I have a friend who is intelligent, even savvy to the things of this world. I enjoy talking with him, except that he does not 'get' the most important part of my life- loving God! He's a great guy, full of interesting stories, but when it comes to spiritual matters, he's a blank page. We were swapping stories about our kids recently. He told about his kids being promoted, taking interesting jobs, making investments- all good stuff. Then I shared about Chrissie, Peter, Natalie, and Sean taking jobs where they could serve people and express their love for the Lord, most recently accepting positions as teachers in Christians schools.
He asked, "What does that pay?'
"Peanuts," I answered.
"They need to think about the future," he said.
"They are," I replied. As you can imagine the conversation went nowhere. For my friend, thinking about the future means building a strong resume and a fat bank account. For me thinking about the future means pleasing God and building His Kingdom.
My friend thinks that the spiritual side of life just means being nice, showing concern, or as he said, "doing no harm to others." That it admirable, as far as it goes, but it is a long way from being a disciple of Jesus Christ. My world view that has God at the top of the stack, that makes Him the final reference point in all decisions, that serves Him as the Lord of life - is a fairy tale to him. When I talk about the Lord in familiar terms (quite unconsciously, I might add) he does not argue, but I can tell that he does not understand, at all.
The Scripture teaches there are two kinds of wisdom- one that is ordered by life in this temporal world, one that is ordered from Eternity. ". . . when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets." (1 Corinthians 2:6-10, NLT)
Be careful about reading that and feeling a kind of insider's pride! I do not feel superior to my worldly friend. I didn't figure it out or find this wisdom by any quality inherent in me. God, in His sovereign grace, chose to let me see the unseen, to know that which is beyond 'knowing,' by awakening faith in my heart. My only choice was to say, 'yes,' to His love and to live humbly and obediently before Him. The result is that "God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:10-12, NLT)
I want to urge you, Believer, to two choices today:
First, to thank God that He loves you and that He has called you to love and serve Him! Really thank Him, not with a self-congratulatory commendation your good works, but in deep humility that "God would love a sinner such as I am." We must not offend those who do not know Him as we do, by becoming proud of our spiritual heritage, by implying that we are 'in the Club,' and they are not because we are better than they are. God's loving grace is so amazing, it should bring us to tears just to ponder it. "That God should love a sinner such as I, how wonderful is love like this!"
Second, pray for those around you to be given grace! Borrow Paul's amazing prayer, that "the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power... " (Ephesians 1:18-19, NKJV) Only when He reveals Himself and begins to unfold the mystery of faith can the worldly wise man understand!
Here's a story from the Word. Ponder it today, asking, which man do I resemble more?
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:10-14, NIV)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
My friend, meet Jesus.
The greatest joy in all of life for me has been raising kids! When my adult offspring call to tell me about how they're wrestling with life, about how they're working out the Christian life loving others, serving Jesus, and living with joyful purpose-- well, nothing in the world compares. It makes me cry, yell, and hug strangers! Bev and I have successfully passed the faith along. Close to that joy is the joy I feel when I have the opportunity to help someone be born as a child of God and then help them work out what it means to be God's kid! Have you led anyone to that point of faith, when they have decided to trust Christ with their life?
In a thought-provoking article in the recent issue of REV. Magazine, Nov/Dec. 2007, Alan Nelson takes on the subject of Evangelism, the work of passing the faith along to others. He kills a lot of sacred cows in four pages! He suggests, and I agree, that "the work of the Church is not evangelism!" OK, take a deep breath and let me finish. It is the work of every Believer! "Church is," Nelson writes, "to mature people in faith ... gathering them together for Bible studies, preaching in-depth sermons about the Bible, and running Christian schools." Think about this. Should every Sunday morning be built around sermons designed to convince the 10% or less present in the church who are without a faith in Christ to become Believers? Doesn't that seem like a colossal waste of time of the 90% in the building who are Believers already? Doesn't it make more sense to strengthen Believers with deep worship, train them with deep teaching, and them send them out equipped to live authentic, thoughtful Christian lives that are compelling to the people without a living faith who live and work with them?
In another controversial paragraph, Nelson opines that 'outreach' as classically defined - street corner preaching, literature distribution, door to door campaigns, etc. - is zero percent effective in making new followers of Jesus in our American culture. Many pastors are still sending out the troops in those efforts and feeling very self-satisfied despite having next to no measurable results in terms of people choosing to trust Christ. "After all," they will say, "they rejected Jesus. So, we're just being rejected with Him." Nope, people are not rejecting Jesus at all. They are rejecting an 'in your face' impersonal method of making Him known. This line really resonates with me. "We'll have to be good news before we can share the good news."
People are so accustomed to hype and oversell that they don't want to just hear about how wonderful knowing Jesus is unless they can see it in our authentic Christian life. If Jesus does not make us loving, serving, caring, faithful to our spouse, honest people then we can just as well save our breath and our money spent on literature! But, where the Spirit is transforming a person into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ, all kinds of opportunities will be created for moving others to consider Christ as their Lord.
There is another line in the article that is worthy of thought, too. "Pre-Believers are far less interested in Truth (capital T) but are interested in personal story." Some more of you just blew a fuse. "Doesn't Jerry know that Jesus is the Truth?" Sure do, friend. Nobody will ever change that. The Gospel is True and there is a moment in our presentation of the message when we will fearlessly challenge someone to believe the Truth. But, few people are going to choose to follow Jesus just because we think we have made an airtight case for sin, the Cross, and substitutionary atonement. (If you're using those words in your first conversation with a pre-believer, my guess is you have not made a convert in at least 15 years!) Once again, there is a time to teach people about those things, but first we have to tell a story - with words and in actions - that earns us the right to talk Truth.
It is my opinion that we live in a time when Americans are more open to spiritual matters than at any time in my adult lifetime. But, they are very skeptical of religion and dogma. They remember too well all the scandals involving preachers and priests that have been headlines news and they will tell you that is why they don't want to hear about 'your church.' Many will also quickly tell you about the holy Joe or Jane that attends their family gatherings with her judgments, her Bible verses, and her books - who is also a gossip and a manipulative self-serving person. When you identify yourself as a Bible-believing Christian, they will put you in the same group. It's happened to me! So, does that mean we shut up? No, we just get smarter about what we say and when we say it. And, we ask God, the Spirit, to make us real, to help us to befriend others without an agenda to 'win them for Jesus.' Genuine love is irresistible!
Here's a word from the Word. Prayerfully ponder the implications for your life today. "Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick.
He said, "Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on."
Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went. " (Luke 9:1-6, The Message)
Pray for many opportunities to make Jesus' message known, to be privileged to say, "my friend, meet Jesus." It's your responsibility as a Believer.
Be wise! Be full of the Spirit! Be authentic! And, expect God to open opportunities for you to make Jesus visible in your world.
____________________________________________________________
Let the beauty of Jesus
be seen in me.
All His wonderful passion
and purity.
All my nature refine,
O Thou Spirit divine,
'til the beauty of Jesus
be seen in me!
- author unknown
In a thought-provoking article in the recent issue of REV. Magazine, Nov/Dec. 2007, Alan Nelson takes on the subject of Evangelism, the work of passing the faith along to others. He kills a lot of sacred cows in four pages! He suggests, and I agree, that "the work of the Church is not evangelism!" OK, take a deep breath and let me finish. It is the work of every Believer! "Church is," Nelson writes, "to mature people in faith ... gathering them together for Bible studies, preaching in-depth sermons about the Bible, and running Christian schools." Think about this. Should every Sunday morning be built around sermons designed to convince the 10% or less present in the church who are without a faith in Christ to become Believers? Doesn't that seem like a colossal waste of time of the 90% in the building who are Believers already? Doesn't it make more sense to strengthen Believers with deep worship, train them with deep teaching, and them send them out equipped to live authentic, thoughtful Christian lives that are compelling to the people without a living faith who live and work with them?
In another controversial paragraph, Nelson opines that 'outreach' as classically defined - street corner preaching, literature distribution, door to door campaigns, etc. - is zero percent effective in making new followers of Jesus in our American culture. Many pastors are still sending out the troops in those efforts and feeling very self-satisfied despite having next to no measurable results in terms of people choosing to trust Christ. "After all," they will say, "they rejected Jesus. So, we're just being rejected with Him." Nope, people are not rejecting Jesus at all. They are rejecting an 'in your face' impersonal method of making Him known. This line really resonates with me. "We'll have to be good news before we can share the good news."
People are so accustomed to hype and oversell that they don't want to just hear about how wonderful knowing Jesus is unless they can see it in our authentic Christian life. If Jesus does not make us loving, serving, caring, faithful to our spouse, honest people then we can just as well save our breath and our money spent on literature! But, where the Spirit is transforming a person into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ, all kinds of opportunities will be created for moving others to consider Christ as their Lord.
There is another line in the article that is worthy of thought, too. "Pre-Believers are far less interested in Truth (capital T) but are interested in personal story." Some more of you just blew a fuse. "Doesn't Jerry know that Jesus is the Truth?" Sure do, friend. Nobody will ever change that. The Gospel is True and there is a moment in our presentation of the message when we will fearlessly challenge someone to believe the Truth. But, few people are going to choose to follow Jesus just because we think we have made an airtight case for sin, the Cross, and substitutionary atonement. (If you're using those words in your first conversation with a pre-believer, my guess is you have not made a convert in at least 15 years!) Once again, there is a time to teach people about those things, but first we have to tell a story - with words and in actions - that earns us the right to talk Truth.
It is my opinion that we live in a time when Americans are more open to spiritual matters than at any time in my adult lifetime. But, they are very skeptical of religion and dogma. They remember too well all the scandals involving preachers and priests that have been headlines news and they will tell you that is why they don't want to hear about 'your church.' Many will also quickly tell you about the holy Joe or Jane that attends their family gatherings with her judgments, her Bible verses, and her books - who is also a gossip and a manipulative self-serving person. When you identify yourself as a Bible-believing Christian, they will put you in the same group. It's happened to me! So, does that mean we shut up? No, we just get smarter about what we say and when we say it. And, we ask God, the Spirit, to make us real, to help us to befriend others without an agenda to 'win them for Jesus.' Genuine love is irresistible!
Here's a word from the Word. Prayerfully ponder the implications for your life today. "Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick.
He said, "Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on."
Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went. " (Luke 9:1-6, The Message)
Pray for many opportunities to make Jesus' message known, to be privileged to say, "my friend, meet Jesus." It's your responsibility as a Believer.
Be wise! Be full of the Spirit! Be authentic! And, expect God to open opportunities for you to make Jesus visible in your world.
____________________________________________________________
Let the beauty of Jesus
be seen in me.
All His wonderful passion
and purity.
All my nature refine,
O Thou Spirit divine,
'til the beauty of Jesus
be seen in me!
- author unknown
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Your Life - God's Plans
"Dad, you;'ll never believe what I dreamt about my future. God showed me that I will be greater even than you." Joseph's teenage enthusiasm to share his dreams earned him the contempt of his brothers. Months later, they sold him to slave traders headed for Egypt. They were probably thinking, "Take that, dreamer boy. Now let's see you become great." In Egypt, Joseph's skill and integrity showed through and he soon became the manager of a rich man's household. A short time later, when he spurned the advanced of the man's wife, she falsely accused him of attempted rape, and he spent years in prison. But God... was using each turn, each 'tragedy' to produce success! He eventually became the Prime Minister of Egypt. His position allowed him, in the plan of God, to provide a safe home for his family in time of famine.
Because his story is told on a few pages of the Bible, we may not appreciate the long years of waiting for God's promises. God was preparing Joseph for His purposes and each experience had a reason for happening, something we can see as we read the story, but which required great faith in Joseph when it was happening. Joseph's success did not begin the moment he took a seat next to Pharaoh! He was successful when he trusted God while being taken into slavery, when he refused the advances of his master's wife, when he chose to be a model prisoner, when endured darkness, hoping for the light to break through.
God has a plan for your life! He prepares circumstances that equip you with experience, situations that develop your character, and brings people into your path that move you towards that purpose. The Scripture assures us that "...we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son." (Romans 8:28-29, The Message) I believe that with my whole heart and mind, but I am not a fatalist! The Bible promises us that God is preparing us for His purpose. And, the Word teaches us that we have a responsibility to exercise faith in our daily decisions that allows us to receive the promises of God. "... do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36, NLT) "... let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Along the road of life are countless wrecks, people who started boldly with God, who believed Him and purposed to serve Him passionately. Then, they met difficulties and encountered situations that they felt 'just could not be part of God's plan.'
How could God use a business failure?
What possible good could come from the loss of a dear friend?
Why does He let me struggle with this chronic health problem?
Such questions arise for each of us. Faith does not wipe away the problems of life. Faith gives us a perspective that allows us to trust God in spite of those problems, hoping for Him to use each experience to create in us a greater faith, a deeper obedience so that we will successfully serve Him. Some allow faith to ebb and they turn aside, give up, and attempt to create their own place of security and/or success. Do not be one of them, friend.
Are you in a season of reward? I rejoice with you! Praise God. Are you in a season of testing? I stand with you, asking the Lord to strengthen you. Remember this, success is not just found in the outcome. Success is also the process. It is easy to see the success of the second half of Joseph's life, when he was exercising power, riding in the royal chariot, and living the palace. But Joseph was living a successful life long before that, in Potiphar's house, in prison - in the steady faith that caused him to make the right decisions, instead of the convenient choice.
Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today and then live successfully!
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:3-6, NLT)
Because his story is told on a few pages of the Bible, we may not appreciate the long years of waiting for God's promises. God was preparing Joseph for His purposes and each experience had a reason for happening, something we can see as we read the story, but which required great faith in Joseph when it was happening. Joseph's success did not begin the moment he took a seat next to Pharaoh! He was successful when he trusted God while being taken into slavery, when he refused the advances of his master's wife, when he chose to be a model prisoner, when endured darkness, hoping for the light to break through.
God has a plan for your life! He prepares circumstances that equip you with experience, situations that develop your character, and brings people into your path that move you towards that purpose. The Scripture assures us that "...we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son." (Romans 8:28-29, The Message) I believe that with my whole heart and mind, but I am not a fatalist! The Bible promises us that God is preparing us for His purpose. And, the Word teaches us that we have a responsibility to exercise faith in our daily decisions that allows us to receive the promises of God. "... do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36, NLT) "... let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Along the road of life are countless wrecks, people who started boldly with God, who believed Him and purposed to serve Him passionately. Then, they met difficulties and encountered situations that they felt 'just could not be part of God's plan.'
How could God use a business failure?
What possible good could come from the loss of a dear friend?
Why does He let me struggle with this chronic health problem?
Such questions arise for each of us. Faith does not wipe away the problems of life. Faith gives us a perspective that allows us to trust God in spite of those problems, hoping for Him to use each experience to create in us a greater faith, a deeper obedience so that we will successfully serve Him. Some allow faith to ebb and they turn aside, give up, and attempt to create their own place of security and/or success. Do not be one of them, friend.
Are you in a season of reward? I rejoice with you! Praise God. Are you in a season of testing? I stand with you, asking the Lord to strengthen you. Remember this, success is not just found in the outcome. Success is also the process. It is easy to see the success of the second half of Joseph's life, when he was exercising power, riding in the royal chariot, and living the palace. But Joseph was living a successful life long before that, in Potiphar's house, in prison - in the steady faith that caused him to make the right decisions, instead of the convenient choice.
Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today and then live successfully!
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:3-6, NLT)
Monday, October 15, 2007
"I'm unworthy to serve"
What shameful things are hidden in the brain matter that stores your memories? Everyone of us has done things yesterday that make us blush today when we recall them. Sexual exploits at a college party, lies told gain a promotion, unfaithfulness to marital vows, shady decisions to maximize profits, and explosions of hurtful rage are just a few of the confessions I have heard over the years from people who say, "I want to become a ____ (fill in the blank with your vision) that makes a difference for the Lord, but I cannot because I did _____ (again fill in the blank with some sin or failure). Consider this! "Satan uses guilt...to strip you of every radical dream you ever had or might have. In their place he gives you a safe, happy, secure American life of superficial pleasures, until you die in your rocking chair." - (John Piper, CT, October, 2007) This sentence is written in the context of an article about sexual sin, but it can apply to every kind of moral failure.
Millions of people who would like to do something for God conclude that they are too stained, and thus, too unworthy, to accept the call to holy service, so they take up another 'call' - the call of success, to call to accumulate wealth, the call to seek diversions in attempts to satisfy the need for meaning and/or significance that the Lord Himself put into them to call them higher in life. Are you one of them? If so, it's time to change your perspective, from the sins of your past, to the possibility of a God-honoring life that is the will of the Lord for all of us. No one is too anything to be beyond God's forgiveness.
Paul persecuted Christians even seeking their deaths, but he became the foremost messenger of the Gospel.
David murdered a friend so he could marry the man's wife, but he became the foremost author of worship songs in the Bible.
Peter swore he did not know Jesus at the very moment his Friend was being tried, but he became the leader of the Believers in the early years of Christianity.
Not for a moment do I mean to suggest that living a holy life is unimportant for someone who wants to serve the Kingdom in this world. The Bible is amply clear that holiness of heart and mind is an absolute requirement of those who want to live intimately with the Lord and enjoy the empowerment of the Spirit! The Scripture asks, "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself." (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT) The Psalm warns - "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened," (Psalm 66:18, NIV) meaning that if we love our sin, we break our intimacy with Jesus.
But know this: the remedy for sin - past, present, and future - is not found in religion, rules, or accountability groups. Each of those things might serve some good purpose, but making you and me holy is not one of them! Holiness that qualifies us for the service of God results from a spiritual transformation that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and accepting for ourselves, in faith, what He did on the Cross on our behalf! We do not get ourselves right with God! We are made right with God. "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." (Romans 5:1, NLT) "And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." (Romans 8:30, NLT)
Do not let the Devil tell you that you're too unworthy to answer God's call to serve. Just point that liar to the Cross. No amount of your own goodness will silence him, for he can always find a sin, a flaw to shame you. Receive the righteousness that is perfect; that of the Savior. Then, let the Lord make you holy, washing away the sins. By His strength, live a holy life, choosing to live deeply in His Presence today and everyday, by grace. The paradox of the Cross-centered life is that God's greatest glory is revealed at the point of our greatest shame! Yes, we feel sorrow when we lie, cheat, serve our ego, and indulge lust as well we should, but let it be a godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Piper finishes his thoughts with this amazing paragraph. "When you deal with (sin) by this kind of broken-hearted boldness... a gutsy guilt; you will fall less often. Why is this so? Because Christ will become increasingly precious to you. Best of all, Satan will not be able to destroy your dream of a life of radical obedience to Christ." - ibid
Here's a word from the Word. Let it inspire you today to do the will of God.
"This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." - Paul(1 Timothy 1:15-17, NLT)
___________________________________
I will serve Thee because I love Thee,
You have given life to me;
I was nothing before You found me,
You have given life to me.
Heartaches, broken pieces,
Ruined lives are why You died on Calv'ry;
Your touch was what I longed for;
You have given life to me.
I Will Serve Thee
© 1969 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management
CCLI License No. 810055
Millions of people who would like to do something for God conclude that they are too stained, and thus, too unworthy, to accept the call to holy service, so they take up another 'call' - the call of success, to call to accumulate wealth, the call to seek diversions in attempts to satisfy the need for meaning and/or significance that the Lord Himself put into them to call them higher in life. Are you one of them? If so, it's time to change your perspective, from the sins of your past, to the possibility of a God-honoring life that is the will of the Lord for all of us. No one is too anything to be beyond God's forgiveness.
Paul persecuted Christians even seeking their deaths, but he became the foremost messenger of the Gospel.
David murdered a friend so he could marry the man's wife, but he became the foremost author of worship songs in the Bible.
Peter swore he did not know Jesus at the very moment his Friend was being tried, but he became the leader of the Believers in the early years of Christianity.
Not for a moment do I mean to suggest that living a holy life is unimportant for someone who wants to serve the Kingdom in this world. The Bible is amply clear that holiness of heart and mind is an absolute requirement of those who want to live intimately with the Lord and enjoy the empowerment of the Spirit! The Scripture asks, "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself." (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT) The Psalm warns - "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened," (Psalm 66:18, NIV) meaning that if we love our sin, we break our intimacy with Jesus.
But know this: the remedy for sin - past, present, and future - is not found in religion, rules, or accountability groups. Each of those things might serve some good purpose, but making you and me holy is not one of them! Holiness that qualifies us for the service of God results from a spiritual transformation that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and accepting for ourselves, in faith, what He did on the Cross on our behalf! We do not get ourselves right with God! We are made right with God. "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." (Romans 5:1, NLT) "And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." (Romans 8:30, NLT)
Do not let the Devil tell you that you're too unworthy to answer God's call to serve. Just point that liar to the Cross. No amount of your own goodness will silence him, for he can always find a sin, a flaw to shame you. Receive the righteousness that is perfect; that of the Savior. Then, let the Lord make you holy, washing away the sins. By His strength, live a holy life, choosing to live deeply in His Presence today and everyday, by grace. The paradox of the Cross-centered life is that God's greatest glory is revealed at the point of our greatest shame! Yes, we feel sorrow when we lie, cheat, serve our ego, and indulge lust as well we should, but let it be a godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Piper finishes his thoughts with this amazing paragraph. "When you deal with (sin) by this kind of broken-hearted boldness... a gutsy guilt; you will fall less often. Why is this so? Because Christ will become increasingly precious to you. Best of all, Satan will not be able to destroy your dream of a life of radical obedience to Christ." - ibid
Here's a word from the Word. Let it inspire you today to do the will of God.
"This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." - Paul(1 Timothy 1:15-17, NLT)
___________________________________
I will serve Thee because I love Thee,
You have given life to me;
I was nothing before You found me,
You have given life to me.
Heartaches, broken pieces,
Ruined lives are why You died on Calv'ry;
Your touch was what I longed for;
You have given life to me.
I Will Serve Thee
© 1969 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management
CCLI License No. 810055
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