One frustrating thing that I've noticed throughout my walk as a Christian and as I post things on facebook, twitter or even this blog is that more often than not...to many instead of being encouraging, supportive, and prayerful...it becomes just a competition. A oneupsmanship if you will. If I say in a post...man I can't believe someone I don't know just favorited something of mine on twitter, another reads it and shortly after says hey someone who I don't know just tagged me on twitter and now I'm getting a million responses... If I get excited, want to share and say, God is moving at my church and here is how, another reads it and shortly after says well God is moving at my church too and plus He's doing so much more. I see people vying for and trying to promote themselves into positions of others when it's not their place or possibly even their calling. Is this a competition? Are we any different than the world environment?
The Bible says in James 4:1-3, "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." Why do these things happen? Because of walking in the flesh. When we walk in the Spirit, we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. Envy, jealousy, and greed won't rule and reign. It won't be a competition. We will want what God wants. We will encourage, uplift, and support one another in our walks rather than tear down or try to "top" what they are doing. We will walk in the calling that God has placed on our lives...not someone elses.
The Church needs to wake up and be set apart... BE Different. It's not a competition...stop treating it like it is one. We are in a race...a race for our lives. In this race, we are to remember that the goal is to not only finish well, but to help as many others as we can to finish well. Today, focus on the BE...attitudes...BE DIFFERENT! BE YOU! And... BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT! It's not a hard thing when you've died to self, taken up His will and way, and care for others.
The Bible says in James 4:1-3, "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." Why do these things happen? Because of walking in the flesh. When we walk in the Spirit, we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. Envy, jealousy, and greed won't rule and reign. It won't be a competition. We will want what God wants. We will encourage, uplift, and support one another in our walks rather than tear down or try to "top" what they are doing. We will walk in the calling that God has placed on our lives...not someone elses.
The Church needs to wake up and be set apart... BE Different. It's not a competition...stop treating it like it is one. We are in a race...a race for our lives. In this race, we are to remember that the goal is to not only finish well, but to help as many others as we can to finish well. Today, focus on the BE...attitudes...BE DIFFERENT! BE YOU! And... BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT! It's not a hard thing when you've died to self, taken up His will and way, and care for others.