Ok, so my wife got me a super cool pen for my birthday, and I’m really distracted when I have my quiet time with an online computer, so I’ve devolved back to a notebook, bible, and my cool pen. that means blogging is harder, but so be it. Here are about three days entries strewn together.
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all of 1 cor 9 (&8before it) is about Pauls rights. He boasts almost
about the great things he’s done and what he dserves, but then he
says v.15 “But I have not used any of these rights. and I am not
writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I WOULD
RATHER DIE than have anyone deprive me of this boast.”
He would rather starve, be unjustly executed, be forgotten, than tell
them they should help him because HE deserves it or THEY owe him. God
doesn’t demand from us either. Even at the end of time, every knee
will bow and tongue confess but it on’t be forced, it will be a true
confession from all!
Why doesn’t God demand from us? and why doesn’t Paul demand from the
Corinthians? God is totally complete. He IS glories, so He doesn’t
need people to tell HIM He’s glorious. He IS great, so He doesn’t
need people to tell HIM HE IS GREAT. the things that I’m most
confident in, I don’t need people to tell me. The things I’m not
confident in, I want people to tell me. If I’m not confident in my
authority and my worth, I want to do things to show people my
authority and worth.
I’m not trying to get them to tell me “you have authority, you have
worth.” literally, but by their actions. But what if I got my worth
and authority from God? Would I need any from men? NO! Jesus didn’t n
e e d respect from Romans or Pharisees, though he had every right to
demand it. But He would rather die than demand His rights. When the
Fox in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe says, “I’m sorry your
majesty,” the witch says, “Don’t patronize me!” and he says, “I
wasn’t talking to you.” and bows down to Edmond, one of them demanded
submission to the authority she didn’t have, and the other was
royalty without advertisement, but simply by his presence.
I had goosebumps and tears flowing on that part.
Paul wants to preach the gospel for free so that he can’t make use of
his rights in preaching it. There were some towns where Paul had
fully earned the right to preach (stoned, left for dead, then alive,
or he did major healings, etc.) But he never expected an audience or
demanded their attention. He was bold with them, and said he’d come
with a whip if they didn’t straighten up, but it wasn’t with a
tyrant’s attitude.
to say there is great power in humility would be backwards. And you
can’t strive for either and ever get them. It all comes from being
near to Him. To power, the identity, the authority, the peace, and
the right humility.
A lot of people act out in a way to convince other of what they are
unsure of in themselves.
Tyrannical rulers, the snow witch, me trying to get street kids
to respect me by calling them degrading names, husbands coming
home from being out of control at work and over-controlling their
families, boys looking at girls on the internet to control their
relationships, Christians trying to convince each other how
spiritual they are…
We have developed habits for getting our God-needs met with our
flesh, but we’re new now!
We’ve been lied to about who we are supposed to be, like someone
getting a sign hung on them that says “Superman” and being told they
are a political leader. How will they every figure out who they are?
Eph. 4.22
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off
your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
Eph. 4.23
to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
Eph. 4.24
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness.
2Cor. 3.16
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2Cor. 3.17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.
2Cor. 3.18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are
being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which
comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Gal. 5.13
¬? You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in
love.
Gal. 5.14
The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor
as yourself.”
Gal. 5.15
If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will
be destroyed by each other.
Gal. 5.16
¬? So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires
of the sinful nature.
Gal. 5.17
For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the
Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict
with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Gal. 5.18
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
Gal. 2.19
For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
Gal. 2.20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son
of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.