Are you the director of your life? Look at your life and read the actions that have been done and what motivated these. What was the desires in your heart that got you to this point? Everything in your life has been presented to you, good and bad, and it’s you that has accepted or rejected these things. For Christians, it’s all about how the gospel is being presented to you, whether you accept it or reject it. There are may gospels being preached in churches all over the world. Why do you think there are different denominations? Each one has a different grasp of what the gospel means, and yet, the written words still say the same for every denomination.
1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
Love is what motivates a Christian. If you are not expressing love regardless of what comes against you, are you really in Christ? The devil loves to poke at Christians to see what they are really made of, if Jesus really is the why in their lives. I have heard several pastors say that if you squeeze an orange, you will get orange juice. It would be weird if you get apple juice from an orange. Why is it the when a Christian gets squeezed, everything but Christ comes out? I ask you again, what motivates you?
I am going to discuss something with you that if you grab a hold of this, it will change you life. I don’t know if you have noticed this, but there is a putting off and a putting on in the scriptures. We are suppose to put off the old man and put on the new man. This is done through baptism. Baptism represents the death , burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are to die to the old man, old way of living, and raise to the new mans living through Christ.
Ephesians 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Ok, we are to put on Jesus, sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Here is what I want you to grab onto. It’s not just about the outside, but also the inside. We are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. It’s a totally new way of looking at things. It’s the eye from which we live from. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders for cleansing the outside, making it look to everyone of what they were doing was right, but inside they were dead. The same can be said for the religious leaders today.
Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
I have brought you to this point. We are to live from the inside out as the Kingdom of God is in you. We don’t call heaven down as He is already here, inside you. Inside our hearts are being transformed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. It’s from this heart of flesh where life and peace are. It’s a life of peace that we live from. Jesus came to make peace between you and Father, and it is from this peace we live. It is through peace that you will defeat the enemy. Before Adam ate of the tree, he was in a place of peace, but after in the place of curse. How do I know this? Jesus explained it in the first part in the first part of the parable of the good Samaritan.
Luke 10:29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man (Adam) went down from Jerusalem (city of peace) to Jericho (city of the curse), and fell among thieves (the thief come to steal, kill and destroy), who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Ezekiel 36:25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Romans 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Now do you understand why Paul wrote this from prison.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Paul also told the church in Colosse that peace should rule in their hearts.
Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
I hope this blesses you. Peace is the opposite of fear so live in the opposite sprit. Be blessed my friends.