The Kingdom's News

Well, I was reading a brother in Christ's blog this morning and if you are interested take a look at his bird-brained ideas .... (that is a joke) about believers and how passionate they can be....NOT! ( walkingchurch.blogspot.com )
Acquiring the new nature as I have understood.... I am a new creation and recognize my identity (exactly who I am in Christ) ... this is a done deal....but I am still embracing this truth. Along with this I believe that I have the mind of Christ..... I do not utilize it all the time...but He will prompt me ....give me understanding, discernment, compassion....etc...if I focus on Him. Many things will get in the way of this .... so many things that try to keep me from that passion...that new nature's desire to care for others as Christ calls me to....
In my humble opinion.....when that passion or concern or desire to share personal stories of faith...of what is happening in our lives...or in the lives of the saints and unbelievers around us...people are so focussed on themselves and on their own life situations, on their own relationship with Christ (and that is not always a bad thing :) ) ...critical and negative results follow...and coming alongside as He would do... is left so quickly and what happens...the passion gets sucked out of the passionate one.....like a balloon being released untied.... deflated...disappointment and unChristlike reactions occur. It is hard enough to get by in this world...full of those who do not share the Truth...with all the selfishness and greediness in all things...including welcoming others experiences into our own little box of a world... without finding this same response from our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is there, however, and it is rampant....yep, we know that He calls us to and moves within us to that agape love for others...and as with all things...we get in the way....our story is not shared....our focus on ourself is ignored or passed over.... and we become....sometimes....hurt and feel overlooked....even if it is not so obvious...we need to listen to others...we need to be able to share and be listened to... and in some ways this passionate and compassionate sharing ...and sharing of the wonderful and marvellous things that our Holy God is doing in our lives and in the lives of the Body of Christ around us is inhibited...squelched....smothered and others miss the blessing of hearing of the news of the King's Kingdom activities.
I like what Preston and Anabel Gillham said in a small booklet given to me by a saint of God that said.... "walking in the Spirit...or being under Christ's control is not an emotional or 'feeling' concept; it can be, but most of the time it is not. Walking in the Spirit, is something we choose to do and then set our mind on." So when we do this....we can share freely....or not if it doesn't work at the time... He will make it work if we continue to press on with Him in us and as He lives through us...but we also have within us the Ultimate Listener...the One who understands...the One who is all-compassionate and knows our hearts....He leads us to listen to each other and share....and put our thoughts aside. We seldom do this....we need to ...we need to hear each other and give each other time.... a commodity that is not easily had today. How effective is hearing and listening in God's economy.... it is everything....it is what sharing each other's burdens and joys and trials and victories is all about. So many more things I have running through my mind on this train of thought....but I will stop here and think some more on this....I will ask Him to bring some clarity and revelation to me on this....
I guess the truth of the matter is that there are few who hear His voice and follow His instruction as to how to treat others....and hear others and share....we are so detrimental to each other unless we truly act out of His prompting.....
So when my brother over there at walkingchurch....says
"Do we give a 'rat's *ss' or do we even have a pulse on Abba's Kingdom - meaning does this type of dialogue turn our cranks? Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to create a hotline. It bothers me. We claim to be passionate believers (active disciples) but our actions seem devoid of demonstrative dialogue and action."
I have to agree...and suggest that the reasons behind this lack of demonstrative dialogue and action is the same answer as in most things....our self-centeredness and lack of focus on Him...because if we were listening....you gotta think He would be directing us to have a pulse on His Kingdom, and coming alongside of and being passionate about the Holy Hotline of what He is doing in our fellow believers....the Body of the Beloved....and sharing what He is doing in ours....a dialogue that sometimes does not need our voice but our ears....His ears.
May He bring this forward in my life. To hear more than I speak....to come alongside the ones who are desperately trying to share...to find a brother or sister who willingly...with His prompting would listen and rejoice with or weep with them at a time when they need this most.
To be the Church.
Always in love....His love.