How do you filter life’s events? In other words ..
what is the source from which you respond to what happens to you and around
you? Since this is a faith-based BLOG,
the “right” answer is by your faith. But
that may not be what actually happens. If
we fail to embrace the primacy of our new nature in our life then we will put
the natural in the front of the line .. at the top of the stack of responses to
life.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20
The life I now live in the body ... means my natural life, my old nature, the nature I was born into, has been usurped by Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How I respond to life should always be based on who I am in Christ, now and not who I was before Christ. In Romans 12:2 the Apostle Paul said “Don’t be conformed to the natural but be transformed by the supernatural.” Loving God first and completely does not leave any room for the flesh and the natural.
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” – Luke 14:26-27
That means that you must put the natural in its proper place and it cannot be ahead of Jesus and your new life. Most people want to be in harmony with their family. Sometimes our faith gets in the way of that natural harmony. Many people want the acceptance of their family more than anything. Family is everything. It is the most important thing in their life. It can even be their god. If you are a Christian, keeping your family first may not be possible unless you are willing to compromise your faith.
Have you ever “tucked your faith in your pocket” when you are around certain people so as not to offend someone? If you have, you put the natural ahead of the supernatural. You chose to deny your faith in favor of acceptance from the world .. and that may include your family and friends. You don’t have to be offensive, but you should also not be apologetic. We are called to be salt and light.
“Salt that has lost its saltiness [its ability to do what it was created to do … flavor and heal] is good for nothing and should be cast out to be trampled under men’s feet.” – Matthew 5:13
I was thinking about last Christmas. Christmas is a reminder that God sent His Son so we might be saved from our sin and restored to the Father. The world is trying hard to erase that Truth from this celebration and make it about money. It is not politically correct to say “Merry Christmas”, instead it’s happy holidays. My wife and I were in a restaurant during the Christmas season. After dinner, as we left, the hostess said “Happy Holidays.” I was almost out of the door when I returned to her desk. I looked her in the eyes said “It is OK to say Merry Christmas to me. I won’t be offended.” She said , “We were told to say ‘Happy Holidays’.” I said, “I understand, but Merry Christmas.” Then she replied, “Merry Christmas.”
You need to be salt and light – what you were created to be (2 Corinthians 5:17). Have you ever been in a dark room and someone opened the curtains or turned the lights on. Did it hurt your eyes? That is what you do spiritually when you are around other people who are living in darkness. Be the light! Not to harm them, but to reveal the truth to them.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20
The life I now live in the body ... means my natural life, my old nature, the nature I was born into, has been usurped by Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How I respond to life should always be based on who I am in Christ, now and not who I was before Christ. In Romans 12:2 the Apostle Paul said “Don’t be conformed to the natural but be transformed by the supernatural.” Loving God first and completely does not leave any room for the flesh and the natural.
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” – Luke 14:26-27
That means that you must put the natural in its proper place and it cannot be ahead of Jesus and your new life. Most people want to be in harmony with their family. Sometimes our faith gets in the way of that natural harmony. Many people want the acceptance of their family more than anything. Family is everything. It is the most important thing in their life. It can even be their god. If you are a Christian, keeping your family first may not be possible unless you are willing to compromise your faith.
Have you ever “tucked your faith in your pocket” when you are around certain people so as not to offend someone? If you have, you put the natural ahead of the supernatural. You chose to deny your faith in favor of acceptance from the world .. and that may include your family and friends. You don’t have to be offensive, but you should also not be apologetic. We are called to be salt and light.
“Salt that has lost its saltiness [its ability to do what it was created to do … flavor and heal] is good for nothing and should be cast out to be trampled under men’s feet.” – Matthew 5:13
I was thinking about last Christmas. Christmas is a reminder that God sent His Son so we might be saved from our sin and restored to the Father. The world is trying hard to erase that Truth from this celebration and make it about money. It is not politically correct to say “Merry Christmas”, instead it’s happy holidays. My wife and I were in a restaurant during the Christmas season. After dinner, as we left, the hostess said “Happy Holidays.” I was almost out of the door when I returned to her desk. I looked her in the eyes said “It is OK to say Merry Christmas to me. I won’t be offended.” She said , “We were told to say ‘Happy Holidays’.” I said, “I understand, but Merry Christmas.” Then she replied, “Merry Christmas.”
You need to be salt and light – what you were created to be (2 Corinthians 5:17). Have you ever been in a dark room and someone opened the curtains or turned the lights on. Did it hurt your eyes? That is what you do spiritually when you are around other people who are living in darkness. Be the light! Not to harm them, but to reveal the truth to them.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
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