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|  by mr pine
Romans 6:15 says... "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (Paul likes to answer his own questions) And later in verse 18 he writes, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." If
we are free from sin as Christians, why do we keep sinning? Before we
were Christians, we couldn't do anything but sin. But now as
Christians, we have a choice. Most of the time we choose sin... all
the more disturbing is that most of the time we don't even care. It
doesn't phase us one bit. If we are slaves to righteousness then what's the deal with acting like we're still slaves to sin? Well, I think there are two reasons... The
first, we forget who (and whose) we are. As being people of the flesh,
that's all we knew before - and I'm not even talking since we were born
- I mean since Adam's first sin. Someone once said that it's like what
happened with the slaves immediately following the Civil War. By the
law of the land, they were free - free to do whatever they pleased (I
know, I know, no voting rights and etc... but you know what I mean).
But what happened? Many of them went right back to their old masters
and worked as indentured servants basically in the same conditions they
saw before the war- because that's ALL they knew. They didn't know
what to do with this newfound freedom.  Another
analogy (that I'm stealing from a sermon I heard somewhere). When
circuses get elephants, they bind their leg to the strongest tree with
the strongest chain. The elephant keeps trying to escape, even to the
point of getting their legs bloodied, but they can not. Eventually
they give up even trying. Well, really thick chains are expensive, so
gradually, the elephant trainer, replaces the chains with weaker ones
because in the animal's mind, it still thinks it's impossible to
escape. Eventually, all they need is a peg in the ground with some
rope to hold the elephant in place, because they stop even after the
slightest resistance. We are like that elephant, for so long we were
chained to the tree of sin and could not escape. After becoming
Christians, Christ actually REMOVES the tie that binds us to that tree,
but we still think, we can't move. So we don't even try.
I said
that there were two reasons... The second is much more tragic in that
we are fooling ourselves. We think we are Christians, but we really
never were. We really are still complete and utter slaves to sin. We
never got the emancipation proclamation. They never removed the thick
chain. But the good news is that Christ's offer is always still on the
table. Those who looked at it and said, "give me 24 hours to think on
it" and just forgot and just kept attending church like they always
have and went to Christian events and even did Christian-like things...
the offer is still good. You're not going to get a better deal
anywhere else in town... Why do you think more often than not we choose sin? What does it mean to be a slave to righteousness? From revelife | | |
| 1 Peter 2:19 "For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God" today i just want to talk about something real simple, yet something we often fail to do- and that is to be conscious of God. Many times we are reminded of God's omniscience, of his everpresence, yet it sometimes escapes us in bad times, that God is sovereign in all situations. By being conscious of God, we are then able to go through with the things of life with a different kind of mindset- one that works for the glory of Christ, and one that bears the name of Christ. Taking this somewhere within closer proximity to our hearts, which is to love the unlovable one who is always alone in class, who is always left out for conversation and sometimes IS the subject conversation. No one takes the effort to listen to them or show them love, and we barely feel the need to do so. However, we know that as ambassadors of Christ, our jobs are to spread the message of Christ's love, not just with spoken words but with acts that are oftentimes beyond ourselves. God does not call us to be apathetic bystanders, but people who carry in them Christlikeness and carry the heart of Christ. Maybe God is speaking to you about forgiving someone, even when it seems like there is no rightful need for you to do such a thing. Perhaps it seems that the extent of betrayal has been far too great, or perhaps you cannot find the strength to mend a particular relationship. Sometimes we would rather let time decompose the animosity, or whatever that has taken place. But that is not right, nowhere in the bible does it say "let time heal wounds, let time do this and let let do that". Leaving things to time may be a demonstration of faith, but God says faith without action is dead. Also, we are choosing to escape issues instead of confronting them. Time would not heal wounds but genuity in love will. No matter how difficult the situatinion is, we should rememeber to be conscious of God, and the level of difficulty will be halved and shared between the cross and yourself, and in doing so, people will see the consistency of God that is in love, through the love of fellow members in the body of Christ, as well through the ones that you find hard to love. Indeed, in the contemporary sense, Christ's promises can be so relavant to every issue that we may be facing. All it takes is the realisation of God's sovereignty, and even if it seems like there is no way out, God will provide you one. God bless! | | |
| 16No King is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. Psalm 33:16-19
When I read these verses, I knew then that there was no such thing as unfairness in this world. Sometimes we feel that people owe their successes to their own capabilities and often wonder why they could possess such great potential we couldn't. Our vision would be clouded with our own limitations that we dismiss the possibility of God being in complete control.
We work, slog and strive to reassure ourselves of our self-sufficiency, thinking that as long as we are equipped with the necessary equipments/knowledge, we'll be ready to conquer. Thus we fail to realise that God looks out for those whose hope is in His unfailing love. All God requires you to do is place your trust in Him. And this freedom of choice makes everyone (regardless of social/economic background, level of intellect, emotional/psychological strength, accomplishments, possessions, experience) equal. Neither do we defeat
with our own in-born talents/abilities, nor are we saved by the amount of effort we put in. Rather, we are saved by grace alone. God has extended his loving arms to everyone and anyone who would respond to His call for us to seek His face. And if we'd answer, everything would be added unto us.
Your success/ failure is not dependent on your competency. It is dependent on the measure of your faith. Trust, submit and believe, and you'll find a hope awaiting you because God is on your side.
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| 1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and 2live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2
I was just reading Better Together, 40 days of community by Rick Warren when I was once again reminded that as children of God, we do not pick who to love and who not to love. In God's eyes, all His children are equal and no one should receive better treatment that another.
I wonder if we've actually regarded fellow Christians as family members. Since we belong to the same family, should there be any discrimination within? Yes it is true that we can't consistently get along with every church member/fellow Christian, but (quote Rick Warren) God shaped each one of us differently , and he knows we all bring different perspectives and needs. We've just got to learn to accept people and adapt to God's method of loving His children. Galatians 2:20 reads "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." It is Christ for loves in us, no longer us who loves by our own strength.
The Bible also teaches us to love any chance we've got. Galatians 6:10 reads "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people." Did you know that God's placement of people undeserving of love in your life was an opportunity for you to demonstrate love?
Jesus once said that "your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 Our love for one another is a tangible reflection of God's love because it allows the world to witness the power of transformed lives. Hopefully, we would put into practice God's greatest commandment- to love one another. Don't let this love be confined to your head, but place it in your heart so that God's love may be expressed through you.
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| Psalm 144:3-4 3 O LORD, what is man that you care for him,
the son of man that you think of him? 4 Man is like a breath;
his days are like a fleeting shadow. If we look at ourselves from God's perspective, we'd think, gosh, I guess I'm really that insignificant. What part do i play in this world? And even if i do play a big role in the view of some, what does this world mean to God? For those who are condemned by society, family and friends feel even more dejected. Who are they that someone will care for them?
I think I am one of those self-proclaimed failures who think they've really got nothing to their name. Sometimes I feel so inadequate that i wonder which human would actually bother about what happens to my life. Let alone a far mightier, more accomplished God than any other human lived. How surprisingly, He cares for us more than anyone does!
I realised that even though people may deem us as unworthy and hopeless, God still believes in us. He is that voice that constantly reminds you, "No matter how small, how weak, how disgraceful you think you are in the eyes of those around you, I think you're wonderful because you are my child and I love you." It's so touching isn't it? To know that a someone, who is looked up to by everyone, is capable of such selflessness and unconditional love.
Think self-conceited ones should start practising humility for we're nothing; each one of us is merely (quote the lyrics of who am i) a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind. So let us not take our Father in Heaven for granted for we are living by His grace alone.
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