In Touch with My Weakness

I need to keep in touch with my depravity and my weakness. But when I am honest about the depth of my sinfulness, it shouldn't lead to a pity-party or a spurt of self-help, bootstrap Christianity--"I'll do better." Instead, it should lead to a celebration of praise for the wonder of God's grace and forgiveness. And a confidence in His ability to save anyone and to bring any wayward Christian to repentance. When I am in touch with my weakness, it causes me to rely solely on His sufficient, inexhaustible grace for my spiritual strength and daily walk. After all, it was to a church with the most problems--a carnality fostered by spiritual pride--that Paul emphasized the necessity of weakness--the spiritual power that only embracing our weakness can accomplish. Even when I feel stagnant or far away from God I am not. "Underneath are the Everlasting Arms." I can fall no farther than into my Father's seeking, loving, and protecting embrace. He seeks the sheep who has wandered away and lifts him into His arms to gently bring him back to the fellowship of the fold. It may very well be that when I think that I am farther away from God than I have ever been, that, in actuality, I've never been closer. He is ready this moment to catch me and bring me home in His omnipotent, loving embrace.

Hypocrisy

No matter how deeply I desire to please and obey God, I will mess up--sin. That does not make me a hypocrite. A hypocrite according to Jesus is the one who does all the right things but he does those things in order to gain the applause of men. It is actually more hypocritical to sit around judging those Christians who are struggling in their walk, but desirous of becoming more and more like Him. As you go through that struggle, don't be discouraged. The daily desire to please Him will be a struggle until He takes you Home. And don't let someone label you a hypocrite. They are wrong. What you are is a growing Christian--and God is delighted with you.

Unconditional Love

I cannot love unconditionally without being hurt. If I am going to love people as God loves me, I am going to be hurt, taken advantage of, perhaps, even betrayed. I must love anyway. I must love more deeply. My first response must be forgiveness not self-defense. I have the greatest responsibility in each relationship; yet, I am the least important person in the relationship. Their needs must be more important than mine.
The characteristics of unconditional love are compassion, patience, and truth. Jesus never looked on the multitude or individuals without being moved by compassion for their needs--physical and spiritual. Their reason for seeking Him out was irrelevant. And His compassion was always demonstrated by an act to meet those needs. Patience empowers me to love people where they are spiritually, allowing God, through His Spirit, to work in each person's life in His way and in His timing. My love for them as they are allows God to use me as a catalyst" for their growth and deepening understanding of His love--rather than a stumbling block to their trust in Him and His loving patient work in their lives. Truth is an essential element of love because love that is not within the perameters of revealed truth is no longer love. Paul always encourages the church to grow in truth and love. They are inseparable. "If you love me, keep my commandments." "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbors as I have loved you."
May the Spirit spread His love in our hearts that through His strength our labor of love will reflect the unconditional, compassionate, patient, truth-honoring love of our Savior.

Presence

Every moment of my life I live in the presence of God. Everything I say, every jest I make, every joke I tell, every act I do, I make Him a participant. There is no prayer we should pray more often than: "God make me constantly aware of Your presence." What an impact that would have on my every decision or non-decision. His presence makes every moment significant--important. We must live in the fear of the Lord making every decision based on how that decision will affect our relationship with Him--our greatest Lover.

Impossible

It is impossible for me to live the Christin life. I do not have the ability to spiritualize the natural man. It is only as the Holy Spirit controls my every thought and action that the life of Christ that is in me can be evident to the world around me I glorify God by making the invisible God visible. Every attempt to live the Christ-like life in my own power--self-will--leads to failure and exhaustion. I can't do it. The only way to give the Spirit control over my life is to saturate myself with His Word--the Sword of the Spirit. The Word reveals to me how God sees me--cuts away all the pretense and spiritual pride--so that I will run to Him in prayer: the prayer of "Help--I need your mercy and your grace!" As He takes control, I begin to "naturally" do the supernatural--walk as Jesus walked.

Grief

Sometimes in our arrogant resistance of the leading of the Holy Spirit--as if we in our puny wisdom know what's best for our lives, we grieve the Spirit. Always remember that "grief" is a love word. He is grieved because He loves us and knows the calamity that results from a self-centered life.

One Life

My Christian life is not divided into compartments--it is all that I do. There is nothing in my life that is not sacred. Whatever God has called me to do--whatever passion He has put in my heart--it is a sacred calling. Every moment of every day is to be an act of worship to Him. Each day I must give Him my body--it's all I have--as a sacrifice to His will. If I am "faithful" at church or at work but a home devil, something is terribly wrong with my relationship with Him. If I am "faithful" at home but not faithful to Him where I work, something is terribly wrong with my relationship with Him. It is, in fact, a sham--a pretense. It is not where, I am but who I am that is important--and the true measurement of my relationship with my Savior. A "street angel" but a "home devil" is a devil not a saint.