Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!
Okay, I have a confession to make. I was once one of the harshest critics of those online social networking sites. MySpace, Facebook and the like were just places to be idle and expose yourself to the devil's folly in my mind. That is until one of the saints asked me to join her page.
WELL I must say that Facebook has opened doors for me to reconnect with so many wonderful saints of God! We are having a 'lovefest' online! I am finding so much encouragement, exhortation, prayer and just plain old fellowship. So I take my criticisms back -- at least in this instance! I can say that Facebook has been a blessing to me. One extreme blessing has been to reconnect with a wonderful woman of God, Pastor Lisa Alexander. She and her husband Sr. Pastor Elgin Alexander moved to Texas from California some year ago. They are now the pastors of Zion Tabernacle Christian Church in Houston, Texas. I have been so impressed with the wisdom that she shares -- especially the ministry that she and her husband give to new pastors. Because of this I have asked her to be our Chosen Women Guest Blogger for July. Please receive the ministry of Pastor Lisa Alexander as she shares, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours . . . well maybe!"
In Service for the Master,
EVANGELIST LISA Y. MITCHELL
Founder, Chosen Women, Inc.
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I’ll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours . . . Well Maybe
Vulnerability, full disclosure, exposure; these can be frightening words to the born again Christian. We have been convinced to believe it is better to suffer in silence, endure our private hells rather than become vulnerable, share our heart or expose our weaknesses. Why? Because past experiences taught us that people use those very things we shared in confidence to wound us, so we end up worshiping with the walking wounded Sunday after Sunday. But can I share with you from the Father’s heart regarding this matter?
In James 5: 16 the apostle tells us to confess our faults, pray for one another so that we can be healed. Then the latter part of that same scripture goes on to tell us that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous avails much.
Holy Spirit reveals that fear is what keeps us from acting on God's Word. We fear being rejected, we fear being ridiculed, we fear being looked down upon, we fear being judged, we fear we'll be seen as less anointed and fear that as soon as we exposed ourselves our business is going on Twitter's home page.
Scripture says that perfect love casts out all fear and here lies the problem. We have not experienced pure agape as described in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul writes that love bears all things, hopes all things and endures all things. This love rejoices only in the truth and expects only the best. Some Christians have no idea what it is to be loved in this way by those called their brothers and sisters in Christ.
But today I assure you this is of great concern to the Savior.
Know that God wants you healed and this exposure is the remedy for hurt areas. Confession to someone who loves you like Christ does brings about healing. You don’t have to maintain a façade; you can be healed.
When I experienced this type of love it completely blew my mind. I would go to my spiritual mentor and reveal my hurt and was amazed that this woman still loved me. She did not think any less of me, my anointing was not diminished and she still saw me as the woman of God she had always known. Exposing those weak areas has brought about healing just as God’s word declared it would. This relationship is absolutely priceless and needed!
My prayer for you today is that you walk in complete wholeness and healing. Know that the Father has a person ordained to you to receive your confession and love and pray you into your healing. I pray that your heart be made ready to receive them when they are revealed. Sometimes hurt folk reject the very help that God sends. I pray you allow yourself to trust God’s process again. Your healing is in your exposure and your willingness to become vulnerable in the presence of the one He sends to you. If you don’t have a person like this in your life, put it at the top of your prayer list; the Father is faithful to answer.
Declaring your healing,
Pastor Lisa Alexander
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