Monday, May 28, 2012

Responding to the World

My Utmost For His Highest

“If anything is a mystery to you and is coming between you and God, never look for the explanation in your mind, but look for it in your spirit, your true inner nature— that is where the problem is. Once your inner spiritual nature is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and you, His child, because the Lord has made you one. “In that day you will ask Me nothing.” CHAMBERS

‘But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ (1 Corinthians 2:10-14)

There is a knowing that is beyond the reasoning of our minds.  People scoff at our faith because they cannot make sense of it.  Of course they can’t.  It is only through the revelation of the Spirit .. can we understand the things of God.  Scientists search for answers through observation and logic … but the deep answers they search for are hidden from their natural minds and can only be found in the ascended Jesus.  They use their common sense – natural minds to reason out the mysteries of God.  Because they see the things of the Spirit of God as foolishness, they discount the truth for a lie … they intentionally ignore what is plain

‘For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, …’ (Romans 1:20-22)

To me it is like I have two brains … one, in my head, that causes my body to function and the other in my heart that gives life and direction to my spirit.  That understanding sheds a different light on Proverbs 3:5-6.  ‘Trust in the Lord … and not on your own understanding’.  As you face the issues of life you have a choice  …. Read these verses …

‘There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.’ (Romans 8:1)

‘I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.’ (Galatians 5:16-17)

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.’ (Galatians 5:25)

We are supposed to be responding to life .. to the world .. with spiritual understanding .. no longer looking at life from a human perspective.  We should see people in a different light .. in the same way that Jesus saw them … looking past the surface and seeing the heart … People without Jesus .. without God’s seal on their hearts – the Spirit of God – are struggling … they know there is something missing .. they just don’t know what it is … it is the God-shaped void or as Pascal described it ..

“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.”  [Blaise Pascal, Pensees #425]

And there is only one thing they can do to fix that … accept Jesus as Lord.  The next time you are dealing with someone who is difficult … with someone who has disappointed you … maybe hurt you … look at their heart .. understand that they are in an eternal struggle .. and what they need is salvation … and if they are already saved .. what they need to do is to walk after the Spirit and not the flesh … As Jesus hung on the cross, He said “Forgive them Father .. .they don’t know what they are doing!” (Luke 23:34)

I pray that God will fill you with His Spirit and give you wisdom and understanding and you will show the world grace and mercy so that your light will shine bright drawing others to Him.

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You

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