Matthew 11:6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me (ESV)
How often am I worried about whether I am offending someone or not. It is very often, and not to mention, generally this thought comes to mind when Jesus is brought up. I don’t want to offend someone and there lifestyle, so instead of taking the time to relate the gospel to their life, I offend my Father in heaven by keeping silent about him. Almost embarrassed or ashamed, honestly it makes me uncomfortable. But enough of the self pity, there is an antidote to this action, this lie I have been believing. The Holy Spirit is knocking, waiting, always within ready for duty. Just waiting for us to ask for an empowerment, to lay our fears and worries down at the foot of the cross, to empty our life of our selfish thoughts and ways. Only through the empowerment of the Spirit will I be able to be bold for Jesus, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” It boils down to the driving motive. Love. If I am not letting the love Christ has for me, be my motivator, then it probably is some self-seeking or desiring thought from within. You see once we can understand (which I don’t believe we ever will this side of heaven) the love God has for us, then we can learn how to love ourselves. This self love is one commonly misinterpreted. We know the bible says to, look not only to our own interest, but to the interest of others, also it says to love God and to love others. So what does this selfless love look like? Just what it sounds, not placing their rights or needs above another. We are made in the image of God, not the image of man. So when need to know him, his fellowship, his love and let that shape and mold and image and view of love in our own lives. James 2:2-3 says, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” We need this understanding and right view on love of self, not for our own passions, but simply because we cant give what we don’t have. Back to the verse, a right view of Gods love will give you a desire to always please him, boldness and power will pour out through that love welling deep within.
Application:
Today I will share with someone what God is doing in my life.
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