Surrey, England 2010: Isaiah loves a good roller coaster. The higher and faster, the better. No doubt, these rails undergo intense inspection and testing before the happy crowds board. Similarly, we must evaluate and judge ourselves before sending our act into the public as ambassadors of Christ and wishing our ride upon anybody else.
From Trent Ling:
Trent Ling shares matters that should be part of the conduct of disciples of Jesus. For a brief explanation of such postings, please see Conduct in God’s Household.
I minister. That’s what I do. On this ministry website alone, I preach, teach, write, and comment. A lot. I long ago joined Jesus in leaving what I offer to those with ears to hear. Mark 4:9. Such persons receive my focused and best attention in all of my ministering efforts. Whether I speak to a crowd or to the wind, whether I write to specific audiences or to anybody and everybody, I gear my words and my work toward those who will hear it, believe it, and love it one day, if not today. That’s always who I’m talking to. If that’s you then that’s you; there’s no need to come wonderingly back to me. If that’s not you, then go become that and then it’ll be you.
However, oftentimes, some of my hearers even with ears to hear immediately want to know if my words were directed toward them specifically or not, and whether I think they should do something about it. This untoward reaction unveils an erosion in the spiritual foundation of these listeners. Of course, sadly, those in and out of the ministry have always preferred a hearing with an earthly king to one with our heavenly Father. Proverbs 29:26 and 1 Samuel 8:4-22. Now, apparently they’ll even settle for an audience with diminutive me rather than petition God in heaven. That represents quite a collapse from the powerfully freeing truths we teach and from the eternally impenetrable foundation Christ offers.
“But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” 1 Corinthians 11:31.
Disciples of Jesus must examine themselves, judge themselves, and clear themselves. Thereafter, God will weigh in and judge should anything remain to be judged. In any case, there is little to zero need to hear further on the matter from me. I’ve shared what I’ve shared. I’ve done it carefully, thoughtfully, and obediently. I’m not all that enthusiastic to reduce what God gave to me to give out in the first place by allaying resultant fears with uninspired but popular supplemental material.
Judge yourself. Clear yourself. Turn to God. Work it out. Let us leave little, old, measly, irrelevant me out of the aftermath mix.
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