God's Kingdom Come

Bringing to light how I pursued my kingdom has revealed other areas I sought to glorify me.  It is hard, but I am thankful.  I lay down me so I can pursue God's Kingdom.  I won't do it perfectly, but God isn't calling me to perfect - not just yet.  He's calling me to trust and step out in faith.

If my hand is out wanting love, then I do not love.

God is teaching me to love fully.  He has poured His knowledge into me.  He has equipped me with understanding of His ways.  That dry spell I felt wasn't because I needed to know more or that someone needed to spiritually move me with their teachings, activities or ???  I'm at a point where learning shouldn't be the priority, it's learning to act out of love.  Practice to improve, to be in more situations where it may be hard to love, but love anyway. 

Love as the other person needs, not to expect anything in return. 

Love by walking with others, not condemning them and holding the bar high and expecting them to live up to it (I mainly do this with one person and am working hard to stop.)

Love by taking care of their needs, serving them. 

Removing me and my needs from the equation, for I trust God to provide. 

This is God's Kingdom - Love God, Love Others.

To live out the verse God has shown is my life verse:

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.

Isaiah 58:10 [underline added]

Future failure?

To follow up on the previous post, I wanted to share a concept I hadn't considered until I was asked.

What if your greatest failure is yet to happen?

This question isn't to cause you to live in fear, but to warn you, we could all falter at anytime.  If you study the Bible long, you'll see those who failed the greatest often thought they were doing the right thing.  Eve, Jacob, Saul, Judas, Saul/Paul, to name a few, all thought they knew best, some God redeemed, others He did not.

It's a warning to keep you on your knees, seeking God's grace to live for Him, to understand His Scripture that you are studying diligently.

When I look at my past, I couldn't imagine my greatest failure to be future, I've messed up so much.  But there's a chance, even greater if I become confident in myself, slack off in my pursuit of God and His word and lose the awe I have of Jesus.  This is where having fellow Christians that you live in community with are helpful to pull you back on track if they see you going astray. 

Take warning, love God, humble yourself before Him.

Your 'Have To' Changes to Your 'Want To'

I worked with a youth pastor in the past that loved golf.  This man played golf almost daily.  All his expendable income went to golf.  His wife accepted this and loved to play along sometimes.  He also was devoted to watching pro golf.  This was before Tiger had all his personal troubles and was on the leader board for every tournament he entered. 

Then the news came they were expected their first baby.  They were both excited for this new addition God granted them.  Then the teasing started.  "Oh, you won't be able to go play golf once the baby come."  "No golf for you, babies cost a lot of money."  On and on it went.  He was really tired of hearing it, especially when she was in her last trimester.

It happened during this time I spoke with him and golf came up.  Me: you know this golf thing will change once your son is born. Him: I know, I know, I won't have money.  I've heard it all before.  Me: No, it's not that.  You won't want to play golf as much anymore.  You will want to be with him.

It had never occurred to him like that.  It became true on both accounts.  With his wife now home, the funds were down, but as well, he desired to get home and be with his family more and more.

It the transformation that happens in our heart as well.  We might know a little about God.  Perhaps we remember the 10 Commandments from our youth and was taught that God had rules and laws we needed to follow to be one of His children.  For me, this kept me from God's love for so many years.  I hadn't learned God is a forgiving God, a God full of grace to enable me to do what He asked.  I accepted Jesus as my Savior, but I wasn't in love with God.

Just as my friend loved his baby, he wasn't in love with him until he arrived and was this wonderful being he could interact with.  Interacting with God, getting to know Him through His word and time spent adoring all He does opens our heart to be in love with God.

Being in love with God changes our motivations.  We no longer see the rules and laws that weigh on us.  We see opportunities to show God we love Him by obeying what He has asked us to do.  We no longer see it as a hindrance to living life, but as a guideline to living the best life God has planned for us.  As Creator, He knows how we are to live to walk fully in His blessings.  

Being in love with God transforms all those have to's to want to's.

If your love for God isn't so great, ask Him to help you.  Ask for His grace to open your heart to Him and love Him.  He will do it, just ask.

Puffed up Knowledge

Now about food offered to idols: of course we know that all of us possess knowledge [concerning these matters. Yet mere] knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love (affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and builds up and encourages one to grow [to his full stature].  If anyone imagines that he has come to know and understand much [of divine things, without love], he does not yet perceive and recognize and understand as strongly and clearly, nor has he become as intimately acquainted with anything as he ought or as is necessary. 1 Cor 8:1-2

This passage speaks of how knowledge is related to pride, as we exert privileges in the security of faith.  Paul is speaking of eating idol meat.  Since my eye is looking for any passage that speaks of pride, this one caught my attention.

Knowledge is a lure to increase pride.  That person who knows the Bible forward and back, yet does not know God – no personal relationship.  That person who has a critical eye on how things should be.  That person who is certain of being right, their heart is closed to learning. 

Paul contrast to the pride of knowledge with love.  Love builds up.  Love does not tout around advanced knowledge (pride of knowledge).  Love seeks wisdom (knowledge with application and heart change).  It looks to use knowledge to understand where others stand – not condemn anyone either.  To take the time to understand where others are at in their walk with God and not allow their actions to cause another to stumble.

But if one loves God truly [with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God [recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him]. 1 Cor 8:3

Anyone with puffed up knowledge thinks they know God.  Only through love can anyone know God.  Love recognizes that I am an example for others to follow.  Love knows what is permissible for me to do, yet I restrain myself out of consideration for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pride: Touchy Feelings

A couple things happened that caused my feelings to be hurt.  Some was a gentle reproach from a friend, some was me stepping out of my comfort zone, not communicating well and the consequences of stepping out.

It was these instances that an opportunity for growth happened.  I was led to read about love in 1 Corinthians 13 in the Amplified Bible. 

It  is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.  Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it take no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 1 Cor 13:5 (underline added)

Oh my, this verse cut down to what I was doing.  I was allowing my perceived rights, my fleshly sinful desires, my pride to prohibit me from loving.  The verse converged Love and pride in my heart.  I knew I could love better, now I could see that my pride got in the way!

My touchy feelings were a response of my pride.  I was looking for me to be safe and protected.  I wanted to be right.  I wanted to disregard what others thought, even though part of stepping out of my comfort was to see what other thought.

This line of thinking would lead me to be rude as I carried out my own preferences.  For me to stop seeking  others input.  For others, because of my response, would withhold edifying responses. 

I have God’s love in me.  Thank you Lord for showing another aspect of my pride.  Please continue to humble me in Your love.