• The reason we see a sin in someone else is because, in God's eyes, we have committed that same sin ourselves (and may yet be guilty of it if it is unconfessed).
• Mammon is not money. It is trading. Money is simply the instrument of trade. Mammon is the opposite of giving. The idea of "I'll scratch your back if you will scratch mine" is trading, not giving. True giving expects nothing in return, not even so much as a thank you. True giving is a one way street (thanksgiving is also a one way street).
• When we seek power in our Christian lives we may very well be playing around with white witchcraft. White witches use the power they have(from Satan) to do things that are "good" in the sight of man. They enjoy the power they have over others and over things. We, as Christians, are to " seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness" not power. Christians tend to want to have power over their circumstances instead of trusting God for their circumstances. The way The Prayer of Jabez is now commonly being used is an example of how Christians use power in a similar way that white witches use power- that is, for their own gain instead of God's glory. • Authority is the right (responsibility) and power to fulfill what God wants done. It is not power alone. King Saul had the power but not the authority to sacrifice. King David had the power but not the authority to take Bathsheba. Ahab (through Jezebel) had the power but not the authority to take Naboth's vineyard. We need to know when to obey the authorities over us and when to stand alone. Only as we focus on Christ (His Person- not just His commands) are we able to discern this.
• Guilt is often used to motivate people to do "right". Many times Christians use guilt to manipulate people into doing what they believe to be right. God never meant for guilt to be used in this way. What really is guilt? Guilt is not only the realization that we have broken God's law-it is also the realization that we have a lack of love before God. Only love can truly motivate one to do what is truly right. Trying to motivate one by making him feel guilty that he has broken a law will have him feeling empty. There is no love to replace the guilt. Love covers a multitude of sins. Only when one is truly filled with God's love can the true guilt be removed. Making people feel guilty can be manipulating them to bring them to the place we think they ought to be. Only God's love can bring them to where they ought to be. They do need to know that they have broken God's law but "making" them feel guilty is God's responsibility-not ours.
By Bruce Nudd