Question With Desire
Friday, October 7, 2022
Good Morning, Lord
Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Memory verse: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Today's reading: ISAIAH 28-29 PHILIPPIANS 3
Question With Desire
When you read God's word, do you ever wonder about why things were written the way they were? God breathed it all. That is a fact that must not be questioned by the true believer. Why? Well, the enemy questioned God's truth in the Garden of Eden and has been doing it everyday since in the minds of millions so as to create doubt and divisions and chaos. But this truth remains unchanging and alive:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
International Children’s Bible
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching and for showing people what is wrong in their lives. It is useful for correcting faults and teaching how to live right. 17 Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be ready and will have everything he needs to do every good work.
This is undeniable-the written word of God-every word of it-was inspired by God-no matter whose name is on any individual book. God had every word recorded that has been recorded in our Bible.
Knowing this, as I was reading Philippians, the second chapter, I heard Paul say some things and wondered why God had him say it and for what reason. In the first verse Paul asks:
Does your life in Christ give you strength?
Does his love comfort you?
Do we share together in the Spirit?
Do you have mercy and kindness?
We would say, "Of course", to all questions. But stop and pray on these questions and ask why Paul would ask questions with such obvious answers. Think about it. God wants us always to be centered on Him . God always wants us to be alive in the sharing of the Holy Spirit's strength, comfort, mercy and kindness.
Yes, the Holy Spirit fills each obedient heart-each heart that is God-conscious-but we must share in the 'one mind':
Philippians 2:2 ►"...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."
This must mean that Paul's joy was not complete because something was not right with the Philippians. God was seeing what was happening and made Paul's heart heavy about something. What was it?
It was selfishness or 'self-fullness'.
Philippians 2:3
3 When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. 4 Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.
Pride was their guide. The Holy Spirit is to be our guide, not our pride. This is such a thin line in our minds-not in God's mind, of course, but in our minds that are so easily clouded by immediate gratification, we like being recognized for our work. This takes root and the Holy Spirit reminds us if we are listening. We must be on guard and God-conscious to keep ego at bay.
Honoring others is not always easy, especially when we lapse into judgement mode(sin) and start to think we are more 'deserving' than others. We must always see in others the part that Jesus died for and the Holy Spirit that inhabits them.
If we let these sins go unchecked, suddenly we are self consumed and what we want is paramount and the lives and needs and wants of others get trampled.
I will repeat this again: God always wants us to be alive in the sharing of the Holy Spirit's strength, comfort, mercy and kindness.
Alive in the Spirit-conscious of God all the time-conscious of the Holy Spirit we are to share-conscious of the needs of those around us and the fact that self-importance can wreck relationships that God wants us to treasure in His love.
All this is from asking why God said it the way He did. Don't just read the word. Step into it. Put it on and wear it. This is the word Jesus died for so the Holy Spirit can make it come alive and live in us.
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
Forgive me, Oh God, for getting consumed with myself and forgetting the deep needs of those around me. Let me learn how to get into the word deeper and deeper and hear You speak to me.
Father of all wisdom, mercy, kindness, strength, and comfort.
In the name of Christ Jesus,
Amen
