Just Faith Life Living Daily by Faith In ChristDon't know what it means to be a Christian?
Scriptures that talk about...
Separation From the World
Four part series began 4/25/2010
Foundation scripture:
I John 2:15-17 (NIV)
Do not love the world or anything in the world.If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Six Ways to Spot Pride and How to Avoid it.
by Kay Montgomery
Bob has a cartoon clipped onto the refrigerator at the office.
In part one, a man in a nice suit with several large rings on his fingers is sitting in an elegant chair, leaning forward toward the television camera with a tear rolling down his cheek. He says,
“We must have your help today to keep this ministry operating."
In part two, a thin man in a tattered shirt is sitting at a wooden table,two native children are standing nearby, and he is writing a letter by candlelight.
“Dear church, everything is going well here...”
It really makes a point, doesn’t it?
It got me thinking about the dangers of self-promotion. I have launched this site in an effort to say something about the daily life of faith from the perspective of my own experience, and I am hoping to encourage discussion from some of you. A certain amount of promotion will be necessary if anyone ever finds out about this site, but in the middle of that, I do want to avoid the danger inherent in putting oneself out in front of others. I pray God help me do a good job of both.
Six questions to ask myself n order to recognize pride in my life.
- Is it expressly prohibited? We are warned in I John that pride in our own accomplishments is part of the world's way, we are to avoid this. the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.
- Does it lift up self instead of Christ? Our lives are supposed to show Christ to the world in the same way Jesus showed the Father to those around him. The Bible says our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3) and any attention we receive should point a lost and dying world toward Jesus .
John 12:32(NIV) But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” - Does it feed self-sufficiency instead of Christ dependency? If Jesus could do nothing except through the Father, how can we do any less? We are totally dependant upon God and his mercy, if we are to have any effect in the world, all attention must be on Christ.
John15:5 apart from me you can do nothing. - Does it seek approval from men, or God’s approval? When we accept Jesus as Savior, our spirits are born into the Kingdom of God, but our old man is dead to the world. Why do we still seek the world’s approval? God has accepted and empowered us, we need no other acknowledgment.
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: Colossians 2:20- Is it the world’s way of self serving, or God’s way of humbleness? The Bible describes Jesus in his earthly ministry as meek and mild. God’s way is always kind and respectful to his creation, never rash or argumentative. In order to minister to a needy world, we need to adopt that same spirit of humility. Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
- Is it of faith, or is it, instead, of pride? As believers, everything we do must be initiated by and empowered by faith in God and in his word. Anything less is, according to the Bible, sin.
Romans 14:23 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
How can we avoid pride?
- Repent of any and all times we have fallen for the desire to receive acclaim from man.
- Resolve to resist the urge to put ourselves or our accomplishments in front of others.
- Recognize the deception for what it is. Receiving approval from our Christian brothers is really no different from receiving it from the world. No matter how we try to paint it with another brush, when we “show off” for others, it is to receive acclaim to ourselves and not for Christ. A truly humble person does not like the spotlight and will always make sure to put Christ forward so that others will see and be drawn to Him.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17
Six Ways to Spot Covetousness and How to Avoid it.
by Kay Montgomery
While out for a walk recently on a beautiful spring day, I noticed a gorgeous oak tree in my neighbor’s yard. Immediately, I thought to myself,
“I wish I had that tree.”
Was this covetousness?
Yes, because instead of just being happy that my neighbor has this beautiful tree, I wanted it for myself. I repented, but was absolutely amazed at how easily I had slipped into this. It got me thinking about covetousness, why it is wrong for the Christian and the steps we can take to avoid this sin.
Covetousness is wrong for the believer because:
- It’s one of the ten commandments. God does not tell us things to keep us from having a good life, his desire is that our lives be full to overflowing. When he warns us of a specific behavior, it is because he knows the negative effect it will have on our lives. He is, in effect, protecting us if we will only listen and obey. Exodus 20:17 ( NIV ) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
- It creates and feeds greed. We all know it’s true, but we act as if we can eventually get more stuff than the next person if we keep trying. Enough already! As long as we keep looking at how much stuff someone else has, we will always want more. There will never be an end until we declare an end in our lives. The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil, it is the Love of money.
I Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.- It focuses on our lack instead of God’s provision. God wants us to look to him to satisfy our every need. His supply is limitless and he has promised us no lack. Philippians 4:19 ( NIV ) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
- It rejects God’s provision. By focusing on ourselves and our own ability to take care of ourselves, we reject the promise of God to be our provider.
- It hinders, or blocks, God’s provision. When we reject the promise, we move outside of God’s protection and blessing and God has no way into that part of our lives to bring about the blessing he desires for us.
- It is not an act of faith, but is, instead, an act of fear. The promises of God become reality in our lives when we actively choose to believe they are true and begin to act accordingly. When we indulge in covetousness, we are choosing to believe we do not have our needs met, that we deserve something more or better.
What steps can we take to avoid this sin?
- Repent of any and all times we have allowed ourselves to be pulled into comparing ourselves with someone else.
- Read and confess out loud the promise God has made to provide our every need.
- Yield that part of our lives to God and thank him for being our provider.
- Choose to believe God’s promise and begin living as though it were true.
Matthew 6:25-34 ( NIV ) “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Before any Christian becomes polictically active, he should prayerfully consider these points.
Political activism is not neccessarily wrong, but these things are true when we try to use worldly methods.
- It's trying to change a system. God's way is to bring change into individual hearts,one at a time.
- Righteousness cannot be legislated. A desire to seek righteousness must stem from the inner man and must come as an outgrowth of a need in the inner spirit.
- We are admonished to pray for our leaders. The prophet, Daniel, was active politically, but he spent weeks fasting and praying for his country and it's leaders.
- The world's way will bring the world's result. People will naturally do the expedient and self-serving thing. Email campaigns, petitions, and organized protests are the world's way. Any change accomplished this way will be transitory and last only until the next protest.
- Evil cannot be contained by laws, chains, or prisons. Our trust or reliance must not be on containment, but instead, rest on God and his willingness and ability to exact change in people.
- It gets our eyes off God and onto ourselves and our own efforts and works.
- Our citizenship is in another place and our allegiance is there. We should not expcet to be understood, accepted, or admired by the unbelieving world.
Should Christians Participate in the Tea Party Movement?
by Kay Montgomery
I John 2:17 (NIV) The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
My dear children;
I have been writing on the subject of separation from the world, It probably seems like a dull topic to be spending so much time on. I know you are busy with your lives right now and it probably doesn't seem important to speak of these things. I want so very much for you to understand how important this topic is, not to please me, but for the well-being of you and your children. The Bible says the world and all of its infuence and power is passing away. If you line up your thoughts and desires with the world, you are on the losing team. Please don't do that. Take the time and dedication to renew your mind with the word of God. Then, you will have something in your life that will last forever.
Blessings;
Mom
5 Steps to a Renewed Mind
by
Kay Montgomery
- Recognize the world's way is not God's way. We have been trained, even brainwashed, by the world and its system, the need to retrain our thought patterns is incredibly important.
- Be willing to let God change your focus. Acknowledge God as all-wise, as Lord of your life, as Savior.
- Recognize you do not belong to this world. We are crucified with Christ, dead to the world, but alive to God. Colossians 3:3
- We are commanded to think on spiritual things-to seek after them. Colossians 3:2 (NIV) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
- Replace our worldly thinking with God's by reading and meditating(thoughtful consideration) on specific scriptures and promises from the Bible. Only when we actively, on purpose, and with intent, choose to think on God's word and agree with it, will our minds begin to change thought patterns and the process of renewal. It is, as always, a choice We make, Do not be decieved, we are in control of the direction our thoughts, our actions, and our destiny takes, either with the world and its way, which is passing away, or with God and his word, which will never pass away.
