stevecuringtonministries.com

Good morning! You've heard the statement many times: "actions speak louder then words!" That little statement is so true. But do you know that there is something that speaks louder than actions? It is our RE-actions.

Many people can discipline themselves to act like Christ. But it is much more difficult to train your soul to react like Christ. When faced with unfortunate or difficult circumstances in life, it is our reactions that reveal whether we are spirit controlled or soul controlled.

This fact is at the core of all we teach at RU. If our relationship with the Lord is weak, we can clearly see such weaknesses not only by our failures to act right, but also by our consistently innappropriate reactions. At least that is how I am able to measure myself. It is sad but true that when I am not Holy Spirit led in my life that my interpersonal skills go down the tank.

In other words, in some ways, I have a very poorly trained soul. I don't advocate that, for a well trained soul is simply the definition of "character". And though I have many good character qualities in my life for which I am grateful, patience with the perceived shortcomings of others is not one of them. Thus, whenever I become harsh or quicktempered, I am quickly aware I am weak spiritually and not in tune with the Spirit's leading.

So, for this one thing I am very grateful. I have never really figured out how to ACT like Christ without His compelling direction and my complete surrender. Now don't get me wrong. I would really rather, at times, be able to "fake it till I make it!" Spiritually speaking of course. In other words, I surely wish that I could just "do the right thing" when I am distant from Him.

But folks, it's not about doing the right thing. It's about doing things right! The right way for us to live our lives is not to ACT like Christ but to YIELD to Christ. When we teach ourselves out of habit or sure determining will power how to act like Jesus would act, we are "being Holy". We are making an attempt to DO Holy!

His Holiness is something we are asked to BE, not DO. To do right is much easier than to be right (maybe not for me, but for most others). Now, what is the difference. Well, the Bible clearly defines throughout Scripture what is right and what is wrong. When we are serving Jesus within our own power, then some of us can do right some of the time and some of us can do right most of the time but none of us can do right all of the time. Yet just because you are able to do right in your own power more or better than another believer doesn't mean that you are yielding to Christ. It usually means that you just have more intestinal fortitude to act like Christ. But you are not pleasing Christ if you are doing right your self for that is self righteousness. I know people who live in UNRIGHTEOUS WICKEDNESS who still do a lot of right things most every day and in some ways do them better than many believers.

But the real love, joy and peace is found in "doing things right". The right way to do things is to do things right. That right way is His WAY. Jesus said I am the WAY (John 15:6). If we develop the relationship that He so covets with us, than we will see ourselves more inclined to do right because we ARE right. It is that inclination of Spiritual intuition that brings "His life in us" to fruition.

Living a life yielded to Christ's leading is the only way to live a holy life. Of course, as long as we are human, we will fail to be holy all the time. But just remember that when you are training yourself through sheer discipline, you may do alot of things in a holy way, but that does not mean you have been holy. To be or even do with consistency that which is Holy, it must emanate from that which is HOLY within us. Remember that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. But IN me, that is, in my Spirit dwelleth the One on Whom I should cling!

God wants us to yield, not act. If we yield, He will act for us. If we act rather than yield He is rendered useless to that particular circumstance. That does not please Him. God does not appreciate what He does not initiate.

A QUESTION FOR TODAY'S MEDITATION: "In my private world, my inner thoughts, am I a critical person?" If so, why? Have you obtained a measure of perfection that grants you this type of judgmental spirit? And if so, wouldn't you be much more tolerant and a less assuming individual as a result? If you were someone else, what would you THINK about yourself?