God
tells us that unless we behave and have the mind of a little child, we cannot
enter His Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). He is not suggesting that we throw
temper tantrums or act self-centeredly.
He wants
us to lay down our selfish pride, which we adopted as adults. He calls us to
humble our self under His mighty hand and to live with a child-like trust in
our Father God (1 Peter 5:6-7; Psalm 131).
We are already
dead to sin through Christ in us (Galatians 2:20). We are totally incapable of
working for God through human power. Our human endeavors stink in God’s sight
(Luke 16:15).
Our
self-effort will only accumulate carnal treasures, which are actually wood, hay
and stubble, according to God’s opinion (Galatians 6:3; 1 Corinthians 3:12). God
wants us to live in each moment according to His Will for it.
He
desires that we forsake the love of all earthly attitudes, people, possessions,
arrogance and self-centeredness for the sake of Christ in us (Luke 14:26, 33).
We are
dead and hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). There is no need to
perfect our self, because that is the Holy Spirit's job (Philippians 2:12-13).
Christ
is our whole life during every moment of our earthly existence (Colossians
3:4). God does the perfecting work in our soul by His Spirit (Hebrews 13:21). We have no concern for our self-worth apart
from Christ in us (Matthew 19:17).
Therefore,
we do nothing from our self-efforts, and everything according to the will of
God, by the power of God working in us (John 8:28; Zechariah 4:6). We simply
draw near to God and resist the devil’s temptation for us to resist God (James
4:7-8; 1 Corinthians 10:13).
Prayer:
Father
God, You have no interest in the power of our flesh, because You fight our
battles for us (2 Chronicles 32:8). This is so evident when we read about the
Battle of Jericho, and so many other battles, which Israel fought in Canaan
land. We fight many spiritual battles during our lifetime; but if we are wise,
it is only and always by Your Spirit (Ephesians 6).
If
we act like prideful and disobedient children, and carry out our own plans,
choose our own mate and increase in sin daily, we do not belong to You (Isaiah
30:1-2; 1 John 1:6). Authentic Believers do not rely on our human talents to do
Your Will, but only on the power of Your Spirit within us (1 Corinthians
2:4).
Thought
for the Day:
Christ is the hand, and we are the glove; the glove is perfectly molded to the hand and only moves as directed by the hand.
