Draw Close To GOD...Part Five

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

Theme scripture

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” [John  8:29] – NIV

Additional Theme Scriptures:

“I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice -- living, sanctified, acceptable to God -- your intelligent service; ² and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what [is] the will of God -- the good, and acceptable, and perfect.” [Rom 12:1-2] – Young’s Literal Translation

Quick series recap

We are continuing in the next of the series of posts digging down into Phil 4:8-9. We have arrived at ‘lovely’ – fifth in the list of character attributes by the Apostle Paul to the Philippian congregation of believers.

 Part Five:

ü whatever things are Lovely

From Vine’s Expository Dictionary:

Greek word: prosphilēs

Definitions: Lovely:

"pleasing, agreeable, lovely" (pros, "toward," phileo, "to love") ”

[Strong’s Definitions G4375]

From Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: “acceptable, pleasing”

To expound a little more on the definition:

From Strong’s Definitions”

προσφιλής prosphilḗs, pros-fee-lace'; from a presumed compound of G4314 and G5368; friendly towards, i.e. acceptable:—lovely.

Breaking it down ¯

The theme scripture above shows the LORD Jesus worked to please HIS Father. Jesus was the founder of the Christian Faith. Should we do less? Is it sufficient for us to ‘accept and believe in Jesus’ and then live our lives on our own terms? If Jesus, the CHRIST, the ONLY begotten SON of GOD, deliberately and willingly did what pleased HIS Father and did not live life on HIS own terms how could we? This topic could become a deep discussion but if you look at what is now becoming ‘acceptable’ in the American culture would you say it is ‘pleasing’ or ‘lovely’ to GOD? Do the signs people hold up identifying their ‘statement du jour’ representative of you? Would you put on a contraption supposed to represent a woman’s vagina if Jesus was in the crowd? If HE was watching from a distance? Standing next to you.

As a Christian, is it not fundamental belief that we have the Holy Spirit with us, in us, near us at all times? Holy Spirit sent from Jesus as Jesus’ ‘helper’ for us to continue living and teaching us in the things Jesus began while on earth?

WHATEVER THINGS ARE lovely…continue considering these things.

Contemplate this:

“All things are lawful to me, but all things are not profitable; all things are lawful to me, but I -- I will not be under authority by any” [1Cor 6:12] – YLT

Query: If you know you have the lawful right to say or express yourself in any way you want – not with impunity – as a Christian, do you simply indulge because it is lawful? Do you claim to be another religion for the day to show support for that religion? It is lawful, per the U.S. Constitution, both in freedom of speech and freedom of religion. But do you? Notice Paul says ‘not all things are profitable’ and while it may be lawful to do or say something in so doing you are brought under the authority of the very thing you do/say. Paul shows self-constraint is essential. We do not renounce our Christian allegiance and association with Christ for another for any amount of time or any reason without risking the consequences of that renouncement. Merely another symptom of the culture in America today that requires Christian vigilance to continue ‘acceptable and pleasing’ in our character.

Is it pleasing/acceptable: Whatever. Things. Are. Lovely. [/pleasing/acceptable] 

We've spent time looking at ways to be ‘true’ ‘honest’ ‘righteous’ and ‘pure’ cultivating a desire and commitment to ‘…continue doing these things’. The knowledge all things are lawful, do we join or individually manifest any speech, actions, activities, allegiances that may not be true, honest. RIGHTEOUS, pure or pleasing and still consider our lives reflective of Christian integrity? Again, if you are ‘honest’ in your self-analysis would you say, do or behave as you do while Christ was standing next to you, seated at your dinner table, riding in your car, in the chair in your office or next to you on campus? If your conscience winces then perhaps prayer is in order.

We have the Holy Spirit to guide us. HE knows when we are stepping into behaviors not consistent with Christian Character and is in the perfect position to work with our prayers to assess our decisions. Ultimately, whatever any of us says and does is on us. It is not part of the ‘whatever things are’ character to go full steam ahead on something thinking it better to ask forgiveness than permission.  If in doubt; think/reason it out. Innately we should not concern ourself solely upon what others will think or do or how they will perceive us. It is how GOD will know us. Big difference. We can fool people. We cannot fool an ALL KNOWING, EVER PRESENT GOD! 

Conclusion:

Sometimes it is easy to be an anonymous Christian. Living our lives with our friends, co-workers, school friends, long distance family. Just hanging out. Someone says or does something we know is not right. We may feel their actions and speech is on them we do not need to rebuke it. You would be right. Others can say and do whatever they wish and it is not on us to ‘rebuke’ them; it is on us to rebuke their actions/words personally/internally – to ourselves. We always continue the work tasked to us à ‘to continue doing the “whatever things are” process. Sometimes, it may be best to excuse yourself politely and leave to preserve you being true, honest, pure, righteous, lovey. Our individual relationship and walk in/with GOD is the most important facet of life. We should value it most.   

  

Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

©Lightwritingmatters 2015