How We Run Well Together

Do you ever feel like a slave to people’s opinion or to the things of this world? Freedom from captivity to the people and things of this world is found not in shunning them—“I won’t care what people think!” “I won’t have any nice stuff!”—but in discovering God as captivatingly treasurable. He makes satisfying us the way of our freedom—sometimes over and over again. We go into slavery, but we’re led out captivated and satisfied by God, in bondage no more. What fun it is to help each other to find God as the treasure He is—sometimes over and over again. That’s how we run well together, and that’s our starting point. (See Romans 6 for more.)

(For more like this, go to ralphharris.org and click the Encourage Me button.)

The Inside Champion

God’s care for me doesn’t come only when I’m doing well and loving life, but when I’m doing poorly and full of garbage. Sin, failures and fears often whisper to me that I’ve got to stop them—Stop them right now!—but they never suggest I immediately offer myself to God who can do something about them. And sin, failures and fears never bring up Jesus’ ability concerning struggles and temptations, either. He faced every struggle and temptation I’ve ever had or will ever face, and conquered and disposed of them. All of them. And where is this Jesus today? In me. In you. He is Perfect from there, and that was His plan all along. That’s our starting point. (For a great adventure about how Jesus is Perfect with you, get my new book at: https://tinyurl.com/y6ssnpwj.)

Remember Where You Are

If the Holy Spirit were to take you on a tour this morning, I think He would reacquaint you with where you are—in Christ, a true son of the Kingdom of God. He might say, “See where you are? See how well you fit in here?” I think you’d be impressed, don’t you? And then perhaps He’d say, “Now that you see where you are and who you are here—heaven-born royalty—put on the armor in keeping with your nobility, and walk confidently in the earthly day ahead. The enemy may assault you in that arena, whether subtly or evidently, but you do not fight on his terms; you fight from where you are and who you are. You’re in Christ, the Victor, so you win.”

That’s your starting point. (See the book of Ephesians.)

How to See Without Burning People

It's only when you look at an ant on a sunny day through a magnifying glass that you realize how often and easily they burst into flames. So it is when we stare at people through a computer monitor or television screen, analyzing and pretending we’re actually seeing them in the bright light of truth. 

(To watch the video at ralphharris.org, click http://ralphharris.org/how-to-see-without-burning-people/.)

No one can withstand that angle of scrutiny, mostly because it’s not accurate. It’s not true! Only those who see from enlightened hearts—and insist upon that view—can walk with the ants and not make them afraid of the heat.

My prayer—maybe it’s your prayer, too—is that Christ in me (basic Christianity—Colossians 1:27–He is my hope inside me) will become more and more evident to me, to you and to those around me. His affection for people gives my heart a knowledge and an insight—a true way to know and an accurate way to see people that doesn’t burn them—which enables love for them to abound. AND! I will know from there what’s best. That’s my starting point. Maybe it’s yours, too.

Philippians 1:8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Amen?