Civilization is the stage of human social development and social organizations. Advanced societies thrive on ambition, desiring power, superiority, wealth and honor. These desires in a person will bring out higher qualities to create a stronger society. A group of people who desire refinement and sophistication and to share their interests usually reach an advanced state of civilization.
Christianity shares an interest in spreading the gospels for Jesus Christ and have formed many different churches to accomplish it. But Christ knows that if we’re not careful or capable of seeing the enemy interfering, people will bring these same ambitions into the church. We must be discerning to what is man’s ideas or Christ’s ideas. I like how Beth Moore said it, “He knows our biggest hindrance or delay to greatness as Christians is our desire to be great.”
It is natural that we love ourselves and strive to give ourselves whatever we need to the point of overdoing it and this can lead to a devastating self-burden issue. “For they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck” (Proverbs 1:9 WEB). “When you grab all you can get, that’s what happens: the more you get, the less you are” (Proverbs 1:9 MSG).
God made the Ten Commandments to keep us from solely thinking of ourselves and to give consideration to other’s around us so we can live as a nation, a corporate world together, thriving on life together, loving your neighbor rather than against each other. To have order, obedience, structure, and to live in harmony as civilized human beings. Let’s be polite and courteous and say “please” and “thank you”.
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:17-18).
We must learn to let go of our doubts on sin because they hold us back and delay us from transforming to be a Christlike person. If your thoughts and emotions are debating whether you’re doing the right thing or not, open your Bible and ask Christ, He will give you constant provisions. The truth betrays no one.
Circumstances are a condition with all the details in respect to time, a place, an agent and sometimes people are involved. They are placed there by God for his purpose and his purpose only. I think of it this way; It’s not my time, it’s GOD’s time. It’s not my world, it’s GOD’s world. It’s not my life, it’s GOD’s life.
People and situations are Gods’ tools for molding our lives and to modify our characters until He is satisfied with the fruit we are bearing. Then He will put us to work finding and healing His lost and broken lambs. All those events and all those people that rub us the wrong way will bring out the unnecessary qualities that we possess. This will teach us to be civilized. Then when we allow God’s kindness and goodness to come out through us, we can help God’s people and that helps the world. It may be the first time they’ve heard a soft-spoken word during one of their fits of rage, or maybe it will be your first time to hear you sing praise to God when your dog rubs his dirty paw on your Sunday church dress. When a situation is unfavorable, we tend to pray for a way out and avoid it altogether.
These things are necessary for God to achieve His eternal purposes in and through our life. Circumstances change the reality of the state of our present character until God makes us different in the same old situations. God is out to improve our attitude one way or another. “So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” (2 Corinthians 4:12). I pray that your path be strong and true for Christ and bring enlightenment to your heart. Amen
Karen Marie Parker lives in Sidney, Montana. She is currently the author of 2 books “An Epic Journey Through The Holy Bible With Jesus”. Volume 1, 2. They can be purchases through Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Thriftbooks.com. Follow on Facebook.com @ An Epic Journey.
