by David Brenneman
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we." 2 Corinthians 10:3-7.
The less attached you are to what this world is offering the more you look for what it isn't.
King Solomon refers to some of that sentiment in saying that people strive after the wind.
In our lives we have the greatest opportunities yet with these come the greatest potential to be distracted from the righteous life that God desires for us. We will and are sorely tempted to miss the forest for the trees. Our society conditions each generation to be less and less of a critical thinker than the last. To push the current generation a little more at a time to brush off the older wiser generations that are still alive.
The Apostle Paul wrote in 2nd Thessalonians to be aware of a particular situation that will brew in the professing Church. That the wolves in sheep’s clothing will eventually be able to sway the masses away from a life in Christ to that which is solely a feel good life.
This wasn't to be a surprise to them nor should it be to us. Paul admonishes the churches he planted to be wary of a life that isn't seen through the right lenses of God in Christ Jesus.
How often have we said or heard "It's not that bad!"? How often have we seen something not quite right in the Church and said nothing nor even asked the leaders of the church what was going on?
Satan's schemes are meant to water-down the life of a Believer into something so weak its ineffective. To get you to see life's potential as something that can co-exist with sin rather than destroy it.
We can't go through this life with a Scripturally wrong point of view on Jesus, the Church or of God as a whole.
"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish." Psalms 1:1-6.
There is indeed a growing apostasy in the world towards God. In greater and greater numbers its seeing people loving to gather for supposed worship yet its not to the end that Jesus is worshiped.
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake." 2 Corinthians 4:3-5.
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:14.
"For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16.
Be sure of your salvation is the word from the Apostle Paul.
Stand firm in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at the world through the Spirit of God's revelation to you by way of the word of God.
It matters not what you accumulate nor what successes you have if you aren't at all living the righteous life that God desires for you.
Look at things from God's perspective before you believe that your perspective is right and true.
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Set your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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