Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is sronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; & God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world; and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That, everything as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
I Corinthians 1:26-31

The most liberating moments of my spiritual life have been those in which the Lord set aright my thoughts, not changed my circumstances. After salvation (age 20) and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost in a non-denominational, full-gospel church, I began the lengthy process of figuring out how to effectively live a life acceptable to God. Just as the 10 commandments were complicated and enlarged until they filled pages and pages of “law”, people are still today complicating God’s word. I learned firsthand that everyone has an opinion, an interpretation, a conviction, that they’ll gladly share with you-it’s human nature to want to be agreed with and accepted.

One day I read a message sent by David Wilkerson that caused me to catch a glimpse of the freedom and joy I had long since lost. I danced around my house rejoicing for the simplicity of the pure gospel of God. Man complicates the clean, pureness of God. When I got my hands on Debi Pearl’s book, Created To Be A Help Meet, I could clearly see how far I was from being obedient to God’s word and order. Obedience is better than sacrifice! Recognizing this rebellion in me made some things easy to change, others not so much. Was it really this simple?? Could it be true that if I am pleasing and honoring my husband, that I am obeying God and I am pleasing and obeying Him? (The book addresses if and when lines must be drawn.) Some women, especially those with unsaved or “steady”, middle of the road, no bells and whistles kind of husbands, put their pastor in the position of leadership over them that their husbands should be in. What a glorious moment when I realized that I did not have to please my pastor, relatives, teachers, elders, or my so-called friends. The only ONE man I had to please was the one whom I had chosen myself!

Likewise, another amazing time of my life was when I realized that I did not have to do what the school system does!! I do not have to value what they value, teach what they teach, or judge according to their standards. I did not have to compare my children to the world’s children, or expect the same things they expect on their time table!! I could determine what their individual abilities, strengths and likenesses were and decide what I deemed was of value; what qualities I wanted them to be equipped with:
Honesty, integrity, usefulness, morality, dependability, kindness, generosity, helpfulness, mercifulness, creativity, ability to improvise, thankfulness, sincerity. I want them to realize that there IS no truth apart from God’s word. To accept that God’s word IS the standard by which we may judge all things. I want them to have a hope that cannot be destroyed. Not a confidence in themselves, in their own ability to achieve and prosper; not a confidence in their credentials or education, their financial status, or government, men or an expectation that they’ll be treated fairly and justly, they won’t always. Instead we must have confidence in one thing and one thing only: Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today and forever.

Day in and day out Lord, season my words; annoint their ears to hear and eyes to see. Settle it deep within their hearts that you alone are God and there is none other!! You are not a hard taskmaster that is impossible to please; one that always wants just a little bit more than we are capable of giving. You did not write riddles and you did not give special revelation of your word to selected people to expound upon, You are just and you are good. You are fair and righteous in your ways. Your thoughts are high above our thoughts and your ways above our ways. You are not disagreeable, high-minded or arrogant. You are not a man that you should lie. You are not a complicator or deciever. You are a loving, merciful father; a faithful friend to your children. You are worthy of our trust and loyalty. You didn’t create a maze for us to try to find our way through, your ways can be made plain to us who shed our thoughts and opinions and have openness to receive yours.

Yes, there will be differences in Christians as long as we’re here. Something you abhor another Christian may accept, or vice-versa; it’s hard to not form opinions but it is not impossible!! The teaching in the New Testament is clearly directed toward this very conflict.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law if fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Galations 5:13-18

The next verses in Galations go on to expound upon the works of the flesh and then describe the fruit of the Spirit, that we may judge ourselves according to the fruit that we are bearing.

Galations 6 then directs us some more:

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For is a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Galations 6:2-5

This sounds like a direct admonishment for those that have all these interpretations, convictions and opinions that they busy themselves living to the standard by which they deem acceptable and required by God. Not concerning themselves with what everyone else is doing. We all should have things that we once did that we no longer do. If we are the same as we were before salvation, then I dare say that we did not receive salvation. But the point is this: don’t judge other people according to yourself as if you have some special revelation from God; as though you contain the fullness of the truth and you yourself ARE the standard by which humanity may measure themselves. Only God’s word can take this high place and we must have the intelligence to realize that people have different thoughts and opinions and tendencies. As the scripture says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes..“ We are commanded to walk in humility, in honor preferring others above ourselves. It’s so simple! Be pliable, be flexible. Easy to be entreated. If Jesus’ yoke is easy, who are we to place a heavy one upon the shoulders of a brother or sister in Christ?

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
II Corinthians 10:12

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: let that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Corinthians 9:19-27

If you are sure you are right, then pray for and be an example to others. Have the fruits of the spirit evident in your life: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Treat others with genuine honor, forgiving those who have hurt you, praying for those who have wrongfully used you or persecuted you, that YOU may be called the children of God. It’s nearly impossible to find a church that believes “exactly” how you believe, so God’s word outlines our behavior. Of course it’s not easy, but it is possible. Pray, repent, read God’s word, and do it all again. Fast if you need to. Make the necessary sacrifice that you may be free!! And we can be worry FREE, animosity free, free from struggling to please and/or understand God AND PEOPLE! In fact, we should be free!! When we are burdened down with worry and concern we cannot be an effective reflection of liberty, joy, and God’s miraculous delivering power!! The world is watching us persevere, they are waiting to see if we will come out victorious, faith in tact and even stronger still, and they will stand in awe when we do.