Action without Consideration
In this writing I am going to discuss those ugly things that most often get passed over in our gatherings. What we commonly call “Church” today has actually become bastions of tradition instead of gatherings of corporate worship, hearing, and learning.
The Scripture says “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
What we tend to hear from the traditional pulpit are messages carried down from others and in tradition how their teaching.
For example, if you have been a church member for some length of time or attended church services often, you have surely heard sermons on that blessed scripture John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Of course, these are always beautiful and very important messages, but when was the last time you heard a message on John 3:14-15 or 17 and their meaning?
Action without consideration causes turmoil and in turn causes strife. Have you ever heard someone blurt out something out of anger or misunderstanding? What were your feelings on that? Did you become angry or apologetic? Maybe it caused you to cease communicating with that person.
Maybe in their haste to lash out they became distant or angry, and their rush to action became a wall. A rushed reaction often manifests into rash action, and this then becomes derision and division. James 1:19, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
Sadly, not only does this become common in our daily lives, it often happens within God’s house amongst the congregation.
If someone hears something they disagree with or something that convicts, they will often lash out. Or when a member becomes prideful, they might lash out from a false sense of authority.
NO, brothers and sisters! This behavior is wrong in the eyes of the Lord. If we begin to be tempted into rash actions or thoughts, as soon as possible we should bring it before the Lord in prayer, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and giving the situation great consideration long before we utter a word.
Then when we speak, only do so in humbleness to be pleasing to the Lord. Dear reader, we must always seek the Kingdom of God first in all things! Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Isn’t this something we should strive to be obedient in? We must search our hearts and know if the desire of our heart is to please God or to please ourselves.
The Scripture tells us to love the Lord thy God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength, and all your soul. If we will truly do this then we will find that we fail the Lord far less often than we ever have.
A disobedient heart is a heart in torment, if we serve our self rather than God, we become miserable in our lives. On the opposite, if we are striving to serve the Lord God, then we will know joy and have life more abundantly.
If we are to become the new creature, we can in no way serve ourselves. We cannot allow selfishness to exist within us. We must be Humble in thought and in spirit. Our very nature must in all appearance and understanding be Christ-like. That should be our goal!
Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
If I am to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, then there can be no room for myself!
When we, a man or woman, get to a point where we do not examine ourselves searching for that place we can improve, then we are failing.
And if we cannot find fault in ourselves, then we can know we are as far from God as the east is from the west! Because if I cannot find fault in myself, then I have become prideful, and pride cannot stand in the presence of the Lord my God.
Pride cannot enter into heaven—Lucifer was cast out of Heaven for the sin of pride. He was the greatest of the Angelic host, a Cherubim of great beauty and wisdom, yet he was cast out and banished from the Kingdom of God!
The Scripture teaches me that I am to love my neighbor as myself! It also teaches that I am to love the Lord my God more than myself! In the Lord’s Prayer we recite “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Ask yourself this, do you really want to be forgiven in the same manner you forgive others? I’m afraid most of us would shudder in fear when coming to the realization of this verse. Remember, if you have recited the Lord’s Prayer, then this is exactly what you have petitioned the Lord to do for you!
Are you thinking now? I sure was. When I came to the understanding of these Scriptures, I had to change many aspects of my life.
For most of my life, in certain things I was quick to wrath and often even quick to become physical. But because of my new understanding, I realized it was either my will or the Will of God! I choose the Will of God.
Another Scripture appropriate in this teaching is Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Even the Lord prayed to the Father “not my will but Thine, be done”.
If we are to project Christ Jesus to those we encounter, then we must be transformed in accordance with the Word of God.
Let me backup a moment to a reference I made as to self-examination. Examining ourselves is a very beneficial thing we can make a practice of doing.
I promise you this is not easy and is often hard to swallow. Seeing our own faults is always hard, but once known we can make correction, and that will strengthen our walk with the Lord. Although we will fail at times, we can minimize how often we fail.
I pray this writing gives thought to the reader and strengthens our service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Kenneth Kellar
A Man Called by God to Teach and Disciple