Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world My servants would fight. But, My kingdom is not of this world.” He didn’t just say these things; He lived as though it were true. He was born in a nation that had been overthrown by a hostile foreign government, which was being oppressed by its own corrupt local government (Herod), and being exploited by the religious system that was supposed to be helping them stay connected to their God. When people began to recognize Him as the Messiah, they fully expected Jesus to do something about all that, but He conducted Himself as though His kingdom was not of this world. It baffled and frustrated His followers, but He was trying to lead them to a higher reality. He still is.
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The Seen realm is the enemy’s canvass, but in the Unseen realm, every knee bows and every tongue confesses. (2Cor. 4:18)
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None of what follows here is particularly revelatory, and I’m sure that we can all think of somebody else that these apply to. But the value is in looking at our own failing relationships, and seeing ourselves in some of these things. Just because we understand the issues in principle doesn’t mean that we are somehow immune to them.
Common Characteristics that Poison Relationship
· Controlling: Attempting to control people and situations is exhausting and frustrating for the one who endeavors to do so, and oppressive for the one who is being herded. It’s a lose-lose situation.
· Callousness: Most often it isn’t that people don’t care at all, it’s that they are too absorbed in their own feelings to seriously consider anybody else’s. Relationships that only flow in one direction tend to dry up quickly.
· Contentious: Dealing with someone who is triggered (i.e. offended, hurt, fearful…) by every little thing is like trying to put out a forest fire using buckets of creek water. At some point you just have to step back and let the fire burn itself out.
· Complacent: The silent killer of relationship is simply taking people for granted. Forgetting to cherish them for who they are instead of resenting them for who they’re not. Generally, it’s not until we lose them that we realize how special they were to us.
· Conceit: Being around a person who is either the hero, or the victim in every one of their stories is like listening to a song on “repeat”. Even if the tune is catchy, after about the third time, you’re ready to puncture your own ear drums.
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Until we get “Self” in check, unity is off the table.
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We can easily get into the weeds with our theology and doctrine, but unless we get this one thing right, the rest won’t matter.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind (Luke 10:27)
Love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:39)
People will know you are my followers by the way you love one another (John 13:35)
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar (1 John 4:20)
love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be childrenof your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:44-45)
These three remain: faith, hope & love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13)
Love one another, as I have loved you (John 13:34)
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself as love (Gal. 5:6)
If I have not love, I have nothing (1 Cor. 13:3)
If I have not love, I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:2)
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Darkness will not run from our hatred of it,
but it has no choice but to flee as we embrace the light
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Investing hope in deeply flawed individuals,
Who are working within a corruptible system,
Is a recipe for disappointment
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This morning I’ve decided to come at this day
Because the alternative is to allow this day to come at me
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The Answer:
Self-absorbed
Self-acting
Self-adjusting
Self-appointed
Self-asserting
Self-assured
Self-aware
Self-centered
Self-confident
Self-conscious
Self-contained
Self-deceived
Self-defense
Self-destructive
Self-determined
Self-directed
Self-educated
Self-fulfilled
Self-governed
Self-gratified
Self-important
Self-indulged
Self-involved
Selfish
Selfish Ambition
Selfish Pride
Self-made
Self-pity
Self-possessed
Self-proclaimed
Self-propelled
Self-regulated
Self-reliant
Self-righteous
Self-ruled
Self-satisfied
Self-seeking
Self-serving
Self-starter
Self-sufficient
Self-sustaining
Self-taught
The Question:
What are some things that stand in the way of becoming a partaker of the divine nature (2Pet 1:4)
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We tend to celebrate Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Messiah (Matt. 16:13-20) based on the idea that he was the first one to solve the mystery (or maybe to have the gumption to boldly declare such a thing). But Jesus’ excitement wasn’t as much about the content of the revelation, as it was in where the revelation came from. He said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” I’d like to suggest that when He said, “upon this rock I will build my church”, He wasn’t just talking about a people who recognized Him as the Messiah, but also a people who listened for the voice of His Father. A few passages later (Matt. 16:21-23) we see the same zealous Peter making yet another bold declaration, as Jesus explained what needed to happen to fulfill His Father’s eternal plan. Though Peter’s pledge that, “This shall never happen to you!” was rooted in love and concern for Jesus, he received the strongest of rebukes, “Get thee behind me Satan!” Jesus explained, “you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns”. There is little doubt that Jesus loved Peter’s passion and boldness, but in the bluntest of terms He told him that He needed to be mindful of the forces that propelled him. A short time later, Peter failed this test, as the Temple Guard came to seize Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Instead of watching and praying as Jesus had instructed, he grabbed for a sword.
Without a doubt, we live in troubled times, and our passions are easily stirred. Those of us who call ourselves by His name can easily relate to the temptation to grab a sword. But like Peter, unless we hear the voice of our Father, Jesus may well have to undo the destruction that we bring about.
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes | Tagged messiah, passion, Peter, sword | 2 Comments »
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