by David Brenneman
"For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." Colossians 2:1-8.
How often do you think of doing those things you know you should have done?
We probably won't admit it to too many people, let alone not at all to some people, but we put off what we know we should be doing. Including what we know in our hearts that the Spirit is urging us to be doing. We have well rehearsed excuses. We go on about everything and anything to not follow through like a young child's attempts at not going to bed. About a young child's attempts to explain why they should be treated differently or be given something they don't necessarily need.
We are those children no matter what age we look like from the outside. Enduring sound discipline that is for our benefit even though by no means does it feel like it.
"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:11.
The great, fantastic, wonderful, news is everyone feels the same exact way about enduring discipline as we read in Hebrews 12:11. Yet afterwards we reap the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Liken this to how compliments come to parents because of well behaved children or towards young adults who are well mannered and respectful towards others.
We ought to be looking forward to learning more about Jesus and becoming like Jesus rather than these offerings that the world might try to entice us with. These things we run after are doomed to be thrown away and be lost to time. Yet we also speak like we need these things rather than our need for greater knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can even purport to love these things that we run after.
So what have you not been doing in your lessons on growing in Christ? My Dear Reader everyone has lessons to be learning to grow in Christ. We read that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them. So if you aren't embracing your walk with Jesus who or what are you embracing? Ideologies? Rituals? Enduring legalism in whatever church you go to?
Take your training in righteousness further.
"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17.
When a Believer knowingly is turning towards a life that isn't accepting of the discipline of the Lord he or she is sinning. When we choose to attach the word love to anyone other than our Lord Jesus Christ we are sinning. It is a lame excuse to use the word love in attachment to a person, place or thing and then to excuse it by saying we don't mean it 'that way'.
You either serve the god you created or the God who created you.
You either consciously embrace the path of learning to be more like Christ or you choose your own path in your own eyes.
Yes it's going to be painful for a time. Yes it's going to mean removing things from our lives that are those things that we may truly enjoy. In light of eternity its not a loss at all.
Jesus chose to live His entire earthly life in obedience to His Father's will for Him in order to bring about the present salvation you enjoy today. Can we really be comfortable with not trying our best to follow in His footsteps and really be ok with that?
There's things of this world that I can truly say that I love but I must say no to. Not because of any other reason than they get in the way of my learning to become more like my Savior Jesus Christ. That's the core of discipline. A person planning to run a marathon must discipline themselves to say no to a host of foods that will not help them condition their bodies for the race. They must plan on a special exercise plan to prepare the body for the needed nutrients and when the body will accept water even. Mentally they must prepare for the race course. When their body will rebel at what places, what to do when that happens. These things are the disciplines they go through because running that race well is their goal. Winning the prize is their aim. They deny much in order to achieve the success.
Welcome to the Christian life experience. We run in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. We run in such a way that we glorify our Father in Heaven for ourselves as well. We run in such a way that we become more like Christ every single day. By the renewing of your mind by the Word of God. By your time alone with Jesus in prayer.
It's not going to be enjoyable in the moment but we will enjoy the results. Love not the world nor the things of the world...not a suggestion but a command.
What are you doing today that is what you're supposed to be doing in the Lord?
Check your heart. Are you dismissive of what you say you 'love' as not being true love but the evidence of your feelings about it says otherwise? Do you get upset when people say negative things about it? Do you get mad when people insult these things or people that you claim to 'love' that have nothing to do with growing in Christ?
If you're prone to defend your 'love' for this or that that's a red flag.
Our Savior said to take up our own cross and follow Him. As the line from the hymn says "the world behind me the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back".
Check your heart. Are you taking the time to be in your Bible consistently everyday? Or only when these things that you 'love' don't conflict with that time?
Are you doing what you know the Spirit is wanting of you to be doing or are you disobeying by not doing it? The only thing that satisfies the obedience that God desires is the obedience that God desires.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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