action by those words.2.To the leader of any body of Christ,they themselves must make sure others do not think, they think more highly of themselves as they ought to ever think!( Rom 12:3-8!!) Those who may not yet have the same gifts as they have in Christ Jesus are no lower then they!They mean just as much,and all are loved the very same! The leader needs to always present this in there own life to others as well.

The alter of God can be looked upon by many as meaning something,and to others a much different meaning,as you well know sis. I remember a small boy dropped a mirror in his bedroom,mom was cleaning it,and the boy said to the mother,look mom can you see?? The mirror has fallen and I can see myself in it.Mom said son, from where I am i cannot see,from my perspective. Meaning from the boy's view, he could see himself,but from where the mom was she could not.

Many times the people in the body look at things from a much different perspective, then the leaders do.But the leader is to move from his or her perspective, to the brother of sister who has need of there view to be looked at, from where they presently are in! By doing this,the leader of the body does two things.1.He or she shows the concern of another in need,and 2.He shows the one in need, that he or she can see from there perspective as well.This brings great comfort to the one in need,and assurance of what each is hoping for in Christ Jesus.( hebrews 11:1) For the conviction of things not seen, are seen by each,because each is looking at the need from the same viewpoint.

So Jesus can receive the same glory by each. The one who needs comfort and peace,and the sender to that comfort and peace.Jesus in each person! For many times the one who is looking to meet the need of the other finds out they themselves had a need as well. And so both are truly blessed by the action of both! The Love of God extends to both, for both! This comes with the promise God himself made to all of us sis!! Praise God!!!( matt 18:19-20) I hope from this perspective that you can understand. As we mature and grow,we learn from Holy Spirit( 1 john 2:27) How we are to grow in Him.Look at this example.( 1 Sam 17:32-36) David was told because he was so young he could never go up against a Goliath!LOL But David knew something from his view Saul did not know! Now read verse 37! What we learn sis!!

And since we know this to be true in our own lives,no glory will God ever share with anyone!( Isaiah 42:8, and Isaiah 48:11!!) But God also has purpose in this as well!! To confirm HIS WORD!!! Not our word! For it is only by and through God's words we have in the bible that he moves to rescue us!!( psalms 138:2) Jesus himself a wonderful example of this.(Matt 4) 3 times he spoke the Word to the devil. So there is also great purpose in us using HIS WORD upon what we ourself have need of. As David did,as Jesus did,and as his very children do! Thanks so very much for all the hard work, of holding the cross of love from our Jesus sister!! I see Jesus so strong in you!!!Praise God! 1 cor 1:4-9!!!! And remember this!! Ephesians 3:14-21!!!!!)God bless you sis!

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Besides all the other questions I posed. Is this a question of pride or a question of faith? Pride-not wanting others to see you still have work to do, as a leader. Or faith-knowing God always comes through and to not despair?

In weakness or strength?
I think you have hit upon a paradigm rather than a question.
It's almost like asking if we should preach meat or milk and of course both are needed.
Milk can be mundane for the mature but meat can be hard for the novice's brain to digest and cause uncertainty.
Also the milk causes less controversy but one can only mature so much on it.

It could be one or the other depending upon the input of other factors because as you point out there are positive and negative effects and consequences with either path.

To use to much strength an never let your kinks show seems insincere because we see that in the world.
Also when a strong man falls it damages those who placed their faith in him.On the other hand those who are weak will listen more intently to a strong preacher and gain strength through osmosis.

I like to see "mature novices" preach to "new converts" because some odd things happen when you are no longer a novice
We battle with different elements at different levels of maturity and as I remember when I was new to the word I didn't need wise sayings or cryptic mysteries to ponder because I had real life issue that brought me to seek God and what I really needed was someone who was simply on fire for God.

So I think the novice who has attained a good working knowledge of the good news and is fired up in the things of God and has stood in faith and has a few victories under their belt are very powerful game changers.
It's kind of like sports were the young and strong with a fresh outlook can surpass more wise and seasoned veterans with accumulated injuries and memories of both failures and victories.

I got the fire of God 23 years ago and I get fired up talking to fired up novices by osmosis and hopefully I can lead them to a clearer understanding of the word and plan of God without dowsing their intensity.Talking to mature Christians who are not on fire is to me burdensome and really boring.
So whether novice or mature it's the fire that ministers not us.