God's Ways - The World's Ways
In Mark 8:34-38 Jesus poses a question to us:
Amplified Bible
And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God].
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words in this adulterous (unfaithful) and [preeminently] sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory (splendor and majesty) of His Father with the holy angels.
What does it profit us to gain the whole world’s approval, their accolades, their stuff, the temporary satisfaction of their gains? Why should we want to forfeit the life of God (zoe) which He gives to us to live successfully here on this earth? There is the world’s way of doing things and there is God’s way of doing things. Adam and Eve had everything in the Garden of Eden and they listened to satan who is the god of this world. They lost it all. They forfeited what God had given to them.
We are to take up our cross—the Lord showed me years ago what He really meant by that. Taking up His cross represented to Jesus what He was born to do---to die for us that we might become reconciled to God our Father. So, likewise, taking up our cross means doing what we were born to do, our assignment here on this earth, what we were born to do. We are to do it in the Lord and not in our own works. We are to be guided by Him and directed by Him while we are here. He is the director of operations for our lives. Why is that? Because He knows each second of each minute of each hour of each day of each week of each month of each year what we are supposed to be doing. He supplies what we need, to do what He has called us to do. God supplies the provision to fulfill the vision He has given us to carry out while we are here.
We live in this world, but we are not citizens of this world. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We operate under the laws of the kingdom of God. Our lifestyle is patterned after the Word of God. We do what the Word says. We talk like the Word talks. We act like the Word tells us to act. The Word of God is so important in our lives, because it tells us how to think and act so that we can do things God’s way. God’s way is so much better than any way that we have here in this world.
I know that when a person first starts to operate this way, it seems so hard and so difficult and many times people give up and quit. Why does it seem so hard? The reason is that we have been so used to doing things the world’s way. The world says when you get sick, go to the doctor. And there is nothing wrong with doctors and medicine. They have helped many people and if it weren’t for them, people would die and not be helped. But there is a better way for God’s people. God’s Word is our medicine. The world says that when you need to buy something, use your credit card. God’s Word tells us that He supplies all of our needs according to His riches in glory. The world says that when you are in debt, withhold finances and pinch pennies. God’s Word tells us to plant seed of our finances to reap a harvest of finances.
When we have not been used to thinking God’s way, it takes time to think in those terms. I also think people are too hard on themselves as they are learning how to live God’s way. It takes time to learn. It is a lifestyle that has to be changed. It is a way of living. It can be compared to people who have been used to eating the wrong food and have gained lots of weight. It is a change in lifestyle to eat the right food and slim down. The same is true of the Word of God. It is a change in lifestyle to eat the right food, the Word of God, instead of man’s ideas and advice and opinions.
I have been evaluating my own life in terms of God’s way of doing things, and I see areas where I have allowed the world to determine how I react, how I think about something. It is so easy to slide into a pattern of doing it the way everybody else does it. We even have to be careful that we in the church world are not adopting attitudes and habits that the world uses. In some instances, we have actually combined the world’s ways and God’s ways. That is pollution to God and a mixture. There is strength in purity. There is weakness in mixture. You know what all of this boils down to---we are creatures of habit and if we have been used to doing things a certain way, it is difficult to change, even if we do know that is the best way. God’s way is always the best way. But as you are aiming for His best way, you may have to gradually work your way into operating in His system as your mind is renewed by the Word of God to His way of doing things.
We are used to needing affirmation from our senses—if we can see it, taste it, smell it, touch it, hear it, we are OK. And God works by faith—His seen substance in His world but unseen in our world. We do have much to learn, but we are well on our way. It’s an individual walk. Don’t compare yourself to others and don’t let them overwhelm you if they are more mature than you. Jesus loves you, and He loves you too much to leave you the way you are.
Ask the Holy Spirit today to conform you to His ways and show you areas in your life that need transforming by the power of His Word from the world’s way to God’s way. He will do it and He will not condemn you or criticize you. Let Him do the makeover for you. You and He will be pleased with the new you.
Amplified Bible
And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God].
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words in this adulterous (unfaithful) and [preeminently] sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory (splendor and majesty) of His Father with the holy angels.
What does it profit us to gain the whole world’s approval, their accolades, their stuff, the temporary satisfaction of their gains? Why should we want to forfeit the life of God (zoe) which He gives to us to live successfully here on this earth? There is the world’s way of doing things and there is God’s way of doing things. Adam and Eve had everything in the Garden of Eden and they listened to satan who is the god of this world. They lost it all. They forfeited what God had given to them.
We are to take up our cross—the Lord showed me years ago what He really meant by that. Taking up His cross represented to Jesus what He was born to do---to die for us that we might become reconciled to God our Father. So, likewise, taking up our cross means doing what we were born to do, our assignment here on this earth, what we were born to do. We are to do it in the Lord and not in our own works. We are to be guided by Him and directed by Him while we are here. He is the director of operations for our lives. Why is that? Because He knows each second of each minute of each hour of each day of each week of each month of each year what we are supposed to be doing. He supplies what we need, to do what He has called us to do. God supplies the provision to fulfill the vision He has given us to carry out while we are here.
We live in this world, but we are not citizens of this world. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We operate under the laws of the kingdom of God. Our lifestyle is patterned after the Word of God. We do what the Word says. We talk like the Word talks. We act like the Word tells us to act. The Word of God is so important in our lives, because it tells us how to think and act so that we can do things God’s way. God’s way is so much better than any way that we have here in this world.
I know that when a person first starts to operate this way, it seems so hard and so difficult and many times people give up and quit. Why does it seem so hard? The reason is that we have been so used to doing things the world’s way. The world says when you get sick, go to the doctor. And there is nothing wrong with doctors and medicine. They have helped many people and if it weren’t for them, people would die and not be helped. But there is a better way for God’s people. God’s Word is our medicine. The world says that when you need to buy something, use your credit card. God’s Word tells us that He supplies all of our needs according to His riches in glory. The world says that when you are in debt, withhold finances and pinch pennies. God’s Word tells us to plant seed of our finances to reap a harvest of finances.
When we have not been used to thinking God’s way, it takes time to think in those terms. I also think people are too hard on themselves as they are learning how to live God’s way. It takes time to learn. It is a lifestyle that has to be changed. It is a way of living. It can be compared to people who have been used to eating the wrong food and have gained lots of weight. It is a change in lifestyle to eat the right food and slim down. The same is true of the Word of God. It is a change in lifestyle to eat the right food, the Word of God, instead of man’s ideas and advice and opinions.
I have been evaluating my own life in terms of God’s way of doing things, and I see areas where I have allowed the world to determine how I react, how I think about something. It is so easy to slide into a pattern of doing it the way everybody else does it. We even have to be careful that we in the church world are not adopting attitudes and habits that the world uses. In some instances, we have actually combined the world’s ways and God’s ways. That is pollution to God and a mixture. There is strength in purity. There is weakness in mixture. You know what all of this boils down to---we are creatures of habit and if we have been used to doing things a certain way, it is difficult to change, even if we do know that is the best way. God’s way is always the best way. But as you are aiming for His best way, you may have to gradually work your way into operating in His system as your mind is renewed by the Word of God to His way of doing things.
We are used to needing affirmation from our senses—if we can see it, taste it, smell it, touch it, hear it, we are OK. And God works by faith—His seen substance in His world but unseen in our world. We do have much to learn, but we are well on our way. It’s an individual walk. Don’t compare yourself to others and don’t let them overwhelm you if they are more mature than you. Jesus loves you, and He loves you too much to leave you the way you are.
Ask the Holy Spirit today to conform you to His ways and show you areas in your life that need transforming by the power of His Word from the world’s way to God’s way. He will do it and He will not condemn you or criticize you. Let Him do the makeover for you. You and He will be pleased with the new you.
posted by Rev. Kialeen Potterton @ 11:56 AM
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