'Teacher,' said John, 'we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.' 'Do not stop him,' Jesus said. 'No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly be rewarded. Mark 9:38-41
Over the years I have seen men of God take verses out of context and use them as an excuse for treating people without love. I have witnessed cruel shunning, telling others not to have fellowship with someone who claims to be Christian, all for man's control or administration of religious acts and services done from logic, reasoning, understanding and not in yeilding to the power of the Holy Spirit and even using the gifts of the Holy Spirit without love. The 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians was put between the 12th and 14th, ( I believe ) because God wanted us to really understand nothing is to be done without the unfeigned love and mercy poured out through the death of Jesus and His shed blood for our redemption. I have seen with my eyes, denominations use this scripture:
1 Cor 14:38 But if anyone disregards {or} does not recognize [that it is a command of the Lord],
He is disregarded {and} not recognized [he is one whom God knows not].
I have even heard of leaders of churches telling congregations to not speak out unless you ask the pastor's permission and tell him the message first. Recently a Pastor went about to tell at least seven people who were coming to me for love and sharing, to not have anything to do with me. Each of us is given a portion of God's Spirit and gifts to use to build up the body of Christ. 1 Cor 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit. the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good {and} profit.
We are not to assume administration control to the point we grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. In my case I am thankful God has made it clear to me in His word, that I am to believe a "different way." If you walk in love, and pour yourself out in love, God will always show you in the silence of your heart and devotion to Jesus, where to go to church where God will have people love and nourish you and build you up in the most Holy faith.
Some church leaderships will in a convicting tone tell the people that for at least six weeks (in their denomination) they want no speaking out, no praying with people in the body, no singing and no sharing because after all, and they use this scripture taken out of context: everything must be done in decency and in order; when in all truth, not in love, this condemnation drives saints of God right out of church. You need to know when someone is operating in control issues and not in truth. If the rest of the church is told to avoid you, and they turn around on the street when they see you walking down the same sidewalk...be quiet and trust yourself to God and remember, 1 Cor 12:20 And now there are [certainly] many limbs {and} organs, but a single body.
1 Cor 12:21 And the eye is not able to say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
God has a place where you will be loved and nourished. I would challenge some of you to think about a time in your life you wish someone would have given you an understanding about how or why a church or Christian you knew treated you or shunned you in a way not according to the love of God. After the love chapter...bring the subject back to the gifts..love is again the force and reason for the gifts...Cor 14:1 EAGERLY PURSUE {and} seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest];
And earnestly desire {and} cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).
Jesus said. 'No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Because ...LOVE is not self-seeking; it is not touchy {or} fretful {or} resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
You hold your head up, continue to love, be still, watch and wait, and trust in your God to lead you. A fire goes out with no one putting coals on it. Bless those who persecute you and do good to those who sin against you.
IF you do not pay outward attention in your flesh at all to the hurt of it, to the rejection of it, to the shunning and to the insulting, and you refuse to enter into discussions with those who take up sides; then you fulfill the law of love in which Jesus said above, whoever is not against us is for us, so shake off the shunning" shake it off and walk in that love and peace of which you are called, and do not join them in their slander, and gossip.
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