Even though I had, with alligator tears, fallen before God innumerable times with fear, guilt, and shame for my thoughts, behavior, and missed opportunities to do it right, there was no lasting change. Yes, with a surge of energy and a momentary sense of safeness, I ventured again into the fray against sin and properly lost. I proved inadequate but read the Bible which seemed to say at every reading to repent and, like the horse in the book Animal Farm try harder. Just like he did, in the end, I died to trying for I had nothing else with which to try. Bankrupt of a righteousness that could please God I, in fear and self-loathing, basically said, 'I quit!' You want an exhausted nothing, go for it! You have me, I QUIT!
He took me, transformed my heart by taking up His residence within, and in a flash fixed my wrong thinking. I now both trusted Him and agreed with Him, but gave up trying to be like Him or qualify for His love. Ever since that evening, August 10, 1974, at 6:30 PM the only sin I have had of which to repent is not trusting Him and jumping back into the forefront by trying to be like God or qualify for His love. Where I started is where I will live in eternity. He is enough! Yes. I agree with God, Jesus is enough. Now that is a bold statement. For Christ to be anointed King of Kings and Lord of Lords He had to obey Father by suffering the cross, all its shame, AND taking on all our sins and Mr. Sin himself. When received in the heavenlies and given right to sit down at the right hand of God, it was proof of His anointing.
Several days later, here on earth, bound in time and space, Holy Spirit (the very Spirit of Christ) took residence (not a visit) in but 120 people. As the Spirit of God hovered over the water and created all we experience, as Holy Spirit took residence in Mary and created a body for Himself for some 33 years, even now, first in those 120 disciples, He has taken residence again to continue His work, but now through all those who trust Him. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, in order that he may be with you forever--17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see him or know him. You know him, because he resides with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. John 14:16–18 (LEB emphasis mine) There is a work of God, like His creating the universe, working itself out through you right now. Yes, I said God is at work in you to produce an event that will change the universe into His likeness.
"This is the work of God, that you trust Him the one whom He has sent." (John 6:29b, DLT emphasis mine) Yes, the answer to every problem and promise is trust Him. Have you ever heard of friendship evangelism? You know, act as if you like someone until they become a Christian and believe just like you do. Well, there is a better way. Just love them as God does. How is that? Perfectly. What does that look like? You must love everyone totally and equally, "in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." and this is how "...you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:45, 48, NAS77)
I shared that idea with a friend some years back and he retorted, "I do. I hate everyone equally." Well, I guess that is a start but there is a way to be a much better friend to your-self. Your 'self' is the Spirit of love within trying to get out. Just step back and let Him out. Watch the Perfect One do His perfect thing through you and you will see that same one loving you back through those who hated you. HOW?
19 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing from himself except what he sees the Father doing. For whatever that one does, these things also the Son does likewise. John 5:19 (LEB) 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. John 15:5 (LEB) Notice anything similar in these two verses just quoted? That's right. Apart from...just like He, you can do NOTHING! Be like Jesus and be nothing so Father can be everything. If that gets your goat let it go. Do you want to be saved? Not all do but do you?
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in him would have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40 (LEB) Okay. Two things need to be done. 1. Look to Jesus. 2. Trust Him. That leaves out reading self-improvement books and trusting yourself. Awesome. God is my want, my prize, my pearl beyond price. He in me has every intention of getting us to where we are going. And the code (program) is simple, love God with all you are and you will also love your self. Then show as much compassion for your neighbor as yourself (love).
I love my Roomba. It is made to do one thing, vacuum. When it has energy to do so it vacuums, if not it stops. It goes anywhere and goes until it bumps into something. When it bumps into something it does not stop and start praying to ask for a new program. It simply turns a bit and drives ahead. Sometimes it will bump more than vacuum but it vacuums the whole floor. When finished it heads home and recharges itself. Now isn't that the Christian life concerning guidance? Christ in us is our program. He is out to love our neighbor. When we bump into a wall we turn and start again. After a while, we are free of the wall and loving freely. Then comes another obstacle. Where does guidance fit in? The program in us says, "DON'T DO THE FLESH!' What is the flesh? Whatever is not 'vacuuming'. All we have said is wrapped up in Galatians 5:16-26. 5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness (at the same time), we lie and do not practice the truth. 1 John 1:5–6 (LEB emphasis mine and comment in brackets) Often I am tempted to demand a person seeking God to fall on their knees, look to heaven, and proclaim, 'Jesus, I receive you as my LORD, Savior, and God.' After that, I would proclaim something like, 'go your way your sins have been forgiven'. Now, even for me, that is bold. To all of us, it seems foolish. We have been taught that there are certain things we are to understand before we 'ask Christ' into our lives. In reality, He is screaming, 'I am your Life, let me out.' A friend of mine wrote a book titled "Once Caught No Escape". That says it all. The reason people do not want to 'give their life to God' through Jesus is that they intrinsically know He will take it. Yep, they will lose control of their life and destiny. So, instead, like Ananias and Saphira, they want the right to claim that they have given it all to God through Jesus but retain enough of it to remind God what He has promised and tell Him when to deliver His promises. Well, that is trying to be God, isn't it? Instead, you died with Christ way before you were conceived and when you ask Him to take over He simply reminds you He did, except one thing has changed. Now you know He is LORD and there is no escape. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9 (LEB) 9 Do not lie to one another, because you have taken off the old man together with his deeds, Colossians 3:9 (LEB emphasis mine) 7 in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, Ephesians 1:7 (LEB emphasis mine)
13 who has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins, Colossians 1:13–14 (LEB emphasis mine) Done deal. All your sins ARE forgiven. Your acknowledging them only reminds you of why He died 2000 years ago. Oh, and that they ARE forgiven. Some think the death of Christ saved them from a whipping. Just the opposite. Christ led us to His cross (woodshed) and without our permission we got our 'upcoming'. The punishment for sin is death and we experienced that death in Christ but never felt it. Not just a death but an eternal death was executed on every soul attached to sin. God knew nothing but a total death could separate us totally from sin. To be safe sons in eternity God wants SONS not 'try harders'. But how could He do that?
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer i who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by trust of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20, DLT emphasis mine) So then, what is salvation? Christ, He Himself, nothing more and nothing less. That old you was crucified with Him and that you remains dead. Hallelujah! Dead to which you? To the you defined by its union to the spirit of disobedience to God. But now you obey, those who trust this message is true. You are joined to Christ...what more could you want? Those who submit to this truth know, experience, live out of this new union of their soul attached to Christ. Death has worked out their salvation. |