“The World’s Way or Kingdom Way? You Choose!”
Have you ever wondered why God grants us so much considerable freedom to make decisions or draw conclusions that are not even close to being accurate or beneficial in our relationship with him or others in our lives? I am ashamed to admit how many times I’ve determined the way someone very close to me was thinking or handling a situation just wasn’t the way I would do it. So, clearly it wasn’t correct or even close to being effective or efficient. You don’t have to be the sharpest tool in the shed to figure out my unwise conclusion jumping became a platform for some passionate fellowship. If you are at all as human as I can be at times, it’s not at all inconceivable to anticipate and expect to have disagreements with those we have meaningful relationship during our time here on earth. If you really slow down to think about it earnestly, disagreement can be an indicator of a mature relationship. But what do we typically use to measure or determine if we are growing towards maturity in our relationships? What if one individual within the relationship seems to always need to have things go their way? Who or what governs how individuals within the relationship should choose to address, ignore or correct those behaving badly? If you are at all interested in searching through scripture to find answers that we can apply to a few of these questions and more? Come join our Wednesday evening class starting August 21st as we utilize the letter written to the church in Colosse to gain healthy perspective on how to live as brothers and sisters in Christ. We will also explore how to live and engage with those of this world, while maintaining a Kingdom mindset.
The Apostle Paul made quite a significant transition from a former way of thinking and behaving that once served him well in a life he once knew and lived passionately. Paul was once a Roman soldier who had a zeal for executing his orders regarding persecuting Christians.
Galatians 1:13-16 “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.”
I am sure each individual reading this article owns more than a few decisions from your past that Satan would love to use to neutralize your Kingdom testimony with feelings of shame, blame or guilt. Please remember this, it’s by God’s love, grace and mercy you have been redeemed for Kingdom purposes, your past and present provide reason/context as to why you now, know, trust and believe God! Maybe God grants us so much freedom to choose because he desires for us to value pursuing deeper relationship with him to know how to have healthier relationship with ourselves and others? Think about such things, they are worthy of self-examination for Kingdom’s sake!