When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Experiential Definition: The battle for the balance of GOD’S Kindness, Truth & Temper NEEDED to serve Him here on earth, as I live out my SPIRITUAL Life in Christ. Serving Him & HIS Agenda, within the context of MY physical life in this broken, fallen world.
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do
Experiential Definition: the balance of Kindness, Truth & temper needed to serve God. And, live out our Life in Christ as He wants, in this broken, fallen world.
An abbreviated Prayer from the above Scriptures: I Pray that God would grant you in your inner man, the level of Strength & Might (aka Temperance) that you need, to operate in the kind of Kindness & Truth that He requires (Proverbs 3:3), as a reconciling Minister of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Living Life on earth In His Name – to God’s Glory – by God’s Spirit – for Jesus Sake. In the world as one “in it”…but Sovereignly not “of it”. Amen.
