Things I Remind Myself
Each and every day, I face trials and temptations just like everyone else. I have come to the conclusion that the children's song is right; "We are weak, but He is strong". Paul constantly repeated the theme of having the right frame of mind. He wrote things like, 'Renew your minds", and "Put on the Helmet of Salvation". He wrote these words, because he knew how weak humans are. He knew that if we do not constantly keep godly things in our heads we will fall to temptations.
Over the years, I have created a few phrases that are truly mine. My congregation and my family hear these phrases over and over again. I repeat them, because they speak to me. I presume that if they speak to me, then they will speak to others. I remind myself constantly these few truths. I do it, because it keeps me headed in the right direction.
In this week's blog, I am going to give you five truths that shape me. I believe each one of them to be true. I have to remind myself of these things daily, or I will struggle with my walk with God. I hope they will help you out as much as they help me.
1. God isn't concerned with your feelings; He is concerned with your obedience.
We are a people consumed with feelings. I don't feel this way. This doesn't fell right to me. I have come to the conclusion that we cannot trust our feelings. We must trust what we know. We know a great deal of things. God has revealed a great deal of things to us. Let us put our trust in the things God has revealed.
As a Pastor, I do a lot of counseling. Every now and then I am told by a someone (usually a woman), who is struggling with their marriage, this statement: "I don't feel the same that I used to". My response to that is,"I don't feel the same today as I did yesterday." If we base our actions on our feelings, then we will do all sorts of stupid things.
God does not care if you like his rules. He only cares that you are obedient to them. Of course we don't like all the stuff Christians are supposed to do. We are born in a state of sinfulness. Our human nature is to do things that our wrong. It is only through Christ that we have the strength to fight through our temptations.
So let us remember, your feelings are not all that important. Your obedience really matters.
2. The most unchristian thing anyone can do is not forgive.
A person who says they cannot forgive is a person who is lost. I want to repeat that, because it is so true. A person who says they cannot forgive is a person who is lost.
Forgiveness is the key to Christianity. We are to forgive people for what they do. Now here is the hard part, they don't even have to ask for it. Boy, this is hard stuff. Nevertheless, God put it upon the offended to forgive the offender. How often?, each and every time. Christians are to forgive. We have absolutely no excuse not to. If you don't feel like it, review number 1.
3. You have had nothing evil done to you that compares to the evil that you have done against God.
This kind of goes hand and hand with point number 2. People who say they cannot forgiven do not realize what they have been forgiven of. God has forgiven you of much greater things than you need to forgive others of. You are responsible to forgive. It is easy to forgive when you truly understand what you have been forgiven of. However, if you are unable to forgive, then you do not understand your own forgiveness. And as I said early, if you cannot forgive, then you are not saved.
4. God owes you nothing.
We live in a society that believes they have earned something from God. The old song has it right, "He saved a wretch like me". Many people believe they deserve to be blessed. the Bible teaches us that we deserve to be punished. The truth is that the whole lot of us deserve to go to Hell. The moment that we believe that God owes us something is the moment we think we done something for God.
5. We must have a high view of God, and a low view of man.
This statement reminds me that God's word is much more trustworthy than anything man has come up with. Human beings are terribly flawed. God is perfect. Human beings are depraved. God is Holy. Human beings cannot earn their salvation. God saves His own.
So there you have it, the five truths that keep me straight. I truly believe that if Christians would remember these things they will be much happier in the long run. I hope they help you as much as they help me.
Over the years, I have created a few phrases that are truly mine. My congregation and my family hear these phrases over and over again. I repeat them, because they speak to me. I presume that if they speak to me, then they will speak to others. I remind myself constantly these few truths. I do it, because it keeps me headed in the right direction.
In this week's blog, I am going to give you five truths that shape me. I believe each one of them to be true. I have to remind myself of these things daily, or I will struggle with my walk with God. I hope they will help you out as much as they help me.
1. God isn't concerned with your feelings; He is concerned with your obedience.
We are a people consumed with feelings. I don't feel this way. This doesn't fell right to me. I have come to the conclusion that we cannot trust our feelings. We must trust what we know. We know a great deal of things. God has revealed a great deal of things to us. Let us put our trust in the things God has revealed.
As a Pastor, I do a lot of counseling. Every now and then I am told by a someone (usually a woman), who is struggling with their marriage, this statement: "I don't feel the same that I used to". My response to that is,"I don't feel the same today as I did yesterday." If we base our actions on our feelings, then we will do all sorts of stupid things.
God does not care if you like his rules. He only cares that you are obedient to them. Of course we don't like all the stuff Christians are supposed to do. We are born in a state of sinfulness. Our human nature is to do things that our wrong. It is only through Christ that we have the strength to fight through our temptations.
So let us remember, your feelings are not all that important. Your obedience really matters.
2. The most unchristian thing anyone can do is not forgive.
A person who says they cannot forgive is a person who is lost. I want to repeat that, because it is so true. A person who says they cannot forgive is a person who is lost.
Forgiveness is the key to Christianity. We are to forgive people for what they do. Now here is the hard part, they don't even have to ask for it. Boy, this is hard stuff. Nevertheless, God put it upon the offended to forgive the offender. How often?, each and every time. Christians are to forgive. We have absolutely no excuse not to. If you don't feel like it, review number 1.
3. You have had nothing evil done to you that compares to the evil that you have done against God.
This kind of goes hand and hand with point number 2. People who say they cannot forgiven do not realize what they have been forgiven of. God has forgiven you of much greater things than you need to forgive others of. You are responsible to forgive. It is easy to forgive when you truly understand what you have been forgiven of. However, if you are unable to forgive, then you do not understand your own forgiveness. And as I said early, if you cannot forgive, then you are not saved.
4. God owes you nothing.
We live in a society that believes they have earned something from God. The old song has it right, "He saved a wretch like me". Many people believe they deserve to be blessed. the Bible teaches us that we deserve to be punished. The truth is that the whole lot of us deserve to go to Hell. The moment that we believe that God owes us something is the moment we think we done something for God.
5. We must have a high view of God, and a low view of man.
This statement reminds me that God's word is much more trustworthy than anything man has come up with. Human beings are terribly flawed. God is perfect. Human beings are depraved. God is Holy. Human beings cannot earn their salvation. God saves His own.
So there you have it, the five truths that keep me straight. I truly believe that if Christians would remember these things they will be much happier in the long run. I hope they help you as much as they help me.
posted by Foundes Community Church @ 9:33 AM
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