Response

Once again, unintentionally and through not a shadow of forethought that my words would possibly do so, I’ve opened up a can of worms with the previous installment of the teaching on 1 Peter.

Since I believe that to a certain degree I was misunderstood in what I was trying to put forth, I will, in this post, include the comments I’ve received, the selfsame ones I am referring to, and then respond to them in kind.

 First Comment:

Brother, it's hard to grasp your statement that ends with 'so what?'. What about the angel's admonishment last year in the dream where you saw blood dripping from the US flag?

He said "for a vessel to fulfill its task, substance must be poured into it, then that SAME substance must be poured out. If it is never poured out, it will overflow being of use to no one...When a vessel is chosen it is an honor...be faithful in completing your task and share WHAT IS GIVEN YOU without delay."

How can your blog remain honorable with such disrespect to God's plans and purposes for YOU? I can't take your place, because God didn't give me what He gave you. It should be simple: If God only wanted you to speak in general terms you would have NEVER had one dream or vision with an angel personally telling and showing you anything that pertains to a mass of people you don't know. 

My Response:

I do not take lightly the calling to which I have been called, and I have been faithful in delivering every message I’ve been given as it was given, without attempt to water down, dilute, or whitewash the difficult ones. Once the message is delivered, however, my task is done, and it would be unseemly of me to trumpet my involvement in the message itself, even attempting to overshadow the message by constantly attempting to highlight the messenger.

Anyone willing to do an ounce of due diligence will soon back track the message to its source and see who delivered it first, if this is their desire or inclination, but I don’t have to promote myself, or point it out incessantly.

To me, continually telling anyone and everyone that it was our ministry who said something first is a distasteful sort of self-promotion that I’m just not comfortable engaging in and that I believe becomes detrimental to the overall message.

As I said, if someone wants to know who said what and when, there are ways of finding it out, without me beating my chest, and pointing to it.

What matters, what is of import, is the message, and not the messenger.

Like it or not, messengers come and go, some go to their reward, others are not given a fresh word, others still fall by the wayside being beguiled by the spoils of this present world, but God will always have His chosen vessels through whim He will deliver the necessary word.

I cannot think of myself as indispensable. I am a servant, a slave; an expendable tool in the hands of the Master, who must submit to the Master’s in order to remain in the Master’s service.

I am not the apple of God’s eye, I do not consider myself on even footing with Christ, I am a soul plucked from the depths of darkness and brought into the wondrous light of His grace, through no merit of my own.

Second Comment:

I will remain anonymous, because apparently you think it entirely unimportant as to WHO said something with your "Do I get a cookie?" comment. I wonder, would the New Testament be so accepted if no one knew any of the authors? What if the author of ALL of the New Testament epistles were anonymous? What if ALL of the Gospel accounts were anonymous? There are people today who would not hesitate to be in your position of receiving genuine visitations through dreams and otherwise, not to stand in their own name but to proclaim what they were given to proclaim. But you? You have the audacity to proclaim to all who hear, "Me? I am no one, and the messages given to me supernaturally are a burden and really not special." 

My Response:  

Again, I have no issue with stating that yes, I was given a certain message, and that I delivered it. It is the constant beating of the ‘me’ drum that I have a problem with. I don’t sign anything I write ‘anonymous’ I sign my name to everything, because in this way I am responsible and accountable for the words I’ve written and the messages I’ve delivered.

However, I’ve known men who have made careers, and have banked serious coin by assigning themselves titles such as ‘prophets’ and with the title came also the expectation of being treated in a different manner than any other brother or sister in Christ.

I’m sorry if it offends, but the thought of being treated differently, or seeing myself as somehow superior for having been chosen for a specific task is something I cannot abide.

I am no one, He is all, and try as I might I never did find myself saying that the messages are a burden and really not special. It’s the messenger that isn’t special. The messages, well they’re coming to pass before our very eyes.  

Third Comment: 

To me obedience is born out of Christ formed in us, Heb5.8. It is through our ongoing love relationship with Him.

Dear bro in Christ, just for accuracy sake, both Abraham and Moses had countered, negotiated, INTERCEDED, etc. with God over commands God gave them. 

My Response: 

Abraham and Moses did negotiate, counter, and intercede, when it had to do with other individuals, or when God said He would do a certain thing. They never attempted to negotiate when given a specific task, or commanded to do a specific thing.

God commanded Abraham to take Isaac and offer him, and Abraham did not contend, or attempt to change God’s mind. He followed through with what God commanded until the angel of the Lord stopped Him.

Moses did not obey in full what the Lord commanded him to do, and for this he was not granted to enter the Promised Land.

There is a marked difference between God commanding us as individuals, and God proclaiming some event concerning which we can pray and intercede.

I was referring to the former rather than the latter, such as when God gives you a command, you ought to do what He commands without delay or attempt at negotiation. Hope that clears it up.  

And with this small intermission, we will soon continue our journey into 1 Peter, and see what other hornet’s nests we might inadvertently upturn. May God bless and keep you in all your ways.