Daily writing prompt

If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

View all responses

One thing to understand is that true understanding requires humility. Pride prevents and distorts true understanding.

Self-focus will keep you from humbling yourself. (1 Peter 5:6) That’s why Jesus taught self-denial, daily cross bearing, and obedience to Him. (Luke 9:23)

Instead of merely trying to figure life out with human wisdom and logic, (1 Corinthians 3:18-20) true humility asks for, receives, and relies on divine wisdom, (James 1:5) and supernatural revelation directly from God the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:10) Humility sets aside self-focus and self-will (Luke 9:23) in order to be taught, led, and directed by the still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26) The only way to love your neighbor, the way you love yourself, (Mark 12:31) is to set aside the pride of self-focus and focus instead on your neighbor the same way Jesus humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. (John 13:3-5)

Church attendance isn’t the goal of biblical Christianity. (Luke 9:23) When church became a mere provider of religious services to passive spectators instead of a gathering of Spirit-led Christ-followers, it got off track. The goal of Christianity is humble surrender and obedience to the living resurrected Jesus.

Assembling together with the body of Christ (Hebrews 10:24-26) requires openhearted vulnerability (James 5:16) and humble submission to one another. (Ephesians 5:21) It’s so much more than merely sitting together through a church service as passive sermon hearers. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Churches present Christians with two scenarios. Either attend an institutional church, or you will be self-led, deceived, and in rebellion. That’s a totally false dichotomy.

There is a third option. Be Spirit-led. (Romans 8:14) To assume that a Christian who doesn’t regularly attend a programmed church is in some way distanced from God is a superficial judgment.

The body of Christ isn’t found only in church buildings and human controlled services. It’s everywhere Christians are. The body of Christ is manifest any time Christians gather and connect heart-to-heart as they are led by God the Holy Spirit.

If the Holy Spirit wasn’t truly present to lead us, we would need to rely on religious institutions and professional Christians. But that’s not the case. God the Holy Spirit is very active in this world speaking to Christ followers and seeking to teach, direct, and prompt them from within.

The real danger for Christians isn’t a lack of church attendance. It’s quenching, ignoring, and/or disobeying the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) It’s neglecting to assemble together to be led by the Spirit.

That kind of gathering doesn’t require a church building or a professional leader. It can happen anytime and anywhere that Christians begin to encourage one another, (1 Thessalonians 5:11) teach one another, (Colossians 3:16) and bear one another’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2) Let God the Spirit guide you to His assemblies throughout each day. (John 16:13-15)