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1998-02-07 - Personal Detour?
Originally Published 1997-04-26
Ever try to get someplace? And you knew the shortest way to go but found
a road block detoured you into some really uncharted territory that was long
and stressful and you wind up wondering if you made a wrong turn? I feel
often times our Christianity becomes just like that. I tend to accept the
Bible at its face value - if it says it I believe it. Yet when I was younger
in the Lord, I made my journey very difficult. I really did not understand
what it said. In my life I made the mistake of trying to do the work to
separate myself from the world and live that life consecrated unto
God. Something which is not done in the flesh - but by the Holy Spirit.
My biggest problem was that I was zealous to do God's will and really
did not have much knowledge of how that was done. Baby lambs are really dumb.
And we can hang around church our whole lives and stay babies, because sometimes
we never grow, because we simply do not listen and allow our Shepherd to
really be our Shepherd. I took it upon myself to do some dumb stuff. Ummm,
now I know why Jesus described us as sheep; they are some really harmless
animals, but they also need a shepherd if they are to survive and they, most
importantly, need to abide - "I am the true vine and my
Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,
while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more
fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain (abide) in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear
fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless
you remain in me."
When I was young, I failed to really understand the scriptures and accept
them and to be shepherded along the proper path, so I took some of those
personal detours. Perhaps this is why Paul says this in Philippians
chapter 1 verse 9:
Phil 1:9 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound
more and more in knowledge and depth of insight"
The Bible outlines some fairly simple things that I'd like to emphasize do
not contradict themselves. The problem is not the Bible; what I found the
problem to be was me. I found I was driving, and I was asking God to be my
copilot. Since then, I have learned to let him drive! Over time and obedience
to three things which makeup the heart of abiding in His Grace - the Lord
changed me by and by. I believe my sin was atoned for on that cross of Calvary
and that glorious day I accepted and in prayer asked Jesus Christ to be the
Lord of my life, and was forgiven for my sins, and when I turned away
from those sins, I became a son of God. That is a gift that lasts forever,
and assures my place in eternity with the Author of Life himself, the Creator
of Heaven and Earth.
Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the
spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death
Anyway back to the basics: Since now there is no condemnation for those in
Christ Jesus, being honest and realizing that I still have this ugly sinful
nature that plagues me night and day (though I am not in bondage to it any
longer), what is it and how is it that I can change? I mean it really really
bothers me tremendously -- how about you? Truly I want to be more like my
Saviour and with love reach out to a lost world with knowledge and
depth of insight, winning, discipling and sending people for Jesus Christ.
Don't you feel the same way?
I think the answer to our dilemma is a fairly simple one. Last week at my
midweek church service my Pastor explained that we will notice the change
over time, as we do three things the Bible tells us to do, which are in complete
accord with abiding and allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work within us.
Those three things are after we come to Jesus for salvation, of course:
I Corinthians 2:14 The man without the spirit does not
accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him and he can not understand them because they are spiritually
discerned.
The starting place for all believers is at the cross; then we need: To pray,
read our Bibles, and to fellowship. It is here within these three dynamic
basic tenets of the faith, that I changed. I have been a Christian since
the early 80's, and I certainly can look back and see that it is God who
has pruned that ugly deadwood stuff off me so that I can be a fruitful part
of this body that to His delight and will, bears much fruit for His glory.
To sum up what I am saying here: Christianity and change go hand in hand.
All of us who are honest, realize that there are some pretty ugly and nasty
things within our very hearts, which the Lord God full well knows.
Psalm 94:9 - Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does
he who formed the eye not see?
It is my desire that He has His will in my life, and over time I have seen
Him make a lot of changes. Yet I had to learn to abide and do those three
things. Is it your deepest desire, Christian, to really be conformed to His
image? Are you stuck in traffic because you took a detour? As time passes
and you abide in the three things we are asked to do: 1. prayer, 2. reading
your Bible, and 3. fellowship, then God will make you more and more into
that thriving, healthy, fruit-bearing plant that He wishes us all to be.
The consequences of taking a personal detour can be disastrous, as
in John chapter 15. He does say too if we refuse to do it His way,
He will cut us off. Not that we lose our salvation, but we suit no purpose
to Him, unless we follow Him like we love Him. He who has called you is faithful
and true, and He promises to do the work. His yoke is easy and His burden
light. Will you let him guide your steps?
I Thessalonians 5:24 - " The one who calls you is faithful
and he will do it."
But of course we can take the long way around the block … that detou …r
and choose that road that seems right (doing the work ourselves) trying to
separate ourselves and we probably will get to where we are going I would
say eventually, yet it is a pretty hard and harsh road … so as for me I
will just abide. When I pray I experience a spiritual intimacy with the Holy
Spirit that is as sweet and as fresh and clear as a cool mountain spring.
And when I discover truth in the Word of God my faith is increased and my
soul is filled like I just partook of a banquet with all the trimmings. It
is like the curtain of the heavens are peeled back and I can see so much
more with depth and insight. And when I meet and fellowship with the brethren
I see the glow in their faces as God conforms them and me into His image.
When I sing my praises to God with them and encourage them and receive
encouragement, I am lifted and transformed. Lifted and transformed In His
time, In His Way, as I do it His way, according to His plan, as I simply
abide and trust my Lord and Savior to work it out.
In His Service,
Rick |
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