Me, You, and Christ in me... When we are born we grow in imitation of our influencers; our parents, carers, teachers (including spiritual), friends, family members, including siblings and cousins, television characters, and anyone else who plays a role in our upbringing, and maybe, just maybe God! As well as growing physically and intellectually; emotionally and experientially we are shaped by our circumstances and experiences, good and bad. The thing is, this growing period lasts a lifetime, because we are always growing...older and older! When we come to know God, and encounter Him as our Father and Creator, it is the best experience we will ever have in our lifetime. However, when Jesus comes to live in us in the form of His holy Spirit we start to get to know our earthly selves which isn’t such a nice experience, and isn’t very pretty at all! It seems that we must be totally stripped of all our imitated selves, and clothed in the imitation of Christ (Romans 13:14). So in actual fact, we need to be ‘born again’ (John 3:3). It is the only way. Some of us have had many many years’ worth of the wrong influencing, examples, and experiences, and we are shaped in a mould so strongly set that it seems impossible to be any other way. Well friends, let me encourage you, Jesus has an answer for this, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27)”. And yes, whilst it is impossible to be born again in the natural human sense, it is very possible to be born again in the supernatural spiritual sense (John 3:5-6), and God can soften our clay and re-mould us into His glorious work of art. In some ways we are born again continually when our minds are renewed, a bit like we can continually crucify Christ when we walk in our fleshly nature (Hebrews 6:6). We are always tempted to fall short of the glory of God which means that we are going back into the state in which we were before we knew Christ, this is how the devil wants to keep us, this is his plan of action to destroy us (John 10:10). This is when it’s helpful to look at ourselves and see which part of the conversation or action is me, which part is straight up a character of God, and which part is Christ in me, doing the complete opposite to what I wanted to do. You know, sometimes we don’t even know when we are being tempted, because it is so subtle, ‘as subtle as silence’. When we think that we have a right to be angry and lash out on the one that deserves to be beaten down, we have fallen to the temptation. When we judge our fellow brother or sister who has acted in a way other than how we would act, how we would expect, or understand, we have fallen to temptation. When we have satisfied our ego by arguing our point because we know that we are right, and are right, and the other party are so boldly wrong, we have fallen to temptation. For whilst anger is a God given emotion, we must point it to the true enemy, and not sin in our anger (Ephesians 4:26). Whilst God has given us abilities to judge in order to give counsel and sound knowledge, we must not judge by the outward appearance or circumstance, and always go to the One Who discerns our very thoughts and motives (Hebrew 4:12, 1 Chronicles 28:9). And needless to say, we are all in need of an ego boost, if we are honest, and if we can get it, we will get it, especially when we are feeling of a low self esteem. But it is always better to be humble, to lose an argument rather than to lose our brother or sister, regardless of who is right or wrong (James 1:19 ). Our humbleness will kill the conflict, show the love which is God, which will ultimately produce fruit, as we already know that God is the giver of all truth (John 16:13). When we are tempted and faced with troubles we have an opportunity to respond either as ourselves, or we can look to God and respond in the likeness of Christ. This is where we get to see our good fruits, and growth of character. I am so grateful to God for coming to live in my very dirty house, by house I mean my body, and in my body are rooms such as, my heart and my mind. I thought I was a pretty clean and tidy person, but there were and most likely still are parts of my home that are dusty, where I have let the dust settle, whether by laziness, or because I have overlooked it, thinking it not that visible to others because it’s not really a room that I invite guests into, and I’ve got bigger, brighter rooms to keep clean for display purposes. The thing is, God wants us to have full use of our homes, He wants to sit and relax in every one of our rooms. He wants us to be clutter and dust free, bringing refreshing air and sweet fragrances to all of them. Being born again means that we don’t have to worry about our present state of life. We don’t need to worry about past mistakes, problems, circumstances, or experiences. We get a whole new life; we become a brand new creation, we get to start again by being born again. God bless you friends Xxx Truth (NKJ 1982) Romans 13:14 - But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:27 - But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” John 3:5-6 - Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Hebrews 6:6 - if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. John 10:10 - The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Ephesians 4:26 - Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath... Hebrew 4:12 - For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 1 Chronicles 28:9 - “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. James 1:19 - So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;... John 16:13 - However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;...
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 13:37:56 +0000
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