Who can defeat the world?

Who can defeat the world?

1 John 5: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Messiah is a child of God; and whoever loves a father loves his child also. ² This is how we know that we love God's children: it is by loving God and obeying his commands. ³ For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us, ⁴ because every child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith. ⁵ Who can defeat the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

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Winning the most coveted award in the company made me feel great! Conversely, being told “Your position has been eliminated” was devastating. I had wrapped my entire identity in work. When I had to face other parts of the world, I no longer had my title to lean on.

 

• I felt beat up by the world.
• I thought that the world was helpful, until it turned against me.
• I felt that I lost my “purpose” that was given to me by the world.

 

John turned his attention to defining what true victory looks like. He first spoke about what true success looks like. He mentioned the grand prize of being a child of GOD. He then defines how GOD’s children should act, namely with love and obedience to GOD. He then defines the battle. Believers against the world.

 

My Observations:

• The world has a lot to offer that could distract me from believing in GOD.
• Fighting the world sometimes feels overwhelming.
• GOD sent HIS SON to defeat the world, and HE did, so I need to place my trust in HIM so I can experience HIS victory!

 

Life has many ups and downs and the world thinks it has remedies. I mean, the solutions from the world usually appeal to my eyes, pride, and physical indulgences. BUT GOD wants more than that for me. JESUS was tempted by food, power and physical preservation.

 

HE experienced pain and suffering. HE knew about loneliness as well as persecution. HE did all of this to overcome the world so I would not have to. Any problem I face, HE knows and is empathetic. I am glad JESUS understands me and has defeated the world so I can have life through HIM.

 

Challenge

• What answer does the writer give to the question “Who can defeat the world?”
• Are all of your solutions to life’s problems from the internet?
• Will you seek a relationship with JESUS, who defeated the powers of this world, so HE could save you and me to join in HIS plan to save all today?

Heart Soil

Heart Soil

Hebrews 6: ⁷ God blesses the soil which drinks in the rain that often falls on it and which grows plants that are useful to those for whom it is cultivated. ⁸ But if it grows thorns and weeds, it is worth nothing; it is in danger of being cursed by God and will be destroyed by fire.

 

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“Ha, ha, you don’t even know how to curse right” were the words that fueled me to learn how to curse “right.” I practiced my foul language and got it down to a science. After a while, I was listening t how comedians used this language in jokes. I soaked in every word I could listen to.

 

• The more garbage I listened to, the more desensitized I became.
• I used foul language to joke, but eventually used it to increase the level of an argument.
• I wound up expressing frustration with foul language and brushed it off to “everyone else uses it.”

 

Paul the assumed writer, gives two types of soil, one that grows useful plants and one that grows thorns and weeds. Rather than looking at this as farming tips, Paul may have been speaking about the condition of the heart.

 

My Observations

• Things that are placed in my heart will grow into something good or something terrible.
• GOD wants to place HIS word in my heart, but if I have filled it with the garbage of the world, there will be no room for HIM to live.
• GOD gets excited when I listen to HIM and HE grows “plants that are useful” from me listening to HIM.

 

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control are all things that can grow from my heart when I listen to GOD. I mean, when I follow HIS ways, the fruit of the SPIRIT overflows from my heart.  Unfortunately, the opposite happens when I purposefully disobey HIM.

 

When I put the world in my heart, it grows greed, hatred, lust, blame and unhealthy self-consciousness that reverberates through all I do. Lies appear to be real and the false Utopia of the world crashes down on me. BUT GOD cleans my heart and cultivates a place where HE can live and grow me. I am glad GOD chooses to stay with me.

 

Challenge

• What soil sticks out to you from the writer?
• Have you ever wanted to stop a behavior, but didn’t see how to?
• Have you checked your heart to see if you have fallen?
• Will you allow GOD to cleanse your heart HIS way so you can bear fruit for HIM today?

Foolishly Bold

Foolishly Bold

1 Corinthians 3: ¹⁶ Surely you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! ¹⁷ God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple.

 

¹⁸ You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world's standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise. ¹⁹ For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God's sight. As the scripture says, “God traps the wise in their cleverness”; ²⁰ and another scripture says, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.” ²¹ No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do. Actually everything belongs to you: ²² Paul, Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future—all these are yours, ²³ and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

 

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Worried about what people would think of me, I chose not to speak about JESUS. I was trying to reach a certain title in this particular company and I “needed” to behave a certain way. I could not jeopardize “my” journey upward. “I will show my relationship with JESUS when I get on top, then people will believe because I’m in charge” I thought to myself.

 

• There were times when I followed the ever changing ways of the world.
• There were times when I felt embarrassed about speaking up for JESUS.
• There were times when I worried about what humans would do if I spoke about JESUS.

 

Paul brings assuredness about GOD’s eternal protection. HE knows there will be some evil people who want to go against HIM and HIS people. HE also knows they will try to harm HIS people and vows to destroy those who bring harm on anyone who believes in JESUS.

 

• GOD wants me to know that I am HIS temple.
• GOD wants me to treat other people with the same holiness as I should treat myself.
• GOD wants me to become foolish to the world so HIS wisdom may shine all the brighter.

 

Leaving the pursuit of money, title and accolades may seem foolish to the world, but it is wise to GOD. I mean, the world raises questions about preservation of life based on its wisdom. GOD says “HE knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”

 

GOD has given everything to me because I belong to JESUS and JESUS belongs to GOD. I am glad I do not have to be scared of what the world thinks, because the world is mine because it belongs to JESUS.

 

• Are you worried about your future?
• Do you think humans are in control of you?
• Will you stop trying to use human wisdom and turn foolish by following JESUS so you can achieve true wisdom today?

Ready to Eat

 

Ready to Eat

1 Corinthians 3: As a matter of fact, my friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith. ² I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it, ³ because you still live as the people of this world live. When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards? ⁴ When one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos”—aren't you acting like worldly people?

 

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Saying “I don’t know” was forbidden in my immature mind. I needed to be special and have the answers and be right. Even when slightly wrong, I was right. I got jealous at those who “did” have the answers and was quick to argue. My questions were from a place of envy and combativeness rather than love and peace. I was still a child.

 

Many times I wanted to be ready and was not.

Many times I wanted to be mature and was not.

Many times I wanted to be able to hear deep truths, but could not because I was jealous and quarrelsome.

 

Paul eased into an issue he saw with the believers in Corinth. While they were excited about GOD and were ready to preach about JESUS, they were still acting immature in the faith. The world could not see anything different from the Corinth believers than from itself. By being divisive, they acted just as bad, if not worse than those who did not believe in JESUS.

 

GOD wants me to grow up and drop my jealousy of others.

GOD wants me to grow up and stop being ready to argue at the drop of a hat.

GOD wants me to grow up so I can hear deeper truths HE wants to give me.

 

Acting like the world closes my ears. I mean, when I follow the world’s ways, I cannot hear the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT. I will be too busy trying to please the world. BUT GOD is a forgiver. HE sees my immaturity and understands I need help to grow/

 

HE places me in situations where I have to believe in HIM and seek HIS food. When I stop following the world, I get hungry for GOD’s food. I am glad HE forgives me and desires to feed me daily.

 

Are you ready to fight at a moment’s notice?

Does “that” person make you think of combat or partnership?

Will you examine yourself to see if you are jealous or combative and stop looking to live by the world’s standards and seek GOD so HE can grow you today?

Look at the Dust

 

Look at the Dust

1 Corinthians 1: ²⁶ Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. ²⁷ God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. ²⁸ He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. ²⁹ This means that no one can boast in God's presence. ³⁰ But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free. ³¹ So then, as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.”

 

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Seeing the car this person drove sparked our conversation. It was a very expensive car. I watched his mannerisms on stage and noticed what he did to prepare to get on stage. I took mental notes so I could be just like him when I grew up.

 

• There have been many people I looked at so I could become like them.
• There have been many people I have watched so I could learn how to be “successful.”
• There have been many people I have followed so I could gain their “wisdom.”

 

Paul points out something strange regarding important people. He mentions that the world sees people different than GOD. What the world sees as “important”, GOD will destroy. HE will do this with unconventional methods.

 

• GOD wants me to know I am special to HIM and I am not overlooked.
• GOD wants me to know HE sees people differently than the way the world sees people.
• GOD wants me to know that HE can use people who are overlooked and thrown away.

 

Overlooking people to label others as “important” is a travesty. I mean, GOD may label a person important that the world says is insignificant, then what? That is exactly what happened when JESUS became a human. HE was overlooked as the Messiah and many people did not believe HE was and is GOD.

 

HE then noticed the dusty people and healed them. HE raised up people, who the world would call insignificant, from the dust and placed them over the rich and powerful. I am glad GOD sees me and others different than those who overlook.

 

• Do you feel overlooked?
• Do you think you are insignificant?
• Will you praise GOD for being in the same group as CHRIST, because HE too was overlooked?
• Will you boast about JESUS and what HE did for you today?

Complete Change of Mind

Complete Change of Mind

Romans 12: So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. ² Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.

 

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Let me review my life’s checklist. High pressured job chasing wealth? Check. Sleepless nights worrying instead of believing? Check. Hidden sin? Check. Overlooked homeless people? Check. Hiding my relationship with GOD to fit in? Check. Yep, I looked like the rest of the world. I wondered if they will give me a raise?

 

• There have been many times when I hid my relationship with GOD to fit in.
• There have been many times when I committed sin, but hid it to fit in.
• There have been many times when I made sure I knew about the world, dressed like the world and worried like the world so I could fit in.

 

Paul appeals to everyone to become a “living sacrifice.” He goes on to say this requires dedication to GOD’s service, seeking to please HIM in every way. He also urges everyone to stop trying to be like the rest of the world and allow GOD to “transform by a complete change of mind.”

 

• GOD wants me to have faith, so HE will put me in situations that require faith.
• GOD wants me to have pure thoughts about HIS creations, so HE wants me to look at all humans as someone HE loves.
• GOD wants me to have a higher standard, so HE gave HIS SON as the measure of perfection to compare my life to.

 

Becoming a living sacrifice is not easy. I mean, as a person born into sin, I crave what the world offers. When the world says it’s okay to have sex outside of marriage, I crave it. When the world says to medicate my problems away, I crave it.

 

When the world mislabels me, slanders me, and overlooks me based on seeing me, I react with the standard hate filled, argumentative,  validation seeking way. BUT GOD wants another way. GOD wants me to say to HIM, “Here I am, please open my eyes to how YOU want me to think.” I am grateful HE is willing to change my mind.

 

• What standard do you have for yourself or others?
• Are you trying to fit into the world and serve GOD at the same time?
• Will you allow GOD to change your mind on your worries, doubts, fears, lusts, and relationships, so HE can guide you and fill your heart with HIS perfect will today?

Hated

Hated

John 15: ¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

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After the sermon, I felt it was time to give up drinking as a vow to the LORD. This came with a price. I went back to visit my “friends” and they wanted me to drink with them. “I’ll pass” I said. They kept pressing the issue and asked many questions. I wasn’t really a drinker anyway, but to stop all together seemed odd to them. They stopped inviting me.

• When I stood ground because of my promise to the LORD, people looked at me strange.
• When I started doing things strictly for the LORD, people stepped away from me.
• When I stopped doing what the popular people were doing, I was no longer popular.

JESUS warns HIS followers that the world will hate them because of their love for HIM. HE then tell HIS disciples that HE chose them to be different than the world.

• JESUS wants me to show love when hatred is shown to me.
• JESUS wants me to be a servant when others want to be the boss.
• JESUS wants me to seek the poor rather than running after the rich and powerful.

It really is not popular to follow JESUS. The world labels the lifestyle as “dull” and “boring.” BUT GOD loves when I follow HIS example. HE gets excited when I mention JESUS as the creator to the “smart” people who believe the world created itself. HE rewards me when I talk about heaven as my home to those who focus all their attention on temporary mansions.

JESUS was hated because HE loved the world. HE died for the world and the world still did not believe in HIM. Every job that believes they have the answer to problems could be a distraction from JESUS. The world hates not getting credit for answers, so they do not praise GOD. I praise GOD for all HE has blessed me with.

• Do you follow humans more than you follow GOD?
• Do you believe in human wisdom without giving GOD any credit?
• Will you drop your fear of being looked at strangely by the world and spread GOD’s message by words first, then example?

Looking at the Wrong Things

Isaiah 17: ⁷ In that day people will look to their Maker
    and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
⁸ They will not look to the altars,
    the work of their hands,
and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles
    and the incense altars their fingers have made.

⁹ In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.

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Packing was a mystery to me as I went on my second mission’s trip. It took a lot of effort to get pills, attend meetings and get all the stuff we needed. My expectation of the trip was to have crowd of people listen to me and accept the message right away. A few people showed up and even fewer believed in the message. What’s going on?

• Sometimes I measure success in GOD in numbers.
• Sometimes I measure success in GOD with what I can see.
• Sometimes I measure success in GOD in the buildings, programs and people I can count.

Immediate reward is what I sought on many occasion and when I did not see what “I” expected I looked at GOD like HE was crazy. I mean why so much effort for so few people? BUT GOD felt different.

• GOD showed me that the angels shout when one person accepts HIS SON as their savior.
• GOD showed me that it is far more important to help one person into HIS kingdom than to follow the world that will be destroyed.
• GOD showed me that HE cares for people one at a time and it is better for me to have a single relationship than inch deep relationships with millions.

Following GOD seems strange to most. It sometimes means not looking like the rest of the world. It means doing things differently so that my life points to HIM instead of towards myself. It means measuring success that way GOD does. HE sometimes wants me to leave the ninety nine sheep and go look for the one that’s lost. GOD wants me to put my trust in HIM, not in a world that will be destroyed.

• Are you following the world without regard to following GOD?
• Are you having a difficult time getting the success you are looking for?
• Do you desire to human success or GOD’s success?
• Will you stop trying to serve money and turn to serving GOD?

Too busy for GOD

Romans 12: ¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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Peering at my watch, I only had minutes to catch the next plane. I knew I would make it as I had become a business airport sprinter. I passed hundreds of people not seeing one of them. As I sat on the plane I slept until they announced it was alright to turn on electronics.

I broke out my laptop and began working, never seeing the people next to me. All I knew is I was on my way to “that” promotion. Months later I was passed over for the promotion. I wondered why GOD wasn’t speaking to me!

• Ignoring people is like ignoring GOD.
• Ignoring people makes me just like “the world.”
• Ignoring people creates selfishness in me that blocks me from hearing GOD’s will.

Many times I have heard preachers tell me this scripture is about sex and they are absolutely correct but there is more to it. When my body is in close proximity to another body something special is supposed to happen.  I am supposed to listen to orders from the HOLY SPIRIT to see what I am supposed to do.

• Instead of conforming to the world I should listen to GOD and treat people differently.
• Instead of conforming to the world I should sacrifice some “me” time and please GOD.
• Instead of conforming to the world I should pay attention to the mercy GOD has shown me and show mercy to others.

Rejection will come with the territory.  I mean when I try to speak to “that” person about GOD’s mercy, they may not accept what I’m saying right then and there.  I should listen to GOD every step of the way to determine if my actions, tone or demeanor is getting in the way of this person hearing GOD’s message of mercy.  I should be a living sacrifice to GOD.

• Are you having a difficult time hearing GOD?
• Are you too busy to hear HIM?
• Have you taken a moment to ask HIM what HE wants to do for your life?
• Have you given up on GOD?
• Can you sacrifice some of your busy time to focus on GOD today?