…to those who are…called to
be saints… —1 Corinthians 1:2
{CHAMBERS} “[…] We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us
to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be
used by God? […] There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether
we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on
God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the
vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human
life is made.”
{ELGIN} How do you approach life? I mean .. as you live from one event to
another .. from one breath to another breath … what is it that determines how
you respond to the events in your life?
What you think .. what you do .. what you say. As Christians we have a choice, actually. Because this new life we live, we live in the
flesh by faith, we can choose to respond in the natural or in the
supernatural. We can respond as the
world does, or we can respond like Jesus did.
How you respond is determined by your true disposition. If you see your new life as merely an attribute,
like being a citizen of the United States or having red hair, then you are in
trouble spiritually. You can hope to
respond to life differently, but it is not going to happen. Often times, we confuse spiritual response
with natural constraint. Let me explain
by example.
Mary is talking to you when
she says something that is very offensive. How do you respond? Naturally, you are thinking an unkind
thought, but you restrain yourself so as not to give how you really feel
away. Spiritually, you are not affected
by the words, but see Mary’s heart, the source of what comes out of her mouth,
and pray for her. You hold no grudge
against her, but have forgiven her for the offense. You show compassion for Mary. Like Jesus did for those who crucified Him. The offense will not be logged away in your
heart to be pulled up at some time in the future. Let’s say your children are like whirlwinds
in your house. They won’t listen so you
yell at them. You just can’t take it anymore. You can’t help yourself. You are right … your old nature is stronger
than your will to not yell at your children … but your old nature is not
stronger than your new nature, whose source is the Creator God. You will respond to life from your true
nature .. which nature is that? The one
that rules your heart. Not the one that
you want to rule, but the one that sits on the throne. Living supernaturally does not just happen,
it is a deliberate process, yielding your life to God each day, living by
faith, meditating on the Word (when was the last time you read the Bible on
your own?) You are a child of God, don’t
be satisfied with anything less.
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