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Jeff Honeycutt

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Jeff Honeycutt

September 8, 2021 1:52 pm

Recently I had a situation where I did what I believed God would have me do as a Pastor. In fact I have had many of these situations where I have done precisely what I knew I was supposed to do yet "C... View MoreRecently I had a situation where I did what I believed God would have me do as a Pastor. In fact I have had many of these situations where I have done precisely what I knew I was supposed to do yet "Christians" attacked, gossiped and spread lies about me, our Church etc. This is usually done to make everyone else believe they were the "Saint" in the situation, when Quite opposite is the truth. In fact the spirit behind it is about manipulation NOT Truth. Some of these have led to destroyed relationships, pulling others away through the gossip and lies told. These situations are satans playground and the very things God's Word warns us about. I have had to grow and learn from all of this behavior that happens in ministry. BUT, what I have learned is Jesus, Paul, Peter, John and all the mighty leaders God called and anointed for His purpose experienced these same things. Loss of "Friends" " Family" etc. THIS is why I have to really stay in my prayer closet and listen to my Father. Supposed Christian or Church people can be some of the most viscious people on the planet. But I believe Today, these simply are instances where satan means it for harm, but God uses it for good and proves to us that HIS WORD (ROMANS 8:28) is True and makes a liar out of the accusers. It is hard NOT to Lash back when people are slandering, lying, gossiping and doing everything they can to destroy you, your family and the ministry God called you to. But as I told a Pastor several years ago who vowed to "destroy me and my ministry," I told him to "Go ahead, do what you think your going to do, it is Not MY Ministry to begin with, IT IS HIS." What I was saying was "Go ahead because you will be fighting God Himself who called me for HIS Purpose." Truthfully, when I said that, I didn't even realize the extent of Truth of all of what I said. But over the years, I have seen this play out and each time it has, my Father has proven to me that what He says about drawing close to him and keeping our eyes on Him is True. And it is also True that He Will Fight our battles against those who operate in an evil realm against those He calls IF we remain Faithful and Obedient to Him. Because We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. 2 Corinthians 10:3‭-‬6 NLT Today's devotion reminds me of these situations and how God uses them to grow and mature our Faith. Pastor Jeff Honeycutt Outlaw Preacher DAILY DEVOTIONAL – SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 Maturity in Our Faith By David Wilkerson (1931-2011) Paul warned the Ephesians, “We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14, NKJV). You may think, “This verse doesn’t apply to me. My foundation is biblically solid. I’m not taken in by all the new gospel fads and frivolous gimmicks that are distracting people from Christ. I’m rooted and grounded in God’s Word.” However, listen to the rest of Paul’s verse: “…carried about… by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14). Perhaps you can’t be fazed by false doctrine. Paul says you could still be carried away by a whole other matter. He’s asking, “Are you tossed about by the evil plans of those who oppose you?” Paul’s message calls us to examine ourselves yet again. How do we react to people who call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ yet spread falsehoods about us? When Paul commands, “Be no more children,” he’s telling us, “Those enemies of yours — the ones who use gossip and slander, fraud and manipulation, cunning and craftiness, deception and underhandedness — I tell you, they’re all rebellious children. They’re devious and spoiled. They haven’t allowed God’s grace to do a work in them. Don’t fall for their wicked, childish games. They want you to react to their meanness as a child would, but you are not to answer them with childishness.” In the next verse, Paul urges us to move on to maturity. “Speaking the truth in love, [you] may grow up in all things into him who is the head — Christ — from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). You can’t help the slights you receive, the hurts done to you, the gossip spoken against you, the fraud and deception aimed at you. However, you can use these things to grow in grace. View them as opportunities to become more Christlike. Respond softly with a meek spirit. Forgive those who spitefully use you.

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