Better not Bitter

Things happen.

Things happen that puzzle us, confuse us, frustrate us. Life and ministry throw curve balls. It happens to the best of us. Then sometimes we make mistakes. Big ones.

It's how we handle those failures and disappointments that shape our character.

King David had some bad stuff happen. While he was out taking care of business, some folk came along and kidnapped his family and took his stuff. They even kidnapped the families of those who were working with him. What thoughts would run across your mind if you're out taking care of God's business and you come back and realize all you have is gone?

There was talk of killing David but scripture says David encouraged himself in the Lord.

David recovered all and from the number of Psalms attributed to him, I would conclude that he became better and not bitter.

When things don't go the way we planned, when we fail miserably, when we're embarrassed by those failures, when our name is dragged through the mud, at that very moment you have the choice of being better for the experience or bitter.

Many of us become bitter.

We don't see our part in the ordeal.

Maybe we rushed ahead of God, maybe we heeded unwise counsel, maybe we didn't count up the cost, maybe we refused to see; whatever the reason becoming bitter is a dangerous option.

Bitterness will espouse new doctrines to support itself. That bitterness reframes our teaching, our ministry, it taints the table we spread before the people.

In order to be better it means owning whatever part we played in the situation and then asking for forgiveness and then forgiving ourselves.

Good leaders own their mistakes, learn from them and become better.

Man and woman of God choose to be better, not bitter.

Lifting you in prayer,

Pastor Lisa

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Not Yours! Mine!

Shortly after my husband and I began serving as pastors, I heard the Lord say, "You have no people; I have people."

I had to respond in the words of my sister, "You sho' right."

Being called to lead is a call to serve.

It's a call to serve His people.

His Word declares:

Tend (nurture, guard, guide, and fold) the flock of God that is [your responsibility], not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonorably motivated by the advantages and profits [belonging to the office], but eagerly and cheerfully; Not domineering [as arrogant, dictatorial, and overbearing persons] over those in your charge, but being examples (patterns and models of Christian living) to the flock (the congregation). And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will win the conqueror's crown of glory. -1 Peter 5:2-4 (Amplified Bible)

The people that we serve, the leadership staff that serves along with us are not pawns in a personal rise to the top or self-proclaimed quest to go to the nations. They are not stepping stones to "next levels/dimensions."

The people we serve are souls; precious souls which Jesus Himself gave His life. As leaders we watch for their souls according to Hebrews 13:17. When we lose this focus, when those around us are only valuable if they can advance our cause or agenda and are dismissed if they don't serve our purpose; then we find ourselves in a very dangerous place.

It's time to do a heart check.

As leaders we have to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23) against pride and fleshly agendas. We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul and all our mind. When we fall out of love with our Savior, what is sacred becomes profane and we mishandle the holy. Touch not my anointed also refers to those in the pews; not just those in leadership positions.

When Holy Spirit gives gifts to men it is for the perfecting of the Body; not our personal desires or aspirations. When personal agendas skew your perspective, it's time to pray. It's time to return to our first love which is Jesus Christ.

Leaders, you have no people. They're not yours. They belong the Father. You belong to the Father and will be judged on how you handle them. Don't forget, we are called to serve and advance a spiritual kingdom; never our own.

God is saying, not yours...mine!

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Jezebel New & Improved!

Pastors! Leaders!

There is a spirit loose that seeks to monopolize your time, your energy and your resources. This spirit manifests itself as helpless and needy. But once it draws you in, it is the furthest thing from helpless or needy. Instead it is strong-willed, stubborn, unrepentant, controlling and manipulative. It's Jezebel...new and improved for the 20th century church.

A few facts about Jezebel:

• Married Ahab king of Israel (1 Kings 16:31)
  
• FAITHFUL idol worshiper (1 Kings 16:31)
• Enemy of God and His prophets (1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:1-2)
  
• Murderer and master manipulator (1 Kings 22:6-15)
  
• Unwilling to repent (Revelations 2:20)

This manifestation of Jezebel comes to you hurt and wounded and seeks your counsel and wisdom. They say they desire deliverance; they say they want healing. Oh if this were only true! In Revelations chapter two, the word declares that Jezebel calls herself a prophetess; this is what she calls herself and not what Holy Spirit has declared. So Jezie comes with a self-proclaimed title and a seat in the church.

What this new and improved manifestation of Jezie wants is YOU. She wants your time, she wants your anointing, she wants your attention all of the time. She wants to distract you from the work you were called to do.

The moment you start to pour, you'll discover that the issues are many and deep. There is layer after layer, each more offensive and putrid than the next. You'll pray, you'll minister and eventually the word repent will surface. But that word is rejected. Instead Jezie will continue her tirade of a past deemed unfair and you realize there is no end to the drama. Before you know it; you're spent. Jezie got what she wanted. You. She tied you up and now you're consumed.

Jezie has no regard for your calling. She only seeks to monopolize your time with God, family and the body of Christ. She'll drain you of your resources spiritually and naturally. Ministering to Jezie is equivalent to taking the talent Holy Spirit placed in you and burying it in dry, infertile ground. You'll never see fruit because Jezie is unwilling to repent. She wants to stop the move of God in the earth; she's sent to stop the advancement of the Kingdom through you. Healing is not her goal. Wholeness is not her desire.

Leaders don't be fooled by the shroud of meekness and helplessness! This manifestation pulls at your heart because you truly don't want to see God's people wounded. You desire they walk in healing and wholeness.

Holy Spirit once showed me myself bent over in a corner trying to console this loud, whiny, obnoxious thing. It would not be consoled! The more I tried to help, the louder it became. Holy Spirit slowly stood me straight up and I turned around with a strong awareness that there was something else I needed to tend too. And it wasn't the loud, whiny thing in the corner demanding my attention. It was a distraction. The real work, the greater work was elsewhere and I needed to focus on that.

So today I offer this prayer on your behalf.

I pray that when this manifestation of Jezebel calls your phone, walks in your church, or sends you a friend request, that alarms, bells and whistles go off in your spirit! I pray that you walk in wisdom and hear God clearly and proceed only as He leads. I pray you see and discern on greater levels! And if you're caught in Jezie's web I pray for your immediate release right now in Jesus' name!

There's work to do man and woman of God.

Don't get thrown by Jezie's new manifestation.

It's something old wrapped in something not so new.

Be blessed,

Pastor Lisa

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You Really Should Get Out More

Being a new pastor with a new ministry to look after, we sometimes can pigeon hole ourselves and narrow our vision to just our local church. It happens. Especially if you're currently independent and not connected to an organization.

Last year, my husband and I made the commitment to get out more. The ministry receives hundreds of unsolicited emails from marketing firms who added us to their lists without our consent (yes, this is a pet peeve of mine...lol). They promote all kinds of events; from church plays to prophetic conferences and end-time revivals. So where do we go?

One, trust Holy Spirit to lead. Last month, I received an email from someone I knew about an upcoming event. I forwarded the email to my beloved and suggested we go. What a phenomenal experience! The word says that if we acknowledge Him in all of our ways, He'd direct our paths. There's so much to glean and benefit when we fellowship. Sometimes it's a lesson on what not to do that's equally beneficial. But most times, it's a beautiful display of the body of Christ working as one just like Jesus prayed in John 17.

Part of the blessing of connecting with other believers, especially those who may worship different than you, is that you get a clearer picture of just how big God is. You understand that God is GLOBAL and that kingdom business is WORLDWIDE. Fellowship with other kingdom-minded believers force you to broaden your concept of ministry. Yes we're called to a local ministry but through fellowship, you see how it's all connected by the same Spirit and your ministry fits into God's much bigger plan. It's awesome.

So this year, ask Holy Spirit to lead you. Get out more! It will bless you!

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Heads up!

Every once in awhile at NPNC, we come across great word for leaders by different authors. Prophetess Karen Pina has graciously agreed to let us feature an article that is sure to enlighten! Enjoy!
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When you are the real deal, people come out of the wood works trying to get you to hear God for them on their supposedly God-ordained projects. Then you tell them what God says and it's not what they want to hear because they and their projects are filled with compromise.

So many in the body of Christ want you to relate to them the way they want you to relate to and with them and not the way God intends. Search your relationships; revisit the original intent and purposes of why God allowed you to come into one another's life. If you see any signs of self-imposed veering off that original path, gently call a time out and redirect them/the relationship back onto God's course. If they cannot be redirected, they sure won't obey God in keeping to the original intents and purposes of the relationship or projects.

It's time to shift out of using relationships for what we want, think, and can get out them into what God desires/wants in relationships. This is the way to truly connect with others. When we try to force our will and desire upon the relationship, we rob God of glory and others of genuine fellowship,

One more thing when/if the season of the assignment/purpose is over, and God has released you or the other person, exert wisdom and let it go. When you try to hold on to someone beyond the assignment/purpose, you are operating in witchcraft (defined as the bending/twisting of the will). When God will is done in the relationship, don't tamper, manipulate, coerce, desire, or force anyone to stay.

Now there are some relationships that will transcend the assignment/purpose into deeper fellowships of brotherly love and deep friendships. How we praise God for these! At the same time, every relationship can't and won't fall into this category. It's time to discern the difference between the two.

Recently, I had to manage a couple of folk who were operating in witchcraft, emotional blackmail, guilt, and what I have come to call "Word whoopings" (i.e, using scripture to beat you, accuse you, and provoke you to a certain response).

Here are some tips to help you:

1) Set boundaries by asking yourself and them

What is the purpose of this call, visit, e-mail? Who sent you? How can I serve you? Once you have clarity on this, serve, meet the need, and move on to the next need/assignment. Naturally if they were not sent by God, your approach will be different. What I've learned to do is ask God, "How do you want me to deal with this distraction from hell?" Listen and heed what He says and do it! Now, you know they will most likely call, e-mail, or visit again, repeat this asking/listening process until they flee.

2) Limit access: (i.e., contact information)

I don't know about you but I'm a busy bride . . . always about my Father's business. I don't have time for time wasters, professing powerless Christians, mundane, mediocre and moldy agendas, bullheadedness, roots of resistance, striving, and worry. When I see this stuff oozing out the spirit of folks, I limit the access they have to me, and so should you. When you've given the Word time and time again, and they resist God, why do they need direct access to you when they won't allow God direct access to the "stuff" they keep holding onto?

3) Put it writing

It is written! As God leads consider putting your purpose, assignment and release in writing. This way everyone is clear about God intents, purpose, and His timely release. I don't want good to be spoken of as evil. When folks can't manipulate or coerce you, they retaliate by committing murder with their mouths and actions. When it is in writing, you have established God's heart, purpose, and the truth nothing but the truth so help you God. There are some folks who thrive off ministry bashing, name destroying, and love to keep some stuff going in ministry. Truly, this is about the only excitement they have. Because God's glory is nowhere around, they conjure up attention and excitement the only dysfunctional way they know how. You've told them time and time again, everything is okay, you are forgiven, etc., but as sure as your name is ___________, they are going to make it something that it is not. Who have they been listening to? Certainly, not God.

True ministry leaders, this is your heads up from Holy Spirit! Everyone wants to cling to the real deal; it's your role to discern why and what for.

I want to serve the LORD in the beauty of holiness. How about you? Unity dwells in the beauty of holiness. When we seek God in our interactions (what to say, when to call, what not to say) with others in the body, strife and contention cease. The bible clearly tells us in James that quarrels, arguments, and fights stem from our own lusts. So, if you are always upset with a particular ministry leader God brought into your life, find out what you are lusting for and you will have identified the root of the source of struggle and contention. God told me this today: I assure you all is well, nothing is missing, nothing is broken, and wholeness abounds in all relationships established by the Kingdom of God. Stay away from folk who find something wrong with every project, everything, everybody, and every ministry. They are in league with and committed allegiance to the demonic spirit named: Wrong Focus!

For then [changing their impure language] I will give to the people a clear and pure speech from pure lips, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one unanimous consent and one united shoulder [bearing the yoke of the Lord]. - Zephaniah 3:9 AMP

For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent. Zeph 3:9 Tanakh

Heads up: This time is now, and it is time to be united with those who serve with one unanimous consent, purpose, with pure speech calling on the LORD out of pure heart, and those who are bearing the LORD’s yoke, not their own yoke.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 KJV

It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life, - John 6:63 The Complete Jewish Bible

With wisdom, glory, and riches,

Prophetess Karen

© Gifts Ordained by Direction/Karen M. Pina 2009

Brief Bio

KAREN M. PINA

International coach trainer, author, and minister Karen M. Pina has been creatively writing for over 15 years. She is author of the well-received Leadership FITness - Experiencing Fullness in The Temple, Is it the job, the boss, you . . . or are you an entrepreneur?, The Making, creator of the One-Stop Marketing Program, and founder of Gifts Ordained by Direction and GOD’s Coach U, a training and coaching practice. She is the virtuous wife of Stanley Pina, a leadership coach and pastor. They live in Connecticut where they raise two beautiful daughters.

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We are unable to comply with your request

Recently, a well-known comedian was interviewed on Christian TV and he had a request of the people of God, the Christian community. He asked us to "broaden the little white line" because there were lots of cats who wanted to be a Christian; only if it were not for that little white line.

Sorry, the remnant is unable to comply with your request.

First, the line is not ours to broaden and woe to them who have attempted to do so! This is called compromise and the reason I believe for so many profane things being named among God's people and foolishness taking place in God's house. I believe compromise breeds Christians who are still unsure about how they feel about Jesus and lack commitment after spending years in the church.

Matthew 7: 13-14 says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." KJV

The little white narrow line has been painted by God himself. We all have to enter the Kingdom the same way - on the little white narrow line. The young rich ruler struggled with the white line when Jesus told him that he lacked one thing. In order to be perfect, he - the young ruler - needed to sell all that he had and give to the poor. Scripture says the young man went away sorrowful because he was a wealthy man.

The attack on holiness is real.

The allure to compromise is great and the benefits appear tantalizing but succumbing to these lies continue to strip the church of power and effectiveness!

We must continue to stand for holiness, preach the little white line till Jesus comes back for His bride, pure and undefiled!

People who live in countries hostile to Christianity make the life or death decision to serve Jesus and give up everything to serve Him all the time. Some are tortured, some are disowned by their families for taking on the name of Jesus, and some even die. They don't ask that the little white line be broadened to accommodate their situations. They bear their cross and have made the decision to live and to die for Jesus. The apostles after having being beat and stoned, praised God because they had been found worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ. They went away rejoicing.

Peter told Jesus, we have left everything to follow you. Jesus then replied there is no man who has given up all these things that won't receive many times over in this life and the life to come.

Jesus said to count the cost; evaluate what it will take for you to serve Jesus exclusively and then make the decision. If the something or someone else means more, no commitment will be made. The call to discipleship always requires a forsaking, a denial of the life you once knew. If you're not ready, you're just not ready.

Broadening the little white line does little to produce Christians who are uncompromising and unwavering in their faith. It creates a mess for the Body of Christ.

So the request to broaden the little white line is declined.

It's not ours to broaden and broad roads lead to death and destruction.

I encourage you to seek out that narrow white line and find life everlasting.

Keep preaching the little white line,

Pastor Lisa

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A Few Things I've Learned

As we come to the end of another year, I've been reflecting on all the lessons I learned. It has been a year of tremendous growth! That growth came much like the struggle of the butterfly out of its cocoon and now my family and the ministry have emerged into this thing of beauty.

I wanted to share two things Holy Spirit revealed this year in regard to ministry.

The first is to realize that a move of God occurs in many different ways. I know sometimes God will move among us in such a profound way that that particular movement becomes the pinnacle and we box God into moving that way everytime. I remember reading once that many worship the form or idea of worship and lose sight of the Savior in the process. I know this much, that God is a God of variety! So what He desires from one Sunday to the next is certain to vary. And if God's people collectively worship in Spirit and Truth, then you have had a move of God! Don't box God in...period! Remember we are not looking for sensationalism but a worship experience that honors the Holy One and changes us in the process!

The second thing God revealed was in regard to counseling. There are certain behaviors that are textbook. Meaning the thought process of an abusive spouse, the mindset of the abused have been thoroughly noted in books, articles, research papers and so on. Even though some things are textbook, each situation is different and must be dealt with accordingly. There are no cookie-cutter solutions. You must take the time to truly listen and hear Holy Spirit for direction. To presuppose and dispense instruction without fully understanding the particulars for that case leads to error and disappointment. So while some of the symptoms may indeed be textbook, how you respond and give counsel should vary from person to person. It's so easy to get caught up in the fact that we've seen this before and here's how to handle it. Give each situation the prayer and wisdom of the Holy Spirit called for.

I hope you benefit from the lessons I learned this year and feel free to share your own in the comments section below.

Stay encouraged men and women of God!

Pastor Lisa

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