"Beloved, while i was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, i felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints." - Jude 1:3
"Crazy" has been defined as doing the same thing over, over, and over again, while expecting a different result. This could apply to Socialism, where millions upon millions have suffered and died, yet this "Utopian" idealism never goes away. This could also apply to American politics, where the mantra of "change" is always embraced, despite the continued and accelerating collapse of individuals, families, and our society.
Why do people cling to being correct, yet without the evidence to support that assumption?
If you have read my Bio then you know how my desire for truth (and the understanding for which it is based) was developed within my younger life. My interest in observing people and understanding the details behind "group actions" comes directly from knowing that life is not random, not here by chance, but instead contains both purpose and meaning.
LOVE : Have you ever contemplated on this word, on this action, on this command? Not only the depth and breadth of God's unmeasurable love, not only the incredible scope and sacrifice of the love of Christ, but in what "Loving one another as Christ loved us" entails?
Is this the substance for which we are to "Count the cost of being a disciple of Jesus" ?
Throughout the world and throughout history LOVE has been defined in many ways. You can love pizza, love your car, love your pet, love your neighborhood or city, love certain sports teams, love vacation destinations, love your grandparent, child, spouse. But although these expressions of love obviously vary in degree, their relationship to the subject remains affixed; "I love..."
By this, Love is defined as fixing your desire (passion) upon a person, place, pet, or object, because it, or they, delight you. The sensation of love derives from what something or someone means to me, my, or mine.
Jesus changed that.
Jesus taught and displayed for us a love that transcends this world and focuses beyond this life. A Love that seeks after another's best interest and needs, not alongside or even elevated above our own desires and delights, but in place of them. We seek not after our own wants, pleasures, and sustenance (God has promised to supply that) but instead we seek to disperse God's blessings to others, never forgetting that we live and move and have our being... From Him to you and me.
Expect it by faith, receive it by faith, disperse it by faith (faith that God is eternally faithful).
Man says, "A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush."
But God says, "Give it to someone in need, I will send more birds."
Jesus lived out this type of love.
So why do we continue prioritizing SELF above the needy?
This could be the reason that Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you." - Matthew 26:11
And the reason He also said, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." - Mark 10:25
If you don't think that you're counted as one of the rich, please pause now and look in your wallet, peek into your garage or driveway, step into your walk-in closet, open your fridge or just stop to examine your next meal before consuming it... We love SELF!
We love to dress self, decorate self with makeup and tats, entertain self, pursue self's desires to improve my family's standard of living... while we feed the poor and needy through drop boxes of things we "no longer love", while we distract ourselves from the consequences of our neglect by focusing on "my world".
Despite God's correction to such behavior time and time again.
Why is America crumbling? Because its people are loving self more and more. From building one's own spacecraft, to burning down one's own neighborhood; from declaring there is no God to building nicer, newer, and bigger "Houses" of Worship; and from focusing on building my life and career to ending life through abortion or suicide... self decides what self wants.
Jesus clearly commanded His own to deny self, even going as far as declaring, "unless you deny self, you cannot be My disciple" - Matthew 16:24.
Jesus clearly lived the example of what this means and showed us the WAY. Nobody has obediently and perfectly set aside more of "self" than He did... for the sake of others.
Pure Holy LOVE (John 15:13).
Jesus told us simplistic stories of extravagant benevolence (e.g. Luke 10:37) then said, "Go and do likewise."
Yet we are content with reading our Bible, attending our church services, giving our offerings, doing our random acts of service, and living our lives. We can easily see the line of demarcation between us and others as it ebbs and flows from one day or year to the next.
But we are not called to random acts of charity, we're called to become a "living sacrifice."- Romans 12:1
This is the basis for John the Baptist to say, "He (Jesus) must increase, while i (John) must decrease." - John 3:30
Our interest in self is not to simply fluctuate from year to year and from one circumstance to another... it is to lessen, lessen, lessen, until it is all about Christ-like love and devotion. This is the transformation which produces fruit; signs of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. But remember that fruit is not produced FOR the branch itself, but instead for the benefit of OTHERS.
When the day of the Lord comes, He will divide all peoples into 2 groups (Matthew 25:31-46).
To the group on His right, He will laud them with the attribute of benevolence (sacrificial love). When you saw Me naked, sick, imprisoned, a stranger, thirsty, hungry... you used God's blessings to you for Me (Christ-like love).
To the group on His left, He will rebuke them for not being sacrificial by stating, "Depart from Me, you accursed people... you did not clothe, feed, shelter, visit, care for... those in need." - Matthew 25:41-42
Understanding : the Evidence
Both, the Apostles Paul and Peter, call us to self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Peter 1:10). But how does someone examine themselves, what are we looking for?
Which is of more significance (produce stronger evidence) ... a deeper and deeper knowledge of Biblical doctrine OR a deeper and deeper display of Loving others?
Knowledge is reassuring, such as embracing the doctrine of election. ALL is of God, reasoning that my eternal destiny and even my transformation into Christ-likeness has nothing to do with me (my actions). Concluding this allows me to build my life while awaiting His culmination to my life. Assurance of salvation despite what we do or don't do.
Sacrificially Loving others produces love, joy, and peace... not only within ourselves, but within those for whom our love pours onto. God is the source; we are the conduit. We love (are enabled to meet needs) only because God first loved us (provided resources). The more we love others, the more fruit is produced. The more we sacrifice, the more others think we're crazy.
Which more defined Jesus as the "Light of the world"; was it His complex lectures on Biblical doctrine or His lavish displays of love upon a hapless and helpless people?
Which more distinguished Jesus as the "Christ"; was it is deep wisdom or others focused love?
Literature, when studied, always produces increased knowledge. Yet with the Bible we failed to catch the central point, so God became flesh and showed us what Scripture means.
But most of the Jewish people could not accept Jesus's display of what Messiah actually meant. They wanted a Champion to exalt them, make their lives and families better.
This is why hordes of men, women, and children followed Jesus from place to place... until Jesus made self-denial clear to them, and that a disciple of His relies solely upon Him and we get our complete sustenance from Him. We feed from Him each and every day, and not from this world.
To this revelation most turned away and, "followed Him no longer." - John 6:66
Every time someone fulfills the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), evidence abounds. The fruits of the Spirit become evident, disciples are made, souls are transformed, and a crazy style of love (agape) penetrates into a dark and selfish world.
Christ is our Lighthouse, our Beacon, to draw us onto the narrow path and show us the Way.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6
"Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that One has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised." - 2 Corinthians 5:11- 15
Comentários