Sometimes in our daily lives, We observe unexpected problems arising in our lives, where individuals unrelated to us suddenly oppose us, resulting in numerous issues. Personally, I have encountered such situations, and it has made me ponder over what I might have done to provoke their opposition. It leads me to question why people can't focus on their own affairs and refrain from interfering in others' lives.
Paul in the letter to Thessalonian Church, he writes clearly on how we should lead a life in Christ and in the world
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 'and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. '
The instructions are clear
Make it your ambition to lead a quite life - We have to lead a life with ambition to have a quite life, without too much fanfare showing off our possessions, it has to be a humble life in God.
Mind your own business - Mind your life and try to be live a life thats blameless and pure in Christ’s eyes. A life thats spotless and blameless.
work with your hands - Always seek to do your part to work harder, with sincerity and earn the fruits of labour. Don’t live a life to steal other peoples labour. God who will bless you to give the outcome from the work of hands.
so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.- when we do the three things our life is lead with great respect from people who are of the world, we earn respect from them. Also we are not dependent on humans, we are dependent on God.
The instructions are quite simple to follow, but why do we not follow them, its because of these four key things (there could me many more, I have highlighted the key 4 things alone)
1) Satan & World
The world and the things of the world is under the control of Satan. Jesus refers to him as “Prince of this world”, Paul refers him as “God of this age”. Satan is referred with many names in Bible
John 12:31 (NIV) - 'Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. '
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) 'The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. '
Satan works opposite to what God wants us to live. Thats why he gives us the worldly pleasures to deceive us to get to his kingdom, this comes to us by three things
1 John 2:16 (NIV) 'For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
Lust of flesh - The self-desires in us
Lust of Eyes - Many attractions to the worldly things
Pride of Life - The pride that we have accomplished with our own strength and not recognise God as the source of all.
Learning for us to Mind our Business - Follow 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Watch out for Lust of Flesh, Lust of Eyes and Pride of Life to be removed from our Self ask God to help you overcome these. We cannot do with our power, Jesus died for our Sins, with the Power of Cross we can overcome our weakness.
2) Spirit of Separation
Satan does not want us to be united with God, he does not like us to be united with our friends or family, if there is a spirit of Separation, its from Satan. How does he do this,
He (Satan) leads us with friend of the world and he corrupts the mind of the Godly with Corrupt character. 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) 'Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” '
Once he is Corrupt with world he becomes a perverted person losing all the good things and becomes numb to Sins. Then he stirs us with conflicts leading to Separation as written Proverbs 16:28 (NIV) 'A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
He harbours anger in us because of the words people speak and creates a resentment against people Job 36:13 '“The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. '
Learning for us to Mind our Business - Follow 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Watch out for Corrupt people whom we have company against, if you see your characters / behaviours going worse, stay away from the person
Stay away from Perverse person - How do you know who is perverse,? the words of the mouth can easily identify if they are perverted. Matthew 12:34 (NIV) 'You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. '
3) Idle and not busy
There is a saying, “An idle mind is the devil's workshop”, We give a foot hold for Satan to plot many things which are ungodly.
2 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (NIV) 'We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. '
When you are idle the mind makes you to look for disruptive things, So you start looking to other peoples life to see what they are doing, how much money they earn ? what bad happens in others life ? what wealth they have ? what they have that you don’t possess ?
When we are not busy, the mind makes us to talk about other peoples life’s and makes us as busybodies / Gossip
Busybodies / Gossip- is talking about someone when they are not there, talking about their private life when they are not present.
Very often we are deceived by Satan, its ok to hear others to comfort them. The Gossiper and listening person (Who encourages the Gossip) are equally answerable to God for this Sin. Proverbs 17:4 (NIV) 'A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. '
Learning for us to Mind our Business - Follow 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Listening to Gossiping is as wicked as Gossiper , So Give a negative response by asking 3 questions: When someone starts talking about others
Will it benefit him?
Will it benefit you?
Will it glorify God?
If not , Pour cold water on what the Gossiper talks and stay away from the person.
Never be idle if you are having time look to do Good to some one or read and mediate the word of God, God will lead you and instruct you to do his will in your life. Never be idle, keep yourself busy in the world no matter what your age may be
4) Target to our Mind
Satan tries to first capture our Mind by deceiving, He makes our mind to “Corrupt Mind”.
Thats why Peter reminds “to be alert of sober mind” - 1 Peter 5:8 'Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. '
Satan deceives us by asking and twisting the truth to make us fall to the Sin by convincing us that our Mind is correct, he did this to Eve. 2 Corinthians 11:3 'But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ' eg) He could not corrupt the mind of Job; that’s why he touched his body.
Backsliding begins in the mind, Many times he reminds us of our old Sinful life and makes us believe that its the best place than the current. He is a liar. He did this with Israelites when they were being fed with Manna every day by God. Numbers 11:4-6 'The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” ' God gave them Quail.
Learning for us to Mind our Business - Follow 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Victory over sin means victory in thoughts — Romans 7:23 (NIV) 'but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. '
Pray to God to Make your flesh be dead to Cross and your mind be controlled by the spirit of God Romans 8:5-7 (NIV) 'Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. '
Watch out on a backsliding mind - where you see the old life is better vs the new life in Jesus.
Flush out the rubbish and retain the worthy Philippians 4:8-9 'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. '
Let not your mind become a garbage. Don’t be a rag-picker! Filter out! You cannot prevent eagles flying over head; but you can certainly stop them from building nests on your head and lay eggs!
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