~ 4 Broad Areas of P Gardening ~
There are at
least three broad areas of Ps to be cultivated, and at least one to be
avoided.
Perspective ~ A Proper Perspective is essential. We need to keep the long-term—the eternal—in
view at all times. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what
profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his
soul? For the Son of Man will come in
the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according
to his works’” (Matthew 16:24-27). The bottom line: don’t sacrifice the eternal
on the altar of the immediate. Keeping a
Proper Perspective is a critical
foundation for successful Christian living.
Peace ~
A Proper Perspective will lead
to Perfect Peace. “You will keep him
in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength” (Isaiah
26:3-4).
Prayer ~ Persistent Prayer is an absolute key
which helps create the Proper Perspective
leading to Perfect Peace. “Confess your
trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be
healed. The effective, fervent prayer of
a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). “Rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Our Prayers require a Passion to know Him, love for our families, and empathy and concern
for the lost. This in turn requires Persistence, Perseverance, and Patience. Our Prayers
should be People-oriented (Christ
died for all), and we should have Productive
Priorities in our lives and in our Prayers.
As those three
critical areas of the Christian walk are developed it is essential to be on
guard for the fourth “P” which is Pride.
Pride can be likened to weeds in your
garden of Ps. Weeds come in so many
different forms and are a constant battle for any gardener.
Pride ~ Personal Pride is a high-priority tool
of Satan. In fact, there is a root of Pride in every sin. Pride
in your spiritual garden is similar to physical weeds in the way that they
quickly Propagate in every aspect of
our lives including our Possessions, Position,
Power, Prestige, etc. The results are
many including Pickiness and Pettiness. “Let nothing be done
through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem
others better than himself. Let each of
you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of
others” (Philippians 2:3-4). “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
Practical
Conclusion ~ A Christian’s life (or leadership) is effective
based upon a combination of their correct doctrine/theology and a personal
lifestyle which is in harmony with their beliefs.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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