It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped. – Tony Robbins
“The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.” Ecclesiastes 9:17-18 ESV
http://bible.com/59/ecc.9.17-18.esv
“For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Galatians 5:5-9 ESV. http://bible.com/59/gal.5.5-9.esv
“When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:5-6, 11-12 ESV http://bible.com/59/mat.16.5-6,11-12.esv
The way I live is shaped moment by moment by the decisions I make. If I decide to take a nap, I get rest but might feel sluggish right after. If I decide to take a walk, I get exercise and feel invigorated. But that doesn’t make taking naps a sin.
A wise man can bring conflicting parties together to solve their problems without fighting. But this is a very difficult task. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole barrel. I’ve seen it in disagreements when one person with a loud voice won’t let something go to the point where it builds to unresolved conflict or sometimes violence. It happened with Christ when the first person yelled, “Crucify Him!”
It is the same way with following rules. I want people to follow my favorite rule and someone else wants me to follow theirs. People can be very stubborn becuase we need to be right above all else. So we argue our point off view as if it really matters. We must watch and beware of this kind of thinking.
It is only by faith in God’s Spirit that we have any hope for righteousness. We must fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of faith. It is only in Jesus that we find the ability to focus on the right stuff and can put away our insignificant squabling. Only when we do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit can we make decisions that honor God and bring others into his presence.
A Recovery Pilgrim 