MATTHEW 24:12-14
There is never a good reason for listening to lies, and yet one of the easiest things we can get caught up in is to listen to a good story put together by men who think they know what they are talking about. There is a real danger in becoming a teacher of the word that most people never think about. It deals with getting off base just to a small degree in what you teach others, and it becomes a very destructive disease which is the loss of love that is true for both God and for one another.
The sin that I refer to tends to cool your love for God and for one another by focusing on self. I know so many who have fallen into that trap by thinking that they know what they are doing, and that they know the word of God so well that they are now prepared to lead others into what they know about God and eternal life. Many of the ministries that have come along and grown particularly powerful in our society have had much of the same kinds of self issues. It is another reason why I have chosen to not get off on creating a doctrine that works for me to teach another person...I teach Christ alone lest I too would get caught up in such things. It is easy to center your thoughts on self because of our physical condition; we are separated from everyone else, and we are told in the word that we are the ones who are held accountable for what comes from us. Jesus predicted that we would all be persecuted by those who hated what Jesus stood for. While Jesus stood for love for one another and for the very essence of the laws of God to be obeyed in the intent of the heart most of the leaders had set themselves up as someone special instead of as a servant of God.
Today we can easily see the love of men growing colder toward one another because of trust issues and fear. This pressure comes from false or fair weather Christians who have not really understood the truth about what this Good News from Christ really is. There is little to nothing in it about this world, but about our spiritual preparation to be with the Father as a part of the family. That takes place in a Kingdom that is not a part of this world. When we seek signs or wonders shown in a physical way we are basically seeking things for self. our goal and our drive toward Spiritual perfection has little to do with the physical part of our life. This world will pressure you to give up or to turn your back on Christ to preserve self at any cost. The word from Christ tells us to stand firm in all of this and remember the benefits of our salvation.
Jesus said that before He returns the message of the Gospel that He brought to this world would be preached to the entire world. It is through the very things that our life is concentrated around today that the word of God will be able to be heard. This is the age of communication. It was the disciples mission and it is our mission today. I want so much for you to know who you are in Christ...the world is trying to confuse us about that identity more than ever before. We will be looking at a choice that we may have to make between self and being a servant of God. We may be forced to choose between life and death, and we may have to give everything that we have in this physical world in exchange for our faith and belief in Christ. If we stand at that point many of us would walk away right now because of our desire to protect self. The truth about the message of the Good News of Christ is that we can exchange what we have for what is permanent; but our faith has got to be complete in what we say we believe. I lay awake at night sometimes just thinking about what it might be like to have to give my physical life for my belief in Christ. It is not easy to think about, and yet how much do I believe God's word? I think that is why God wants us to get to the point of being able to walk in a blind faith walk so that we can get used to not being in charge. It is time to ask yourself these questions about where you really are in your faith before you are standing in that place....may you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
The sin that I refer to tends to cool your love for God and for one another by focusing on self. I know so many who have fallen into that trap by thinking that they know what they are doing, and that they know the word of God so well that they are now prepared to lead others into what they know about God and eternal life. Many of the ministries that have come along and grown particularly powerful in our society have had much of the same kinds of self issues. It is another reason why I have chosen to not get off on creating a doctrine that works for me to teach another person...I teach Christ alone lest I too would get caught up in such things. It is easy to center your thoughts on self because of our physical condition; we are separated from everyone else, and we are told in the word that we are the ones who are held accountable for what comes from us. Jesus predicted that we would all be persecuted by those who hated what Jesus stood for. While Jesus stood for love for one another and for the very essence of the laws of God to be obeyed in the intent of the heart most of the leaders had set themselves up as someone special instead of as a servant of God.
Today we can easily see the love of men growing colder toward one another because of trust issues and fear. This pressure comes from false or fair weather Christians who have not really understood the truth about what this Good News from Christ really is. There is little to nothing in it about this world, but about our spiritual preparation to be with the Father as a part of the family. That takes place in a Kingdom that is not a part of this world. When we seek signs or wonders shown in a physical way we are basically seeking things for self. our goal and our drive toward Spiritual perfection has little to do with the physical part of our life. This world will pressure you to give up or to turn your back on Christ to preserve self at any cost. The word from Christ tells us to stand firm in all of this and remember the benefits of our salvation.
Jesus said that before He returns the message of the Gospel that He brought to this world would be preached to the entire world. It is through the very things that our life is concentrated around today that the word of God will be able to be heard. This is the age of communication. It was the disciples mission and it is our mission today. I want so much for you to know who you are in Christ...the world is trying to confuse us about that identity more than ever before. We will be looking at a choice that we may have to make between self and being a servant of God. We may be forced to choose between life and death, and we may have to give everything that we have in this physical world in exchange for our faith and belief in Christ. If we stand at that point many of us would walk away right now because of our desire to protect self. The truth about the message of the Good News of Christ is that we can exchange what we have for what is permanent; but our faith has got to be complete in what we say we believe. I lay awake at night sometimes just thinking about what it might be like to have to give my physical life for my belief in Christ. It is not easy to think about, and yet how much do I believe God's word? I think that is why God wants us to get to the point of being able to walk in a blind faith walk so that we can get used to not being in charge. It is time to ask yourself these questions about where you really are in your faith before you are standing in that place....may you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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