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Grace Nuggets: Simple reminders of God’s great love for you.
“Don’t forget to do good…”
I’ve often heard people misquote this verse and others with a similar message to justify their social activism and political agendas even though their ‘actions’ are completely contradictory to the context and whole of the Bible message.
‘Good’ can not be defined in human terms because ‘good’ in human terms is relative to the situation at hand and the mindset of the person or group defining it. Is the good you are doing helping the good of the majority of people who think like you do?
On the other hand, ‘good’ defined by God’s standards is impossible to attain without the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The guidance of the Holy Spirit will never contradict God’s word. It is what empowered Jesus during the wilderness temptations to stay true to his mission and resist satanic influences. Each of the things Satan tempted Christ to do were not wrong in and of themselves but the motive behind them was!
When we consider our ‘good’ actions measure them according to the standards God instituted. Then thank him profusely for grace because even at your best you can’t do everything perfect. Thank him for his inner peace too because if you stand with God, you will ultimately stand against culture and society.
You’ll fair better in the long run when you stand with the one who holds your eternity in his hand that you will standing with those whose future is limited to this world. Your good deeds should be done according to God’s standards, not the whims and fickle ways of culture.
Jesus Christ was confronted by several of the religious leaders of his day. Their intent was to trap him in some statement. Bear in mind, these were the lawyers, the professors, the elite of his day. He was a mere carpenter from a small town — at least in their eyes.
So, Jesus. What’s the most important commandment of God. There are ten you know. What say you? What’s the most important thing?
Jesus’ words summed up the most important thing in life nicely. It was love. The power of love conquers everything. Paul says prophecies will end, gifts will end, but love? That lasts forever.
Jesus words to his accusers were simple. The more you love God, the more you will find it within yourself to love others. The opposite is also true, the more you love others; the more you accept their faults as God has accepted yours; the more you recognize the differences in others and either a God given gift or a personal struggle, the more you will experience the power of God’s love working through you.
Jesus describes this life of love as a fountain springing up within us and overflowing, Nothing can stop the power of God’s love. Love is contagious. Spread it.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 