Popularity
How about for 2014 we refuse
to enter any people-pleasing popularity contests this year, but take the low
road of humility (James 4:10) in spending time to hear what Holy Spirit is
truly saying and see what Jesus is really doing.
Our Own Little Kingdom
How about for 2014 we tear
down little kingdoms we have built for ourselves with the castle walls keeping out the people we want to shut out, with the moat dividing us from the radical
lifestyle that Jesus calls us to, with the streets leading us to personal
pleasure (James 4:1-3) rather than sacrificial giving, with the laws of the
land and household rules we have created to insulate our lives with our
priorities and not His, and with our happiness instead of His joy being
ultimately important. Instead, let’s build His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) with
hearts of love and open arms, pouring ourselves out to the hurting, the poor,
the sick, the confused, the demonized, the despondent, and the discouraged with
the anointing and the energy supplied by the Holy Spirit! (Luke 9; Matthew 10)
Playing Politics
How about for 2014 we realize
that a person will never meet success who tries to play politics with God.
Opinion poll results do not influence Him. Special interest groups and issue
voting blocks do not impress Him. Passionate pleas on personal position papers
do not persuade Him. Corrupt campaigns to gain voting majorities do not cause Him
to change the truth. Manipulating the masses with nauseous negative advertising
does not move Him. Political patronage based on devious delegating sickens Him. He is the ultimate “no spin zone.” (Numbers 23:19)
Squeaky Wheels
How about for 2014 we realize
that, generally, those that complain the most in the church, do the least (or
have a very negative attitude in the doing at the very minimum!). The squeaky
wheel screams for the grease, but it causes great friction as it does, and
slows down the forward progress of the locomotive pulling the rest of the
train…..choo choo! (Just ask Moses…..although, I’m sure, he would have gladly
received a train with tracks leading directly to the Promise Land, since he had
to endure squeaky wheels (Numbers 14:27) anyway!
Philippians 2:14, 15
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