Home-Grown Proverbs

12/16/1990

The following are a few thoughts offered by dozens of members of the Body of Christ here. They offer these to you as axioms or “home-grown” proverbs that have altered their personal lives at some time. May you find the same to be true.

• I cannot make myself feel this way or stop feeling that way, but I can choose to obey in spite of my feelings.

• Precious in God’s sight is the man who accepts responsibility for the mess he created by sowing to the flesh and, without a hint of despair, chooses to sow vigorously to please the Spirit today in the midst of his troubles.

• IF the Kingdom of Heaven is “neither here nor there, but within you” (or inside of you), then the ONLY way to really enter that Kingdom is to tap into each others’ lives in a real way by having real relationship with each other —  being transparent, honest & vulnerable with one another.

• Don’t be a passive bystander, but an active participant! Be someone who runs the race, not someone who cheers from the sideline.

• Live your life so that the Lamb Who was slain may receive the reward of His suffering.

• In times of inner turmoil, abandon all arguments and accusations and do one thing only: TOUCH JESUS! When I succeed in the face of adversity, it is because of only this: Jesus took my hand and lifted me up and led me on, and there is no dart that can separate me from Him in That Place. He is a PERSON  —  not a list, not a creed, not a chant, not a loophole. I suppose He could be called a “pay-off,” but always and forever a PERSON, and that is why it is such a BIG DEAL that He is Alive, Forever. We can touch Him anytime, anywhere. He has never failed me when I was willing to drop something and turn to Him.

• You can’t love God if you’re not loving His People!

• In the end, you know you really do want to do what’s Right, so why not be soft now?

• There are two responses to life’s problems/difficulties/challenges: 1) to turn inward, and 2) to turn upward and outward. The first is selfish and focused on me. The second is focused on God’s goodness and caring about others. As small and subtle as these choices seem at times …this second response will produce an abundant harvest of good fruit!

• Sloppiness and dullness in the areas of sleep, food, the tongue etc. have a direct correlation to sloppiness and dullness spiritually with God and in relationships with others. Let this not be so, since… “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have CRUCIFIED the sinful nature with its passions and desires. SINCE WE LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, LET’S KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT.” Galatians 5:24-25

• When you’re overwhelmed and many things seem very big, or you don’t know what direction to go for the day, evening, etc. or you’re tempted to think, “I don’t know what my gift is!” … You can always go back to the basics of loving others and giving your life away for the sake of those around you. Nothing fancy or noteworthy necessarily, but you know in your heart that you’ve made someone smile by expressing Jesus’ love.

• Believe. Faith is your responsibility (response/ability)  —  your response to God’s Ability.

• As long as your life is about your own personal holiness or maturity or love or perfection or________, you will be miserable and alone. As soon as you make the peace and health of specific others your reason for living, understanding that if anyone notices or compliments you that your own heart will be in jeopardy, then you will begin to Live. To save lives without ever being ‘seen’ or ‘heard’ or ‘acknowledged’ is when we know we are serious about Christ-ianity. Humility is our nobility; like Jesus, we’re here to serve, not to be served.

• Don’t be a people-pleaser; seek to put a smile on Jesus’ face.

• Jesus did everything God wanted Him to do, and they killed Him.

• Jesus taught new ways. His ways were hard for the people to accept. Some went so far as to agree with Him, but in the end they refused to give up their ways, and joined with those who crucified Him. So what about you? You may agree that Jesus’ ways are right, but will you give up your ways for His — or will you continue to refuse?

• “Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies…” It’s not a destination, but a moment by moment decision to walk the way of the cross, laying aside our own desires for the sake of others.

• Sheep dogs are capable of learning 40 commands; sheep are unable to learn even one. They are completely dependent on their shepherd. CLING TENACIOUSLY TO JESUS!

• If the Way you are trying to live your life, in response to God’s Word, causes you to feel your desperate need, daily, for His Anointed Ones and His Manna, then you are on the Right Path! And if you don’t need anyone or anything outside of yourself to do what you are doing with your life, then you are missing IT entirely.

• The Kingdom is entered through much humiliation, pain, and rejection.

• The truest, most lasting relationships are forged in the face of war, but we seem to want to gather them effortlessly along the path like wildflowers, as though “nothing” is all we’re willing to spend for the most wonderful thing in this world: loyal companions, sharing one heart and one goal, unwilling to let each other die.

• If you want to Live, then learn to Listen and Follow, rather than think and plot. Do not let your mind be a whirlwind of temporal issues; this will only block His voice.

• Strike while the iron is hot, and strike very, very hard. Move immediately, under the timing of the anointing. “Silent discernment” is another name for coward.

• When something becomes difficult in a relationship, I make myself remember, “This is my brother or sister. I love them. They love me and we both WANT to honor Jesus.” This puts things in perspective. We WILL work it out.

• I have never failed to marvel at the light and clarity that come into a tough situation when several saints turn toward Jesus TOGETHER for His Wisdom.

• The only way I can keep Jesus’ vision for His Kingdom is to walk daily with other like-minded brothers and sisters. His power over the gates of hell is found there!

• You would be amazed at how much sin could be avoided if your passion was to love others more than yourself.

• Watch your life and your doctrine closely. If your “doctrine” doesn’t form your life, or the lives of people around you, more into the likeness of Jesus, then you should seriously question whether it is from God or from man or from the enemy.

• When you seek first the Kingdom, and the King, He will sort out the rest of the details. And He will do it in ways more wonderful than you can even imagine.

• It is impossible to feel self-conscious or out of place in any situation if you are busy laying your life down for the King and His Family.

• An ounce of wisdom is worth a ton of willpower. Life is so much easier if we build God’s way. NOBODY has the strength of Character to handle the temptations & stress that inevitably come when we build wrongly.

• Life is like monopoly. No matter how much stuff you accumulate, at the end of the game it all goes back in the box. The only thing you get to keep is the kind of person you became while you played the game.

• Imagine what regrets you would have if you found yourself on your deathbed today. Do what you can to turn those things around now.

• HOW you do things is more important than WHAT you do. Look into people’s eyes and live lovingly.

• God never ceases to be Amazing when you ask for His involvement.

• The things you say may well be true, but your words can never stand as Truth, or represent The Word, unless you also Love the ones to whom you speak, and Feel for the ones you attempt to Help. What is in your heart for the people around you will determine the ultimate effect of anything you say or do for anyone. If their destiny and well-being does not matter to you, but you simply like to hear yourself say Good things or enjoy being heard or have to be Right or must be blameless for your own relief, then your attempts will serve only to feed an animal inside of you and can’t benefit your audience with Life. But if you Love, ahhhhhhhhhhhh, then He will drip like rain from your mouth onto the heads of those you Love and they will find sustenance there, and you will delight in them finding Life, not that you were a hero.