Dear Friend,

There is a two-fold benefit in our walk with the Lord! We get the benefit of being blessed and being built. I have discovered that allowing the building brings the blessing. In our series on Building, let us look at a common state in need of experiencing the building process.

We don't have to chase God's favor to experience it. It will chase us down at times! Often His favor does not appear to be friendly though. It often comes in ways we don't expect. The Lord's favor may place us in a situation that will position us for our future. These situations may also be the training ground for the event that brings us into fruitfulness for His purpose to be revealed. If we are not careful, we will fight with God rather than flow with Him. We begin with building then the blessing. Building is internal. Blessing is often the fruit of being built.

Success and failure are not to be measured by the outcome of each event in our lives. Measuring in this manner will only bring us a myriad of emotional highs and lows. Success should rather be measured by the course of our life. It is whether we are transformed into the image of Christ or not. Are we bearing the fruit of that transformation?

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 'Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"  Matthew 7:15-23

My friend, the enemy wants us to be conformed to the world and its way of thinking. The world holds gifting above character, but the kingdom is focused on character above the gift. Integrity is what makes concrete or steel maintain its strength of character under great pressure. In this passage, the prophet is not false due to the lack of a gifting. It is bad character that is never humbled to become good. Lawlessness means "the state of being unrestrained". Uncontrolled behavior must be crucified. How can we come so close to his glory and be unchanged?

I read a marquee in front of a church the other day that read, "Pretending to be perfect keeps us from being real." We often hide behind masks that do not allow who we are to be seen by others. This is showing one type of fruit when we actually bear another. Thus the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing.

Fear of judgment because of our imperfections causes us to hide behind perfect masks. The problem with these masks is that they produce hypocrisy. What we pretend to be is seen but our true motives are hidden in pretense. Double-standards are the result. We expect one thing from others but excuse ourselves from the same standard. Jesus accused the Pharisees of this very attitude and action.

"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." Matthew 24:11-12

We each have the potential for error. All it takes is for our love to grow cold. We can operate in the gifts of God and cherish honor, position, title, or credit over the love and compassion given to us by the Holy Spirit. We can be affected by hurts, disappointments, rejections, misunderstandings, and many other such things. We must choose being real and exposing our hearts to God for healing. We must choose the way of the Spirit. Any other method is of the flesh.

In our misguided attempts for perfection, we judge ourselves when observing the lives of others. The command is to be mature or thoroughly equipped. The key is to no longer compare one's self to others. In regard to function, relationship, expression, calling, anointing or personality none are the same. Build who you are in Christ rather than trying to build yourself in another's image. Be the expression of Christ you were designed to be.

"For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2 Corinthians 10:12

Due to the unconsciousness often associated with masks, removing them is a process. It is a work needing to be done by the Spirit of God. Although, we do need to make decisions to change as we are made aware of the need. God must build us in the areas of the weaknesses that we are hiding. As we are healed and delivered in these areas, we have no need for hiding being "real". Masks fall away when we get face to face with God and allow Him to build us into His image. Let us face the One who wants to help the one behind the mask.

"By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life." Proverbs 22:4

Until we meet again, we are...


Reaching for Heaven & Touching the Nations,

 
Bret A.Wade