When growing up, what did your parents always tell you when you were trying to correct your siblings? I know with me it was, just mind your own business. So I grew up looking out for my self. So that must be normal, right?Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
So we were right to correct our siblings? No, not that either. We are to imitate Christ’s humiliation by doing nothing out of selfish ambition but considering others as better than ourselves. This means that our mindset must be one that considers others as having a real claim on the wealth and blessing God has entrusted to us as his stewards. If we consider someone as being more significant than we are, we will not be able to keep ourselves from blessing them, at least as much as we have been blessed.
What is normal when it comes to protecting ourselves? We get mad and want to fight, do we not? Luke 6: 27-31 Love for Enemies "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
What is normal when it comes to protecting ourselves? We get mad and want to fight, do we not? Luke 6: 27-31 Love for Enemies "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Are you telling me that if I catch someone stealing my coat to also give them my shirt? How is that normal? Jesus said it is normal for me to love my enemies and do good things for those that hate me. There is another quote my parents would always tell us: "Kill them with kindness!"
God tells us in 1 Timothy 6: 7-8 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Wait a minute, be content with just food and clothing? What about my stuff? What about the things that I have accumulated over the years and have worked hard for?
God tells us in 1 Timothy 6: 7-8 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Wait a minute, be content with just food and clothing? What about my stuff? What about the things that I have accumulated over the years and have worked hard for?
Following in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. A lack of contentment will always lead to covetousness and love of money; and when we flee the desire to be rich, we are already on the road to contentment. So in God's economy, that is normal, but what about our financial futures?
Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Worry "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[a]? "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.
What does it take to make you content? What allows you to go to bed at night and not worry about tomorrow?
Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Worry "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[a]? "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.
What does it take to make you content? What allows you to go to bed at night and not worry about tomorrow?
Jesus does not want us overly concerned with things that are not of ultimate value to God. In fact, he wants us to know that we are of ultimate value to our Father, so we can trust him for the basics. We shouldn't be overly troubled with the basic needs of life. This doesn't mean we're to be irresponsible or freeloaders, it does mean that we should develop our sense of values so that the focus of our life is not on material needs. As God has declared us of ultimate value by sending his Son to redeem us, we commit to pursue what is of ultimate value -- the Father and his Kingdom. When we do that, the necessities will fall into place. Want proof? Look at the birds which regularly receive God's care and we're worth a whole lot more to him than they are!
Luke 6:20-26 Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Luke 6:20-26 Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Whoa, what was that, blessed are the poor and woe to the rich? That sounds backwards from what life tells us on earth. Do we not try to gain wealth and popularity? Sadness is all that follows those who chase praise from people rather than God’s truth.
After studying this it has made me realize that I have lived a backward life. I never realized how my comprehension of life in the physical world would change when pursued from a spiritual point of view!
But, no matter who we are, where we are from, intuitively we all want happiness, peace, success, love and pleasure. But if we do not understand that the point for these begin spiritually, then we are unable to have a real perspective on the world normal. God made us to want these pursuits and that is NORMAL!
After studying this it has made me realize that I have lived a backward life. I never realized how my comprehension of life in the physical world would change when pursued from a spiritual point of view!
But, no matter who we are, where we are from, intuitively we all want happiness, peace, success, love and pleasure. But if we do not understand that the point for these begin spiritually, then we are unable to have a real perspective on the world normal. God made us to want these pursuits and that is NORMAL!
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