Morning Moments

Life is a battleground and there is war raging within and around us all. No one is exempt from the battle, but some seek to deny it, others disregard it, and still others doubt it. John writes, “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (passion), the lust of the eyes (possessions), and the pride of life (thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought), are NOT of the Father, but are of the world (cosmos – world system). The world system passes away and the cravings of it too, but those who DO God’s will abide forever” [my paraphrase}.

The question is, “What does all this mean and if these things are not of God, then how can I live as God wants me to live?”

I see three “weapons” God has provided to combat these enemies: To combat pride, He offers humility. To combat lust of the flesh, He offers holiness. To combat the lust of the eyes, He offers honor. Let’s look at these more closely.

Pride is not who I am, but who I think I am. It is a distorted and inaccurate idea I have of me, as opposed to what the One who created me has of me. A personal relationship with God, our creator, enables us to see ourselves as we really are – WHO AM I? I am a man made in the image of God who can only be in His likeness as I allow the Holy Spirit to conform me.

God says, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” That is WHAT I AM to be. In other words, the pull of the world is toward who I think I should be and what I think I should be as opposed to God’s design and desire.

The third thing is WHAT I THINK I SHOULD HAVE. Life is not the accumulation of things. Yet life for most of us is having more and a failure to be satisfied. As Americans, we are often “caught up” in the American Dream of wanting more, pursuing more, getting more. A bigger house, a better job, a better car, a better education, etc. are often the things that drive us. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves, but when they become the reason we work rather that the result of our work, they are mere idols.

The bottom line is that IF I am to know WHO I am, WHAT I am, and WHAT I should have according to God’s design and desire, I must learn from His Word and not from this world. When I learn that His design and desire is best because He is the Architect, the Designer, the Creator, then I can more clearly understand Who I am, Where I am going, What I am doing, and WHY I am living.

These are my thoughts this morning.

BLESSINGS!