The little gestures, behaviours, mentalities, words, actions, and reactions have power, indeed, which contribute, or decrease the bigger matters...
Small things like a kind word, or action; virtue, ethics, morals, and other POSITIVES can lead the way for improvement, encouragement, and empowerment, and these ARE that which HONOUR THE LORD, as well as others!!!
Equally, small things of negativity, lead the way for worsening situations, circumstances, and oppression, and they honour NO ONE; there is absolutely, NO honour in what causes, or creates dissension, distress, or weakens the probability of growing, and moving past what is wrong, bad, or unjust...
Humility IS key to existing in ways which open up to empathy, compassion, kindness, gentleness, WISDOM, and all necessary to diminishing the harsh effects of a self-inclined, self-motivated, selfish world! Pride, vanity, envy, greed, power hunger, hostility, anger, frustration, and other negative character flaws, and behaviours contribute greatly, to the woes of this world, and CANNOT lead us into better days, for they spawn, and spiral even beyond their intended purpose, and they condition others to think, act, and react in similar ways!!!
EVERY single human HAS good, and bad within; and I tell you what, there IS power in either! We HAVE choices in every single second of our existence, in which case, IF we were as wise as we imagine ourselves to be, we would ALWAYS choose that which is good, right, and just, BECAUSE doing so, serves not only the individual, but others, hence, a better environment for ALL!!!
We exist in an impulsive world, where rash decisions are made instantly, without much thought to the whole of any matter! We respond according to the information we gather, based on emotions, feelings, and inclined mentalities towards our own assumptions, presumptions, perceptions, rearing, and handed down information! It takes self-control to overpower the emotionalism which causes us to think, speak, act, or react to any given incident rightly, as our feelings OFTEN inspire what we think, do, or say, VOID of regard for the larger picture, or the long run, or others involved, or being affected! LACK of self-control IS why people, in a heated moment, wag their tongues, physically harm others, and worse...
IF we ARE of *GOD*, there is a NEW WAY to exist in this realm, and we DO have duties therein! We HAVE taken off the old self, LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, and DO have instructions FOR our existence as Christians, IN the comm'UNITY' OF THE LORD; HIS CHURCH! We STRIVE by the moment, by the hour, by the day, TO REFLECT HIM, HIS GLORY, HIS LOVE, HIS PROMISES, and THE KINGDOM, FOR the sake of souls, and FOR HIS GLORY! We do NOT continue in chosen errs, nor do we continue to think, speak, act, and react as the world does, for we KNOW we are in the world, but NOT of it, AND AS HIS CHOSEN people, we ARE being consecrated/sanctified FOR HOLINESS, albeit a process, but one which we WILLING contribute to, and embrace, understanding that the TRUE being, the spirit, IS full of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and WILL SHARE ETERNALLY, IN HIS GLORY!!!
THE LORD *GOD* IS WISDOM UNDISPUTED, AND THEREFORE, HIS INSTRUCTIONS LEAD us ARIGHT, BECAUSE we ARE under the influence of the world, and HIS own enemy, who DOES EVERYTHING feasible to KEEP us detached, distanced, and/or removed FROM THE TRUTH, FROM LOVE, and FROM WHAT IS RIGHT, JUST, and GOOD! We ARE willing subjects to the enemy's influence as long as we are distanced from *GOD*, HIS WILL, LOVE, and HIS WORD, as we DON'T gain the OPTIMAL knowledge necessary to resist, or overcome the endless ploys used...
COLOSSIANS 3: 12-17...
12+++So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
13+++bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14+++Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15+++Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16+++Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17+++Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; it is of his working in all who are his.
Thanksgiving to God, helps to make us agreeable to all men. The gospel is the word of Christ. Many have the word, but it dwells in them poorly; it has no power over them. The soul prospers, when we are full of the Scriptures and of the grace of Christ. But when we sing psalms, we must be affected with what we sing. Whatever we are employed about, let us do every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in believing dependence on him. Those who do all in Christ's name, will never want matter of thanksgiving to God, even the Father.
EPHESIANS 4: 17-32...
17+++So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18+++They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19+++Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20+++That, however, is not the way of life you learned
21+++when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
22+++You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23+++to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24+++and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25+++Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
26+++“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27+++and do not give the devil a foothold.
28+++Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29+++Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30+++And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31+++Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32+++Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The apostle charged the Ephesians in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus, that having professed the gospel, they should not be as the unconverted Gentiles, who walked in vain fancies and carnal affections. Do not men, on every side, walk in the vanity of their minds? Must not we then urge the distinction between real and nominal Christians? They were void of all saving knowledge; they sat in darkness, and loved it rather than light. They had a dislike and hatred to a life of holiness, which is not only the way of life God requires and approves, and by which we live to him, but which has some likeness to God himself in his purity, righteousness, truth, and goodness.
The truth of Christ appears in its beauty and power, when it appears as in Jesus. The corrupt nature is called a man; like the human body, it is of divers parts, supporting and strengthening one another. Sinful desires are deceitful lusts; they promise men happiness, but render them more miserable; and bring them to destruction, if not subdued and mortified. These therefore must be put off, as an old garment, a filthy garment; they must be subdued and mortified. But it is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the new man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a new principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new life of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God's almighty power.
Notice the particulars wherewith we should adorn our Christian profession. Take heed of every thing contrary to truth. No longer flatter or deceive others. God's people are children who will not lie, who dare not lie, who hate and abhor lying. Take heed of anger and ungoverned passions. If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove, see that it be without sin. We give place to the devil, when the first motions of sin are not grievous to our souls; when we consent to them; and when we repeat an evil deed. This teaches that as sin, if yielded unto, lets in the devil upon us, we are to resist it, keeping from all appearance of evil. Idleness makes thieves. Those who will not work, expose themselves to temptations to steal. Men ought to be industrious, that they may do some good, and that they may be kept from temptation. They must labour, not only that they may live honestly, but that they may have to give to the wants of others. What then must we think of those called Christians, who grow rich by fraud, oppression, and deceitful practices! Alms, to be accepted of God, must not be gained by unrighteousness and robbery, but by honesty and industry. God hates robbery for burnt-offerings.
Filthy words proceed from corruption in the speaker, and they corrupt the minds and manners of those who hear them: Christians should beware of all such discourse. It is the duty of Christians to seek, by the blessing of God, to bring persons to think seriously, and to encourage and warn believers by their conversation. Be ye kind one to another. This sets forth the principle of love in the heart, and the outward expression of it, in a humble, courteous behaviour.
Mark how God's forgiveness causes us to forgive. God forgives us, though we had no cause to sin against him. We must forgive, as he has forgiven us. All lying, and corrupt communications, that stir up evil desires and lusts, grieve the Spirit of God. Corrupt passions of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil-speaking, and malice, grieve the Holy Spirit. Provoke not the holy, blessed Spirit of God to withdraw his presence and his gracious influences. The body will be redeemed from the power of the grave at the resurrection day. Wherever that blessed Spirit dwells as a Sanctifier, he is the earnest of all the joys and glories of that redemption day; and we should be undone, should God take away his Holy Spirit from us.
GALATIANS 5: 13-26...
13+++You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
14+++For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
15+++If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16+++So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17+++For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18+++But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19+++The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20+++idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21+++and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22+++But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23+++gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24+++Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25+++Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26+++Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
The gospel is a doctrine according to godliness, 1Ti 6:3, and is so far from giving the least countenance to sin, that it lays us under the strongest obligation to avoid and subdue it. The apostle urges that all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. If Christians, who should help one another, and rejoice one another, quarrel, what can be expected but that the God of love should deny his grace, that the Spirit of love should depart, and the evil spirit, who seeks their destruction, should prevail? Happy would it be, if Christians, instead of biting and devouring one another on account of different opinions, would set themselves against sin in themselves, and in the places where they live.
If it be our care to act under the guidance and power of the blessed Spirit, though we may not be freed from the stirrings and oppositions of the corrupt nature which remains in us, it shall not have dominion over us. Believers are engaged in a conflict, in which they earnestly desire that grace may obtain full and speedy victory. And those who desire thus to give themselves up to be led by the Holy Spirit, are not under the law as a covenant of works, nor exposed to its awful curse. Their hatred of sin, and desires after holiness, show that they have a part in the salvation of the gospel.
The works of the flesh are many and manifest. And these sins will shut men out of heaven. Yet what numbers, calling themselves Christians, live in these, and say they hope for heaven!
The fruits of the Spirit, or of the renewed nature, which we are to do, are named. And as the apostle had chiefly named works of the flesh, not only hurtful to men themselves, but tending to make them so to one another, so here he chiefly notices the fruits of the Spirit, which tend to make Christians agreeable one to another, as well as to make them happy. The fruits of the Spirit plainly show, that such are led by the Spirit.
By describing the works of the flesh and fruits of the Spirit, we are told what to avoid and oppose, and what we are to cherish and cultivate; and this is the sincere care and endeavour of all real Christians. Sin does not now reign in their mortal bodies, so that they obey it, Ro 6:12, for they seek to destroy it. Christ never will own those who yield themselves up to be the servants of sin.
And it is not enough that we cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well. Our conversation will always be answerable to the principle which guides and governs us, Ro 8:5. We must set ourselves in earnest to mortify the deeds of the body, and to walk in newness of life. Not being desirous of vain-glory, or unduly wishing for the esteem and applause of men, not provoking or envying one another, but seeking to bring forth more abundantly those good fruits, which are, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.
LWINSOR © 2018
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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