Tuesday, 12 March 2019

Are we satisfied?

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Generally, mankind is not satisfied with life; whether it's work, education or family. There is a continual looking either at the life of others or where they want to get to and what they want to achieve.

I returned recently from India where I taught in very poor areas. My impression was a country that is poor in general. When I returned to Israel the contrast was obvious. Israel in comparison is a wealthy and progressive country.

Yet if you were to ask the average person in Israel that is not the impression you would be given. Instead, you might hear about healthcare, pay scale, benefits, taxes, politics, etc. Most times the comparison would be made to the United States and even Europe and how much better it is there.

This is the world's perspective of what our goals are and where we should be in life. On the other hand, the believer's outlook should be one of where God has called him to be. If we are living in His will for our lives; called to be slaves of Yeshua, then our faith in Him brings freedom, happiness and fulfillment in who and what we are. This is my understanding of 1 Corinthians 7:17-24.

The danger of giving too much thought or legitimization to issues such as alternate lifestyles in the name of love and under the excuse of embracing all people in the church, is the opposite of what is written in Romans 1:18-32. It is true that we are to love the sinner but not the sin, however exchanging God's image into what serves us, or others is not the case. The love that believers should be living by is not a soulish love but one of the Spirit of God.

We should be standing where God called us, not looking for our identity elsewhere or for our needs to be met through a soulish lifestyle. God's love and the world's love are not the same and cannot be given place in our lives.

1 Corinthians 13 is clear about the attributes of godly love. When we return to our first love and our relationship is with Yeshua then in all situations we will find ourselves not connected to the reality of this world. We must be prepared to die to self so that we may live with peace in our hearts wherever we are and in all situations. Making the choice to submit our thoughts and desires to God will empower us to do His will and bring healing to a dying world.

Yeshua's words before His betrayal in John 12:24-26 are an example for us to live by, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."

This is taken from the Harvest of Asher Facebook page.