This week, Michael writes: Critics of the church say that it's the only army that shoots its wounded. We're here to refute that charge. Jesus Christ is the one who reconciles, not estranges. To reconcile with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, we must meet each other at the foot of the atoning cross of Jesus Christ. For there is one God and one mediator between man and God the man Christ Jesus. We have been given the gift of salvation by grace through faith.
In America, we value our "inalienable rights." Americans esteem the "pursuit of happiness and the self-made individual." The secular world's code says, "it's all about me and it’s all about “I”." However, the holy Scriptures say that pride goes before a fall.Jesus said, “love not the things of this world”. The first of the Ten Commandments says, “Thou shalt have no other gods between your face and God's face.” The would be spiritual adultery.
We inherited our selfish and prideful nature from the sin of our original father Adam. The sin nature asks "what's in it for me?" To approach God’s throne of grace, we must forsake our pride. We must surrender our self-centeredness and acknowledge that "in my flesh dwelleth no good thing." For if we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Abiding with Christ in the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit.
According to 2 Timothy 2:22-26, we're reminded about the divisions, factions, and contentions of this world. When the culture says that selfishness is a virtue, there is no reconciliation. The devil's tactic is to divide and conquer. It’s working too. Political factions as well as marriages are divided by "irreconcilable differences." Nations rise up against nations and there will be wars and rumors of wars. These are signs of the last days when the devil runs rampant and controls the pride of distracted men and women.
A disciple of the kingdom of heaven is a disciplined follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, who walks according to the spirit of life in Christ. To oppose the devil's doctrines of this world, 2 Timothy 2:22-26 says: “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” The challenge is to live according to the standards that God gave us in Christ. This is a gentle and a loving power.
The Lord's voluntary bond-servant must not be quarrelsome but gentle to all men and women, apt to teach and always patient. Jesus had said, “bless them that persecute you, go the second mile, and turn the other cheek. Pursue the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.”
The devil will appeal to our pride because it is our “weak spot”. He will provoke our so-called “righteous indignation”, when we believe our rights" are violated. However, human rights are often godly wrongs. The antidote to pride is the love of God. Love covers a multitude of sins. Couples must love each other according to the love of God when the devil attempts to separate their hearts. God calls his people to instruct with meekness those who oppose themselves. Meekness acknowledges that God is in control, not us. Repentance means to turn from our selfish pride and to acknowledge the truth of the Word of God. The knowledge of the Bible will recover them from the snare of the devil.
The devil will tempt us to look at others with judgement and condemnation. However, our calling is to love with the love of God. The love of God is not focused on evil. It keeps no record of wrongs done. The love of God bears all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things and endureth all things. Love never fails.
Jesus himself, humbled Himself under the mighty hand of God. Christ was on mission. He took upon himself the form of a servant and became obedient unto death upon the cross. He for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is set upon the right hand of the throne of God.... That we may know him and the fellowship of his suffering... For I was crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Sin kills eternally, but Christ saves eternally.
We may not understand the trials of life, but we know that God's in control and not me. For His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and his ways than our ways. Almighty God has a plan and working it out in this world. As the apostle Paul said, "thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me." Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. God works all things for good ... He's a good, good Father. Focus on that fact.
May we live our lives to the praise of the glory of His grace,
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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