Safetypinlove

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.

Proverbs 3:11-12 talks about the chastisement of the Lord. That it’s difficult, but an expression of His love for us…for He disciplines those He loves. I Corinthians 11:32 goes on to tell us that God’s correction and conviction is to instruct or train up, in order to cause us to conform to His Divine Truth. This persistent & patient discipline is highlighted in Job 36:10, “He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.” God will keep bringing us back to the same issue until we finally relent and listen…opening up our ears to Divine correction and then guiding us to repentance. All the while, encouraging our personal responsiveness and opportunity for growth and moral realignment. So just remember the next time God brings you back to the same issue…His purpose is restoration, not punishment.

Are you a victor or a victim? As you go through your day do you feel powerless, targeted, slandered, and helpless? And so you then react in a defensive manner…a victim’s mentality of, “everyone’s out to get me and there’s nothing I can do about.” But Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Christ Who gives us strength. And that we are more than conquerors through Him Who loves us. (Romans 8:37) So we don’t have to play the role of victim, when God has empowered us through the Holy Spirit and Jesus living in our hearts. (Psalm 60:12, I Timothy 1:12, II Timothy 4:17, Ephesians 3:16) For when we rely on God’s power, we can gain the victory as overcomers… whatever the circumstances may be.

When you need to put everything in the right perspective…spend some time with Jesus. That’s because, like Isaiah 55:6 tells us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declare the Lord.” Our limited perspective on things is very often narrow and self-serving…where God’s viewpoint exceeds human imagination, with His compelling plan and purpose behind everything He does. Therefore, His point of view takes into account every detail of His profound wisdom, holy Providence, infallible foreknowledge, and immutable counsel. And we know that God always carries out His gracious and all-wise plan, (Ephesians 3:20) so we must then seek out and trust in His all-discerning perspective .

My very special time of day is early in the morning… with the quiet dawn, my first cup of coffee, and a conversation with the Lord. But so many times my mind either wanders to the “what ifs” of the future, or the regrets of the “would of, could of, should ofs of the past. It’s then that the Lord gently reminds me of the importance of the “here and now” of the present day. Jesus wants us to focus on today…for we can’t change the past, and we don’t have knowledge of the future…so having anxious thoughts about either one accomplishes nothing. Instead, His desire is that we order our priorities correctly, by focusing on how we may serve Him today…for this unique and special present day we will never have again.

Our circumstances may shake us, but they never shake God. He is never uncertain or troubled by the trials we find ourselves in. That’s because God is Omniscience, Sovereign, and possessing of eternal foreknowledge of everything from the beginning of time to eternity. So the next time you are caught off guard and jolted by life’s problems…remember that your God is unshakeable, unflappable, and undisturbed by it, and that His unfailing love for you will never change. For God is eternal…an immovable foundation for our faith, and the ultimate source of unwavering strength and security for Believers.

Faithful endurance is essential in the Christian journey…it’s not passive waiting but rather active obedience…demanding strenuous effort and perseverance on our part. But what if we’ve been persevering in the same situation for years and the finish line is still out of sight? James 1:3-4 encourages us that this trial is designed by God for a purpose. It’s a test of faith in order to develop perseverance…and in turn, perseverance produces a mature Christian character within us. So today, be encouraged to persist in spite of the difficulties…holding fast to God’s promises with determination to walk the path laid out in front of you…for I know you can do it!

The litmus test of whether we have truly forgiven someone… is how we recall the past situation. If it’s with calm indifference and gratitude to God, we have forgiven with a changed heart. But if when we remember the person, there still arises indignation and wrath…we have not truly forgiven them. If our attitude, ( our mental position and outward manner) remains angry at that person, Satan can then easily gain a foothold in our life. (Ephesians 4:26-27 & II Corinthians 2:10-11 & Psalm 4:4) That’s why I Timothy 2:8 exhorts us to lift up holy hands in prayer, without burning anger or discord.

The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, put it this way, “If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all…” (Isaiah 7:9) James calls it establishing your heart, while Paul calls it being steadfast and immovable. Either way, it can be some of the toughest times of your life to just stand firm. You want to “do something”…defend yourself, fight back, justify your motives, or even run away. But instead, God tells you to be still and trust Him. “For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (II Chronicles 20 :15)