The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. ~~ Proverbs 4:25

Practices Christian Living
#1

I find my worth in Christ. By turning my gaze outward on Christ I find my inner true self. It’s a paradox. When I lose myself I find myself. I become my truest self as I behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Self-consciousness dissolves with self forgetfulness. My ego (self) becomes nothing as I turn outward and find infinite value and worth in Christ. By beholding the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ I move from glory to glory. To be most myself, I need to focus on things outside myself, like Christ, worship music, or the people around me. Positive distractions that worship God shifting the focus outward include:

  • Socializing
  • Playing games
  • Exercising
  • Cooking
  • Cleaning
  • Listening to music
  • Writing
  • Doing arts and crafts
  • Solving puzzles
  • Doing things for other people

These turn our focus outward expressing our value and worth as we find a healthy self-esteem. Whatever we do we do all to the glory of God. In the worldly sense I’m nothing but valuable as a child of God. In Christ I have eternal significance as I die to self (ego). Evil is non-existence (nothing). Therefore, I forget evil self and turn my focus and attention on the good. The old self is put to death by starving it to death and not showing attention to it. My gaze is just before me.

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. ~~ Proverbs 4:25

It’s Like riding a treadmill. To keep my balance I focus outward and right before me forward. When my focus is turned outward (not inward) on Christ I walk on water. Everything balances out. I love God above all else and my neighbor as myself. I take care of myself but this isn’t the focus. Christ is.

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#2

It was by the joy set before Him that Christ endured the cross. Faith is future oriented but experienced in the NOW. I wrote about how this purifies here:

Uprooting the Desires (shame, anxiety, bitterness) That Lead To Sin With Faith

Fear and anxiety and worry are about the future. When I’m worried about the future I’m in my mind or ego. In the past this fear of being harmed or plotted against by others has caused me to drink and do drugs. Alcohol released my fears where I could communicate and talk with others but the next day I would feel more fear and shame. Shyness turned into social phobia and social phobia turned into paranoia. I have found that this fear is uprooted by having faith in God. Such a faith secures the future and gives one hope. Hope pushes the desires that lead to sin out of the heart as one relies on God like Christ did. It’s by the joy set before us. Not only does it push desires out of the heart but it brings strong desires to the heart as one is thrown into the current of love. It’s faith - hope - love. It’s faith working itself out through love. The joy of faith. In the Bible faith produces obedience. The power to love is the confidence that God will take care of my future. It’s the obedience of faith as one trusts and relies on God like Jesus did. It’s faith working itself out through love.Christ’s atoning death secures the future with his blood bought promises. Example:

God says, “Vengeance is Mine I will Repay”

When my faith is in God the desires for sin is pushed out of the heart. I let go and let God handle it. Rather I love the enemy just like Christ did. Another example:

God works all things together for good for those that love Him.

I place my faith in God and Christ as it gives me hope.

Dealing with shame:

If we confess our sins He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

My faith is in God. Indeed. when facing shame that comes from the rejection, and ridicule of others I trust God when He promises to one day vindicate His children. Oh the glory that awaits those who are despised and rejected by others misplaced shaming. It’s faith working itself out through love. When my future is in the hands of an all powerful and loving God who promises to work out all my circumstances for good, anxiety is broken as the heart opens up to love. The desires that lead to sin are pushed out of my heart as God infuses me and covers me with His righteousness.