There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. — Galatians 3:28
Wouldn't it be great if we could tear down all the walls that divide us — racial, social, economic, and gender. The apostle Paul spent his entire life trying to do just that: to tear down the walls that divided people by bringing them to Jesus and the cross.
There are no positions of superiority or inferiority at the foot of the cross, only a place for those who discover God's might displayed in sacrifice and God's love displayed even when under attack at the hands of human cruelty. While the forces of culture and human selfishness are always finding ways to divide us, we must remember that in Jesus, and only in Jesus, can we be one.
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Sooner or later we all have to make a decision: Will I be a nonconformist? Will I refuse to be squeezed into the mold of the world? (J.B. Phillips terminology) Will I be part of a Christian counter-culture? (John R.W. Stott terminology) Will I be God's own person, an alien and an exile in the world, put here to have a redemptive influence?
(The apostle Peter's terminology) Jesus simply calls us his disciples. Bottom line: until we are really ready to cross the line and live totally for the Lord, we're not going to be able to fully recognize God's will for us. There are no arm-chair quarterback Christians. There are no sideline disciples. There are no back-seat driver Christians. We either choose the Lordship of Jesus, or else we reject it. So what's your decision?
Prayer
. Lord, the world wants me to doubt Your Word, ignore Your Word, or simply discount Your Word. The world wants me to think Your Word doesn’t mean what it says; it wants me to just to consider it symbolic and mythical—only fairy tales. Good stories to read if I have time, but not necessarily apply to my daily life. Lord, help me to reject this worldly stance and trust You with childlike faith, believing that since You invented all the languages, Lord, that You used the right words to convey literal truth. Help me to trust and obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
[Message No: 6568]
Wouldn't it be great if we could tear down all the walls that divide us — racial, social, economic, and gender. The apostle Paul spent his entire life trying to do just that: to tear down the walls that divided people by bringing them to Jesus and the cross.
There are no positions of superiority or inferiority at the foot of the cross, only a place for those who discover God's might displayed in sacrifice and God's love displayed even when under attack at the hands of human cruelty. While the forces of culture and human selfishness are always finding ways to divide us, we must remember that in Jesus, and only in Jesus, can we be one.
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Sooner or later we all have to make a decision: Will I be a nonconformist? Will I refuse to be squeezed into the mold of the world? (J.B. Phillips terminology) Will I be part of a Christian counter-culture? (John R.W. Stott terminology) Will I be God's own person, an alien and an exile in the world, put here to have a redemptive influence?
(The apostle Peter's terminology) Jesus simply calls us his disciples. Bottom line: until we are really ready to cross the line and live totally for the Lord, we're not going to be able to fully recognize God's will for us. There are no arm-chair quarterback Christians. There are no sideline disciples. There are no back-seat driver Christians. We either choose the Lordship of Jesus, or else we reject it. So what's your decision?
Prayer
. Lord, the world wants me to doubt Your Word, ignore Your Word, or simply discount Your Word. The world wants me to think Your Word doesn’t mean what it says; it wants me to just to consider it symbolic and mythical—only fairy tales. Good stories to read if I have time, but not necessarily apply to my daily life. Lord, help me to reject this worldly stance and trust You with childlike faith, believing that since You invented all the languages, Lord, that You used the right words to convey literal truth. Help me to trust and obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
[Message No: 6568]
No comments:
Post a Comment
Post a Comment