Seclusion is Delusion

There exists a spectrum of pride. On one end of this spectrum there is the proud, haughty, arrogant and conceaded manifestation of pride. It boasts in how much better it is than everyone else. It's only agenda is to proclaim how it stands alone, so much better than others.

On the opposite end of this spectrum there is the sorrowful, fearful, pouty, insecure, the "oh poor me" manifestation of pride. It wallows in demonic thoughts that insists that it is so much worse off than everyone else. It craves that everyone feel sorrow for it as it mopes about feeling as if no one else in the world knows how they feel. It's only agenda is to proclaim how it stands alone, so much worse than others.

No matter what form pride manifests in a person it's common characteristic remains the same: seclusion. This central characteristic to this demonic spirit is completely opposite of heavens counterpart, humility. Humility always seeks to be numbered among the congregation. Humility always seeks to give recognition and praise to the Lord rather than itself; it desires that He alone gets the glory. Humility's only agenda is to proclaim how Jesus Christ stands alone, the only one truly worthy of honor and recognition.

Remembering this simple truth will revolutionize the way we deal with pride in our own lives when it tries to propogate it's demonic influence on us. Seclusion is demonic, but humility, love and the mind of Christ seek to be continually surrounded by a company of saints who all give the glory and honor to Christ Jesus.

Be Blessed,
Joel David Beauchamp

Christ's Model of Mercy

Isaiah 53:6-7 KJV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
In these two verses, and so many others like them, we see the worlds most amazing display of love and mercy. We see a merciful high preist (Heb. 2:14-18) who was not inclined to defend himself or bring up a justifiable aaccusation against his persecutors, but rather he displayed the true model of mercy: laying down ones own life to see a miracle take place for another.
This is what the entire gospel was built on; laying down your life. Brothers laying down our lives for brothers, husbands laying down their lives for their wives, wives laying down their lives for their husbands, parents laying down their lives for their children, ministers laying down their lives for their congregations, Christ Jesus laying down his life for a sinful mankind, and sinners laying down their lives for the life Christ purchase for them.

We must come to realize that the act of abandoning our own will and our own personal agenda is essential to demonstrating mercy, the mercy that Christ modeled for us. We must realize this simple truth: if we in any way defend ourselves then we have not yet truly laid down our lives.
Oh that our love would be a real thing and not just poetic words! Oh that our lives would be living epistles of true Christ like mercy! What miracles would take place in our relationships and in our families, for this is the will of the Lord!
Romans 12:9 AMP
[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.
James 2:15-17 NKJV
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.


Be blessed,
Joel David Beauchamp