THE BATTLE OF PRIDE AND GRACE AND FINDING MATURITY IN CHRIST

Listening to a sermon from our church in Arizona this week, I came full face with the ever present Battle Of Pride And Grace. Our pastor framed it in terms of “Fairness”. How many times do we find ourselves thinking that the journey of life and the multitudes of challenges and events that come our way very often just “don’t seem fair !” A great deal of the sermon’s focus was on the things that we often wish we had, but just never seem to receive. The ultimate question of “Why Not Me”. In worldly terms it often can revolve around Money, Personal Desires and Goals, or often Self Worth and Accomplishments. It is So Easy to be caught up in Oneself ! The world pushes us to Succeed, Aquire, and Conquer. Society and Culture push us to WIN, no matter the cost. We must count on ourselves to get the things we desire and in our minds, we Deserve It All ! Is it any wonder that as human beings we struggle to see Life through the lens of Christ, and the absolute GRACE that He alone has provided us with ? Jesus spent so much time teaching His Disciples and the crowds that gathered around Him in Parables. Stories that took the human experience and reflected so many God Given truths that often were hard to comprehend for many that listened to His Words. Life in those times was indeed a struggle. The tyranny of the Roman Empire, mixed with the difficulty of following the Oral Law of the Religious Leaders in the Temple and Synagogues. The Talmud; a body of Jewish Law and Tradition not recorded in the Torah, but passed down orally for generations as statutes and interpretations that still govern Orthodox Judaism today. In many Christian Churches we see a similar pattern of traditions and historical liturgical practice that at times can seem very far off from the actual Truth of God’s Word in Scripture. GRACE IS TRULY OUR SALVATION ! For many, the real challenge in Following Jesus is the ability to Surrender In Obedience, and TRUST IN GOD”S GRACE:) Try as hard as we might, We Are Sinners on our own; destined to failure without giving our life to Christ and Abiding In Him And He In Us. All of us have heard the mantra; “Pride Cometh Before The Fall.” Human nature pushes us to see ourselves as Good People….but GOD REQUIRES MORE !

GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. James 4:6

PRIDE COMES BEFORE DESTRUCTION, AND AN ARROGANT SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL. Proverbs 16:18

THEY DO ALL THEIR DEEDS TO BE SEEN BY OTHERS. FOR THEY MAKE THEIR PHYLACTERIES BROAD AND THEIR FRINGES LONG, AND THEY LOVE THE PLACE OF HONOR AT FEASTS AND THE BEST SEATS IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND GREETINGS IN THE MARKETPLACE AND BEING CALLED RABBI BY OTHERS. BUT YOU ARE NOT TO BE CALLED RABBI, FOR YOU HAVE ONE TEACHER, AND YOU ARE ALL BROTHERS. AND CALL NO MAN YOUR FATHER ON EARTH, FOR YOU HAVE ONE FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN. NEITHER BE CALLED INSTRUCTORS, FOR YOU HAVE ONE INSTRUCTOR, THE CHRIST. THE GREATEST AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT. WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED. Matthew 23:5-12

Pride is indeed a struggle for all of us. It may not seem like it as we strive toward maturity, but it is always there, and we must keep our guard up and be vigilant. The Real Truth is that we are all SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE LOVE OF JESUS AND HIS GRACE IN OUR LIVES ! Every time I see someone give their heart and life to Jesus, I can’t help but reflect on just how fortunate I am that HE CHOSE ME TO FOLLOW HIM:) Being His for one day, or for 42 years makes no difference in His Eyes ! We have all fallen short of the Glory Of God, but once a decision is made to Follow Him, the true Journey toward Maturity, Sanctification, and Righteousness begins ! Salvation puts us on a path toward God’s Kingdom; Maturity is the steps we take toward Honoring God and Glorifying Him and His Love for us. I often reflect on the amazing passage of time since Jesus died on the Cross and was Resurrected into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. So Much Time. So Many Generations ( Actually, about 109 ). The myriads of people who have embraced Jesus…and sadly, those who have rejected Him. When I begin to grow restless and ask Him, “ Why haven’t you returned ? Isn’t it time ? Things seem so crazy !”; I hear His Quiet Voice Remind Me…”Jim, I still have So Much Grace To Give !” That Grace is SO IMPORTANT ! It is a reminder to all of us that We Have A Command From Jesus Himself To “Share The Gospel Unto The Ends Of The Earth.” WE TAKE HIS GRACE OUT INTO OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND WORLD EVERY CHANCE WE GET ! This is why it is so important to find the sweet spot where WE CAN SERVE ! The world is so full of pride, and division, and chaos…but WE can bring the Hope, Peace, and Grace that God has so lovingly offered in His Son Jesus, if we simply DO SO !

FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. Ephesians 2:8-9

LET US THEN WITH CONFIDENCE DRAW NEAR TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED. Hebrews 4:16

FOR THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED, BRINGING SALVATION FOR ALL PEOPLE, TRAINING US TO RENOUNCE UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, AND TO LIVE SELF CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT, AND GODLY LIVES IN THE PRESENT AGE, WAITING FOR OUR BLESSED HOPE, THE APPEARING OF THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US TO REDEEM US FROM ALL LAWLESSNESS AND TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION WHO ARE ZEALOUS FOR GOOD WORKS. Titus 2: 11-14

Can we battle our individual Pride and in its place find Humility in God;s Grace ? Can we realize that our Maturity comes from our Closeness and Trust in Jesus; not from our own efforts ? Our minds and our behavior can only take us so far; indeed it is in Relationship With Our Hearts That We Must Meet Our Lord, Savior, And King ! The Choice to Follow Jesus is a narrow path and it requires So Much Grace from God along the way :) On our own, we will be stuck in a continual battle to meet the shallow and unpredictable goals that the world lifts up as success and accomplishment. IN CHRIST, WE ARE COMPLETE:) IN HIM WE WILL FIND ABUNDANT LIFE:) May we begin each of our days with Gratitude and Thanksgiving for the Love and Grace we receive from a God who truly loves us, and may we share That Love Boldly and Openly with all who cross our paths !

GOD IS GrACE/JAA

BUT GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. TO HIM BE THE GLORY BOTH NOW AND TO THE DAY OF ETERNITY. AMEN. 2 Peter 3:18