Just this morning I had a strong reminder that Jesus Himself is my hope and life. Sometimes I forget that.
I spend a lot of time thinking about what I should/could/might do in order to live the Christian life. I think about renewing my mind, praying, sowing to the Spirit, reading, calling someone to share our faith in Christ, and lots of other ways by which to live in Christ, reaping what He has earned and secured for me. These are all excellent for me.
But sometimes I get jumped by a particular fleshly or spiritual thing, like covetousness (I want a new car/laptop/piano right now), fear (I have no money for a new car/laptop/piano), lust (I’ll get satisfaction some other way, then), or selfish ambition (I don’t have to wait on the Lord because there are lots of things I can do and really excel at, and get my car/laptop/piano). And I don’t mean a little covetousness or fear or lust or selfish ambition, I mean a mountain load—like all of Mt. Sinai is migrating on top of me, and I am unable to breathe.
After feeling the crushing weight of the assault, somehow I remember or am reminded to look to Jesus as the deliverer and antidote for all that stuff. He is the cure! I speak His name, I call for Him, I think about what He is like and that He lives right now in me, and things begin to change.
He’s working—in me.
Jesus is my prized possession who relieves me of covetousness, He is my confidence and my love who drives away fear, my satisfaction who releases me from fleshly lust, my reward who delivers me from selfish ambition, and my bulldozer to push away my personal Mt. Sinai. He really is all that.
I don’t know about you, but I’m simply not able to remember enough about how to live the Christian life, what I should/could/might do, and need Him to do it for me. He’s really good at living in me and likes it when I give Him something to do.
It’s my best way to live—Christ in me.
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Yes!! He didn't come to help us live the Christian life, but to GET US OUT OF THE WAY so He could live it through us! I truly believe that He loves it when we give Him something to do! He showed me a vision once of Him working in my life, & then came before me joyfully begging me, "Speak more word, give me something else to do!" How cool is God...really... Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ralph...I think I really needed that today!
ReplyDeleteOutside of Christ, there's not much in this life that has any real meaning. In the end it really is all about "Him"!!!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Ralph. Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteReally Like!!! Thanks Ralph, so much...
ReplyDeleteThanks Ralph for your openness about something we all struggle with and pointing us to Christ living his life in us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ralph. A beautiful truth expressed beautifully!
ReplyDeleteI tape the Billy Graham classics (crusades) and save them. The other night, I listened to him talk about Solomon - he had it all. Then, I thought of when Jesus talked about the lilies of the field.
ReplyDeleteSatan attempts to keep us going around mount Sinai until we are so weary that we forget there is a promise land.
ReplyDeleteAwesome Ralph, needed to read this :O)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading this. So good to hear people be open and honest about weakness and need for Christ in us in very practical ways. I'm with you and can feel the weight of the "should bes," so this was very encouraging. I love this quote from Bill Freeman's The Supplied Life. "We need to learn how to be bold. Tell Him, 'Jesus, You have to live, or it is not going to happen. It has to be You, Lord!'"
ReplyDeleteHe Ralph...I didn't realize what a sinner you are! Geesh! I'm just glad I don't struggle with any of those things.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDelete