‘When God changes you through regeneration, giving you knew life
through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being
maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that
would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know
you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, “What’s so wrong with
doing that? How absurd you are!” There has never yet been a saint who has not
lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is
better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely
to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit
has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right
for everyone else but not right for you.’ CHAMBERS
Since
I have become a Christian many aspects of my life have changed. There are many things that I once did and
said that are no longer part of my life.
There are some things that are not contrary to the Word of God but, if I
did them, I might cause another, younger saint to stumble. 1 Corinthians 8:13 ‘Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never
again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.’
Paul is talking about eating food that is
sacrificed to idols, in this case. But
the principle is that I am to be concerned about the affect my actions have on
others. When God asked Cain where his
brother Able was , after Cain had killed him, his response was “Am I my
brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) In
today’s vernacular he would have said, ‘This is not my day to watch him!’ Do you see the contrast between Paul and
Cain?
Maybe
there is something in your life, that you should stop doing for the good of
your Brother … and you think, “Why should I stop doing that. There is nothing wrong with it .. if they
can’t handle it, that’s their problem not mine.” Really? Is that the attitude
of someone who says they love their brother with a sacrificial love? (John 15:13) The very fact that the thought
entered my mind should be a warning .. there is something not right about that
thought, that attitude. Why is being
able to do that particular thing so important to me? John 13:34-35
‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I [Jesus] have loved you, that you also love
one another. (35) By
this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another."’
Showing
that kind of love to each other is a Christian distinctive. It shouts .. THIS IS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS
CHRIST!. Why? Because the world says .. do what you want ..
look out for yourself … live life to the fullest … get it while you can .. any
way you can. Jesus said “I am the Way,
the Truth, and the Life” If we want to
know the way .. if we want to know the truth … if we want to know life … we can
find it in Him. John
10:9-11 ‘I [Jesus] am the door. If anyone enters by
Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (10)
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and
that they may have it more abundantly.
(11) "I am the good
shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.’
So what is the Spirit saying to you today?
Does your life shout ‘I am a disciple of Jesus’? Or is it hard to tell
the difference between you and the guy next door who is on the fast track to
hell? You know what the ‘right’ answer
is .. but what is the ‘truthful’ answer.
Your heart is telling you right now.
Matthew
5:16 ‘Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’
Bondye Beni Ou
(God Bless You)
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