The wise born again believer uses their failures to learn great lessons and go on to improve in holiness.
Those who cannot see their failures or admit their sins to confess them cannot grow in holiness. These people will only attempt to appear righteous to onlookers.
Those who love Christ and desire authentic holiness will readily admit their failures and have no need to convince others of how good they think they are in their own minds.
A shallow and stunted mind is one that focuses only on their strengths or what they believe are their strengths whether or not its true.
The wise person sees their own flaws first to be able to seek a solution.
1 Peter 2:1-10 "2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
As Living Stones
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,
“The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the very corner stone,”
8 and,
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Hallelujah!!!!
Friday, August 2, 2019
Fitting in is not a Priority for the Born Again Believer
Have you ever felt that you really never fit in anywhere, whether it is family, school or church?
It has been my observation that those who don't ever seem to fit in are those who think a little more deeply than most people.
There are lots of reasons for not fitting in I suppose but one thing I have noticed is that people who don't fit in readily with "group think" are those who are not interested in having acquaintances that are superficial and without purpose other than to have a good time.
The world is full of people who will accept you in a heartbeat if you think they way they want you to think, dress in a way that reflects the group persona or enjoy the same things they all enjoy.
The thinkers are those who evaluate things to determine if they are worth doing. So many people will do things simply because everyone else is doing them without much thought as to whether or not it makes sense.
When God told us to leave our families to follow Him, He knew the influence and pull families can have over us, diverting our attention from Him to be able to have companions.
Luke 14:26-27 "26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters— yes, even his own life— he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.…"
When we have decided to trust in Christ it will go against most of the people around us. Most of the world hates Christ and at the very least they are indifferent to Him, which is also a form of hate. You will find that these same people will be as indifferent and hateful toward us too.
The world hates righteousness as well as rules or standards. There are those who make their own rules to appear spiritual but they are not the standards and principles of God. When appearances take priority over depth of character there can be no sincerity or inner peace.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
:Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
God said this of the religious leaders of His day: "Matthew 23:28 "So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
The more we fit into the culture the less we can serve Christ. The more we fit into the culture the more useless and superficial we will become.
Many human rules God never commanded are for the purpose of enjoying a feeling of personal superiority. When we seek Christ in all things we will care nothing about being superior to others. Our hope and desire is to be more like Christ. We know we will never measure up to Him but we love the growth spurts that comes from seeking Him.
Deuteronomy 4:29
"But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Those who seek Christ will be unconcerned about what is popular or will gain them personal glory. The greatest joy of all for the born again believer who follows hard after Christ is that He is our guide, our counselor, our protection and everything else we need.
We love it when others come with us on the journey to follow Christ and we are saddened when many choose to reject Him in favor of popularity.
John 14:6
"6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
It has been my observation that those who don't ever seem to fit in are those who think a little more deeply than most people.
There are lots of reasons for not fitting in I suppose but one thing I have noticed is that people who don't fit in readily with "group think" are those who are not interested in having acquaintances that are superficial and without purpose other than to have a good time.
The world is full of people who will accept you in a heartbeat if you think they way they want you to think, dress in a way that reflects the group persona or enjoy the same things they all enjoy.
The thinkers are those who evaluate things to determine if they are worth doing. So many people will do things simply because everyone else is doing them without much thought as to whether or not it makes sense.
When God told us to leave our families to follow Him, He knew the influence and pull families can have over us, diverting our attention from Him to be able to have companions.
Luke 14:26-27 "26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters— yes, even his own life— he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.…"
When we have decided to trust in Christ it will go against most of the people around us. Most of the world hates Christ and at the very least they are indifferent to Him, which is also a form of hate. You will find that these same people will be as indifferent and hateful toward us too.
The world hates righteousness as well as rules or standards. There are those who make their own rules to appear spiritual but they are not the standards and principles of God. When appearances take priority over depth of character there can be no sincerity or inner peace.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
:Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
God said this of the religious leaders of His day: "Matthew 23:28 "So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
The more we fit into the culture the less we can serve Christ. The more we fit into the culture the more useless and superficial we will become.
Many human rules God never commanded are for the purpose of enjoying a feeling of personal superiority. When we seek Christ in all things we will care nothing about being superior to others. Our hope and desire is to be more like Christ. We know we will never measure up to Him but we love the growth spurts that comes from seeking Him.
Deuteronomy 4:29
"But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Those who seek Christ will be unconcerned about what is popular or will gain them personal glory. The greatest joy of all for the born again believer who follows hard after Christ is that He is our guide, our counselor, our protection and everything else we need.
We love it when others come with us on the journey to follow Christ and we are saddened when many choose to reject Him in favor of popularity.
John 14:6
"6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
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