Webster says it is to return like for like.
We all know the golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. (Mt. 7:12)
Often, we choose to understand it as ‘Whatever others do to me, that’s what I can do to them’.
We want to justify our own desire to retaliate.
Life gets difficult. Relationships get complicated. People are people…with sin natures. We live in a fallen world, with fallen people. Some of them redeemed, some not. People don’t always do the right thing.
I don’t always do the right thing.
But I am not given freedom to retaliate. If we were, where would it end?
It can end with me. Right here. Right now.
I continue to seek, to listen and to hear, then follow the Holy Spirit that is within. I am assured that He is there…“God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Heb. 13:5, Joshua 1:5)
“ Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”(Rom.8:5)
I resolutely and repeatedly set my mind on Jesus, moment by moment choosing to believe His way and choosing to obey.
Constantly, I am on the battlefield of flesh vs. spirit.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Fruit...
In the course of our discussion Sunday morning, a question was raised about trees and fruit. We were reading the words of Jesus recorded in Luke 6, "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers.” (vs. 43,44)
The whole idea of fruit inspecting bothers me. I don’t relish the idea of anyone inspecting my fruit. Yet I am to bear fruit.
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…..This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”(”(John 15:2,8)
Each tree is recognized by the fruit it bears.
A peach tree will always have peaches on it, if there is any fruit.
Never apples. Never blueberries. Never acorns or pine cones.
But the peaches may or may not be great quality or quantity. There must be a lot of work and attention given to a peach tree in order to pick good peaches off of it.
Pruning, water, fertilizer, correct sun…
Frost can destroy the chance of fruit.
Bugs can ruin any fruit that grows.
Birds and worms can beat you to the taste test.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”(John 15:4,5)
Immediately after Jesus talked about the fruit bearing tree, He said this about the heart..
“ The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (vs.45)
I am reminded not to trust my own heart. “ The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”(Jeremiah 17:9)
Only God can change a human heart.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”(Ps. 51:10)
Only God can enable me to bear good fruit.
“…Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”(Luke 15:4)
Albert Barnes had this to say, “The Saviour gives the proper test of their character. People do not judge of a tree by its leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the fruit which it bears. The flowers may be beautiful and fragrant, the foliage thick and green; but these are merely ornamental. It is the “fruit” that is of chief service to man; and he forms his opinion of the nature and value of the tree by that fruit. So of pretensions to religion. The profession may be fair; but the “conduct” - the fruit - is to determine the nature of the principles.
Lord, help me to bear good fruit. Prune even though it may be painful, protect from what might destroy or disable fruit bearing, and keep me ever attached to Your lifegiving Vine.
The whole idea of fruit inspecting bothers me. I don’t relish the idea of anyone inspecting my fruit. Yet I am to bear fruit.
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…..This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”(”(John 15:2,8)
Each tree is recognized by the fruit it bears.
A peach tree will always have peaches on it, if there is any fruit.
Never apples. Never blueberries. Never acorns or pine cones.
But the peaches may or may not be great quality or quantity. There must be a lot of work and attention given to a peach tree in order to pick good peaches off of it.
Pruning, water, fertilizer, correct sun…
Frost can destroy the chance of fruit.
Bugs can ruin any fruit that grows.
Birds and worms can beat you to the taste test.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”(John 15:4,5)
Immediately after Jesus talked about the fruit bearing tree, He said this about the heart..
“ The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (vs.45)
I am reminded not to trust my own heart. “ The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”(Jeremiah 17:9)
Only God can change a human heart.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”(Ps. 51:10)
Only God can enable me to bear good fruit.
“…Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”(Luke 15:4)
Albert Barnes had this to say, “The Saviour gives the proper test of their character. People do not judge of a tree by its leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the fruit which it bears. The flowers may be beautiful and fragrant, the foliage thick and green; but these are merely ornamental. It is the “fruit” that is of chief service to man; and he forms his opinion of the nature and value of the tree by that fruit. So of pretensions to religion. The profession may be fair; but the “conduct” - the fruit - is to determine the nature of the principles.
Lord, help me to bear good fruit. Prune even though it may be painful, protect from what might destroy or disable fruit bearing, and keep me ever attached to Your lifegiving Vine.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Poor...
In preparing for Sunday morning Bible class, I read again what is often referred to as The Beatitudes. These verses of scripture record teachings of Jesus that seemed to be such a list of contradictions.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”(Matt. 5:3)
How can you be blessed by being in an obvious negative situation?
How can you be happy by being spiritually poor? And what does it look like to be poor in spirit?
It is a common thing to find the Christian way of life in complete contradiction to that of the natural world. Spiritual and natural rarely, if ever, follow the same course.
Eternal kingdom values and temporary worldly values are so very different.
The kingdom of God is nothing like any kingdom of this earthly realm. Wealth and power are important in our world. But what we consider wealth and power are only deceptions. ANY amount of prosperity here fails to measure up to the hope and joy found in utter dependence on God, rather than any outward circumstance.
The way of the world says ‘feel good about who you are, be confident, be assertive…even aggressive”.
Jesus’ way is to embrace the truth about who I am, a spiritual beggar incapable of fixing what is wrong deep within my spirit.
In accepting that truth about myself, I find myself blessed beyond measure, called a daughter of The Most High God, a citizen of His kingdom, and standing as an heiress of the eternal kingdom of heaven.
The more I know the character and love of Jesus, the more I realize the absolute poverty of my own spirit. How merciful He is to extend such grace to this spiritual beggar.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”(Matt. 5:3)
How can you be blessed by being in an obvious negative situation?
How can you be happy by being spiritually poor? And what does it look like to be poor in spirit?
It is a common thing to find the Christian way of life in complete contradiction to that of the natural world. Spiritual and natural rarely, if ever, follow the same course.
Eternal kingdom values and temporary worldly values are so very different.
The kingdom of God is nothing like any kingdom of this earthly realm. Wealth and power are important in our world. But what we consider wealth and power are only deceptions. ANY amount of prosperity here fails to measure up to the hope and joy found in utter dependence on God, rather than any outward circumstance.
The way of the world says ‘feel good about who you are, be confident, be assertive…even aggressive”.
Jesus’ way is to embrace the truth about who I am, a spiritual beggar incapable of fixing what is wrong deep within my spirit.
In accepting that truth about myself, I find myself blessed beyond measure, called a daughter of The Most High God, a citizen of His kingdom, and standing as an heiress of the eternal kingdom of heaven.
The more I know the character and love of Jesus, the more I realize the absolute poverty of my own spirit. How merciful He is to extend such grace to this spiritual beggar.
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