{"id":430,"date":"2020-11-18T08:22:59","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T13:22:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/?p=430"},"modified":"2021-04-12T03:59:32","modified_gmt":"2021-04-12T07:59:32","slug":"april-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/april-11\/","title":{"rendered":"April 11"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hebrews 12:15 <\/span><\/strong>
You must understand that this is a grace-race and not a law-race. While we\u2019re in compete-and compare-mode we create the opportunity for resentment to flourish and to poison many in the process. (Mirror Bible)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you making comparisons?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you sometimes feel you are in some spiritual race with your brothers and sisters in Christ? It is true, often comparisons are made, by you and\/or by others. When certain people are mentioned to you, do you feel you have to run harder so you can do the things they are doing? The thing is, your walk with God is an individual one. Yes, you are to celebrate what God does in everyone else\u2019s life. But celebration or recognizing what God has done something in someone else\u2019s life does not diminish who God is and what He has done in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Galatians 6:4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don\u2019t be impressed with yourself. Don\u2019t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (The Message)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An important thing for you to be aware of is: comparison creates jealousy. Since you can\u2019t get back at God, you express your unresolved feelings toward the one God has blessed. It is how sibling rivalry works. Siblings don\u2019t usually demonstrate their frustrations, unresolved feelings, and negative emotions with mom and\/or dad because of something done for their sister, or wonderful things said about their brother. So, they deal with their brother\/sister in the wrong way i.e., are unsupportive, negative in their communication, think and speak the worst about them to anyone and everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 4:3-8 After some time Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the Lord. 4 Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, 5 but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious, and he scowled in anger. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, \u201cWhy are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? 7 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it.\u201d 8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, \u201cLet’s go out in the fields.\u201d When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him. (Good News Translation)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since you are in the family of God, you must make sure sibling rivalry is not how you deal with your brothers and sisters in Christ. This is not the attitude you want to have. You also don\u2019t want your spirit poisoned by jealousy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James 3:16 For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices. (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is an accomplishment you want to mimic, because it will enhance your relationship with God, great! But the most important thing is you want to rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and you want God to be glorified by your obedience to His will for your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please agree with me as I pray:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I am not in a race with any other believer. I repent for ever thinking that I was. I repent for comparing where was and how I was being treated with other believers. It showed You I didn\u2019t appreciate what You have done for me and how immature I was. Again, I am sorry. I am grateful for the personality, gifts, and talents You have given me. Keep me in Your presence to be corrected by You, strengthened by You, encouraged by You, and matured by You. I want to be everything You ordained for me to be. I know You planned my purpose and destiny before the foundation of the world. I know I run this race with my fellow believers, but we will all reach the destination You have planned for us if we remain faithful. I am excited because there is abundance in You and what You have for me is for me. I don\u2019t have to fight for it, and I don\u2019t have to be anxious. I can rest in You and have peace. There is no way for me to get left out. You have already ordained what is mine\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hebrews 12:15 You must understand that this is a grace-race and not a law-race. While we\u2019re in compete-and compare-mode we create the opportunity for resentment to flourish and to poison many in the process. (Mirror Bible) Are you making comparisons? Do you sometimes feel you are in some spiritual race with your brothers and sisters in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[415],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=430"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1801,"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430\/revisions\/1801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamelarussell.org\/teach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}