Aptiva

We as humans often give into temptation. We see it as a short cut to our own desires. The problem is this can corrupt our view of actions. Many can take an action and justify it as a good thing. However sadly temptation yielded is lust deified. The issue this leaves us with is clouded judgement, we no longer can be trusted to know on our own accord what is right. Jesus was tempted, however he never succumbed. This is a major difference between us and him. The other is that he faced a greater temptation than we ever have. For every temptation to which we yielded, there was more of it in reserve for us to face. Only Jesus faced the full measure of temptation and overcame. Thus only Jesus has a view of purity about actions and only he can therefore instruct others as to the standards of life. Finally temptation never ceases, if you overcome one, another is presented, this is humanity living in a fallen world. We should not concern ourselves, for Jesus gives instructions on how to deal wi...

"Motive imparts moral quality, and without a holy motive there cannot be a holy act": Those who have come to the realisation that they have no inherent quality to commend themselves to a holy God, have come to the position Jesus describes as "poor in Spirt". This becomes a springboard for all other learning. Further revelation instructs us that all actions done without God being the centre of that action, are actions of selfishness, not ones of glorification of God. Thus a cup of water can be given to a thirsty person, while a beneficial act, it is not necessarily a holy one. It depends on the motive of the giver. All our actions, and therefore our life are eventually revealed by this standard, things done for the glory of God, and things done for our own. What then is your motive?

Dear Reader, we often wonder at the way our life seems to turn and twist. In our well organised plans, we suddenly find disease or debt, accident or betrayal, and it brings us to the reasonably question of why? Have i done wrong? , or why have you allowed someone else to to do this to me? We can keep many thinking of many things to ask God, yet do we truly seek an answer? Oswald chambers says this "If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across" Maybe this is the answer, we committed, by accepting the salvation the cross offered, to serving God in all his ways, we accepted to be "willing putty in His hands". Are you still willing to be that putty, maybe we need to ask "why" less often and ask "how can you use...

There is dear reader a perception that one can exist inside of this life without affecting another person. This view, I believe comes more out of hope that actual truth. In its hope we can act with impunity. Safe in the belief that nothing we do actually causes anybody else any problems. Yet in truth, we must admit that we are part of the body politic. Whatever I do brings change and affect to other people. I am part of all that I have met, and they are part of me. Then hundreds of thousands, I have never met have been changed because I exist. Like the gravitational forces, which exist upon all bodies, my existence brings change to the direction and life of others. I leave things behind in other people's lives, and I gain from them in return. Obviously with many this influence may be small and somewhat insignificant, but with some very powerful. So, dear reader, since your life does affect another person. I put it to you, we are responsible to live our lives as best for other peopl...

"Motive imparts moral quality, and without a holy motive there cannot be a holy act": Those who have come to the realisation that they have no inherent quality to commend themselves to a holy God, have come to the position Jesus describes as "poor in Spirt". This becomes a springboard for all other learning. Further revelation instructs us that all actions done without God being the centre of that action, are actions of selfishness, not ones of glorification of God. Thus a cup of water can be given to a thirsty person, while a beneficial act, it is not necessarily a holy one. It depends on the motive of the giver. All our actions, and therefore our life are eventually revealed by this standard, things done for the glory of God, and things done for our own. What then is your motive?

"The sons of light have an overwhelming obligation to the children of darkness. The lighthouse keeper dare not compromise with the storm; neither dare the light become friendly with the darkness." I wonder how many of us would trust a lighthouse which demonstrated that it was only working part of the time. Reliability to give the same consistent message is at the base foundation of being able to trust that the lighthouse will do the job it was built to do. Each and every day you set out to sea, you rely and have faith that the lighthouse will be there doing it's job warning you away from the treacherous parts of the waters. Without this protection your own life is put at risk. In a world which claims at present that "absolute truth" is a thing of the past, those who place themselves as followers of the living Christ, will disagree with the everyday majority view and firmly believe that "absolute truth" not only is knowable but essential for life. And ...

There are, dear reader, many copies of an original masterpiece found throughout the world. However their owners are aware of this copy. It is the forgery which causes concern in life. No one wants to find that they have a forgery of a painting instead of the original. The revelation only brings with it pain and misery. The owner is unlikely to thank you for revealing this loss to them. The same is true for human traits. There are many forgeries of love passing themselves off as the original, however that original is only owned by the creator himself and his followers who he bestows it upon, though his Holy Spirit. All others are poor copies and we would do well to recognise them as such. Copies are fine, for they remind us an original exists and we must seek it. Forgeries are not as they lead us to complacency. Have your dear reader sought the original?