Heart of Kim

There is one sure-fire way to go on an emotional roller coaster ride;  it’s called Contrast and Comparison. 

C&C has many friends that hang around with them:  jealousy, envy, hurt, bitterness, depression, pride, arrogance…….  and on and on. 

Contrasting and Comparing ourself with others is one of the most sublte ways that satan  uses to  take our focus off of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 (King James Version) 

 ¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

 ¹³But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

 It is absolutely impossible to “contrast and compare” ourself with another without experiencing one of two things:      Exaltation or Abasement.  The reason Paul says it is not wise to do so is because in order to enter into contrast and comparison one must first make “judgement” and in making judgement there usually follows a conviction and verdict.  To place ourself in our own mind either above the other person or below the other person will always bring strife.  Ah, Now we begin to see where all the other emotions that follow come from! 

  The solution is simple:  Fix our eyes on Jesus!  then, we can see ourself and others through the wonderful truth of the Word of God.  Seeing others through the Spirit takes consistent “casting down of imaginations that are attempting to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God”.       The knowledge of God is full of the Gospel of the Grace of God.  Every person has been given an anointing and grace for the measure of rule or call that is on their life.  There is beauty in the different giftings and graces on different people that make up the body of Christ.  No two are alike and each person is as different as their fingerprint. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (King James Version)  ¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? ¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the body? ²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. ²²Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: ²³And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. ²⁵That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Next time temptation comes around and presents the thought of “Contrast and Comparison”.  Laugh at that thought, take it captive, and say NO!  Let’s not allow the enemy to suck us into perceptions that are how “he” wants us to view things.  Realize just how wonderfully different God has made each individual and how precious each person is.  There is no one like me  and there is no one like you!   

  Think about it!

Have you ever had a hang in there  week?  You know, the kind of week where life is moving faster than you are?  A week where your plate is full week?  Life can seem to be a a vacuum sometimes.  We can feel sucked up into a vortex of moving events with seemingly no way to stop the suction.   Distractions and interruptions can become a common foe and we can begin to experience fatigue and frustration.  We find ourselves pouring out without taking in.

 The Word says let the weak say they are strong and  we are admonished to not  become weary in well doing.  David encouraged Himself in the Lord because there was no one else to encourage him ……… Sometimes being strong and not becoming discouraged and weary seems far far away from our state of mind!   And just when you think you cannot go another step you find once again that  God is  faithful,  even when we are not faithful to Him.  It is so wonderful that we have such a merciful and loving Father.  It’s a matter of just knowing that the seasons of our life change constantly.  Some seasons are very long and some are very short, you know; like a week.  It’s amazing how His mercies are truly new every morning!  So even though it could be a hang in there week for you; I encourage you to hang in there anyway! The season that you may be in is just that – a temporary season that will not endure. It is the Word that endures forever, and as long as we have that, we can continue to take those steps and press on, knowing that He is with us every step of the way.

How do I know this with certainty?  Because, I know that Jesus experienced a hang in there day for us.  When I have those weeks,  I think of this and just begin to encourage myself in the Lord, confessing that I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might and that because He hung on the cross for me,  I will not become weary in well doing.  I begin to think on what He endured and meditate on all the promises and the precious price that was paid that I might embrace those promises until they are manifested in my life.

Life has its ups and downs. But, we have a constant. When we just stop a second and realize that our hope is not a hope-so, maybe-so kind of hope, but a confident expectation of good, backed by a blood covenant that cannot be broken.  We then begin to experience that familiar renewal and refreshing of  His power infusing and undergirding our heart and mind.  So I encourage you to face each week with the knowledge that you are not alone.  We have His promise that He will never leave or forsake us.  We have his Spirit;  which is our comforter, teacher, friend and counselor. We have His Word emphatically proclaiming that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. And we have His mercy and goodness following after us,  every step of the way!  Hang in there!

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There are many Christians who spend their entire lifetime trying to “Please”" God.   They have in their mind that they must “be good” and “do good” to stay in “good” graces with Him.  God is seen as a far away entity that might be in a good mood one day and a bad mood the next.  They perceive Him to be an all powerful Lord that just might snap His fingers and “poof” something bad happens to them cause they made Him angry. 

Jesus said:  “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father”.  Now does that sound like the God that many people say they know?  Of course not!  God came to this world “in Jesus”, reconciling the world to himself.  The Father desires for the love extended at the cross to be received and embraced by faith. I can’t say enough times:  Father God, LOVES US.  Our pleasing Him is “believing what He says” and “receiving what He has done”. 

That’s too simple! you might say.  Yes, it’s that simple.  Jesus paid it ALL.  If we think that we must do, and pay, then we’ve just relied on our own righteousness and it has never been good enough.  Thats what the scripture means when Paul says in Galatians chapter 5, that you’ve fallen from grace.  Paul is not saying that you have lost your salvation, but He is saying that you’ve “backed up” and “slipped back into” a mindset of “works”.  Our works of “self” , or “our righteousness”  has been and always will be ; filthy as rags. 

It is “BY FAITH” in the precious Blood of Christ that we are justified and made righteous!  PERIOD.

Praise God  today for His wonderful plan of redemption and thank Him for it!  It is free to us by faith in Him, but it was bought by Him with the price of His own blood, and there is no way to ever assign a value, it’s too big.  The cost could never be paid by us, He paid it ALL for us.  I am forever grateful.