Daily Bread 11-9-18

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

ref. - Eph 4:7 - But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Today, we look at this familiar scripture and it pleads with us to look in the mirror. Not to look outward and say, this was for him, or this was for her, but to look into the scripture and take the reproof and correction that it offers. Many go around portraying holiness in man's eyes and saying, "Look at us, we are a good example, not those men who have failed or stumbled, but look at us." All the while they cause others to be scattered as sheep with no Shepard just as they are. Stubborn goats who will not follow the shepherd. Disobedient men who will not receive correction but would rather give worldly correction. These are the men and women that we must not see when we look in the mirror. You see, each one of us is different. Same Spirit runs us, but different. We may have grace in one area but not in another, but in that grace we understand and find our calling. Some are called to be missionaries, some evangelists, some teachers, and some have been given many gifts. What we do with these gifts will determine what God can do with us. But to think that one is above another is foolishness. Where do you see missionary without needing an evangelist, or an evangelist not needing a pastor to care for the flock, and where do we see a pastor not needing teachers? Without the whole body of Christ the Church will never be complete. But we must look to God and seek out our heavenly calling, not just a lust or desire of our own or of those who love us. Just as the mother of James and John asked Christ, in the 20th chapter of Matthew, to put her sons on the right and the left hand of him when he is on the throne we must learn today. These things cannot be gained by request, they are given by the grace of God. Many times when a man stumbles, the ones who want to portray themselves as holy go around condemning that man or trying to run him out of a place that no man has the power run them out of. Rather than doing what the scripture tells them, they rather try to take his seat or calling and when they can't perform in that seat, it just becomes empty, leaving many sheep without a shepherd. This does not work and if Jesus Christ himself did not have the power to sit James and John on his left and right hand then who do we think we are to put ourselves on any seat. That is, unless we are bidden to come by the Holy Spirit of God, then no man can stop us. So, today, as in most days, we must look in the mirror and say, is what we have confidence in the Spirit of God, or is arrogance in the lust to be recognized ourselves? Is the man that we portray really the man that God has called, or do we put on an act to please men? Putting ourselves on any other seat than the one we have been placed at by Jesus Christ will always end in disaster. So, let's stay humble, be satisfied with what God has given us but never with what we have done, and let's keep ourselves down where we belong. That being, behind Jesus Christ and supporting the gospel and the Church that we have been given!! Have a great day!!!