Is there such a word as, "un-compromisingness" ? If there isn't, I think there out to be. It just seems like such a really good word that we should surely be applying to our Christian faith-practice. What I mean is, I think it's become quite normal for folk to secumb to a temptation by backing up in their faith practice, instead of advancing. Yes, we OFTEN try to change the world by BECOMING like the world.
As an example: I visit many "elderly saints" in a local nursing home on a regular basis. It's one of my ministries. I was chatting with a friend in church and he said that he did the same in a different nursing home, and felt that 2 times a month was "plenty", because many of the sweet folk don't remember who you are, anyway. After thinking about what this guy said, AND the fact that it can be REALLY hard to see our communities' elderly slowly dying, it seemed to me that I guess the guy was just doing his best, and maybe twice a month WAS "enough" time spent with these elderly people. But then, after I had meditated upon this , I realized that surely I would be compromising MY faith-practice by taking someone else's lead, instead of just following the Holy Spirit's Direction in this. Do you see what I mean?
..........
The point I want to make in this post is, Jesus called men to a life of giving, NOT getting. In other words, we should never even CONSIDER compromising what God has led us to, for the sake of our own convenience. You see, even seasoned Believers can fail at times because of their own carelessness and foolishness. Some of us, without even realizing it, often become selfish and start to think that what we currently "do for the Lord" is ENOUGH !! We get all wrapped up in our individual ministries and occasionally forget to keep "the big picture" in mind. Yes, the REALLY big picture which is stated in Mark 10:43-45 : Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as ransom for many.
..........
Jesus answered satan's temptations in the wilderness {ref. Matthew 4:1-11} in the words from Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." Wasn't Jesus surely telling us that true satisfaction is found only within complete dependence on God, Himself??? You see, no other human being was in the wilderness with Jesus. He told His story about those 40 days alone SURELY to His disciples, so that they could tell us that we are all tempted, and even THROUGH our gifts. In other words, if a man who is quite charming bows down to temptation, he could easily "get away with about anything", if whom he is talking to is gullible or easily persuaded. Another man with a splendid vocabulary could easily use his words to justify almost ANY sinful action, if asked about it. Likewise, someone with a very vivid imagination, as myself, could easily be led into a mental fantasy, which many other people wouldn't even THINK of. Do you see what I mean here? WE'VE GOT TO BE ON GUARD.
Jesus laid bare his most-inner heart by telling us all how He was tempted by satan, because of his very-human need for satisfaction. Yes, He can help us IN our temptations because He Himself was also tempted. By exposing Himself fully to us, He teaches us of His help WITHIN all our struggles. And I truly feel that some of our greatest tests can come right after some of our greatest triumphs. What I mean is: Jesus had just come from His Baptism by John the Baptist, where God the Father spoke from Heaven about His Son. The Spirit, as we are told in Mark 1:12, IMMEDIATELY sent Jesus out into the wilderness. You even wonder why?
Could Jesus have been tested by His Father in all this? In 1 Kings 18 and 19 we are told how the prophet Elijah had just defeated the prophets of Ba'al through his God-given courage, when the wicked Jezebel threatened Elijah's life, scaring him enough for even HIM to flee in terror! Was Elijah being tested at his greatest moment of spiritual strength in his witnessing? That IS how satan works, you know.
..........
Dear Father, help me continually realize how great can be my spiritual vigilance WITHIN my freedom in Christ Jesus. Please continue to show all of us Believers that we are NEVER at a stage where we are beyond temptation. Thank You, Lord, for standing beside us in our battles with satan. With YOU, Lord, we are NEVER alone!
..........
My friends in Jesus, this post wants to emphasize that the Greek word for tempt, "peirazein" is most-fully interpreted as "test". Abraham's escape from sacrificing his son Isaac {ref. Genesis 22:1) was defined as, "And it came to pass after these things that God did test Abraham." Why I bring this to light is because we all should know that God our Eternal Father does not tempt us ........... He TESTS us. God would not, and HAS not, seduced anyone into wrong-doing. Doesn't certain metals have to be tested before they can be used in their final product?? Our final "product" is when we are called for God's Purposes. Yes, the very FRUIT of our faith. Our dignity in Christ Jesus comes ONLY when we rise upon our own cross of sacrifice. God our Father tests those He wants to use, don't you think?
.........
Dear God, thank You from the bottom of my heart for showing me that my worldly temptations are not the penalty of being a sinful being but, rather, the Glory of being YOUR chosen child.
..........
Let God speak to you within the Christian task which He lays before you in your life, OK? Our ministries in life should daily show us how much we are NOT alone in this sinful and temptuous world.
(Hebrews 12:1 3) Let us lay down all weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who with joy set before Him, endured the Cross, despised the shame, and then sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God.
As an example: I visit many "elderly saints" in a local nursing home on a regular basis. It's one of my ministries. I was chatting with a friend in church and he said that he did the same in a different nursing home, and felt that 2 times a month was "plenty", because many of the sweet folk don't remember who you are, anyway. After thinking about what this guy said, AND the fact that it can be REALLY hard to see our communities' elderly slowly dying, it seemed to me that I guess the guy was just doing his best, and maybe twice a month WAS "enough" time spent with these elderly people. But then, after I had meditated upon this , I realized that surely I would be compromising MY faith-practice by taking someone else's lead, instead of just following the Holy Spirit's Direction in this. Do you see what I mean?
..........
The point I want to make in this post is, Jesus called men to a life of giving, NOT getting. In other words, we should never even CONSIDER compromising what God has led us to, for the sake of our own convenience. You see, even seasoned Believers can fail at times because of their own carelessness and foolishness. Some of us, without even realizing it, often become selfish and start to think that what we currently "do for the Lord" is ENOUGH !! We get all wrapped up in our individual ministries and occasionally forget to keep "the big picture" in mind. Yes, the REALLY big picture which is stated in Mark 10:43-45 : Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as ransom for many.
..........
Jesus answered satan's temptations in the wilderness {ref. Matthew 4:1-11} in the words from Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." Wasn't Jesus surely telling us that true satisfaction is found only within complete dependence on God, Himself??? You see, no other human being was in the wilderness with Jesus. He told His story about those 40 days alone SURELY to His disciples, so that they could tell us that we are all tempted, and even THROUGH our gifts. In other words, if a man who is quite charming bows down to temptation, he could easily "get away with about anything", if whom he is talking to is gullible or easily persuaded. Another man with a splendid vocabulary could easily use his words to justify almost ANY sinful action, if asked about it. Likewise, someone with a very vivid imagination, as myself, could easily be led into a mental fantasy, which many other people wouldn't even THINK of. Do you see what I mean here? WE'VE GOT TO BE ON GUARD.
Jesus laid bare his most-inner heart by telling us all how He was tempted by satan, because of his very-human need for satisfaction. Yes, He can help us IN our temptations because He Himself was also tempted. By exposing Himself fully to us, He teaches us of His help WITHIN all our struggles. And I truly feel that some of our greatest tests can come right after some of our greatest triumphs. What I mean is: Jesus had just come from His Baptism by John the Baptist, where God the Father spoke from Heaven about His Son. The Spirit, as we are told in Mark 1:12, IMMEDIATELY sent Jesus out into the wilderness. You even wonder why?
Could Jesus have been tested by His Father in all this? In 1 Kings 18 and 19 we are told how the prophet Elijah had just defeated the prophets of Ba'al through his God-given courage, when the wicked Jezebel threatened Elijah's life, scaring him enough for even HIM to flee in terror! Was Elijah being tested at his greatest moment of spiritual strength in his witnessing? That IS how satan works, you know.
..........
Dear Father, help me continually realize how great can be my spiritual vigilance WITHIN my freedom in Christ Jesus. Please continue to show all of us Believers that we are NEVER at a stage where we are beyond temptation. Thank You, Lord, for standing beside us in our battles with satan. With YOU, Lord, we are NEVER alone!
..........
My friends in Jesus, this post wants to emphasize that the Greek word for tempt, "peirazein" is most-fully interpreted as "test". Abraham's escape from sacrificing his son Isaac {ref. Genesis 22:1) was defined as, "And it came to pass after these things that God did test Abraham." Why I bring this to light is because we all should know that God our Eternal Father does not tempt us ........... He TESTS us. God would not, and HAS not, seduced anyone into wrong-doing. Doesn't certain metals have to be tested before they can be used in their final product?? Our final "product" is when we are called for God's Purposes. Yes, the very FRUIT of our faith. Our dignity in Christ Jesus comes ONLY when we rise upon our own cross of sacrifice. God our Father tests those He wants to use, don't you think?
.........
Dear God, thank You from the bottom of my heart for showing me that my worldly temptations are not the penalty of being a sinful being but, rather, the Glory of being YOUR chosen child.
..........
Let God speak to you within the Christian task which He lays before you in your life, OK? Our ministries in life should daily show us how much we are NOT alone in this sinful and temptuous world.
(Hebrews 12:1 3) Let us lay down all weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who with joy set before Him, endured the Cross, despised the shame, and then sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God.
