What is Your Lens for Dealing with the Issues of Life?
What is Your Lens for Dealing with the Issues of Life?
Is it from a spiritual perspective or from a “natural” point of view?
The Bible talks about “the natural man” versus the “the spiritual man” in 1 Corinthians 2:14. “But a ‘natural man’ does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”
Truly, this is speaking primarily of the contrast between believers and non-believers, but if you have ever heard the term “carnal Christians”, it comes from this verse. In some lesser known translations, the phrase “natural man” – in the Greek “psuchikos”, is translated “intellectual man” (Godbey New Testament), “those who are unspiritual” (New RSV), or “selfish man” (Aramaic Bible) [Credit: Biblehub.com]
What is Your Lens for Making Decisions?
Who directs the Decisions in your life?
Is it God, or is it your Ego and Self-will?
Whose plans and purposes matter most to you? Yours? Or God’s?
Is your life devoted to Kingdom purposes, or your own?
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26 NASB1995
But God has something better:
“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and I will restore your fortunes…” Jeremiah 29:11-14 NASB1995
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
[Matthew 13:44-46 NASB1995]
We can also be “double-minded” [James 1:8], without really realizing it. We may be so accustomed to doing things our own way, that making our own decisions our own way, comes “natural” to us… Sound familiar?
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Matt 6:21]
Let us seek to consistently apply these scriptures: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6-7 NIV]
“…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” [Matthew 6:33 NASB1995]
Scripture credit: https://bible.com/