If it were easy, everyone would do it

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we would all have to admit that there have been those times that we've pointed our finger at someone else's behavior and said "that isn't how a Christian should act."

It is so easy, isn't it?, to see the flaws in others and know exactly how they should be "fixed".  

It is so much harder, being aware and admitting our own flaws and honestly, objectively applying truth to change ourselves.  Change is hard.  Especially that inward, heart change, demanded by a Holy God.

How accurately the Apostle James depicted our predicament and state of being when he told us in James 1:22-24

 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was."

It simply isn't enough to read God's word, or attend church services and bible studies, we absolutely MUST practically apply the truth we learn to our lives. 

We must "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 13:14

We must "examine ourselves" 2Corinthians 13:5

We must "let the word of Christ dwell in us richly" Colossians 3:16 

We must NOT "be conformed to this world, but be transformed" Romans 12:2

and Romans tells us HOW.  We are to be renewed in our minds, our thoughts determine our actions.  Our thoughts determine the state of our hearts.  It is by bringing our THOUGHTS subject to the obedience of Christ; 2Corinthians 10:5, that we are then able, empowered by the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, to accomplish Apostle Pauls exhortation to - 

"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" Philippians 2:12

May we all be found faithful to our Lord today, examining our own selves, working out our own salvation, attending to the log in our own eye by the practical, daily application of His truth to our lives.

May God bless and keep you today according to His riches in Glory!

A place; a season; a job

In the Old Testament book of I Chronicles, chapters 25, 26 & 27 lay out a plan that includes a specific function for every family and each member of those families for the entire tribe of Israel.  Each one supplying what they are gifted and anointed to do best, means that the entire tribe of Israel has all of it's needs met by its own members.  They don't need anyone outside of themselves, when they function in the way God set them up to do.  He is the Head, they are the body.

The Apostle Paul sets up a similar idea in Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12.

Christ is the Head of the Body, and we each individually as followers of Christ have gifts and are anointed to function in a way that builds up and strengthens the Body of Christ.  No one gift or function is of any greater significance or importance than another, but all are necessary to the healthy working of the body as a whole.

Praise God, Who is Wisdom beyond our understanding, and always does what is BEST for His children!