June 2011

"Balance"

June 28, 2011

“Balance”

Blessings Folk!

Saw a Facebook posting this morning that posed a question.
The questioner is a strong believer.
He asked...

Is your life in balance?

I know “what he means” by this, but, I would submit that in the life of the true believer it is a question that does not have application.

For many years I have encountered teachings, sermons, writings and the like that speak of “balance”.

Many true believers have experienced frustration in seeking to obtain “balance.”

Here is the truth.

Believers have no “balance.”

There is either light or darkness.
There is either Christ or Belial.
There is either believer or unbeliever.

2 Corinthians 6
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

There is either holiness or unholiness.

1 Peter 1
 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

There is either living in the spirit or in the flesh.

1 Peter 4
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

There is either “fruit of the Spirit” or “works of the flesh”.

Galatians 5
19 Now the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
 22 But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

There is either pursuit of the Kingdom of God or pursuit of the world.

Matthew 6
 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seekHappy for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

There is either life in God or death to sin/self.

Romans 6
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.


There is either abiding in the Lord or having not God

John 15:4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

2 John 1
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

No “balance” between these.

Now, I know that folk are often referring to the balance between “church”, job, family, etc. In other words, life.

But there is the mistake.

The only balance in the life of the true Believer is…

  • complete submission to the Lord
  • walking daily in death to self, alive in God
  • walking in the life of the Spirit
  • pursuing the Kingdom and His righteousness
  • manifesting the fruit of the Spirit
  • abiding in the Lord

There is no “balance”.
There is “either/or”.

Choose today…
Life
Death
Holiness
Light
Abiding
Kingdom
Christ!

Continue to pray for Jane...press on...

"Liberty"

June 21, 2011

“Liberty”

Blessings Folk!

Over the next 17 months or so much will be said about “liberty” and “freedom”.

All sorts of “buzz-phrases” will be cast about.

Few folk will give them a moment of thought.

Most will simply parrot the buzz thinking they are waxing eloquent.

As we consider the political state of where we are - regardless of where that is - let us not forget this wonderful truth.

True liberty, true freedom, is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Christ has set us free.
He made us free.

Our response?

We are to stand fast in this liberty.
Do not be distracted by the ways of the world or of the religious man.

We are to be certain to be not entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

The situation being addressed with the the church in Galatia was that of circumcision.

Some were teaching that to “be in Christ” one must first be circumcised - be a Jew.

They were attempting to be justified through the Law.

The Spirit through Paul says - “no.”

Galatians 5
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

We are saved by grace - not grace + law.
We live by grace - not grace + law.

Some will say that the church has no struggle with such today.
Not true.

The spirit of the law is strong and prevalent.

It is seen in the man-made “covenants and oaths” that many “churches” require.
It is seen in the rules and regulations established by man - none found in the Word.

We have been called to liberty, not the bondage of man “in the name of the Lord.”

But, we are not to use liberty for the desires of the flesh…

Galatians 5
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

In our liberty we are to love, honor and serve one another.
This is the fulfillment of the Law - Love your neighbor as yourself.

Let us do so now.
Do not bite.
Do not devour one another.
Do not consume one another.
Love one another.

Pray especially for Jane - recovering from medical procedure to remove a small blood clot on the brain after a fall.

Also, pray for Buddy - procedure Wednesday…

Blessings!