| Poster | Thread |
| | Have you been betrayed? | | I received this in an email today and thought it had a lot of truth in it. So I am passing it on. We will all be betrayed in this way sometime or another. But are we ever guilty of betraying someone else? Things to ponder...
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"For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance." - Psalm 55:12-13
"You will always be attacked in the place of your inheritance," said the man sitting across the breakfast table.
"God has called you to bring people together and to impact other people's lives as a result of this anointing in your life.
You must make sure that you seek to maintain righteousness in all of your relationships."
Those words came from someone who had the wisdom and authority to speak them to me.
I have had a number of close relationships that ended in betrayal. I am very loyal to my friends and those with whom I have covenant relationships. Yet there are times that no matter how righteous you are, when someone means to betray you, he will do it.
Loving those who betray you is "graduate-level Christianity."
The religious community and one of His closest friends betrayed Jesus. Those who were closest to David betrayed him. Joseph's own family betrayed him.
Loving our enemies cannot be accomplished by mustering it up. It can only happen when we have come to a death in
ourselves so that Christ can love through us. It is truly one of those acts of identifying with the cross.
If you are a leader, you can be sure God will allow you to experience betrayal.
It is one of those courses in the Kingdom that may not be required until God has seen that you have successfully passed other tests.
It is the most difficult and most gut wrenching of all tests.
A godly response goes against all that is in us. Our natural response is to protect, retaliate, and retain unforgiveness and bitterness.
Our natural response is satan's most powerful weapon; to overcome it requires much grace from God.
Ask God to build His nature in you now so that when such attacks come, you will be aware that it is a test and you will respond
in righteousness.
-Os Hillman
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|  2006/12/19 18:58 | | ginnyrose
Member
Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi
| | Re: Have you been betrayed? | | Roniya,
This is a very sensitive topic, I am sure!
Betrayal is one of the most deadly behaviours one can indulge in: it destroys trust at the deepest level because it is done by people whom we least expect it.
Quote:
I have had a number of close relationships that ended in betrayal. I am very loyal to my friends and those with whom I have covenant relationships. Yet there are times that no matter how righteous you are, when someone means to betray you, he will do it.
Loyalty - what has happened to it? Try to find an article dealing with this issue in its entirity, and let me know. (I think "Christianity Today" published one years ago, but now I cannot find it..) They are hard to find. Today most people are looking out for themselves and do not care a bit about the other person. Betrayal at its root level works to elevate yourself for whatever reason and destroys another in the process. THAT is why it is so destructive.
Jesus confronted Peter after the resurrection and came to a successful resolution there. Jesus was relentless....reckon one can learn fron Jesus' example?
ginnyrose
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Sandra Miller
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| | 2006/12/19 19:31 | Profile |
| | Re: | | Dear Roniya,
I had a recent situation with a brother who felt like I betrayed him, although he was backsliding, unrepentant in his sin. I will skip all the details. It was a test from the Lord both for me and another brother who was involved in the situation. All I know is that we gave it over to the Lord with much prayer and (not so much) fasting, and He miraculously reconciled us with our brother, and our brother with Himself--in a situation which, from a worldly standpoint, looked hopeless, "unto death."
Oh, how much love God gave us for this person! How He transformed our relationship!
And then a verse came to me today, from the mouth of a brother, as I was sharing with him about the developments in this same situation: "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Yes, betrayal is sin. It scars, it causes much pain (both to us, to the Lord), but God can--and if we trust, and ask, and allow Him--will use even the oddest of circumstances to show forth His glory. Let not worldy sorrow overtake you, but rejoice in the Lord!
Grace and peace be with you,
Slavyan
P.S. [EDIT] Please forgive me for not saying "thanks" for your post. It is, indeed, an exhortation from the Lord. God bless you! |
| | 2006/12/19 22:35 | |
| | Re: | | Ginnyrose,
Wow, you really did hit the nail on the head! Quote:
Betrayal is one of the most deadly behaviours one can indulge in: it destroys trust at the deepest level because it is done by people whom we least expect it.
Oh, that sums it up so well. It really does test to see if the flesh is really dead!
Quote:
Today most people are looking out for themselves and do not care a bit about the other person. Betrayal at its root level works to elevate yourself for whatever reason and destroys another in the process. THAT is why it is so destructive.
Amen!
Thanks for sharing. :-)
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Slavyan,
Thanks for sharing. Praise the Lord for the work He is doing in your situation. These kind of things really do make us call out to Him.
Quote:
Yes, betrayal is sin. It scars, it causes much pain (both to us, to the Lord), but God can--and if we trust, and ask, and allow Him--will use even the oddest of circumstances to show forth His glory. Let not worldy sorrow overtake you, but rejoice in the Lord!
These are glorious opportunities to give glory to Him, no matter what the pain, we can still praise our God! Alleluia!
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| | 2006/12/19 22:53 | | crsschk
Member
Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA
| | Re: Have you been betrayed? | | Quote:
Loving those who betray you is "graduate-level Christianity."
That is a tremendous comment. Seems there are a number of other attributes that would fit under this heading. Rightly understood and reacted suffering, true grace under pressure ... Can see these as attainable while yet at times far off, still the understudy far too often.
_________________
Mike Balog
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| | 2006/12/21 2:44 | Profile |
| | Re: Have you been betrayed? | | Quote:
A godly response goes against all that is in us. Our natural response is to protect, retaliate, and retain unforgiveness and bitterness.Our natural response is satan's most powerful weapon; to overcome it requires much grace from God.
Roniya,
This is sooo true. It really does take much Grace from God. We just cannot respond in a Godly way on our own.
We must take all our feelings (hurt, bitterness etc) immediatly also to God or there will be a temptation to gossip about the person or persons who have betrayed you. God will bring vindiaction but before that i believe He is growing Godly character in the person wronged.
It is a hard thing indeed to endure but if we have or are being betrayed we have a choice. We must abide in God and saturate ourselves in His word and have patience! It really does go against our natural self. All this can only be accomplished by Gods grace. May He be glorified in us and bring about His will in our situation!!! |
| | 2006/12/21 5:06 | |
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