Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great^e transgression. Psalm 19:13

This third and last reason that we present to explain the cause for the insufficiency of many to achieve integrity is based on the biblical doctrine that everything that happens around human being has a spiritual principle of teaching, and it is introduced into the human ambiance with the purpose to explain to the man about the greatness of who created all these things.

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?  …  ³⁶Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.   …  ³⁹Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Deuteronomy 4:32-39

It is, as the psalmist David explained it, the knowledge that sheweth day unto day, and night unto night, without speech nor language, where a voice is not heard, to understand the errors and be clean of the secret faults. Then shall we be upright, and we shall be innocent from the greate transgression.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. ³There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  …  Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. ¹³Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great^e transgression.  Psalm 19:2-13

As such, the little or no tolerance that human beings have today to understand and discern about the meaning of things that happen in our environment does not allow us to see the spiritual and educational value of experiences lived.

If the reader reviews the text of the book of Jonah, for example, discover that the crew of the boat in which Jonah fled from the presence of God, quickly understood that the storm was due to a spiritual reason that had been caused it,

And they said everyone to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. ⁸Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? Jonas 1:7,8

Another example is found in the book of the prophet Joel,

Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Joel 1:2

Every lived experience has a spiritual principle of teaching, discovering it is the assignment of each one,

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

We have not been able to achieve integrity because we are reactive, that is, we react suddenly to any stimulus, to any situation, or to any experience. We do not ask why such an event has happened, or why such a situation has come about; we do not take time to internalize it, we do not give time to the Holy Spirit to declare the value of the lived experience.

If you look at Maria’s case when the angel appeared to her to tell her about the being she would give birth, the text declares that she “kept” everything in her heart,

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

Another example is found in the case of the apostle Peter when he had the vision of the canvas with many animals inside. The text states that Peter “doubted” on these things, which shows his ability to reflect on his experiences.

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, Acts 10:17

This theme that is presented to us now is not a new doctrine implanted within the proclamation of the truth of the Gospel, it is what from ancient times we find in the Mosaic Law as the operative basis of the life of faith according to the justice of the Kingdom.

In the Law, the reader discovers the existence of certain operating dispositions that promote to introspect upon the experiences lived to find the wisdom of their existence.

The Shabbat, at the end of each seven-day cycle; Yom Kippur, on the tenth day of the seventh month; the three great annual commemorations, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, are all examples of divine establishments for man to have times to meditate, and to correct his life, based on his lived experiences.

Let’s see the case of Shabbat,

See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. Exodus 16:29

Let’s see the case of Pesaj,

And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. ⁹And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. Exodus 13:8,9

God puts us into “accidental” experiences to teach us for them,

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. ³And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. ⁴Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Deuteronomy 8:2-4

Many of these experiences come to bring to light what is hidden inside us, to bring to light what we ignore; They come to eliminate from our ambient what prevents us from achieving integrity.

This third cause of why we are not integrous is aimed at making us aware of our reactions. The reactions are our biggest stumbling block.

The degree of integrity is obtained when we do not react immediately, but before we internalize it, meditate on it, and present it in prayer. There will come the teaching.

Satan removes the teaching when it provokes and manages, that we react to the first stimulus,

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. Matthew 13:19

The point of perfection is reached when we manage to control our reactions or feelings, and internalize about the spiritual value of the experience.

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. John 14:30

When we do not behave according to the feelings, nor according to the stimuli; when we govern our reactions, and instead of acting on stimuli or feelings we can act according to the instructions of the Lord, then the prince of this world will not steal anything from us, and we will have achieved integrity.

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 1^st. Peter 2:23

Integrity comes when there are nothing and no one who forces us to act, when we act by the instructions of the Kingdom.

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 1^st. Peter 3:9

Be integrous, and prosperous!

Pastor Pedro Montoya

Tel Cel. (407) 764-2699

Twitter: @pastormontoya

http://www.ministerioscristorey.com

^e the great: or, much

^e the great: or, much