"The one marvelous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is "Christ is you." It is His wonderful life that is imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God's grace." Oswald ChambersGod's sovereign, free gift of grace is available to us by faith. Not so that we might consider "What Would Jesus Do", but so that we might show others Jesus Christ IN US, the hope of glory. Do we really believe that?
Do we really believe that...Christ lives in us?
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
Do we really believe that...Christ is being built up in us as we mature in the faith?
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. Galatians 4:19
Do we really believe that...It is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us?
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Do we really believe that...We are being conformed to the image of Christ?
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29
Do we really believe that...We are being transformed from what we were?
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
Do we really believe that...We are being changed to be more like Him?
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. II Corinthians 3:18
Do we really believe that...As He is, so we are in this world?
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. I John 4:17
Do we not only believe, but are we experiencing this as we live day by day? Are we living to be like Christ or are we dying so that Christ may live?
Have we hijacked Christ's body and are using it for our glory? For our fulfillment? For our pleasure?
Do we have the expectation that our walk with Christ is not about ourselves and what we can achieve, but about Christ and who He is? We should.
Consider the mark of our high calling in Christ Jesus.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." Philippians 3:8-16
I encourage you to press toward that mark. Take up your cross daily and follow Him; for the crucifixion of the old man is the means by which the life of Christ in us (the power of salvation) is made visible to men. As we become living sacrifices on the altar of the cross, we become the sweet savour of Christ.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:26-27
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:14
For added edification, read "Where Does God Dwell" by David Wilkerson.
You know I am reading a lot of information concerning doctrines and how to have authority and use authority. Should women be Pastors? Can women preach? Recently, a lady said that warning people against joining sororities makes you a cult member because "all things work together for good" and who are we to judge other people and criticize their choice we should just "let our lights shine". Right now we are witnesssing the upheavel necessary to see the manifestation of the sons of God in the latter days. I believe the Lord is about to release from captivity those that will no longer talk about salvation, but demonstrate it. I read a post recently concerning our remaining relatively docile and letting the Lord handle things, but the Lord handles things through people. The only difference is what spirit you are of when He is handling things. Are you trying to do something or is Christ doing it through you. The plan of God is very simple, we submit to our collective deaths on the cross, we are buried with Christ and the Holy Spirit resurrects Christ in us, then the Lord lives as we take up our cross daily and He does His will through the crucified saint of God. The acts of God are confirmed by the power of God with attestational signs and wonders following the words spoken by the Spirit of God. Power is displayed by God, not "enticing words of man's wisdon". We are talking so much trying to make our points of doctrine and quoting from all these authors and wondering and debating about women Pastors, which don't exist by the way, because the word Pastor is in the masculine gender in the Greek. Women can proclaim, prophesy, teach, etc...but they cannot sheperd the flock of God because that by definition and assignment is a patriarchal undertaking for a fatherly spirit. Anyway, if we would just let the Holy Spirit complete the work of sanctification (crucifixtion), then we would see the power of God on display and strife would cease. The next move of God will be a church on fire producing the power and all this talking and chatting and going back and forth about doctrince will cease. In the final analysis the only question that remains is where is the power? Isn't everyone tired of human debate and incessant words that lead nowhere. I want to see Jesus on display so that the world will know that He is alive. Folks in delusions even speak with authority now as if they are right. Power will be the final arbiter of truth and the fruits of the Spirit confirm the presence of the Lamb at work in our midst. God end this failed religious tragedy and come and demonstrate your power in the Church is my prayer. On the day that He does this a lot of talking will cease. Blessings to the Saints and the faithful in the Lord Jesus Christ
ReplyDeletePastor Price
www.omegaministry.org
I have a question that has been on my mind for some time.I know that when we accept Christ,he lives in us and we live in him.I feel sometimes that i am not worthy to be a christian because i do things i know are wrong and i am weak sometimes in prayer.I usually want to get up and pray at niht but i can't and it leaves me feeling like a total failure.Can Christ still live in a person that does wrong everyday? I sometimes fear that the spirit will leave me if i continue to be so imperfect.How do i keep the spirit in my life? How do i stop doing the things i dont want to do? Please help me!
ReplyDeleteEstrella read Romans, chapters 5 through chapter 8. You'll find that the Apostle Paul had the same struggle that you describe here. The answer is to cease from trying to do/be good. You cannot be good and you cannot be good. You have to submit yourself to God and confess to Him that outside of Jesus Christ "I" can do nothing. None of us can make it outside of Christ, so then the answer becomes how do I get into Christ and stay there. You must determine to get into the presence of God through fasting, prayer, meditating on the scripture, bathing your mind in authentic spiritual songs, not this modern filth that trys to pass itself of as Godly music. Telll God daily that you are depending on Him to change you and that without Him you are hopelessly lost. Christianity is an acknowledgement of the pitiful state that we are in and accepting the fact that we "need" a Savior. Thank God that He provided Jesus to get us out of this failed human tragedy. Your enemy is on the inside, it is the fallen human nature that wars against God's Holy Spirit. Every one of us that is going through the same thing that you are going through is crying for freedom from this damnable human flesh that seems to chain us to sin. I have been a Christian for 26 years and I still cry out for deliverance from this
ReplyDeletefallen nature. I hate it!! All of us are in the same boat. While standing against the sins of this life, we also fight the internal war of keeping the flesh under submission to the spirit until the Lord comes to deliver us. Don't condemn yourself, launch spiritual weapons everyday with your mouth proclaiming "I am helpless without the Lord and I need Jesus Christ to deliver me, Lord save me". I pray right now that you are freed from bondage and that you become a witness for the Lord abounding in mercy and grace and all fruitful endeavors in Jesus name. Amen.
Pastor Price