#3 Perspective: Personalities.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Part#3 of 4.
TEXT:
Philippians 3:3 ... and have no confidence in the flesh."
Matthew 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.
We are pondering perspectives or view points and how these perspectives influence our spiritual walk.
We have addressed the perspectives that
"#1Creative use of conflict,"
and that we must develop
"#2 Perspectives that come from a worm’s view."
Now I feel compelled to look at Perspectives and Personalities.
We have the tendencies that we are drawn (or repelled) by a particular personality.
We all develop complex characteristics and behavior that distinguish our perspectives.
Perhaps we could call this a "cast of mind."
We love stars, movie stars, sport stars, religious personalities.
We love a product that is product for selling, not reality.
We look for the "Rich and the Famous."
We like performers. Where are the publicized?
How about the preeminent?
We want only the polished, the outstanding, the excellent.
We measure success by possessions and dignity and rank.
We have developed such competitive spirits that we want to dominant the spot light.
The applause and laughter of man become goals.
Lord give us some stars? Gospel entertainers?
We want to travel to places of delight and see the professional personalities glimmer.
We want to read books of our heroes of the past that almost induct them in the Hall of the Saints.
There is a cry today for great personalities and showmanship.
There are many ministries and singing groups that have forgotten they are servants of the Most High.
I call this rainbow chasing.
This is a call for the Land of Oz.
Water slides, great buildings, and TV Studio’s, great cathedrals abound?
There arises a cry for monuments to the stars?
Paul warns about those that glory in the flesh.
In Philippians 3:3 Paul says: "... and have no confidence in the flesh."
There arises a cry for personalities.
I stood on a customized bus for singers to travel.
I asked the price tag for this beautiful bus.
The price tag was $772,000.
There were mirrors everywhere, a radar unit to see poles in front of the bus as it traveled, TV cameras for security.
The "stars" were selling posters to autograph, for a good price.
I cried all the way home, 3/4 of a million dollars, and they sleep in motel rooms not on the bus?
I ponder the poor little missionaries and pastors that have given their all? They have never known the recognition of a crowd?
There arises a cry for personalities and stars.
I heard a preacher ask for a million dollar offering to buy a Leer Jet,
the twin engine was to slow?
I saw poor widow women dig deep, because there arise a cry for personalities?
Then the Holy Spirit took me to:
Matthew 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.
Come on, the personalities and stars will be pushed back to make way for those ministers that have been faithful for years in little forgotten outpost.
I have serious reserves about the cry for personalities and stars in the church!
This attitude or perspective will be greatly conducive to a man that will step out of the shadows and call down fire, but God and His church will be far away.
For the cry for personalities comes not from the throne of God, but the heart of the flesh.
Let us look at why a perspective of following personalities can never work.
Eli was a very successful minister.
Eli was ministering to the body, and somehow he jumped to the wrong conclusion.
As Hannah came to church with her proper love gift, she prayed and the Preacher Eli assumed she was drunk?
I can’t image how many would walk out of the church to never return after a false accusation?
But Hannah saw beyond the perspective of personalities, she never came for Eli, she came to church to visit with God!
Preachers and pastors are human, and can be prone to misinterpret facts.
Hannah never got a petition to oust the pastor. Hannah was reaching in pain toward an all seeing and all knowing God.
Hannah focused on God, not on Eli the minister.
Because Hannah was persistent and faithful and refused to focus on personalities, God heard her.
What was a trick of the enemy to hinder, became an obstacle to over come. God raise a chant in the church, WE WILL SEE JESUS!
Let us look at the perspective of the ministry playing favorites?
Can this happen as man focuses on personalities??
1 Samuel 16:6, Samuel, a very anointed man of God, is called by God to Jesse’s house.
Samuel sees Eliab, the oldest son of Jesse, and draws on a personality perspective.
"SURELY THE LORD’S ANOINTING IS UPON ELIAB."
Samuel, ordered of the Lord, yet draws a wrong conclusion.
While this is upsetting, God has a way of accomplishing His Plan and God will side step the misassumption of personality followers and He will raise whom He will.
The Word of the Lord comes, vs. 7, and chides Samuel.
"Look not on His countenance, nor his height (God is not looking for basketball players), God refused Eliab.
The Lord sees not as man seeth, for man looks on the outward appearance, BUT THE LORD LOOKS ON THE HEART.
Vs. 12, there was a little ruddy boy taking care of the sheep. God sees beyond personalities!
Samuel anoints this little boy.
Personality cjhasers saw a shepherd boy,
GOD SAW A KING.
In vs. 13... the little ruddy boy was anointed by THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD.
Again, if this had been you, you would be so mad at the family for forgetting you?
You would be mad at the preacher?
But the anointing breaks the yoke.
If we avoid the personality perspective, ... we will be less likely to be offended.
Isaiah warns in Isaiah 26:3, the danger of personality followers. He says: " I will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on God, because he trusted God."
See, following personalities hides the real star.
God shares His Glory with no one.
Psalms 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law; AND NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM.
MANY OF YOU READING THIS RIGHT NOW ARE OFFENDED AT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING, BECAUSE YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS ON MAN. GROW UP. We were never called to follow men, fishers of men, not followers of men.
2 Kings 5:11 has a message few read.
NAAMAN WAS WROTH.
Why are you mad mighty General?
The General expected the preacher to "DO IT HIS WAY?"
Naaman, "Because I thought the preacher should come to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord!"
Who made Naaman the boss?
Personalities must never conform to the expectation of the individual.
Praise God the man of God had back bone.
He never went running out to Naaman and babied him and said poor little sick man?
The man of God declared, This is how you will be healed.
Refuse if you want personality manidates.
Obey if you want healing?
Can you see why personality chasing and your opinion can become a perspective that hinders the healing you need?
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Part #3 of 4.
Enlarge my hands and pass this to others?
