Encouragement

When the Body of Christ Brings Heaven to Earth

by Honey Stone
09/21/17
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Difficult People
People can be challenging and particularly those who are very different from our temperament. Not everyone is filled with the Spirit every moment of every day. We have our off moments and our off days. Stress and a lack of sleep can bring out our negative traits as can hunger. The degree to which we have had deliverance and inner healing affects our spiritual health as well. The depthe of our intimacy with God determines our spiriatual maturity.

We can look at another’s sin or weakness and think that would never happen to us and probably so, but then what about ours?

Our New Nature and New Family
Yes, we know our flaws as our family members may have brutally pointed out. It is the ones who know us the longest who can sometimes get us the most upset depending on how vulnerable we currently are with them.

Our true family – mature and whole Christian leaders and community members – can speak firmly yet gently into our situations. These are the ones who point us toward looking at our new nature and not getting stuck on our old man/woman.

Spiritual Maturity
I have studied the motivational spiritual gifts and the Myers-Briggs temperaments quite a bit. I suppose it is because I have a temperament that has a bent toward understanding others. It’s fascinating that I can figure out somebody’s gift or temperament much easier when a person is spiritually immature.

For example, those with the gift of administration can be outrageously bossy if they are wounded and/or immature. They are just trying to get the task done and can be arrogant and pushy. Should that same person be led by the Spirit and get plenty of healing than emotional intelligence would blend in with their efficiency and make them quite Heavenly to deal with. That’s how Kingdom people bring Heavenly on Earth. The holy qualities of God mold our gifts and temperaments so they are pure and loving.

Temperament = Brain Preference Styles
Some personalities can think on their feet and others need time to process. Some are super creative and others are on ultra efficient end of the spectrum. Most are practical but some are theoretical. Some prefer logic and other find it easy to tap into their emotions. Some are aware of others but they may not be aware of themselves. Some are self-aware and understand others as related to themselves. Some are in the moment and others are in the future and yet some focus on tradition. Some are cautious and others are into pioneering. 

Only the Spirit can temper our temperament and inspire our gifts to where they function well.

The Master Painter
In the artist’s color wheel, the colors close to each other are more harmonious but the colors on the opposite side (the complementary) make for a more complex yet beautiful picture. As you can guess, it takes more artistic skill to mix the complex colors together. That takes a Master painter and that perseverance and time.

It is easy for people of a similar gifting or temperament to get along because they understand each other better.  We can agree that unity is the most important thing in the church but only if we are agreeing on the vision that God has given for the group aas well as the individual. Plus our definition of unity should not be uniformity.

Think Differently Like Apple Computers
Artists can be a rebellious lot but godly ones who want to grow are trying to discover their own style and that would mean that have to learn how to be double-different. This means different from the world and unique from everybody. 

Not everybody wants to grow or heal. This requires change, effort, humility, new mind-sets, a change of heart, and pain. This also includes tranformational beauty, inheritance, abundance and increased intimacy with God. We all have a choice and can stop at any time.

Kingdom First = God First
Let’s align ourselves with the right people who will help us to be our best. More importantly, let's seek first the Kingdom…