Dawson's Creek message
This morning I was watching Dawson's Creek, which is not standard for me but I saw something interesting. I am watching an episode about Pacy's 18th birthday. Now all those of you who are not familar with the show Pacy is one of the main charactors. Now in this episode it is his birthday and his girlfriend decides to throw him a family birthday party. The part that made me stop and think is that he is surrounded by his friends and family who begin to tell stories about him ( all suggested by Pacy's mother to get closer to him). Every story that his family instinctively tells from memory is about how Pacy messes up, destories something, or fails at something. This to me made me think of my older brother. All through out his life I would focus on how he screwed up or messed up and in the end we are not close. Why is that? I think the reason is humanity naturally focus on the negative in everything. Someone cut YOU off, I will be late for so and so, and it goes on and on. Not one day that has gone by has helped me in this negative thought. Never has it helped with my relationship with friends, family or roomates.
The message of Jesus is not about focusing on the negative. Here is an example I meet weekly with a bunch of guys to just spend time talking about God. This last tuesday only two others showed up and my first response was where are the other 3? What was so important that they couldn't come and spend time with God? You know what my friend next to me said "what about the two that are here?" This floored me. I just sat there thinking how much of a jerk am I? This is not helping me love anyone. All negative thoughts do is fuel my hate, anger and rage which are not of the spirit.
"But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." (Gal. 5:13-14)
"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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealously, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunknness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kindom of God." (Gal. 5: 17-21)
Here Paul is talking to the Galatians because they have turned from Paul's message to them and is getting confused by other teachers about curcumcsion. What captured me this morning was he talked about the spirit and the sinful nature. Anyone out there ever felt like they have to different people inside them . . . here is why. This morning I realize that I have let too much of my sinful nature dictate my like because my fruit is fits of rage, impurity, envy and hatred. Now I am not focused on this but when I see what is coming out of me even in the slightest degree it bothers me because I am not living the best possible life. Negatvity just fuels the sinful nature. Now that I have spend my time giving the negative side of this message lets flip.
Look at the fruit of the Spirit:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self - control." (Gal. 5:22)
How beautiful these words are with this hope. I am not telling anyone even myself to focus on these because you don't seek God through a focus on any of these. Each one of these traits are consequences of spending time with God and letting him work on your heart. I look at these to see do I have these am I showing these to my fellow man because if I am not, then I am letting the sinful nature dictate my actions and not the spirit.
The sum of this blog is really tell let you think. Don't listen to me I am just a man but atleast question yourself where you are going and what your focus is, because the world generally focus's on the negative. Where do you stand?
The message of Jesus is not about focusing on the negative. Here is an example I meet weekly with a bunch of guys to just spend time talking about God. This last tuesday only two others showed up and my first response was where are the other 3? What was so important that they couldn't come and spend time with God? You know what my friend next to me said "what about the two that are here?" This floored me. I just sat there thinking how much of a jerk am I? This is not helping me love anyone. All negative thoughts do is fuel my hate, anger and rage which are not of the spirit.
"But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." (Gal. 5:13-14)
"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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealously, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunknness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kindom of God." (Gal. 5: 17-21)
Here Paul is talking to the Galatians because they have turned from Paul's message to them and is getting confused by other teachers about curcumcsion. What captured me this morning was he talked about the spirit and the sinful nature. Anyone out there ever felt like they have to different people inside them . . . here is why. This morning I realize that I have let too much of my sinful nature dictate my like because my fruit is fits of rage, impurity, envy and hatred. Now I am not focused on this but when I see what is coming out of me even in the slightest degree it bothers me because I am not living the best possible life. Negatvity just fuels the sinful nature. Now that I have spend my time giving the negative side of this message lets flip.
Look at the fruit of the Spirit:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self - control." (Gal. 5:22)
How beautiful these words are with this hope. I am not telling anyone even myself to focus on these because you don't seek God through a focus on any of these. Each one of these traits are consequences of spending time with God and letting him work on your heart. I look at these to see do I have these am I showing these to my fellow man because if I am not, then I am letting the sinful nature dictate my actions and not the spirit.
The sum of this blog is really tell let you think. Don't listen to me I am just a man but atleast question yourself where you are going and what your focus is, because the world generally focus's on the negative. Where do you stand?
posted by Fallen | 9:01 AM
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