Separation Shouldn't Be Between Us And Jesus

Separation Shouldn't Be Between Us And Jesus
by David Brenneman

From the Life Principles Study on the Bible app: "We make a terrible mistake by segmenting life. We may think that Monday through Friday we go to work, Saturday we play, and Sunday we worship. God has not designed life that way. If Jesus Christ is our Savior, we can’t exclude Him from any part of life. It isn’t right to teach a Sunday school class with everything we have, then meander into work the rest of the week—we must honor and glorify Him in everything we do. It eliminates the temptation of doing our work merely to be seen by men when we commit ourselves wholeheartedly to Jesus (Matt. 6:24)." by Dr. Charles Stanley.

It's something taught to generations.  That we should separate aspects of our life from other aspects.  This area shouldn't encroach upon that area.  That it's ok to behave differently during this time that's a different situation than we are on a Sunday morning.

Dr. Stanley points out that we are to live in the character of Christ in everything, all the livelong day.  The world can't convince most Believers to do whatever is right in their own eyes all the time but it will make every attempt to sway us into doing it at least part of the time.

Convincing us of what we've earned and so should go celebrate and enjoy.  Convincing us that we can craft our own break from the heaviness of our lives and there the rules don't apply to us. Enticing us in whatever way works to believe with all our heart that we're doing nothing wrong. Sadly in most cases our lies to ourselves work better than we recognize.  It takes the conviction of the Spirit of God to open our eyes to the real truth of our lives before Jesus with whom we have to do.

King Hezekiah wasn't satisfied with his life ending when the Lord decided it should and pointed to his achievements as a reason to let him live longer.  He was granted an extension of his life and he squandered it and produced the worst king in Israel's history and was instrumental in countless lives going into exile.  King Solomon asked for wisdom and was granted it but wasn't careful to continue to do all that His father King David had done.  His heart didn't remain wholly devoted to the Lord and a civil war ensued eventually. 

We have a sin nature that we probably don't take seriously enough in living out our daily lives.

Looking at Joshua all it took for this new leader after Moses was to trust in his own judgment once and it set in motion a thorn in the side of Israel forever. 

We can and will convince ourselves that we're doing nothing wrong so we won't dare ask the Spirit if we're doing anything wrong.  We won't admit it but we figure if we don't ask the question we won't have to deal with its possibilities.

I am on my second go-round of intense study through the New Testament.  It's rather interesting to only be back through Matthew and most of Mark to now see the struggles Jesus faced in teaching His Disciples.  A great summary, to me, is the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus".  Jesus was teaching them to not compare themselves to each other.  To stop with the infighting. Stop trying to jockey for positions in the Kingdom.  To keep their eyes on Him and to understand what He was doing and why He was doing it. 

Separating out our lives, one part from another, can damage our testimony. 

We can do just like King Hezekiah or Joshua and in a single moment cause a problem or allow something that will take a lifetime to set straight. 

Many of our past times we so claim to enjoy involve our use of our tongue.  We claim our tearing people apart for entertainment is all in fun.  Yet it lays a foundation that calls our testimony into question.

As the Scriptures teach us "So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.  Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom." James 3:5-13.

Will the words you use cause people to glorify your Father who is in Heaven or to keep their eyes in their present darkness?

Will they think less of Jesus because of the words that come from you or will you utter words that point to eternal life in Christ Jesus?

We need to dare to ask the Spirit to show us what areas we have compromised and have given space to our sin nature in this temple that is our body. 

Jesus cleared out the Temple of God as we read it in the Gospels.  The parts He cleared out were just outside the Temple proper.  The area where everyone ought to have been able to peaceably come to pray. That is, to communicate with God.  Jesus said it was to be a place of prayer for all the nations.

Have we defiled this temple that's our body?  Have we done as King Solomon did and keep justifying what we have allowed to take our eyes off of Jesus?  Have we put down our cross rather than carry it?

Our lack of forgiveness separates us from God.  Our compromises cause separation between us and God. Our lives are supposed to reflect the light of Jesus Christ.  People are supposed to see the character of Christ in us. 

What do people see?  Ask yourself that question.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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