1-10 How Did You Grade Out?

2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Philippians 2:2-5 NLT)

As I was reading today, I quickly evaluated my own life, and realized there are many areas where I probably fall short of this encouragement by Paul.

Do I really love everyone?

Am I really working together with other brother’s and sister’s in Christ with one mind and one purpose?

I am pretty sure I am selfish, at least almost all of the time.

I know I try to impress others.

If I say I am humble, then I it is probably false humility, Right?

Do I think others are better then me?

Do I look out for others, or only my own?

Paul says, “I must have the same attitude as Christ!”

Okay, so there is some sarcasm in my response above.  I’m not sure we can really self evaluate some of this stuff.  We truly need the Lord to examine our hearts, and show us.  It also helps if you have a spouse who can be gentle and honest about these things.  They often times know you best.

Regardless of what your spouse might even say, it ultimately matters what the Lord thinks.  If we graded all of these on a scale of 1-10, and let’s say your spouse gave you a 6 through 8 on all of them, because none of us are perfect right?  Then we all still have work to do because Jesus was an 11 on a scale of 1-10.  He was perfect.  He was always living these attributes out.

Now, I believe in grace and mercy. Without it there would be no hope.  Today’s journal is not about legalism, black and white, or works.  It is about reminding myself, and maybe those who read this that there are indeed goals.  We should be working toward being like Christ.  This is a checklist of sorts that can help us evaluate where we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us improve.  You should know, you will never get there on your own anyways.  You will need the Holy Spirit to help you.

Use What You Got

26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV

A reminder that everything is done so we may be built up!

How Do We Miss It?

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭8-13‬ NIV)

Love never fails!

Holy Spirit

These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭10-12‬ NIV)

It is a wonderful thing to have the Spirit of God living within us.

Love God and Love People

James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. (‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭9-10‬ NIV)

Take care of those in need!

Do We Really Understand?

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭14-21‬ NIV)

How much am I missing?

Just Keep Swimming!

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭14-16‬ NIV)

I’m pretty sure I make the same mistakes!

Evaluate Your Friends!

Then Job replied: “I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend. (‭Job‬ ‭16‬:‭1-5, 19-21‬ NIV)

What kind of friends do you have?

This Is How You Cheat On The Test Of Life!

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭25-26‬ NKJV)

Jesus is about to make His exit from earth.  It will be crucifixion, resurrection, and then ascension into Heaven, but prior to His exit He tells the disciples how to cheat on the test of life.