"We Never Give Up"

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." (2 Corinthians 4:8-10) You know, I think that the fact that I get so upset about how I treat the Lord sometimes, is a good sign; for if I did not care, then there would be cause for some deep soul-searching concern. We must know that we are not perfect in this body, nor will we be made perfect in this body, because this mortal shell is not perfect. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that God has made junk, but rather that man has junked what God has made; but know this: God is more than able to turn this junk into something of perfect splendor; which is what He does through His Son Jesus Christ. Take yesterday for instance; as I sat there thinking about how I have harmed others by my actions, or even the lack of actions towards them; and then, bang!, out of nowhere, comes the thoughts about what I do to the Lord through my actions and lack thereof. If you look up the word 'adultery' in the Greek, there are many different words to describe that word; I counted about five; but there was one in particular that really hit home, and it is the word 'moichalis' which means, an adulteress: 'eyes full of adultery'. Used figuratively to indicate one who is unfaithful toward God as an adulteress is unfaithful toward her husband. In the Old Testament, it is spoken mainly of those who forsook God for idols; and in the New Testament, the word is generally used of those who neglect God and their duty toward Him and yield themselves to their own lusts and passions. A good example of this word's use in the New Testament is found in Mark 8:38, where Jesus is speaking to disciples about 'gaining the whole world and losing your soul': "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the Glory of His Father with the holy angels." Now, if you think about what it is that would make one ashamed of Jesus and His Words, you can probably see why I was so perplexed yesterday! It is the shame we have in ourselves that makes us ashamed of Him!!! It is the lack of control we have in our own actions, or inaction, that make us ashamed of His Words!!! When we shame ourselves by our actions we dishonor God; when we dishonor God we disgrace Jesus; when we disgrace Jesus we are in fact ashamed of Him and the power of the gospel message. What this actually does to us as a believer, is to cause or effect a reaction within our heart, which actually can frustrate one's Hope as a result of disappointment in one's self. But God!!! Don't you know who you are in Jesus??? "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:7; again!!!)