ARE YOU STILL A CARNAL CHRISTIAN?

 

As we meditate on this Chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, Pauls letter to the Corinthian Christians. He called them infants in Christ. He even used the concept of being `merely human` and continued by saying that they are not ready for solid food. Though they are in Christ, they continue to live in flesh. 

Divisions among them prove they are still serving themselves. 

As Paul mentioned in verse 3 `For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?`

This v3 is the evidence of their carnality. The division in the church show that they are in fact still in flesh.

Spiritual people are to walk in the Spirit. if they do otherwise then they are still in this `world`. 

As Christians we must grow spiritually. The amount of time we spend in the church is not equivalent to maturity. 

Maturity in Christ is not just biblical it is also a command of the Lord, because in maturity,  we obtain stability in faith. 

Stability means faith - we are not shaken easily. 

Also, in maturity we are able to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Our fruitfulness and effectiveness in service of Christ is dependent on our maturity. 

REFLECTION:

- How often do we get offended by our brethren? How do we react?

- How do we act when we are being corrected by our leaders?

- Can we stay focused and joyful in service when bad things happened to us?

- When we are offended, do we get revenge or we pray for them?

- how many times do you think that people are talking behind you?

SPIRITUAL MATURITY DETERMINES HOW MUCH REVELATION GOD GIVES US.

Amen.

SAVED TO SERVICE

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

John 12:24-26

Jesus sacrificed His life for you and me. It is easy for us to say, ‘’Thank you Jesus for taking up the cross and dying for me.’’ However, Jesus said, ‘’Come, follow me.’’ Then we pause a bit, and some may say, ‘’But God, do I have to?’’ In other supporting verses, he also said that we should deny ourselves and take up His cross. 

In this world full of temporary happiness, only few have the hearts to follow. He described SERVANT as the one who wanted to be where Jesus is. A chosen, willing servant who simply wants to be closer to His master. 

When Jesus said, ‘’Where I am, there my servant will be also.’’ It doesn’t mean, we are replacing His place but to find the way to be with Him. He enthroned heaven. We can already see the victory when we follow Him. He defeated the enemy when he died for all mankind. He has set an example of Himself on how to overcome the enemy in us and in the world. It may be hard to take up His cross but He will not encourage us to do the same if He didn’t make it possible for us. When He said it, it is something achievable. 

How?

As we meditate on John 12:24-26, we’ll realize that:

• In order for us to be fruitful, we need first to fall and die into the ground.

•  In order for us to live, we must hate our lives in this world. 

• In order for us to serve, we must follow Jesus. 

Self-love is very common nowadays. This is the reason why we find it hard to hate ourselves in this world. As Christians who are loved by God, We should be the voice to stop this trend. The world made people believe that no one can love them greatly except themselves. This is one of the reasons why we should hate the world and if we are caught going along on this trend then might as well hate ourselves. 

 Our lives are precious especially because it is something we can give to Jesus. When we fully give it to Jesus, true life comes forth. This is the right time to love and appreciate the creation of God, Us. This love is not coming merely from ourselves but from God. This love is not selfish but causes us to serve Him more and others. 

Warning:

    As long as we dip ourselves in the world (Romans 12:2), we can’t appreciate the true life. When God said, we must hate our lives in this world, it means hating how we live in it because it is our ways and choices that cause us to sin. These sins separate us from God and will block us from following Him and moving forward to His ways. 

Let us reflect on the way we live:

• Are there some things you must hate about your life in this world? 
• How do you show that you hate it? 
• Will you consider serving God as a way of showing hate to the world?
• How’s your service to God and to others? Is it partial or full service?
• Is it conditional or all out of love?

-MP

SEASONS OF FAITH

There are different seasons of faith in the church of Christ. The season of spring is when the believers are sprouting in faith, where growth happens. The Summer season is when the believers are in the hot season, they are on fire for Christ. However, there is also a winter season when His beloved believers are very cold. These are the times when fire runs out, hearts are hardened. The worst one is the fall season, this is the time when leaves are falling from trees. They are not attached to the vine anymore. We would know the sign for this season when a lot of the believers in the church turn away from their faith in the Lord Jesus. 

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 

As we meditate John 6, verses 66-71 we can feel the pain of the Lord when he asked this question. When the people He cared and used to follow Him turned back from Him. There were only twelve of them who were left. Up until now, these words are alive. It is still the struggle of the people who claimed to be believers but eventually turned back and abandoned their faith. 

 “As John phrases our Lord’s question in Greek, he implies that it was not asked in a mood of despair; the use of the Greek negative me in a question indicates that the answer ‘No’ is expected. ‘You don’t want to go away too, do you?’” (Bruce)

Right now, if God asks you the same question,  “Do you want to go away as well?” 

What would be your answer?

    We know that the Lord is a forgiving God. We may backslide many times but every time we do, it hurts the Lord. The reason for our backsliding is what hurts God for we know that nothing should be higher than Him in our lives, not even our own selfish and wrong motives. When we turn back from Him, there might be something greater than Him in our lives. What might that be?

The spiritual reason why many walked away

    Verse 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)

 

    His so-called disciples followed Him wherever He went. They were fed, healed, and freed from demonic attacks. They knew how powerful his name is but Jesus knew that they are just with Him because they have earthly motives of following Him.  ‘’But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man’’  John 2:24-25. 

    Jesus' point was, if they did not seek Him by the Spirit instead of seeking Him for food and a kingdom, then they had not come to Him at all. Perhaps they followed Him halfway around the Sea of Galilee, but they did not truly come to Jesus until they came in the sense of believing in Him, trusting Him, loving Him (John 6:35).

Check your Motives

What was your reason for staying with the Lord? 

    The 12 disciples who are left and chose to stay with Jesus set a very good example of their willingness to be with Him. When we are being asked whether to turn or stay with Jesus, we should answer like Simon Peter. 

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

    When we found the treasure (Jesus), let us hide it at the bottom of our heart where no one can steal (Matthew 13:44). Whatever is the reason for our turning away from God, let us remember that we can never find a God like Him. No one is like Him and nothing compares to His beauty and love for us. 

    There may be 4 seasons on earth but in Faith let’s persevere the seasons of spring (growing) and keep the season of summer where we are on fire for Christ. Let the Holy Spirit set us on fire whenever we feel cold. We may experience the fall season when we backslide or when we didn’t know Him yet, but once is enough. Now that we are back, let’s keep it.

    The worst decision that we can ever make is to turn away from Him. The fire is in Him. His name is on fire. AMEN!

- MP

THE TIME OF SILENCE

 

Have you experienced when God seems silent? When you never heard anything from Him? No fresh revelations, no response to prayers even when you keep on drawing near to Him?

As we read and meditate Luke 24, we will also notice the time of silence when Jesus was in the tomb and was buried among the dead. His disciples never heard from Him for three days. This was their time of mourning and lamentations for His death.

Little did they know that He will be risen after three days as He said in the scripture.

^{Luke 24: 7} ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.

 

This chapter teaches us that in the moments of the silencing of God we should never give up our faith. Just continue drawing near to Him, though He seems never to be found. But this is faith, to hope what is yet to come and seen.

Hebrew 11:1 says, Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen

 Just like the women in this chapter who never stop seeking God even before, during, and after his death (verse 1). They knew that the Lord Jesus was dead but this never stop them from drawing near to Him to prepare spices which signifies reverence to Him. Because of this, they have witnessed and finally heard from Him (v6-7).

We will learn that we will get what we wait and seek for.

 What should we do in times of silence?

·      Remember His words and His promises

^{Luke 24:8} Then they remembered his words.

-         He will never leave us nor forsake us

-         He is a promise keeper

           Never stop seeking Jesus

Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me will find me.

Jeremiah 29:13 ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

·      Have faith! Never doubt!

-         When He said, He will do.

-         Whatever you pray, believe that it will be yours and it shall happen.

Mark 11:24 ‘’Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.’’

·      Worship, praise, and bless Him even more!

-         It will help us to bare in mind who He was, bless and praise Him.

-         When we worship, we submit and surrender to Him and say, ‘’Thy will be done.’’

-         When we worship, praise, and bless Him, He is lifted up.

Luke 24:52-53, Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

 

Let us reflect:

In the time of silence, what do you do?

o   Do you try and thrive to seek Him?

o   Do you remember His words and promises?

o   Do you worry and doubt?

o   Do you worship, praise, and bless His name?

In this time of silence, God is taking over the work that you have been trying to do before. He is working this to fulfill the promises that you are holding on. It is not in His will and intention to disappoint us.

Remember: His words never return void and empty.

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

 

Faithfulness is staying with God even when He seems nowhere to be found. 

-MP