Captivated

Word Points ^ | July 28, 2005 | Gary Henry

[TheTruthess]

Captivated

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God
for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought
into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:4,5

In the warfare between good and evil, it is the knowledge of God that is at stake.  And the truthfulness an fervency of our beliefs about God will determine our destiny, either as the slaves of Satan or as the free subjects of the True King.

The quality of our lives is governed by the quality of our principles.  In the short run, circumstances beyond our control may push us this way or that, but eventually, the "law of the farm" will prevail and we'll reap what we've sown.  It is universally accepted that a person who lives on the basis of principles like trustworthiness, diligence, and truth will get different quality-of-life results from another who lives on the basis of treachery, negligence, and error.  Whatever kind of life we end up with, it will be something that has "grown" from the principles we chose to adopt.  No one can break this law; when we try, we only break ourselves.  And if this law governs our temporal life, it also governs our eternal destiny (Romans 2:5-11; Galatians 6:7-9).

But while the validity of our principles is crucial, the quality of our lives is also governed by the passion with which we live out our principles.  Those who, armed with knowledge, are also fired with zeal will experience life at a dramatically different level than those who are lukewarm.  It is not enough to choose our principles wisely.  We must live them fervently . . . and, yes, diligently.

But make no mistake, we're not talking here about moral principles that produce quality of life in the here and now, regardless of what we believe about Got.  It's true that our personal principles must be of the highest quality and they must be held with the greatest passion.  But much more important, these principles must be properly focused on the majesty of God Himself.  Here is the single greatest determinant of human life.  Next to the issue of God, no other issue we deal with is of much consequence.  And when we find ourselves not merely "interested" in God but profoundly captivated by belief in Him, we are ready to leave behind the shadows of "life" and pass into the realm of life indeed.

You're not free until you've been made captive by supreme belief.

Marianne Moore

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Copyright © 2005 by Gary Henry
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