Masks

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MW Editor’s Note:  Mentoring Warriors welcomes guest contributor Brandon Smith to the MW tribe.  Brandon has a passion for authenticity in his walk with Jesus and with others.  Check out his thoughts on removing the masks.  Welcome Brandon!

Lately I have had the subject of “the masks we wear” on my mind. It has appeared as rapidly in my discussions with brothers as it did to my own perception. I had long forgotten that indifference to Christ does not end at the church doors, but rather creeps its way into our life disguised as holiness through a mindset of sin management versus seeking God.

So easily we can fall into this mindset, feeling in ourselves that we are memorizing and utilizing Scripture to follow Christ more closely until it mimics striving more than love. Recently, before attending a small group whose passion is authenticity, God brought me to a few passages.

1 John 2:15-20 

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.

To not love the world or things in it, but to love Christ.

Then, God had me read Matthew 7:16-20

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Am I bearing fruit of the world or of Christ?

He also had me read Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Do I want to be someone Jesus doesn’t know?

It becomes clear that God’s greatest desire is not our feeble attmpts to minimize sin, but a genuine, living relationship with Him.

I envision our sin coming and going as leaves in the wind during Autumn. Too numerous to count, sure to grow back and yet covered under the cross until our death and resurrection. Instead of becoming entrapped in a cyclical battle with our sinful nature that we will never fully overcome in this life, what if we developed a relationship with our Savior that would last an eternity?

I believe this to be the source from which men’s lack of fervor for discipleship in Christ stems. Whether it be fear, intimidation, ignorance, or the pure boldness of this truth that prevents many men from lowering that spiritual veil, it is clear, there is a stark difference between fans of God and followers of Him.  

I will close with Matthew 3:12 (repeated in Luke 3:17)  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 9:37-38 (repeated in Luke 10:2).

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Will we (I) continue to avoid the truth and deepest desire of God is calling us to  Will we settle for complacency and comfort in habitual sin management?

Steps to a True Relationship with the Lord

(Seeking Jesus isn’t a formula but these steps help the relationship)

1. Seek Him regardless of your circumstances or comfort.
2. Pray without ceasing (do not give up)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

3. Do not use your emotions as a reference point for your progress in your walk with the Lord. Value them, but not as the basis for how you are doing. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is your litmus test.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things,

     and desperately sick;

     who can understand it?

James 1:6-8

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Warrior On!

MW Editor’s Note: If you find yourself wearing masks and would like to have some iron-sharpens-iron help in building your relationship with Jesus, reach out to either Brandon Smith or Mentoring Warriors at info@mentoring-warriors.com