This simple prayer has caused a dramatic change in almost all areas of my life. Many of the strongholds that have been broken in my life because of that prayer have caused me great pain as I let go of beliefs and patterns and 'soap boxes' that had previously been the very foundation of my life. It has also caused me to disagree with a lot that's adhered to by many of my Christian friends and the organized religious church.
My family and I attended church for over 20 years, tithed faithfully, never missed a service, worked in the nursery, attended the prayer meetings, etc. We were involved and considered one of the hard-working families of any church we attended. My husband and I were in 'leadership.' I followed all the rules and believed everything the pastor preached.
And then I prayed this prayer.
Today, I shudder when I hear 'church people' express the very things I used to believe.
Yesterday a friend of mine made a statement that usually wouldn't bother me. I've heard these kind of criticisms before and just brushed it off. But for some reason, this one got under my skin and hurt me. Something that I believe in because of my faith and leading of the Holy Spirit was called, "Stupid!!!!!!" by a Christian friend. So contrary to my usual actions, I addressed it. Not the difference in opinion - just being called, "stupid."
I know that I have in the past had the same attitude of seeing someone do something that I disagree with and immediately jumping to judgment. And so for that reason, it's easy for me to not take offense. But that doesn't change the fact that there are so many beliefs in the Body of Christ that are in agreement with the media and the world and not necessarily in agreement with the Word of God. And Christians, sometimes even more than other groups, seem to feel they've reached a place of superiority and are comfortable making their 'judgments' on others.
So I would ask you to pray this simple prayer. "Father God, please remove all deception from my heart and mind." I'd like to warn you that you may in for a roller-coaster ride but God is perfect in His timing and His dealings with all our hearts. He knows us better than we know ourselves and knows best how to change us from glory unto glory unto glory. He is Faithful and True. And I'm so very thankful that He continues to answer this simple prayer.
love and blessings~
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy , they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly , but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13
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