Safetypinlove

You’ve probably heard the term “self-made man” to describe someone whose success is of their own making. But in the wildly changing world today, this is only false confidence. Intelligence, strength, wealth, and independence are all natural places for sinful human beings to place their trust and worth. But these things are limited and cannot safely secure us from all the hidden dangers of the world. So as this Scripture points out, our fulfillment must then come from our deep and personal relationship with God…Who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. Therefore, our boasting needs to be in God, not ourself…redirecting our human pride of fleeting achievements, to our eternal relationship with our Creator.

We’ve heard of Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”, but the other day I read a very interesting question posed. It was asking if this “thorn in the flesh” was possibly a deep regret or mental anguish for killing so many Christians in the early Church? For we know that Satan was probably bringing up his past and condemning him for his murderous actions and systematic nature of ravaging Believers. But if after his conversion, (Acts 9:1-19) Saul’s past was covered by the blood of Christ, Satan then had no power. And as his ministry moved forward into the Gentile world, Saul’s name changed to Paul in Acts 13:9…his Hebrew name being replaced by his Roman name, and his past forgiven. (Psalm 103:12)

Sharpening iron requires friction…and in the process both edges are honed perfectly. We need to look then at our interactions with fellow Christians as opportunities to sharpen our character and faith. We can grow spiritually and improve through mutual interactions, accountability, and constructive relationships. But if the only feedback we ever receive are compliments, admiration, and flattery…we’ll never grow. It’s only when that Christian friend challenges us with honest criticism, Spirit-led counsel, and pointing out the need to take responsibility for our actions, that essential spiritual growth will happen.

Is your Church ministering or just maintaining? Is it simply preserving old traditions and becoming more of a monument than a vibrant and active Fellowship? In other words, does your Church still have a heartbeat, or is it DOA, and no one wants to admit it? The Church in Loadicea was spiritually complacent, indifferent, and comfortable with the status quo. Or as II Timothy 3:5 says, their religion was hollow, spiritually useless, and displeasing to God. So ask yourself today, is your Church moving forward, actively reaching people…or has it grinded to a halt, becoming more of a monument of what once was?

Psalm 37 is an instructional poem of King David’s, urging us to wait patiently until God’s promises are fully realized…even when it seems that answers are not forthcoming. That’s because God is still working when He tells us to wait. Exodus 14:14 explains that the Lord will fight for us, we need only be still. For He fights on our behalf behind the scenes…in areas we have no concept of. So our role in all this is to simply trust in Him and wait…for ultimately, God’s Divine Sovereignty will prevail.

Jesus’ critique here was aimed at the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees…showing the distinction between their God-given authority but the failure of their personal conduct. In Luke 20:45-47, Jesus warns of their hypocrisy, pride, and exploitation of the vulnerable…a behavior that demonstrates a “double sin” of abusing the powerless while using religious acts as a facade for personal gain. He cautions His disciples to be alert to superficial religiousness, love of popular acclaim, and readiness to exploit…for it does not align with God’s Word.

We are told to act in such a manner that our life will be living proof of a loving God. But how do we go about doing this? It’s by reflecting God’s unfailing love and great mercy. It means loving our neighbor, (Mark 12:31) our enemies, (Luke 6:35) and one another. (John 13:34) And it’s by our actions speaking louder than our words. For the ultimate goal is to bring glory to God…and lead others to Christ.

In Philippians 2:1-2, the Apostle Paul calls all Believers to unity, humility, and selfless love… which is grounded in their relationship with Christ. But what if there’s something hampering this in our life? Some obstacle interfering with our intimate fellowship and unity in the spirit with Jesus? In a word…get rid of it…or it will destroy your devotion, trust, and faith. Oneness with Christ is the cornerstone of our Christian walk and needs to be fiercely guarded as we identify, imitate, and unite with Him. (Psalm 86:11)

In this Scripture, the Apostle Paul is relinquishing his freedom for the sake of winning others over to Christ. He deliberately makes the choice to serve others before himself. This type of Christian freedom isn’t self-centered, but is expressed through humility, service, and showing the love of Christ to others. An old Amish saying goes, “Give people a piece of your heart…not a piece of your mind.” Which means living a consecrated life filled with empathy, understanding, and leadership through Godly example and servanthood.

The line bottom is this…Not everything you think needs to be said. That’s because, one of the greatest signs of spiritual maturity is knowing when to stay silent, and keep your mouth shut. (James 1:19) For not every opinion, offense, criticism, or conflict deserves a response from you. All we need to do is look at I Peter 3:10 that quotes Psalm 34:12-16 which cautions us to keep our tongue from evil and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit… admonishing us to live in harmony, avoid revenge, and respond to wrongdoing with a blessing rather than retaliation.