Spiritual Pride

                                     Spiritual Pride

Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? You have suffered so much for the Good News. Surely it was not in vain, was it? Are you now going to just throw it all away? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law of Moses? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

               Galatians 3:2-5 (New Living Translation)

It is a common nature of we being humans that if we involve ourselves into any activity to its very core, we surely feel proud of ourselves and it is our pride that leads us to divert away from that particular activity and still feel proud . This also refers to spirituality. If we involve ourselves spiritually to a certain extent, sometimes we feel proud of ourselves and get ourselves in the opposite direction that leads us into giving first priority to ourselves and the Lord second.

The apostle Paul provides a vivid description into this insight. He posts an important question in this regard which we could ask ourselves at some stage in our life. We get blessed with certain spiritual gifts from the Lord of which we sometimes feel proud, often from the very beginning. We should ask ourselves if we got the gift from an earthly perspective or was it attained as a heavenly gift? Surely it's something that is attained from heaven. No earthly desire or any law can achieve it. Likewise, practicing any earthly ritual or superstitions cannot do the same as well. It is only by our faith in the Lord that He delights in us and blesses us with such gifts.

Taking this into consideration how can we, after receiving a heavenly gift, divulge our way and perfect our gift through flesh i.e. earthly pleasures and attractions?

Attaining spirituality often gets along with it, a bit of suffering, opposition and a few other hindrances as well. If we get to overcome them and feel proud of our victory over the same, its all in vain because we still lack spirituality. Gaining spirituality is a heavenly gift that can never be achieved on earthly grounds.

Anything in particular, once started in the Spirit, can be completed/perfected only through the Spirit and by the Spirit. The Lord, who blesses us with such divine gifts does not consider following rituals and superstitions but rather SPIRITUALITY. If we wish to sustain our heavenly gift, we should make ourselves worthy enough, SPIRITUALLY.

Message for the week:

Spirituality is a heavenly gift and not an earthly desire. If we get blessed with it or we long for it, running after earthly attractions would lead us nowhere and rather we should try not to or we lose our blessings. Recite this short prayer with me, "Lord, I wish to attain spirituality and be blessed with heavenly gifts that you will pour out on me. I believe I will attain and perfect my heavenly gifts through you and not earthly desires. Help me not to follow these attractions and thus grow in your name.” 

Amen 

 God bless you

 If you’d like God’s healing hand placed on you or anyone else you know of, please do visit our Prayer Cell prayer-cell.blogspot.com.au

                      We belong to God's farm

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field.

                   1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (New Living Translation)

                          
We often tend to skip our sessions with God for our personal benefits or some other factors. If we get to fellowship with a servant of God some of us feel that getting to meet that particular person makes God happy and satisfied such that it doesn't matter even if we lose our contact with God for some prolonged period of time.The apostle Paul gives us a clear picture in this context.

Paul emphasizes on plants in his example. He equates the life of an ordinary man to that of a plant. A plant may get enough water, fertilizers, etc. But it's only the Lord who provides growth. The Lord provides air, sunlight, adequate climatic conditions which render it's growth and fruitfulness. 

If we see ourselves through these plants, there are certain resources we are equipped with, via God. These resources nourish us, cleanse us and help us in creating our own identity in this world. As per the scripture, we should not give them a priority over God. We are being nourished and cleansed by them but it's only God who gives us growth. He sets up an environment suitable for each one of us separately, that we may grow according to our background and culture. This is the extent of our Lord's love for us. He cares for each one of us.

This can also be referred to servants of God who proclaim his name and help us attain salvation. At times we, being humans, do judge them according to our thinking and understanding. We cannot discriminate against such worthy souls as they all are pursuing the same goal, i.e uniting the lost lamb to their Shepherd. We also cannot prioritize them over God as they might show the way but it's God who can give us growth.

We all will be rewarded according to the amount of labor we pursue in proclaiming the good news. It’s not that a holy person will receive better rewards than a normal person. All of us are equal in the eyes of God and all of us will receive rewards according to our labor.

To summarize, a servant of God can only help strengthen one’s faith and not induce it. It is God who can induce faith in someone. Servants of God can be categorized as His fellow workers. They work for God in cultivating His crops for better produce. We belong to God’s farm. We all should work the best in ourselves to be the most-fruitful produce such that we can stay with the farmer(God) and not be thrown out i.e we should grow in His name as such, that we are saved and inherit His kingdom. 

Message for the week:

We still haven't run out of time. If we pray and seek God's help, we still have "time to grow fruitful" and not just being thrown away. Recite this short prayer with me, "Lord, I know that I wasn't fruitful enough to inherit your kingdom. Now I believe that you sustain my growth just as you provide growth to plants. I ask you to make me fruitful enough that I stay with you and not thrown away." 

Amen

God bless you

If you’d like God’s healing hand placed on you or anyone else you know of, please do visit our Prayer Cell prayer-cell.blogspot.com.au