SINGLE MINDEDNESS
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
The deeper we go in our studies of the walk we need to have in Christ the more personal it becomes to me. I am convinced that those of us who are called in Christ to do a certain work are also compelled by the Holy Spirit; I guess that could be paraphrased by saying we are"drawn irresistibly by the Holy Spirit"and what we do. When I was younger I thought that all of us were drawn in the same way to simply do God's will, but I have found a distinct difference in the way people are drawn by God and used by the Spirit. As an example the Holy Spirit showed Paul that he would be imprisoned and experience suffering. Even knowing this, Paul did not shrink from fulfilling his mission. His strong character was a good example to the Ephesian elders, some of them would also suffer for Christ.
The examples that each one of us gives to the other of how God uses our lives can be a tremendous asset in the church or it can make us feel as though we have failed in some way. We often feel that life is a failure unless were getting a lot out of it. Things like recognition, fun, money, success are all things that the world measures in achieving the idea of winning in life. In the book of ACTS 20:24-31 Paul tells us that he considered life worth nothing unless he used it for God's work. What he put into life was far more important than what he got out of it. The question is for all of us this which is more important to us? What we get out of life, or what we put into it?
In order to find an answer to that question we have to ask ourselves as well what it takes in quality of character and heart to be able to live in that way? Single-mindedness is quality needed by anyone who wishes to do God's work. Paul was one of those single-minded people, and the most important goal of his life was to tell others about Christ. In the book of Philippians 3:7-13 Paul tells us "but what ever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so somehow to attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers I do not consider myself yet to have taken a hold of it. But one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that to God will make clear to you. Only Lent us live up to what we have already attained join with others and following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you."
I am beginning more and more in my life to see and feel the power in a single minded view as an individual to maintain a constant witness in Christ. Paul has given us an example of that single-mindedness in Christ in his final statement to the Ephesian elders in ACTS 20:22 "and now, compelled by the spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish the race to complete the task the Lord Jesus is given me the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." We, like Paul, need to remember what our calling is in Christ, and to have a single-mindedness in the value of the witness we give to this world and to one another. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
The deeper we go in our studies of the walk we need to have in Christ the more personal it becomes to me. I am convinced that those of us who are called in Christ to do a certain work are also compelled by the Holy Spirit; I guess that could be paraphrased by saying we are"drawn irresistibly by the Holy Spirit"and what we do. When I was younger I thought that all of us were drawn in the same way to simply do God's will, but I have found a distinct difference in the way people are drawn by God and used by the Spirit. As an example the Holy Spirit showed Paul that he would be imprisoned and experience suffering. Even knowing this, Paul did not shrink from fulfilling his mission. His strong character was a good example to the Ephesian elders, some of them would also suffer for Christ.
The examples that each one of us gives to the other of how God uses our lives can be a tremendous asset in the church or it can make us feel as though we have failed in some way. We often feel that life is a failure unless were getting a lot out of it. Things like recognition, fun, money, success are all things that the world measures in achieving the idea of winning in life. In the book of ACTS 20:24-31 Paul tells us that he considered life worth nothing unless he used it for God's work. What he put into life was far more important than what he got out of it. The question is for all of us this which is more important to us? What we get out of life, or what we put into it?
In order to find an answer to that question we have to ask ourselves as well what it takes in quality of character and heart to be able to live in that way? Single-mindedness is quality needed by anyone who wishes to do God's work. Paul was one of those single-minded people, and the most important goal of his life was to tell others about Christ. In the book of Philippians 3:7-13 Paul tells us "but what ever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so somehow to attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers I do not consider myself yet to have taken a hold of it. But one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that to God will make clear to you. Only Lent us live up to what we have already attained join with others and following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you."
I am beginning more and more in my life to see and feel the power in a single minded view as an individual to maintain a constant witness in Christ. Paul has given us an example of that single-mindedness in Christ in his final statement to the Ephesian elders in ACTS 20:22 "and now, compelled by the spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish the race to complete the task the Lord Jesus is given me the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." We, like Paul, need to remember what our calling is in Christ, and to have a single-mindedness in the value of the witness we give to this world and to one another. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
Comments
Post a Comment