Most recent edit June 1, 2023

Success Under God’s Plan

Let’s Learn from Others and Avoid a Pitfall

Pray that all Achieve God’s Amazing Plan for Them

Preface

A previous weblog (blog), “messiah,” became an article. After carefully considering the article, it coalesced into two subjects: advice to all Christians active in the faith and cult error. This website is intended for Christians eager to move forward. This website is not intended to comment on cult errors.

Introduction

Some believers actively engage in the faith, and some are inactive, perhaps attending a service on Christmas and Easter. The ideas here are for everyone eager to move the Kingdom forward, grow it, and reach the world for Jesus. To filter further, this article discusses one way enthusiastic Christians have missed the target. This is based on personal experience and publicly available information¹. There are many ways to deviate from Christian Truth, some with unique characteristics and perhaps unexpected results.

Background

On the first day of December 2021, I was searching for spiritual advice, and that afternoon, an opportunity arose to be with someone who could help. To establish communications, I asked a leading question to which I already had the answer. My goal was to start with a common premise and then enter an area where I sought answers. But that’s not what happened. Before I could get any advice to help me move forward in the faith, the person’s response surprised me; it was one that I disagreed with. Worse yet, this was a required premise for what I wanted to learn from the conversation.

During solitude on November 29, 2023, I understood the wisdom in the answer from a few years earlier. That and the recent study of Christian leaders who fell short of their potential inspired the content here.

(Pro 27:17 ESV) Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Situation

Some true believers have accomplished a lot for God. Here, the word ‘minister’ means anybody God uses, paid or unpaid. Over time, what was accomplished fell short of what we all predicted and hoped for². Those of us learning about their stories years later would say they failed to achieve the success their trajectory was headed toward.

If you do not believe in free will, keep reading because the conclusion is ecumenical (working for a wide range of Christian beliefs).

Much could be said here to establish the context, but we attempt to keep it brief. The believer being used by God knows they are “anointed,” that is, the right person in the right place at the right time.

Keep an open mind about the word “anointed” in the Bible. This may apply to a broader context of works than what many think. I think it does. For believers comfortable with using the word to describe specific Christians today, they probably are referring to a person’s works for the glory of Jesus Christ as beyond the natural, requiring Holy Spirit involvement.

If it is clear to all that God worked through the minister, shaping the fruit of the minister’s labor, then the outcome has the imprint of God. There are many verses stating delight in what God has made. This is because humankind was originally intended for eternal compatibility with the Creator; we, His followers, see His imprint on what He has made. A man or woman being used by God will produce results bearing the imprint of God’s nature. Naturally, we are attracted to it.

Here is where we detect a potential distraction.

The minister sees the product of their labor; it bears the imprint or pattern of God’s nature, so the minister is naturally attracted to it, enjoying time just thinking about it. The accolades make us feel good, and that’s OK, but dwelling on them can lead to elevated self-esteem.

With the foundation in place, a problem may materialize.

Pitfall

The minister on the trajectory for derailment discussed here knows the results of their ministry are supernatural. They undergo a subtle heart change. Instead of using these opportunities to direct the attention of others to God, now others’ attention is received as for themselves. They rationalize this as OK because they consider themselves God’s chosen servant.

(Num 20:10 NRSV) Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”

There have been Christians that God used mightily for a time. Instead of growing spiritually over time, they changed into what appears to be a derailment: instead of God using them mightily for His glory, they receive the accolades as personal compliments.

They start to think of themselves as unique, God’s logical choice, sometimes using uncommon self-references, like messiah.

Obtaining Unobtainium

Chemists sometimes refer to a compound they can’t make or get as unobtainium. God’s amazing plan for you and everyone else is about obtaining the unobtainable. To attain that which cannot be attained unless the Holy Spirit empowers. Obedience to God leads to achieving the impossible. Christianity is a living religion; it continues to work for imperfect people from every generation.

(Jer 10:10a NIrV) But you are the only true God. You are the only living God. …

A living God is dazzling. Christians are the adopted family of a living God. For this article, “impossible” is from a practical, human perspective. The Holy Ghost empowers the faith in believers, making what seems impossible possible.

(Php 4:13 ESV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Our responsibility is to obey God when He speaks. From a human perspective, we try our best to do works for His glory. When God steps in, He propels our works beyond what we think or can imagine as possible. Bart Millard³ started life in an emotionally unhealthy environment, damaging his self-esteem. Then, he thought he found something he would be successful at; then he experienced failure. We onlookers can say it was not God’s timing⁴. But when you are the one trying your best to live life, it just feels like Satan won, and you might as well mentally “check out” for the rest of your life. To give up will result in mediocrity, at the end of life your accomplishments fall short of what could have been. If you are a Christian, you try to find comfort in that you will go to heaven someday. This trend is miraculously broken as the Christian reenters practicing a heart-submissive attitude toward God.

Anointed

One dictionary defines “Messiah” as any deliverer, savior, or anointed person. Several people in the Bible were anointed. For a word I thought held particular significance and applied only to Jesus, there are astonishing variations in the number of times “messiah” is used from Bible version to version: KJV 2, NKJV 4, NRSV 66. Every use in those versions is capitalized. For you who know God has worked through your labors, have you considered yourself uniquely chosen? That has happened at one time or another to many of us, although usually on a smaller scale than Lonnie Frisbee⁵. Mr. Frisbee’s ministry produced spiritual fruit and demonstrated impressive promise. His potential seemed even greater, but he went to his eternal home at a relatively young age. His childhood included a mix of experiences that could become traumas if not adequately handled. His genuine Christian ministry spiritually helped many people. It appeared to be the product of God’s work and reasoning, which was not necessarily under the control of a heart-submissive attitude to God. Briefly mentioned in the documentary about Mr. Frisbee is the word messiah as a self-reference. It could be said that everyone’s ministry has, at one time or another, been the product of several elements.

We learn how words are commonly used and then choose to use them for God’s glory or another purpose, such as our glory.

When a worker for the church starts referring to themselves as messiah, they may be communicating an elevated self-esteem. They direct the spotlight onto themselves rather than captivating the audience to redirect attention to God.

(Num 20:12 NRSV) But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

The word “show,” in verse 12, was translated in other versions as honor, acknowledge, or uphold. Moses did not refer to himself as a messiah. May we infer from Moses’ wording that he had an elevated self-esteem? A miracle (wonderment) is about to occur through Moses, but Moses does not use the opportunity to bring glory to God. You may wonder what Moses was thinking?! He expresses frustration and announces he is about to do a miracle. To state what we must do negatively, we must be on guard against this happening. To rephrase as an action item, we must grow in our relationship with God because that manifests a deep respect for Him and a submissive heart attitude. Then, when we hear, we obey.

Conclusion

Every object can be used to direct people’s attention to God. No object is God. Every believer is responsible for upholding fellow Christians and doing what they can to direct others’ attention to God. No Christian is God.

This document was written because I want everyone to embody and fulfill “To infinity and beyond⁶.”

What does God want? To be loved.

(Deu 6:5 NKJV) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

If all we have or know is that we love God as a small child would, then we do well.

(Exo 33:17 NIV) And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

“Know by name,” paraphrase: to have an established relationship with.

“I am pleased with you,” paraphrase: you try to obey me.

Notes / Additional Information

Defining “Infinity”

The original title was based on a line from an animated movie. The character is a toy styled as a superhero. The superhero’s catchphrase is “to infinity and beyond.” Using standard words in a way that depends on secret unorthodox definitions that cannot be found in standard dictionaries is risky - - and in particular settings, deceiving. So, the title changed. Within the context of this article, infinity means that which we cannot imagine you and me ever accomplishing during our present life.

Implied Theology

For statements implying theology where known controversy exists, we will pick a perspective to support but will leave opportunity for the studious Christian to build an opposing case.

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