anxious woman touching head while looking at crop female during argument
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Neither Grumbling Nor Disputing

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” - Philippians 2:14-18

1) According to the apostle Paul grumbling and disputing is a display of spiritual impurity. Think about that for a moment, ask yourself “do I grumble and do I dispute with people?” If so it is a sign of impurity. And a sign that a Christian or a group of Christians are not holding fast to the word of life (to Jesus Christ Himself). Furthermore it dims the light that shines out of a Christian, or out from groups of Christians.

Which light or lack thereof, is being observed by the people around us, referred to by Paul as “the crooked generations.”

2) Furthermore, Paul compares the faith of a church to a sacrificial offering. And his own life laid down is compared to a drink offering poured out upon that offering.

This reminds me of the Great Day of the feast. Jesus Christ calls all men “come unto me all who are thirsty and drink” and then “whoever believes in me out of his belly will flow”. Himself being that drink of living water poured out. John 7:37-38. Those who believe being the faith/ the offering. Jesus’ life being the drink offering, like the water libation poured out Or the blood sprinkled on the sacrifice.

And to the point of this article, we ought not make these “sacrifices” and “offerings” impure by grumbling against others or by pointless disputing with anyone.

Only Pure “waters” are to flow out of resurrected believers by the Holy Spirit. And they are to remain pure.

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Hatred For Self

I CANT HELP. BUT NOTICE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DISLIKE THEMSELVES RIGHT NOW AND MANY BLAME THAT INTERNAL DISLIKE FALSELY ON OUTWARD DISTINCTIONS LIKE THEIR RACE OR GENDER OR SIN OR A PAINFUL SITUATION.

THEN UNABLE TO PROCESS IT IN A HEALTHY WAY THEY BECONE EMBITTERED AND BEGIN TO BLAME AND ACCUSE OTHERS FOR WHAT’S IS ACTUALLY GOING ON WITH THEMSELVES INTERNALLY.

But…if you can have ears to hear about the kingdom of God in Christ which is here on earth in part.

Then we can accept that Jesus Christ has the absolute cure for this common human predicament. Our sinful ways which lead to so much resentment and hurt and self loathing can be washed away as we follow him.

In Jesus Christ all distinctions are obliterated. There are no races, only the new Adam, the third race. In Jesus Christ there is no male nor female. We are all one in him.

In Jesus Christ we are able to forgive and move on and not base a good deal of life on our offenses or taking up of others offenses. We dont any longer need the false crutch of accusing others stronger than ourselves, or the feeling of power we derive from remaining forever bitter.

In Jesus Christ all things are new and we are able to move on. we are able to overcome what controls us. Be it other people or our own self hatred.

As we depart from and avoid Jesus Christ all sorts of bitterness wrath, accusation, insecurity, and hatred for others fills our minds.

In Jesus Christ we are Holy, we are pure, we are good, we are able and willing to forgive our enemies. We can allow our enemies to become friends, and we become worthy of love and peace again.

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My Experience Getting Covid-ed (job loss)

I heard a new word today, in a zoom meeting with a coach and 15 other laid off professionals. A woman told her job loss story and referred to it as being Covid-ed. Covid is now being used as a verb.

In the third week of May 2020 my position at my company was eliminated. It was very surprising and unsettling.

But I have to say I was ready for it. It made little sense to me and several of my colleagues but it happened.

I still have not yet found a job as of the end of June 2020, and even worse I now have a shoulder injury. Which is preventing me from tackling repair projects at my home and the home of friends and family. The shoulder problem has been more upsetting than the job loss to be perfectly honest.

The hardest part of my job loss is the loss of seeing my friends at work. My supervisor and colleagues over the past 10 years I consider friends. And suddenly not seeing them anymore, not being able to talk with them has been very difficult. I set out to write a goodbye email but couldn’t finish it and didn’t send it. It is not goodbye, its just see you later…I hope.

Directly after the job loss I went through a lot of questions internally like “why did they pick me for lay off?, things were going great”…so I thought. I was told repeatedly it was not for performance reasons and was given a generous severance. Afriend told me the cuts were very deep but its still not comforting to be one of the chosen 10%. I do know that I was giving my all to that job and to those people, my conscience is clear and I am satisfied with what I accomplished with my time there.

I will likely never get a satisfying answer to the question of why I and not someone else was Covid-ed in 2020.

But that is not the reason for this post, the intent for this post begins now.

Jesus has a reason for our problems.

When difficult and painful things happen to Christians it is important to look to Jesus Christ for answers. Whatever reason my employer had for the layoff, good or bad, secretive or open. There is a higher reason, a Jesus reason is there for the child of God. This Jesus reason is all that really matters in the long term. For those who are serious followers of Christ, this is assured. Jesus is specifically and intentionally involved with our circumstances.

Jesus had a reason for my job loss, and that is all I need to know.

I’ve not always believed that way, I used to think that Jesus was high and separate but Satan had good control of specifics going on down here and its up to us to bring Jesus in on our situations and to not get pushed around by Satan. But after understanding the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus more completely, I know that Jesus is much more involved and powerful than that. He uses trouble, and difficulty, and problems to accomplish his purposes in our lives.

So this job loss is not so terrible. Demotions, if they come from Jesus Christ are not really demotions. For example, Jesus losing his life in a horrible satanic way was his fathers plan, not Satan’s. Satan and his followers absolutely became caught up in the fathers purpose and even did his bidding without understanding it.

Be it a minor tweak in my specific job, a major shift in my career, or a time of great difficulty that I dread. Jesus has a reason for my job loss and that gives me great comfort. Come what may, promotion, demotion, or great turmoil, I am with Jesus Christ and where he leads me I am eager to follow.

Whether he leads me beside green pastures with abundance and ease or into a vipers den, I am with him, I am following him. So the sting of this job loss is not so bad, he makes it easier and almost comforting.

So if you are facing pain and suffering or even just anxiety about the prospects of pain and suffering. Be comforted by Jesus Christ, he knows what he is doing, he is doing specific things for specific reasons, just flow with him, cooperate, anticipate eagerly whatever he has for you, it may hurt, it may not hurt, either way its him and its VERY good.

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