That’s Not Your Testimony

Songs: Trust in Him – Clark Sisters w/ Rance Allen (http://www.imeem.com/artists/the_clark_sisters/music/TCwsSNHJ/the-clark-sisters-trust-in-him-remastered-version/)
I Love the Lord – Richard Smallwood

Scriptures: Revelation 12:11

Good News Translation (GNT)

11 They won the victory over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed; and they were willing to give up their lives and die.

New King James Version (NKJV)

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

New International Version (NIV)

11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

11And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].

Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

I was reminded recently of when God spoke to me a couple of years ago about the uniqueness of my testimony …

At the church I was attending, an initiative was going on one month where the goal was to get 100% of the congregation to tithe. I had a temporary job, and was grateful for the resources from which to give my 10%. I was telling the Lord so when I seemed to sense He wanted me to tithe 100% of the money I was earning. I quickly replied that the church didn’t mean for us to tithe 100% - they wanted 100% of the members to tithe 10%. Just as quickly, He replied:

I know what they mean; you know what I said.

So, I gave 100% of the money I earned for that period until my job ran out. In talking with one of the church’s officers, I shared what I had been instructed to do, and his reply was something like, “I can’t wait to see what the Lord is doing with this. Maybe you will share your testimony later.”

One Sunday soon after that conversation, a woman in church was invited to give her testimony as to what God was doing in her life because of her obedience during that time in the area of tithing. She stated that God had asked her to tithe 100% of her earnings. I must admit that I was glad to know that I wasn’t the only one hearing that from Him. When she obeyed (like me, after some further conversation and clarification), she told of how she got this huge, unexpected windfall of money, and how material blessings just seemed to be multiplying in her life. I was about to get excited, thinking of all I wanted Him to do for me financially when I sensed His correction:

That’s not your testimony.

I must admit, that was not what I wanted to hear. But He reminded me of other occasions, other lessons:

1. …of the time in church during one Bible study, when discussion had centered on whether God causes or allows things (especially “bad” things) to happen to us. He had challenged me with a question regarding a woman who shared that she had cancer and felt that her purpose in life was to help others with cancer.

If her having the cancer would aid in and advance her purpose of helping others with cancer, would I not have caused it?

2. …of the time when I was watching a television program where the pastor speaking was making the statement that if you did what they did you could have what they had. God had posed a question to remind me of the individual nature of His blessings.

If what they have is for their purpose, and would be a hindrance to you in yours, why would I give it to you? It is true; I am not a respecter of persons, but I am a respecter of purpose.

3. He reminded me from His Word about the dangers of comparing ourselves with one another:

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 (New International Version)

12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you.

Galatians 6:4 (New Century Version)

Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done.

4. He reminded me from His Word about the differences He allows:

Hebrews 11:32-40 (Amplified Bible)

32And what shall I say further? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
33Who by [the help of] faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions,
34Extinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the devourings of the sword, out of frailty and weakness won strength and became stalwart, even mighty and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts.
35[Some] women received again their dead by a resurrection. Others were tortured to death with clubs, refusing to accept release [offered on the terms of denying their faith], so that they might be resurrected to a better life. [I Kings 17:17-24; II Kings 4:25-37.]
36Others had to suffer the trial of mocking and scourging and even chains and imprisonment.
37They were stoned to death; they were lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith]; they were sawn asunder; they were slaughtered by the sword; [while they were alive] they had to go about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated--
38[Men] of whom the world was not worthy--roaming over the desolate places and the mountains, and [living] in caves and caverns and holes of the earth.
39And all of these, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised,
40Because God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we could join them].

“Okay, okay,” I said, “I get it.” In His mercy, He wanted to make sure I did (get it). When I got home that day and turned on the television, there was another television pastor ministering, saying that he had heard from people who told of how God had miraculously met their needs, but he wanted to hear the testimonies of those where it seemed like their needs had not been met – the money, the healing, the “whatever they needed and had been believing God for” had not come. Then, in the next couple of days, I got a newsletter from a ministry where the pastor was speaking of so many who felt abandoned by or were disappointed with God because of what they were going through.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (Amplified Bible)

8For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

So now I just trust that God knows best, is working all things together for my good, hears and answers my prayers in the best way for His glory to be manifest in my life. He knows my true needs, regardless of the circumstances and how things seem to me.

Romans 8:32 (New King James Version)

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Father God, I pray that I would grow in (the) grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be all glory both now and forever. Amen.

... and my journey with Him continues ...