In Spite of Myself

For the most part I have always looked at emotions as being negative. Probably because many of the the emotions that I experience seem to be, for the most part, negative. Sure, there are times that I have fun. There are times that I feel happy. But happiness is based entirely on circumstances.

 I can't spend my life trying to make myself happy. What a waste of time that would be. The only things that are going to matter in the end are the things that we did for Jesus Christ. And the things we do for Him are the only things that can bring us joy.

Depression always sets in when I focus on myself and my happiness, or lack thereof.

So many times I get wrapped up with this present world. I get caught up in the temporary trappings of this world that are suppose to bring happiness and contentment. Always grasping for more like a greedy child and only finding myself more empty in the end than when I began.

How can I be a light to others, when my candle is hidden under all the worldly things I keep entangling myself in.

How can I expect to find joy and peace in Christ when I am always spiritually whoring myself out to the world?

I'll never be what God wants as long as I keep trying to do everything with my own power. As long as I refuse to let His Holy Spirit have the control in my life I will continue to find myself back in the pig pen so to speak. Back in the very mud pit where he first found me.

The only way I will have a victorious life is if I am infused with the power of God.

God give me eyes to see as You see, ears to hear as You hear, lips to speak as You speak and a heart to love as You love.

Free my thoughts of all the filth that I have allowed to slowly gather and fester in my mind.

Thank You for never giving up on me.

I think that most Christians today are severely lacking in their knowledge of the scriptures. I admit to my shame that I don't spend as much time in the Word as I should.

The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11).

This is a major problem, because in today's world we are constantly being flooded with things that are touted as being of God. Just attach the name of Jesus and anything goes.

And how can we know the difference between the Truth of God and the lies of Satan if we are not constantly immersing ourselves in the Word of God? The Bible has a lot to say about false prophets and false teachers.

"But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction" (II Peter 2:1).

"By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber" (II Peter 2:3).

 ". . . having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness . . ." (II Peter 2:14-15).

"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage" (II Peter 2:19).

Matthew 7:15-20:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them."

Also, we need to be very careful about the whole dialoguing and finding common ground thing. Finding common ground with someone is great if the purpose is to reach them with true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (like Paul did). However, merely finding common ground with someone and then simply agreeing to disagee (the whole I'm okay, you're okay philosophy) is not something that we find in the Bible. At least I haven't found that yet. Nor do I find that Jesus came to earth to dialogue and find common ground with man. I see that he came to call sinners to repentance. Christ did reach people where they were, but he didn't get involved in the sinful things they were doing to accomplish this...he forgave them and told them to go and sin no more. God reaches everyone where they are at, but He doesn't want them to stay there. Too many professing Christians are still feasting on milk instead of meat. And so when the next thing comes along that looks "good" and feels "good", they assume it is of God and blindly run after it.

I walked a mile with Pleasure;

She chattered all the way,

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow

And ne'er a word said she;

But oh, the things I learned from her

When Sorrow walked with me!

Robert Browning Hamilton

This is so true. I know that in my own life, I have learned so much through sorrow. At one time I thought that if things were easier on me, I would be able to do more to serve God and would have more of a desire to serve. But, this is not the case. During the times things had been better, I often found myself drifting from God. I began to depend on my own strength, and forgot that the only way I can do all things is through Christ Jesus. Sorrow keeps us near to the heart of God. Pleasure can cause us to take our focus off what is truly important. Only what's done for Christ will last. All other things are meaningless in light of eternity.

There is so much pleasure available in today's world. Not all of it is evil, but it  becomes sin once it takes precedence in our lives over the things of God. Ask yourself this...

"Why do I need another hour of mindless drivel from the television? Do I really have time to spend another 3 hours on that video game? Am I reading all this other literature more than I am reading my Bible?"

Every second another soul enters into eternity. All around me people are sinking deeper in the mire of their sins. What am I doing about it? I have to say, not near enough.

If I really grasped what was happening, if I really understood the gravity of the situation, if I really saw through the eyes of God...