Staying Around Long Enough
It may be that some people have not lasted in a relationship with an individual or a church because they only stayed long enough to find out what they were not in the relationship, but they didn’t stay long enough to discover what they were. One must needs be around and function as a member of the body long enough for the body to identify one’s place in the body (1Tim.3:10). “But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin.” (1Jn.1:7, GW)
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Relationship and Being Proven
Have you ever noticed that there is a tendency in many people to want to advance beyond others, to advance in the exercise of authority whether 
they have been approved or not? In 2Sam.15, David’s son Absalom pushed for and expected to be able to take authority in areas where he hadn’t been proven. We find the scriptural principle of the process of being proven in 1Tim.3:10. Biblical principal tends to follow this pattern: (1) Process while walking out relationship; (2) Process leads to being proven; (3) Process and being proven leads to a track record that follows the principal of Lk.16:10– “faithful in little can be trusted in much”. We are praying you discover daily that you are staying in relationship long enough to be proven so you can be trusted with much. (Marty’s Daily Discovery as heard on TEXAS PRAISE RADIO at the bottom of the hour 24hrs/day.) TEXAS PRAISE RADIO
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Click on video below to hear Marty: “Eye Has Not Seen” (2 min.)
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Process And Being Proven
You are welcome to choose the title you prefer: “What To Do When You Are More Spiritual Than Your Pastor” or “What To Do When You Know More Than Your Pastor Knows” or “Observations on Absolom.” Absolom pushed for and expected to be able to take authority in areas where he hadn’t been proven (1Tim.3:10). But biblical principal tends to follow this pattern: (1) Process while walking out relationship; (2) Process leads to being proven; (3) Process and being proven leads to a track record that follows the principal of Lk.16:10– “faithful in little can be trusted in much”.
Marty & Kathy Gabler invite you to read their
articles in the latest issue of SEEC Magazine. Volume 18 Issue 5
CLICK HERE to read SEEC Magazine
Alignment Before Assignment
Alignment Before Assignment
The prodigal ended up with the bag of gold he demanded. The prodigal (prodigal means “wasteful”) demands and takes what he does not have a metron over and handles it wastefully. A “metron” is a measure of rule or sphere of 
influence (2Co 10:13-14). When he finished handling what his measure of rule and sphere of influence was not yet fitted for, it was all gone with absolutely nothing to show for all his desires and demands and striving. He had not yet yielded to training that would enable him to handle that particular gift profitably. It’s like trying to haul a dump truck load of dirt in a pickup. The greatest part of the dirt is spilt on the ground and the pickup breaks down under the heavy load it manages to hold. It doesn’t mean that he was never meant to handle bags of gold; it just means that he had not yet been disciplined for that size of metron. A caution to consider is that a person’s gift can take them to a place that their character cannot keep them. A person can manipulate people and work relationships and make others obligated to give them something that they want (e.g., a position, a title, an opportunity). But if it is not within their sphere of influence and ability to handle, it will be wasted. As with this prodigal, prodigals tend to add to their misdemeanours by damaging others on their gift-mishandling spree.
Paul’s wisdom to young Timothy was to first prove men who desired to be deacons before allowing them to serve tables. (1Tim 3:10, 13) A small child can desire to drive a car but he does not have a measure of rule for it and will damage himself and others, though he may enjoy a great deal of exciting satisfaction before the crash. Some people have gotten what they and their relatives and friends wanted for them in a “ministry” but when it was not within their measure of rule, they crashed and many were damaged. There have been thousands of storefront buildings vacated after a short period of time with church signs over the door for the community to read and shake their heads at. The body of Christ can help identify us and our measure of rule and keep us from shipwreck. To quote Apostle Hodges, it’s “alignment before assignment.” Were we sent or have we just went?
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