Its’s amazing to me how the very scriptures used to promote getting wealth, power and overall success in this world are attributed to the one man who lost all of that when he became a Christ follower—–Apostle Paul
Tag: guru
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Really?
Does everything coming my way, especially terrible or difficult things, some just debilitating, come from God? or only good things come from God? I have heard “the steps of a good (I assume a saved individual clothed with the righteousness of Christ) man are ordered by the Lord”. This suggests to me that as a born again, bible thumping Christian my walk or life should be that of ease. No?
Nice thought, but just that —- a thought. There are many examples of good men in the bible that disproves the fallacy that just because you have decided to be saved, join the Lord’s army, life becomes your eutopia. Christ is the ultimate example; He was led to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil; not something anyone would volunteer to do I’m sure.
When I veer to the side of self-pity, I think about Paul. With Christ I usually tell myself He was the son of God, so yeah, he could go thru tough times, no big deal. After all Christ was God, I thought His divinity was a shroud about Him; His divinity shielded Him. (that is a topic for another time).
But Paul, my go to, was as human as I am.; I can relate to him. It makes my perspective different. Instead of asking do things come from God, my thought turn to because of being in God. Paul seemed to have a life to ease and peace before being in the service of God. After his encounter with Christ and being born again, this man came into some horrendous situations. He was stoned, imprisoned for the majority of his life, beaten, as well as trialed contineously it seems. I look at Paul’s life and thank God for what in comparison are minor issues I face.
You know we are told count the cost before getting into anything. Did I count the cost of becoming born again? Truthfully no. I thought, based on the teachings I was listening to, that leaving my life for the cross would unentangle me from the mess I was living in. I heard I could get wealthy, have a happy home, and just flow thru life. When this “dream life” did not realize (several years into being in Christ), I had to re-evaluate. What I would advise anyone seeking the reality of being saved is that one is entering into a war zone. It is a daily fight with an invisible enemy. You have to know how to manuever in this war torn zone; and that is by reading the word to fortify yourself so you do not become a casualty.
Come to think of it, when Christ was tempted, the devil presented the very same things to Him that the preachers presented to me — food, world’s wealth, and devine protection from on high when i throw my self into folish dangerous situations.
Yes I am ramblling again, thoughts of an older woman.
Problem: self centeredness, what I can gain is focus
Solution: be as Christ and the disciples; “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” How self-less they were by putting their lives in danger to make life available to others.
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Living Surface Deep
You know I don’t write as one who has already attained, either were already perfect. Life happens to us all! I feel as if I am ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. My constant mind set is of one who is uncertain, as one that beats the air. I don’t keep under my body bringing it under subjection; I seem to preach to others but be in the seat of a castaway.
I am doing my best to run this race to attain heaven by staying on the stait and narrow. Daily I must ask myself to run to obtain, to lay aside every weight, and sin which does so easily hems me in, slow down in the mind so I run with patience. My focus is watching Jesus thru scripture, listen to the Holy Ghost who was sent so I could always hear truth and life wispered to me every minute of the day. I have to remember on those heavy times that I have not yet resisted unto blood striving against influences of sin that is sent to weary me into a faint mind.
Problem: discipline
Solution: daily dose of scripture. Even when a verse does not seem appropriate for my life, store it for future unexpected foolishness.