Starve It part 3
What you feed is what grows. That's my theme for this Rant series. And the best way to get rid of the stuff in your life that you don't want in your life... is to starve it. And the best way to starve the "bad" stuff is by feeding the "good" stuff. Setting your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Thinking about the good things in life. The GOD things in life. Thinking about... love. Love is, well, let me quote a memory verse. "For our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). So, follow me on this one, if God is love... and God is a consuming fire... that means love is a consuming fire. A Holy Ghost wildfire that feeds on itself (HIMSELF) and consumes everything else. Look at Matthew 19:28 in the Amplified Bible, "Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new age [the messianic rebirth of the world], when the Son of Man shall sit down on the throne of His glory, you who have [become My disciples, sided with My party and] followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel." Now, all I really wanted from that verse, for tonight, is the phrase, "messianic rebirth of the world." That's what happened on the cross. Jesus--who is life, right? Love is life? Jesus, God, is love? Jesus defeated death and remade the world completely in His image. Love consumed everything not named love! And that, friends, is why it is possible for us to focus on love instead of anything else. God gave us His Spirit. The Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth that leads and guides us into all truth. The truth that God is love and He loves you. When you have that love issue settled... everything else flows. When you know the good things you have in your life, you can nurture those good things. I'm a big believer in nature AND nurture. When we know our new (true) nature of love we can nurture that love. We can help it grow. We can experience the abundant life that Jesus came for us to have by giving it away. By sharing it. If the greatest expression of love that you can have is to lay your life down for your friends... then I think the best way to do that is to share your life with your friends. Help THEM grow. See a need and meet it. Give what you've got. You all know my personal definition of love is giving everything you have and everything you are without worrying about anything. Because sometimes it DOES seem like the more you love people the less they love you. But that's ok. I don't like, "Don't cross an ocean for people that wouldn't cross a puddle for you." I say, do it anyway. Love them anyway. Love is about giving what you've got, by knowing what you've got. That attitude of gratitude. Focusing on how loved you are and letting that love flow out of you. Naturally. Love isn't about getting anything--not even a reaction. Love is about giving. Love IS giving. When you give your time and attention to the wrong things, you feed them. When you give your time and attention to the right things... you starve the wrong things. You don't have to fight them, or overcome them. You simply leave them behind as you move on to bigger and better things. Upward and Godward!