I don't know anyone who wakes up in the morning and begins their day looking to lose - I believe we are hard-wired by God our Creator with an intrinsic desire to win - to live a victorious life that honors God and blesses others!
- What keeps us from that?
- Why are neighbors lacking relationship?
- Why are nations lacking righteousness?
The word is sin - the Bible (Romans 3:23) says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - at the heart of our neighborhoods and our nations are people who have adopted a belief system that says winning is about self at all costs.
God in contrast says winning is about others at the cost of self - God demonstrated this on the Cross of Calvary when He allowed His Son to die and pay the penalty for the sins of humanity - even though His Son was sinless and owed no one anything.
In Christ that same selfless attitude is available to all who trust Him - the discipline of denying self daily and following Christ consistently is not for losers - it is for winners who understand victorious living is about honoring God and blessing others at the cost of self.
- How do we gain that understanding?
- Is there a shortcut to victorious living?
- Is there hope for our neighborhoods and nations?
Spend a few moments just now considering the legacy of Jesus Christ - I am confident you'll be overwhelmed with a renewed realization that victorious living is not about a single individual - it is about the relationships that a single individual has with others.
- Do you want winning neighborhoods?
- Do you desire winning nations?
- Will you choose to live for that?
To live victoriously is to live like Jesus - no individual in history gives us a better example of winning relationships in neighborhoods and nations - changing those begins when an individual chooses to lose self as Jesus did to live harmoniously with God and others.
- In Christ we choose to love all and hate none!
- In Christ we choose to include every one and exclude no one!
- In Christ we choose righteousness in individual and all relationships!
In Christ winning relationships come at the cost of self-interest - everyone wins when we choose to love and include everyone in the family of God our Creator and His Son Jesus Christ - do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
God's Peace,
Jeff
