You can view this post live on YouTube.com, under Back to the Basics, Transforming Temples. Enjoy
Hey guys, welcome to Transforming Temples.
Wow, there has been so much going on in the world today. I am wondering who will rise to the occasion; To be a living example of Christ. You know, from the beginning of human history, Satan has tried to confuse and confound God’s purposes by corrupting man’s thinking. It is quite evident in the current events of today.
My mind was caught up in the current events until I spoke to God, and He spoke to me through His Word. I laid it down. He told me to stay focused. He gave me this work to do, and I need to stay focused. We all need to stay tuned to Jesus, His Word, and, most importantly, put it into action; because Satan is in rare form. He is using the hearts and minds of the unsaved and the Christians. Now, this is what He gave me.
I thought we would take a step back, take a time-out to slow down, get back to the basics—the Christian’s foundation, love. I want to speak about Jesus’ love, learning to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and putting it in action. We will look at quite a few scriptures on love.
The Church, the body of Christ, we must make a difference right now. Love is what Jesus called us to do that the world knows us. The greatest love in the world is Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. His love is perfect, unconditional, inspiring, strong, forgiving, enduring, faithful, and so much more! (His love endures your lies, deception, hate, envy) Three characteristics of His love that I like is unwavering, constant, and enduring. Wow, do you think we as Christians can model this? There are no easy answers to our world problems, but loving one another as Christ has shown us would make a real difference.
God wants us to work towards having this love for not only Him but for others as well. When He told us to love our neighbor, He knew your neighbor would not be like you, not look like you, or act like you. Loving God and loving our neighbors are the greatest commandments of all. Why do we fail so miserably at this? Our neighbor is not only the ones in our community but all humanity.
God has given us a gift of love, and He wants us to share it with others. John 15:12-13 states, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Church, what are we doing? We are missing the mark. Christians have become cold and callous, unsympathetic, stubborn, and dying in their sin. We’re fighting, complaining, unforgiving, selfish, and prideful. Most of all, we set out every day, taking charge of our lives without any regard to Jesus, not asking, “Father, what will you have me to do.” Do you make your own choices, or are you yielded to the Holy Spirit? This question sums it up in a nutshell. It all boils down to surrender. If you choose your personal opinion, your intellect over God’s Word, you’re blinded, you’re stubborn, you have a hard heart, and you will suffer. The Word states, “we are no longer our own.”
What example are we showing to the world? We have a heart condition. Psalm 139:23-24 tells us, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties, And see if there is any wicked way in me; And lead me in the way everlasting.” This should be a daily prayer. If we have issues, we should be taking it to the Lord in prayer. It does not matter if you go to Church every Sunday, tithe, sing on the choir, give to the poor, if you have issues in your heart that need to be addressed (and you know what they are), you are not walking as a child of God. You might as well stay home and continue doing your OWN thing and not mock Christ. The Word of God tells us in that day He will reject you “I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
We need eyes to see and ears to listen, Isaiah 42:20, “Seeing many things, but you do not observe: Opening the ears, but you do not hear.” We don’t want to hear the truth, we have turned a blind eye, our hearts hardened.
Romans 12:9-16″Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love—honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another”.
Ruth 1:16-17, “But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely if even death separates you and me.’ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.” This is a picture of a carnal Christian (Naomi)whose thinking was fleshly; she was bitter; her faith was gone. But, Ruth was willing to go to another land to follow the true God despite Naomi’s unspiritual direction. Later in this book, God uses Ruth to change her mother-in-law’s attitudes toward life and toward God. If we know a carnal backsliding Christian, we should do as Ruth. Attempt to draw them back by your lifestyle, love, and care.
Next scripture: Colossians 3:12-14“You are the people of God; He loved you and chose you for His own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these qualities, add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.” Where is this love?
We have drowned it out with our mouths, so busy complaining about who is right, our opinions, our overindulgence with the world. We are not to be concerned about that; God has already overcome the world. Put your attention on Him, do the things He has called you to do, and if you don’t know what that is, find out, pick up your sword, and try reading it. Stop playing Church.
You need to hear. Someone is watching this video ready to respond, and someone is watching this video and taking notes to read over and apply it. We need to be quick to listen. James 1:19, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak…” Instead of complaining, pointing fingers, telling people what you think, God wants us to trust Him, hear and obey His Word. We can apply His Word to every situation in life. Listen to His voice and put it to practice. Our focus is in the wrong place. It is not the current events going on; it is about living out God’s Word. God has control, and He is sovereign. Pray and be quiet. If God tells you to speak, He will tell you what to say, then talk.
We need to stop trying to control things in life and let God handle His business. He does not need our help; all He wants you to do is seek Him. You know David put it this way in Psalm 62.5, “My soul waits, thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” David knew that it is only when we learn to put our expectations in God alone we will find true and lasting joy.
When we get into the pattern of listening to God and obeying Him, it filters out into our everyday lifestyle. We learn to listen to people with a heart like God. We’re not preparing our response to give our insights or inwardly raising our objections, which causes us not to listen. We have learned to be slow to speak, ponder on the Word of God, and ponder on what others are talking to you before you respond. We are living in an age where no one hears, not just in the world, but in the body of Christ. His Word is not applied to our lives. Of course, if you don’t study the bible, well, you’re just lost.
We have two ears and one mouth, which ought to remind us to listen more than we speak. Proverbs 10:19 states, “He that refraineth his lips is wise.” Fewer words, less chance of sin is evidence of wisdom. And Proverbs 17:27 states, “He that hath knowledge spareth his words.” The bible says there are two ways a Christian shows themselves wise. The first is a good temper; watchful and careful to rule their spirit in harmony with God, so as not to offend. In other words, a cool head with a warm heart. The second is maintaining or guarding the tongue. We are wise when we assess, meaning, hold our tongues to hear, see, and say little. This is walking like an obedient mature Christians. Too few are living it.
Frequently, when I study and convicted of behavior or thoughts that are not pleasing to God, I immediately pray to correct it. When the Word pierces your heart, you must change. This is how you grow. My burden is for the body of Christ. We need to be effective Christians. Look at the state of our world. It shows two things; Satan is winning the battle, and Christians are weak, still weaning on the milk of the Word. We are not surrendering, and we do not love Jesus’ way.
During this time of COVID-19, protesting for racial injustice, political sparring, God moved me from reacting to praying, to trust Him and be still. It is time to stop pointing fingers; it is time to stop blaming one another; it is time to love; it is time to be quiet and listen. God is speaking, He is Lord, He is sovereign, and He wants us to let it all go. He wants us to trust Him by faith and focus on His Kingdom come. If we go back to our foundation, “love God with all our heart” and “love thy neighbors as thyself” and “seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness” When we honor Him in this way, what effect this will have to the world. Let’s not be professing Christians, but be kingdom Christians, salt, and light to a dying world. Will you join me?
