Cleanse.Fill.Pour.: To tolerate....

Monday, November 24, 2008

To tolerate....

Do you ever feel like you just tolerate things? You know, the next task, job, commitment or maybe a person you just tolerate? To tolerate, it's a very draining way to live.

Dictionary.com has one definition for Tolerate:
to put up with something or somebody unpleasant; "I cannot bear his constant criticism"; "The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks"; "he learned to tolerate the heat"; "She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage"

I'll be honest, sometimes it just seems like I tolerate a lot of things and people in my day. Here's the thing, I don't want to just be tolerated. When I wake up in the morning, that is not on the top of any one's list; "I hope the world and my friends and family just put up with me. I hope that I am just tolerated today!" How horrible! Yet, that is what I do with certain people in my life, (Can you tell I'm being convicted out this!?) I simply tolerate them...they drive me crazy or annoy me or whatever and I simply tolerate them and the holiday's are sometimes the worst time of year to do this. Are you hearing me?

Well, as I struggle with this and as we come into this week...I don't want to have the attitude of just "putting up with", I don't want to just tolerate. I want to see with my Master's eyes and do you know how He sees you? And me? Not with the eyes of one Who just "puts up with" us! Let that sink in...do you ever feel like God is just tolerating you? He is not...He has gone to radically great lengths to have a personal intimate relationship with you. He loves you. He's not disgusted and putting up with all the unpleasant things about you...He's in the business of changing you from the inside out, by the power of the Holy Spirit because of the finished work of the Cross of Jesus.

He is wild about you and more than excited about the work that He is doing. Now here is where the rubber meets the road for me, Am I going to look at all those people who I tolerate with my eyes or His? He is not done in them either... and I am called to be His Hands and His Feet. Love you my sisters...

1 comment:

submergent said...: I'm so guilty of this... the "tolerating" part. When I do that, it is a total denial of who I truly am - because I'm barely tolerable. It's so easy to size others up and lump them into the categories; "enjoyable", "nice in small-doses", "tolerable", "intolerable". Truth be known, I'm the most earthen of earthen vessels and if anything, Anything, ANYTHING shines in a redeeming way in me, you can be assured that it's Christ. Either that or just really like morons. :); November 25, 2008 at 11:16 AM

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Purpose of Cleanse.Fill.Pour.

Cleanse.Fill.Pour. is a women's ministry specifically designed to encourage women. Our desire is to see you grow in discipleship...to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:21 says, "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself (herself) from these things, he (she) will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

Our prayer is that this would be used as a small tool to encourage women to be useful "vessels" for the Lord to use... in their marriage, with their kids, in teacher appointments, in the workplace, in their churches and all throughout their sphere of influence, that they would be Cleansed. Filled. and Poured out to others.

Statement of Faith of Cleanse.Fill.Pour.

1.We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

2.We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Gen. 1 and John 1)

3.We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.(all of the Gospels)

4.We believe that Salvation is by grace and faith alone in the finished work of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9) and that Jesus Christ is the Only Way to have a right relationship with God. (John 14:6)

5.We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.(Ephesians 1:13-14)

6.We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.(Romans 8)

7.We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.(all of the Gospels)

8. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ. (1 Corinthians 12)

Curriculum Available with Online Study Tools

"From out to IN" Our Position in Christ now available! This is my first book based on the book of Ephesians but starting "In the beginning..."

"In Christ...walking by grace and faith" an in-depth study on the book of Ephesians. This 15-week study looks closely at the idea of walking by the same grace and faith that we are saved with! What does it mean to BE and then to DO? We are called to BE who we are in Christ and out of that we DO, not vise versa!

"Free Indeed" a in-depth look at the book of Galatians. A 12-week study closely looking at what was truly accomplished at the Cross of Christ. What does that mean for us? What is the source of our growth now? Freedom, what is it!?

"The Relationship"

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