Tag Archives: writing

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“When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much.  The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.”  (2 Corinthians 10:18, NLT)

The current fixation on self-promotion isn’t new.  Folks were marketing themselves long before Paul wrote today’s admonition against self-promotion to the Christian disciples in Corinth — which was the New York City of its day: Populous, cosmopolitan, a crossroads of humanity.

I know, I know. . .  We reason that if we’re not for ourselves, then who is?  It is a valid question.  The answer for the disciple of Jesus is that it is God who is our champion.  God opens doors that no one can close; and God closes doors that no one can open.

Be faithful to Him in all things, and he will not only chart the course of your life; but He will ensure that you arrive at all of the correct checkpoints at the right time.   – Luther

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“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”  (1 Peter 2:23, NIV)

To be Christian is to be like Christ.

Peter provides two clear, practical, snapshots of what it means to be like Christ: Ignoring insults from the “haters”; and making no threat against the agents of suffering and pain.

According to the scriptures, in his early years as a disciple of Jesus, Peter quickly quickly responded to every insult and engaged every opponent.  Through faithful discipleship, Peter was not the person “now” that he was in those early years.

To grow in maturity as a Christian means to become more and more like Jesus.  A measure of our maturity is the degree to which we are willing to entrust ourselves “to him who judges justly.”  – Luther

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