Multiple Lives

Multiple Lives

Colossians 3: ¹⁴ And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.

 

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“You have to be tough” is what people told me at work. This was the advice to be “successful.”  “You have to be smooth” is what my “friends” said as we entered bars and clubs. This was advice to get a “hook up.” “”You have to be friendly” or “You have to be punctual” were other words of advice that I tried to be.

 

• It was exhausting trying to be what everyone else expected me to be.
• It was hard trying to separate acting one way with one group and another way with the other.
• I was living multiple lives and at times they conflicted.

 

Paul addressed the conflict that resides in everyone. One part is sinful and the other is of GOD. People may have struggled with the “war within us” and did not know how to keep it together. One part of life would be solid while the other unraveled.  What was the solution?

 

My Observations

• Love is an eye-opening approach that GOD gave me to help me make better decisions.
• Adding love to my multiple lives reduces them into one life.
• GOD is love and wants me to use HIS way in all situations.

 

When my life is falling to pieces, love can keep it together. I mean, I can always depend on GOD loving me when the world does not. GOD’s love is unstoppable and it overcomes every situation I can face.

 

HE wants me to consider love as the glue that holds everything together. Instead of approaching situations with the way the world expects, GOD wants HIS love to be shown. If I “win” everyone else must “win” and the only way to do this is to show HIS love. I am glad HE loved me first.

 

Challenge

• What is the “perfect unity” the writer speaks about?
• Do you feel you are living multiple lives?
• Will you give all your actions, thoughts and concerns to GOD who is love and will provide love to you today?

Being Seen

 

Being Seen

Philippians 4: ²¹ Greetings to each one of God's people who belong to Christ Jesus. The believers here with me send you their greetings. ²² All God's people here send greetings, especially those who belong to the Emperor's palace.

 

²³ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

 

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Walking into the convention center, I saw thousands of smiling faces. It was the first day of the convention and I did not know anyone. I wandered the convention floor without destination. When they held a greeting session, I felt better. I was introduced to people.

 

• I felt lonely in a huge crowd.
• I felt unseen even though I was in the middle of thousands.
• I felt better when I was greeted.

 

Paul concludes his letter with greetings from him and many believers. The believers at Philippi had gone through much and some felt dejected, lonely and were on the brink of giving up. Paul mentions twice that the people send their greetings as if to say, “We see you!”

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to see the unseen people like the homeless person tucked away in the corner.
• GOD wants me to understand that people need prayer.
• GOD wants me to greet people, introducing them to others so I can meet people who may be lonely as I was at the convention.

 

Being seen is not easy. I mean, in these days of self-promotion, the quiet and misunderstood can be pushed out. BUT GOD sees everyone and lives in those who believe in HIS SON. The HOLY SPIRIT guides me to greet people and bring them into HIS family.

 

Greeting people says “I see you and you are welcome here!” I am glad GOD send people to greet and welcome others.

 

Challenge

• Who is the audience of the writer?
• Have you ever felt lonely or insecure?
• Will you join a group of believers in CHRIST and greet people differently so he or she can be seen today?

All Together

 

All Together

Philippians 2: Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another. ² I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. 

 

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When a car was stuck in the snow, the remedy was to “rock it out.” I and others volunteered to help. Some got in the front, some in the back. When a person yelled “Push!”, we all began to push. The car went nowhere. Turns out we were supposed to push from the front, then the back to create a “rocking” motion. And, to top it off, the driver had his foot on the brake.

 

• I felt I was strong and wanted to help.
• I was doing my part as an individual but things were still not quite right.
• I was part of a group, but we were not united in what we were supposed to be doing.

 

Paul compliments those who have dedicated their lives to CHRIST. He noticed their reliance on the LORD, their kindness and compassion. He then urged the group to take it to another level. Be united in love, soul and mind.

 

My Observations

• It is easy for me to love CHRIST alone, but harder to fit into many different styles.
• It is easy for me to be comforted by the HOLY SPIRIT, but harder to share the same love GOD wants me to have with others.
• It is easy for me to have kindness and compassion for others, but harder for me to be one in CHRIST in “soul and mind.”

 

Unity is highly important to GOD. I mean, HE even said the greatest commandment is to “Love one another.” Unfortunately, like the car stuck in the snow example, we get together, meaning well, and start doing things as individuals. Our individual efforts sometimes work against the overall goal.

 

BUT GOD has a remedy. “Have the same thoughts, share the same love, and be one in soul and mind.” Easy? No! But fortunately there is a starting point, namely JESUS. The world has many answers that are temporary or done with hidden motives. GOD wants me to take the step to unify with groups that do not look or act like me. It is hard, but I am glad GOD appreciates it.

 

Challenge

• What compliments do you notice in this passage?
• Can you identify with some or all of these encouraging words?
• Will you seek to take the next step by figuring out how to unify in CHRIST without making other people follow your thinking today?

What is Missing?

 

What is Missing? (Feel free to comment)

1 Corinthians 11: ¹⁷ In the following instructions, however, I do not praise you, because your meetings for worship actually do more harm than good. ¹⁸ In the first place, I have been told that there are opposing groups in your meetings; and this I believe is partly true. (¹⁹ No doubt there must be divisions among you so that the ones who are in the right may be clearly seen.) ²⁰ When you meet together as a group, it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat. ²¹ For as you eat, you each go ahead with your own meal, so that some are hungry while others get drunk. ²² Don't you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or would you rather despise the church of God and put to shame the people who are in need? What do you expect me to say to you about this? Shall I praise you? Of course I don't!

 

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“Why don’t we do an outreach for the people on, let’s say, Main (name changed to protect the church) street?” I said to the leaders.  Looking back, this challenge had a hidden agenda of exposing the fact that the outreach efforts seemed to be targeted to those who already attended this particular church. “Great, why don’t you lead the effort?” was the shocking reply I wasn’t prepared for.

 

• There have been times when I wanted to be heard versus being part of the solution.
• There have been times when I wanted to complain versus offering to help.
• There have been times when I wanted to blame and feel good about registering my “two cents” versus stepping up to help based on a unifying need.

 

Paul does not hold back when it came to the divisive behavior of this group. Some people were getting all the attention, while others were left out. Some were using the church as a club to get “drunk.” What was missing was unity.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to approach HIS gathering with unity.
• GOD wants me to seek a unifying message versus “my own meal.”
• GOD wants me to come together to help the entire congregation, not just feed my own appetite.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I have been in need many times. In fact, I am in need right now! But GOD wants me to approach HIS church with a unifying message versus trying to be heard and seeking division. I believe the only “right” message is to preach the belief and love of CHRIST.

 

My ideas for making things better or growing the church do not need to be heard unless they are shredded through the knives of humility and the blades of unity. I am glad GOD expects unity from us all.

 

Challenge

• How powerful is unity?
• How dangerous is division?
• Have you ever come up with an idea and got frustrated when it was not accepted?
• Will you seek unity by understanding the needs of all, while serving the group you have been called to?

Together Power

Together Power

Acts 2: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

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Writing ideas as fast as I could, I could feel the energy in the room. Each of us had a different way of looking at the problem and contributed wholeheartedly to the project. We spent months building the idea into a working prototype. Those who saw it embraced our solution. It worked!

• Working together felt different than tolerance.
• Working together felt different than being part of a forced crowd where people do not really listen to one another.
• Working together felt different than working with those who posture to steal credit or hold people down.

A crowd of JESUS followers were gathered together in one place for the same reason. They all believe in the power of GOD and were not expecting anything but to talk about HIS greatness. As they marveled over the many thing JESUS did for them, GOD filled them with the HOLY SPIRIT.

• GOD wants me to praise HIM without expectation.
• GOD has already filled me with the HOLY SPIRIT.
• GOD needs me to live my life with HIS purpose.

Being together on “one accord” led to something wildly unexpected. The crowd was filled with GOD’s power to do something they had never dreamed of. GOD saw their togetherness and said “I can see their love and they are now ready.”

Being together to marvel over JESUS is all GOD wants. Unfortunately group gatherings quickly turn into posturing over who is right or wrong. JESUS simply wants love and praise. I owe my life to JESUS.

• Are you posturing to be heard or seen?
• Do you feel better alone because people fight?
• Will you examine what makes you want to get away from “those” people and bring GOD’s love to wherever you are or are going?