Truth is precious and priceless...it is your treasure. Handing truth over to just anyone is more than unwise...it is foolish. Well, it could be God's truths that He has shared with you...you know, as you go about your day, or inside your prayer closet...those mysteries and that hearty meat of the word that is only for the mature! Oh...or a nugget of truth that falls from the sky and hits you squarely in the middle of your noggin! (Well, it feels like it anyway!:)
Then you walk around for a few hours thinking, "Wow, God has really shared something with ME! AND I actually was able to hear it this time! Then I was reading scripture, and a WHOLE chapter about jumped off the page...and I knew it was a message for me!! Hurray!!"
Or while you are visiting a friend they say something, and maybe just casually...yet, you know it is for you!
God can tell you anything, anywhere, by any means!
In this chapter in Acts 11, notice the many ways God shares His truth with people: http://nlt.scripturetext.com/acts/11.htm
Truth is the most precious thing in the world...which is why God at times would block some people from knowing it! I think of it as a vase that you inherited. What would you do with it? You never even knew the relative...or the person that passed it to you. But you were told it was a priceless antique...so before you make room for it in your life and handle it which such value so it can be passed to your children, would you go and have it appraised to make sure it is the real thing?
Then, how would you handle it? Give it to your young children to play with? Put water in it with a bouquet of daisies...then place it in the middle of your kitchen table? Or safely put it up on the top shelf in your locking china cabinet for all to see? Handling it with the care it deserves still means it can be a blessing for anyone who visits...that is, anyone who values exceptional pieces such as that!
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The truth of the gospel and the Person of Christ are the most wonderful of truths...and one that not all would comprehend. Think about it! Why would God send a King? Wouldn't it be to sit on a throne and rule...and pronounce death on wretched wrong doers?? BUT sending a Ruler to DIE on a CROSS FOR wretched wrong doers?? Yeah, right!!
Luke 18: 31Jesus took the twelve
apostles aside and said to them, "We're going to Jerusalem. Everything that the
prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32He will be handed over
to foreigners. They will make fun of him, insult him, spit on him, 33whip
him, and kill him. But on the third day he will come back to life." 34But
they didn't understand any of this. What he said was a mystery to them, and they
didn't know what he meant.
The Spirit of Christ, in the Old Testament prophets, testified
beforehand his sufferings, and the glory that should follow, (1Pe 1:11). The
disciples' prejudices were so strong, that they would not understand these
things literally. They were so intent upon the prophecies which spake of
Christ's glory, that they overlooked those which spake of his sufferings...human thinking, self-focus, and a
desire of worldly objects, close our understandings. http://mhc.biblecommenter.com/luke/18.htm
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Luke 8:10 He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
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However, those in Berea, were treating truth as valuable...which is why they made sure that it was the real thing they were taking for themselves!
Acts 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those
in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the
Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
Once, as a young Christian, when I was with a group of others from church...we went downtown Mpls to do street witnessing. One person we came upon was a man that literally had a large cockroach crawling in and out of his shirt. We, of course were taken back by it, but we persisted. The man had a lot of demonic influence and not loudly, but nevertheless did heckle us and our message...so, needless to say, we were kind, but we didn't stay very long. This, we felt, was not because we were afraid of him...but because he was not ready at all to handle even a portion of the truth. Moreover, we didn't want the enemy to keep us there, which would keep us from those who would be open and ready.
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Your own story...your truth. Be careful, as you would with any truth!
Quite a while ago I got a chance to hear Jan Frank, who had written quite extensively about incest and sexual abuse. When she was growing up she was regularly molested by family members. Then as an adult when she was able to get enough healing under her belt, she decided to confront some of them. Well, as you can imagine, they totally rejected her accusations and became angry whenever she brought it up.
She knew that she never wanted to live apart from the truth again, as it was too important...and she didn't want to live as tho it never happened either, yet she also didn't want to be confronted with how her family handled it! So what she shared about this is that she learned that even tho she did not usually talk about it with her family, or even with others, however, she said that 'whatever she does, no matter where she goes, she will always carry at least a measure of truth with her.' I like this!
Matthew 7: 6 "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you".
Give not that which is holy - Το αγιον, the holy or sacred thing; i.e. any thing, especially, of the sacrificial kind, which had been consecrated to God. The members of this sentence should be transposed thus: - http://clarke.biblecommenter.com/matthew/7.htm
On the other hand, God does not want you to be so apprehensive that you don't share it, as it can do wondrous things! Furthermore, we need to keep in mind that God entrusted you with it, so you would use it...to further His Kingdom! Matthew 25: 14-29 -- http://nasb.scripturetext.com/matthew/25.htm
This is the story of Shirley Anne...this is her truth. I am sharing it with her permission. It is lengthy, and does contain content that may be too sensitive or difficult for some people to take-in: http://minkyweasel.com/d-my-journey/
Those of us that are very open-hearted may need to be careful IF we share certain truths...as there are some things that the other would treat as trivial. Not because they are a stranger to you...however, they would be a stranger to how much they know what is in your soul...as compared to you and God. Therefore, as the following verse states:
Proverbs 14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not
share these with a stranger.
The heart knoweth his own bitterness - מרת נפשו morrath naphsho, "The
bitterness of its soul." The stranger does not
understand them: indeed they may be even foolishness to him...so there are some things we ought not share with anyone but God. http://clarke.biblecommenter.com/proverbs/14.htm
Blessings to you....
Once there was a very strong bridge builder who told all the people of his town to be at the mighty gorge promptly at 5pm, because he was going to show them something they would not want to miss! They all were excited because they thought they would be seeing the new bridge almost completed, which they needed for emergencies since they had only one other way in and out of town. When everyone arrived however, they saw only the first line that he stretches across when beginning to build a new bridge.
The man asked everyone if they believed he could walk it to the otherside of the gorge and back safely? Everyone cheered, "Yes, we have confidence in you and in the strength of that line, so of course we do!" So, he walked across and back safely. Then he asked, "Now, do you think I can carry this very heavy log with me as I do the very same thing once more?" Then again, everyone cheered...but with even more gusto!!! So, he picked up the large log and did it. Then as he stepped off the end he asked, "Now, do you also have faith that I can carry a person over and back with me like I did the log?" Everyone cheered loudly!!!! Then, he asked, "Any volunteers??"
James 2:18 Another person might say, "You have faith, but I do good things." Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.
Every 'faith'...true faith....has an action that follows. It might not be something you or I can see...but God can.When Jesus told certain people to do certain things in order to gain eternal life, it was not the 'doing' that saved them. It was not the selling of the rich man's possessions that would have saved him. It would have been the attempt and the doing that would have made it evident the condition of his heart towards God...as he would have been willing to remove the one thing that was the most important thing in his life that he believed sustained and fulfilled him, and therefore his willingness to believe would have been very evident, and significant!
Matthew 19: 16And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what
good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17And He
said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One
who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And
Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU
SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE
WITNESS; 19HONOR YOUR FATHER AND
MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOURSELF.” 20The
young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”
21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete,
go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will
have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But
when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one
who owned much property
So, if God asked you to give-up something, then your reaction to God uncovers and hi-lights the spot in your heart that has been taken-up by that thing you've been holding on to, and perhaps that thing that is hindering your very salvation. However, it may show your spiritual maturity and willingness to believe God when you will take the steps to allow God to take that thing and then replace it with something that is truly of God's Spirit.
Heb. 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who
initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured
the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside
God's throne.
Romans 10:17 Therefore faith is from the hearing
ear, and the hearing ear is from the word of God.
As we closely abide in God and His written word we get to know Him and subsequently His voice because we have come to know what He would say and what He wouldn't, and what He would do and what He wouldn't...so when He calls we can recognize it. Then each time God speaks to us concerning something He wants us to do, our response shows confident faith in God (or the lack of it).
Why do you trust the people that you trust? Doesn't it all have to do with the kind of relationship you have with them? I'm not talking about the label...mother, father, brother, friend, teacher or....
I am talking about the kind of closeness you have that has allowed you to get to know them so well that you know how much you can trust them. This is the kind of relationship God wants you to have with Him. This is what creates and grows faith. The faith that says to God, "I volunteer!"
P.S. However, there is something that you can put your money into that you CAN take to heaven with you! Wanna know what it is? People. Because whenever you invest in a person it is never waisted....never. Even if you never see one ounce of change in the person, God honors your efforts and that is not something to poo-poo.
When ever you show concern for someone, you are being Christ to that person....and that is NOT to be taken lightly.
Whenever you show love to a sinner you are obeying God's most important command...as that person's darkness needs to see the light of hope in you.
Whenever you show deep concern for a deep sinner, you show them there is a better way to live. You've also done something that will be almost impossible for them to argue with you about...your actions. They can argue against your words and say they don't believe...but it is much harder to argue against your actions and the light they SEE in you!!
So, yes...there is something you can take with you!
I apologize, for some reason I posted this without meaning to, as it was not completed....this is how 'kinda coo-coo' it's been around here lately! Ha!
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God has told us in various places in scripture that we do not have much control over our flesh...therefore I have no guarantees that I will always do things right. So, this is where I got my title for this 3 part study.
Let me clarify, our human nature (all by itself) does not have control over sin. If one has had a good and loving upbringing then that foundation that was laid could very well have given them the ability to have more self-control over sin. But generally and in the long run, in order to have control and victory over it we MUST allow the Spirit of God to take control. This also means that the unsaved...and even more so...have little control over the human nature.
So, this means we must be doing things GOD's way in how sin is dealt with...in how anything is dealt with! Not the way that necessarily makes sense to us.....but then we will have already known that! Especially since you and I know that His ways are not our ways...and His ways will naturally sound strange to our human nature.
1 Cor. 1 : 25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
This being said I am going to bring up what I believe is the 2nd most important thing in all of scripture...the 1st being that God loved us so much that He gave us His Son to die and rise again on our behalf so as to bring us back to God.
Love....what it is and what is it for?
For God so loved the world...to me this means what it says, that God loved us all. John 3:16
Romans 5:6-8 "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the
right time and died for us sinners. Very
rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might
possibly dare to die. But God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us."
Think about what love is made up of...patience, kindness, long-suffering. If you and I were perfect like a robot or inanimate object that rarely if ever make mistakes....would we need patience or long-suffering? Would we need for someone to be kind to us? Would we need or want love? Would we even care?
I believe that the whole reason for love was to bridge the gap between perfection and imperfection...and between the mature and immature...otherwise, how could there ever be any way to relate or connect??
This is why, as a good parent will go through SO much for an immature, wayward or troubled child, why I believe God went through so much for us...because it is just what love does. He showed this in so many instances. By 1st creating us. Then giving us another chance after the flood. Then giving us the law to show us our need for Christ and then of course the final and ultimate, Christ and the cross.
The love of God is amazing. It is something that God wants everyone to experience...no matter how deep into sin they have fallen. In fact, it is the only reason why someone would not want to stay in sin! Think about it...if all you've known is sin...or merely the world....then it would only be the love of God that is so different from the world that could possibly ever get your attention and sway you.
This is precisely what love is for. This is why we have to be Christ and show His love to every person, no matter their sin or station in life...as this is the primary way for them to see God and be drawn to Him...and why I believe there are so many that are not coming to Christ, as we are not being Christ to them. We have the human mind set that there are only certain people that deserve love...yet this is not God's mind set. So, who's mindset sets the standard for who deserves love?
I am thankful that the church I was saved at was patient and kind and did not endeavor to alienate me by pointing out my sin soon after walking through the church door....no, I was drawn to Christ by the love I was shown. That love that caused Christ to die for me while I was yet a sinner. Yes, I was embraced...or I would have been long gone.
So, who's mindset sets the standard for you?
