The more we know Christ, the greater our discernment, we will notice more evil than ever before because our eyes will be open. With that knowledge and wisdom comes sorrow but also strength to endue it.
Ecc. 1:18 "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow."
Philippians 1:9-10 "9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,"
Hebrews 5:14 "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Proverbs 2:5-1 "My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
Those who only want to enjoy life, ignoring or denying everything that is evil around them, will feel content, but they are not useful for the kingdom of God.
We cannot be truthful and honest while denying truth simply to feel good. We are strong when we can admit truth no matter how ugly, feeling a sense of sorrow over evil while at the same time retaining that deep down sense of joy because Christ knows all about it.
Denying evil does not change the evil and it is lying. Prayer over the evil can bring change, but if we deny that it exists then we won't pray. Who is the focus when we deny evil? It is a selfish person who prefers positive friendly encounters all the time, there is no sense of helping anyone or glorifying God when our focus is our self.
We all love to feel good, but as believers, our positive outlook has nothing to do with avoiding the truth. Our sense of well being comes from knowing Who is in control and that all things have a purpose.
Pretending everything is alright, no matter what the sin people are involved in, is lying and unproductive. When safety is the goal of a believer, then narcissism has taken over.
IF we want to be useful for the kingdom, then we take things as they come, calling them what they are, handling them God's way while carrying on for Christ. His joy surpasses anything we have to endure.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Seek God For His Will
God's creation is a testimony to His work of salvation and purpose to glorify Himself.
As I was pondering the apple tree that is rooted in the neighbors yard across the fence, I was reminded how that tree testifies to God's work of salvation in believers.
In order for an apple tree to grow, the seed that falls to the ground must die, before it can be changed into something else. When that seed dies, and is no more, then a tree grows producing a trunk, leaves, and eventually apples. The original seed will never come back, but the new tree that produces apples will have within that fruit other seeds that will fall to the ground and die too, producing an orchard.
This is very much a picture of the Christian life, when we confess our sinfulness desiring to be changed by Christ, HE comes and changes us making us into a new creation, the old cannot return. When the new comes, it will keep producing fruit, and that fruit will produce seeds for new trees, I believe this is a picture of the believer spreading the gospel and others will become saved and grow their own fruit and spread more seed.
All believers will have the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
The fruit of the Spirit is not works, they are spiritual character qualities.
The gifts of the Spirit are talents,for lack of a better word, that allow us to more fully spread the Gospel and serve other believers.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 "4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
As I was pondering the apple tree that is rooted in the neighbors yard across the fence, I was reminded how that tree testifies to God's work of salvation in believers.
In order for an apple tree to grow, the seed that falls to the ground must die, before it can be changed into something else. When that seed dies, and is no more, then a tree grows producing a trunk, leaves, and eventually apples. The original seed will never come back, but the new tree that produces apples will have within that fruit other seeds that will fall to the ground and die too, producing an orchard.
This is very much a picture of the Christian life, when we confess our sinfulness desiring to be changed by Christ, HE comes and changes us making us into a new creation, the old cannot return. When the new comes, it will keep producing fruit, and that fruit will produce seeds for new trees, I believe this is a picture of the believer spreading the gospel and others will become saved and grow their own fruit and spread more seed.
All believers will have the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
The fruit of the Spirit is not works, they are spiritual character qualities.
The gifts of the Spirit are talents,for lack of a better word, that allow us to more fully spread the Gospel and serve other believers.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 "4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
When one becomes born again, they will never lose any of these fruits, they were integrated into our being and will never leave us. The gifts will come and go as God sees a need for them.
The gifts of the Spirit are given to each of us, as God sees fit, we are not to ask for them, we are to walk and pray in God's will and He will give us gifts as are needed for whatever task He gives us to do. Begging for gifts is a way of telling God what He must do. We are to desire Spiritual gifts, but not our own idea of what we want. We are to ask for God's will for us, for His purposes.
Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."
Notice in the account of Mary's encounter with the messenger from God, the messenger told her what was to be the will of God and she submitted. No where in the Word will you find someone who commands God as to what He will do in them. We seek the Lord for His will and He will do it in us.
Bottom Line: Seek the Lord for His will and obey when you hear Him.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
When one becomes born again, they will never lose any of these fruits, they were integrated into our being and will never leave us. The gifts will come and go as God sees a need for them.
The gifts of the Spirit are given to each of us, as God sees fit, we are not to ask for them, we are to walk and pray in God's will and He will give us gifts as are needed for whatever task He gives us to do. Begging for gifts is a way of telling God what He must do. We are to desire Spiritual gifts, but not our own idea of what we want. We are to ask for God's will for us, for His purposes.
Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."
Notice in the account of Mary's encounter with the messenger from God, the messenger told her what was to be the will of God and she submitted. No where in the Word will you find someone who commands God as to what He will do in them. We seek the Lord for His will and He will do it in us.
Bottom Line: Seek the Lord for His will and obey when you hear Him.
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