The Word | Daily Bread MAR/24/12 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Saturday, 24 March 2012 15:22 |
|
Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or desire for praise, but in humility regarding others better than yourself. Jesus took no thought of His own position and comfort when He humbled himself to take on the form of a servant - He did so to redeem us. He regarded our situation and wellbeing with a level of importance worth all of the abuse and pain that He endured in order to ransom our lives from sin and death. We were His enemies (not just people belonging to another church denomination); we were alienated by wicked works and without strength when God commended His love to us (Romans 5:6-10; Ephesians 2:12-13). If God so loved us, then we ought to also love one another. Now that we have been born of God, the beauty of His unselfish nature must be allowed to govern our lives and conduct (1 Peter 5:5-6; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; Galatians 5:26). All of the schism and divisions that exist among God's people come from ambitions and desire for praise. We cannot operate in the spirit of this world, the spirit of pride and arrogance, and still say we are the Lord's! The motives of our hearts cannot come from our own vainglory and earthly understanding, but must flow from the wellspring of life that has been given to those born of the Spirit. If a person allows themselves to operate under the influence of the spirit of this world, they are blind and have forgotten that they were purged from their sins (2 Peter 1:9). If we want to increase in the anointing and the manifest presence of Jesus, then we must be willing to give ourselves to the nature and disposition of Christ Jesus. We must be willing to come and learn who Jesus is. He calls us to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him, so that we may conduct ourselves as those who are His followers (Matthew 11:29-30; 16:24). We have been called to enter into this glorious divine way, and live by the Holy Spirit through obedience to the gospel (Hebrews 4:11; 1 Peter 4:17). It is in meekness and lowliness that we will find rest for our souls; for it is here that we yield to the Holy Spirit. In the disposition of meekness and humility, all of God's watercourses will flow through our lives. Selfish ambition and personal gain have nothing to do with the nature of Jesus and the things that the Holy Ghost would teach us. The culture of the Kingdom and the ways of God must be learned and submitted to as we are taught by God. Many seem to think that because the gift of salvation is free, they are under no responsibility to do what is right. There could be no idea further from the truth. God gave us the gift of natural life, but for us to be healthy and blessed, there are a lot of responsibilities that we must be faithful with. The gift of spiritual life also carries responsibilities with it. The life that we have in Christ Jesus is the most precious gift that God could give, and to abuse it or take advantage of this precious gift is a great evil (Hebrews 2:3). By this gift of God we have been brought into the school of the Spirit, so that we might learn to walk like Jesus. God has called us to lay down our lives for everyone around us. We are called to honor and esteem others better than ourselves, just as we have been honored by the Lord (Romans 12:10). It is impossible to represent Jesus and the kingdom of God if we are not willing to conduct ourself by the Holy Spirit. We are called to be servants - not masters, abased and not exalted. In this wonderful relationship that we have in the Spirit, we love the brothers with genuine love: with the love of God that has been poured into our hearts (1 Peter 1:22; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Romans 5:5). Only humility and servitude flow from this fountain of love. Motives of vainglory or the praises of men must not be allowed in our hearts. Those things that have to do with strife and envy, criticism, and the sowing of discord have no place in the Lord. |
Powered by MMS Blog
