The proper perspective to maintain is that
we are here for only one purpose—to be captives marching in the procession of
Christ’s triumphs. We are not on display in God’s showcase—we are here to
exhibit only one thing—the “captivity [of our lives] to the obedience
of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). How small all the
other perspectives are! For example, the ones that say, “I am standing all
alone, battling for Jesus,” or, “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and
hold down this fort for Him.” But Paul said, in essence, “I am in the
procession of a conqueror, and it doesn’t matter what the difficulties are, for
I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us?
Paul’s secret joy was that God took him as a blatant rebel against Jesus
Christ, and made him a captive—and that became his purpose. It was Paul’s joy
to be a captive of the Lord, and he had no other interest in heaven or on
earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the
victory. We should belong so completely to the Victor that it is always His
victory, and “we are more than conquerors through Him …”
(Romans 8:37).
“We are to God the fragrance
of Christ …” (2 Corinthians 2:15). We
are encompassed with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and wherever we go we are wonderful
refreshment to God.Friday, October 18, 2013
The Proper Perspective
“Thanks be to God who always
leads us in triumph in Christ …” (2 Corinthians 2:14). The proper perspective of a servant of God must not
simply be as near to the highest as he can get, but it must be the highest.
Be careful that you vigorously maintain God’s perspective, and remember that it
must be done every day, little by little. Don’t think on a finite level. No
outside power can touch the proper perspective.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Building on the Atonement
I cannot save and sanctify myself; I
cannot make atonement for sin; I cannot redeem the world; I cannot right what
is wrong, purify what is impure, or make holy what is unholy. That is all the
sovereign work of God. Do I have faith in what Jesus Christ has done? He has
made the perfect atonement for sin. Am I in the habit of constantly realizing
it? The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe
things. The redemption of Christ is not an experience, it is the great act of
God which He has performed through Christ, and I have to build my faith on it.
If I construct my faith on my own experience, I produce the most unscriptural
kind of life—an isolated life, with my eyes focused solely on my own holiness.
Beware of that human holiness that is not based on the atonement of the Lord.
It has no value for anything except a life of isolation—it is useless to God
and a nuisance to man. Measure every kind of experience you have by our Lord
Himself. We cannot do anything pleasing to God unless we deliberately build on
the foundation of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
The atonement of Jesus must be exhibited
in practical, unassuming ways in my life. Every time I obey, the absolute deity
of God is on my side, so that the grace of God and my natural obedience are in
perfect agreement. Obedience means that I have completely placed my trust in
the atonement, and my obedience is immediately met by the delight of the
supernatural grace of God.
Beware of the human holiness that denies
the reality of the natural life—it is a fraud. Continually bring yourself to
the trial or test of the atonement and ask, “Where is the discernment of the
atonement in this, and in that?”
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Forgotten Man
Every man, woman and child
in America is enslaved to the national debt. I believe that now, more than
ever, each American must make a choice: we (the church of the Living God)
must turn back to serving the Lord Jesus Christ that the shackles that
enslave us will be unlocked, or we will lose our freedom in this nation. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Listen: Because
all of the rhetoric being spewed from our nation’s capitol and the so called
elite pundit political leaders and media types, especially those far left
social liberals, is becoming downright scary. Although I long for the hasting
return of the Lord, which I believe to be very soon, I weep for those who do
not know Christ as their Personal Savior.
It is time to open our eyes
and look around. There is a difference between seeing and understanding. We
have denied what is before our very eyes. We are losing our children. No
amount of self-denial can powder-over the Truth. Our children no longer share
our values.
Helen Keller said, “The
only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Ref. Proverbs
29:18: …No vision, the people perish...
We can see, but we don’t understand.
Let me shout it!! Listen: The answer is not WHO is elected to the
White House, Congress or Senate. The answer is the Church of the Living God
preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark
8:36 – “For
what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul”? (The simple
truth equation of profit and loss, which states that one’s soul, is worth more
than the whole world.)
Our Lord will not treat
lightly our disregard for the well-being of one of His children. He has
entrusted them into your care. His warning is chilling: “Whoever
causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better
for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the
depth of the sea.” -Matt: 18:6
WAKE UP!! WE ARE
LOSING OUR CHILDREN!!!
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