Jesus is Enough!

Some speak of God and Jesus Christ as if knowing Him is related to a human decision to believe. With that comes all sorts of encouragements to hang in there, to keep trusting Him, to remember who Jesus is and the proof of it. They speak of God in tentative terms and eternal life as a future reward. They also stress human effort and the will to believe, as if all of this is up to us.

While my experience sometimes belie what God says, my experience concerning faith in Christ and becoming a Christian is nothing like the above examples. My salvation experience was not about what I did. Not only that, it lines up with the Word of God.

That said, everything related to my Christian life is about what God is doing through the power of His Holy Spirit, both before and after. In searching for Him, I didn’t even realize that was what I was doing. I didn’t find Him — He found me. I was sitting in my living room reading a book on reincarnation (which I now know is not true) and suddenly became aware of Jesus. He came as light in my darkness and revealed to me what I did not know nor had been told; He is God incarnate, God in human flesh, and He came to die for my sin. This truth has never been doubted.

In that encounter, my mind and heart were changed. I knew instantly who He is. I knew why He came. Again, that has never changed. I’ve not had to fight to keep believing it. Revealed truth is unforgettable, not the same as ‘taught’ truth.

Soon after that happened, my sister told me to read John five times and Romans twice, reading until a revelation from God stopped me. Then write it down, and how it applies to me. Repeat. More than fifty years. And God has, every day of those years given me something new, or reviewed something already revealed — faithfully. To my amazement. To my joy. And Jesus said this:

… The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. (John 14:10)

If Jesus did that, what right do I have to speak as if I have any authority? Or claim that I do what He tells me? Even Jesus said that it is the One who lives in Him that does the work of God. I’ve no right nor any reason to claim any of it. Again, this is illustrated by a hand in a glove. The glove is inert and useless without the hand to animate it.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Galatians also explains the fact that the old nature, called the flesh, still tries to rule my life. God says:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

This applies only as God reveals to me what is fleshy and interfering with His Spirit. This applies this morning as we have two days before the moving van arrives and my flesh wants to quit packing and be done with it. Even run away and hide. The Spirit tells me to trust in Him to give me the strength and the attitude I need to do this as Jesus would — by listening to and relying on my Father.

PRAY: The day ahead seems too hard, yet You are the God of ‘too hard’ and tell me I can do Your will in Your strength, and with joy. Fill me with Your Spirit and enable obedience, even in this ordinary challenge. I need You all the time, and I know that You are enough!

How to be what I already am...

 

When my first child was born, I became a mother. I acted like a mother, never once thinking that I was the former person without a child. Even if that happened, this little hungry and helpless person reminded me of my new status.

When I became a Christian, God gave me a new nature. At that point, I had a new status, but unlike being a mother, I continually struggled to act like that new person. I constantly forgot what I now had in Christ. My only reminders came through reading the Bible and having edifying fellowship with other Christians. Without that and the work of the Holy Spirit, it was easy to drop back into thinking as I always had, and living out those old habits. This is why the NT says:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

Walking in the Spirit requires only two things on my part: confessing known sin, and asking God to fill me with Himself. After that, all the attitudes and desires of my heart come from Him. He gave me the mind of Christ to think as He thinks, and the Spirit to work in me like a hand in a glove so doing His will becomes a way of life — not a continual sense of ‘I must do this…’ The Bible calls it “abiding in Christ” and this brings wonderful freedom. It cannot happen to those who determine to run their own life or even play a part in their salvation. This is the Lord’s doing, not mine.

There was a time after meeting Christ when I knew what I should be doing or thinking, but it was not happening. I could not choose the right way to live — and had to learn to yield to the Spirit. He supplied and secured the steadfast obedience I sought after; it was not my determination, only my confession of not being able. It was like I could not act like a mother unless I became a mother.

All that God wants is given to His children in the work of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. That old nature cannot do it, even choose it, apart from His grace. Today’s reading says our problem is lack of consecration or lack of trust, yet both of these are given to us in Christ in our redemption.

The reading also says that it is not the strength of our enemies or our own weakness that causes us to fall. Not sure what is meant by “our own weakness” but I do know my weakness is human pride that rises up to try and rule my life rather than letting the Lord take me where He wants me to go. I’m my own worst enemy in that my old life thinks I can do well without Him. It is total foolishness when compared with the wonder of Almighty God and what He can do in a person who has Him in their heart. Like a mom cannot ignore her new baby, He does not ignore His children.

PRAY: Jesus, You make the Christian life possible, just as You make becoming a mother possible. I need You to be saved and to walk in Your Spirit. I need You to expose the desires of the flesh, particularly because they often seem like noble desires. However, You say: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) This is so true — the more I delight in You, the more You pour into me the desires of Your heart, far better than my old desires, no matter how good they might seem. How amazing is Your grace!

Getting in Sync with God

 

This morning my Fitbit stopped working, or sometime yesterday. I use it to hold me accountable to walk 7000 steps a day, but who wants to count them? So I went online to discover that my tracker is no longer syncing with its account. Apparently there is an upgrade that has not been downloaded and the tracker simply quit.

Funny how nearly everything that happens has a spiritual connection. I thought of how needful it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and not rely on my own devices or strength. To do that, I must be in sync with the Lord. That is, if I am resisting God, I cannot resist the devil or temptation at the same time.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

This idea of not being able to serve or yield to God and the enemy at the same time applies also to other things such as money and worldly pleasures.

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Luke 16:13)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:15–16)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

This principle not only applies to my relationship with God; it affects every part of life. I cannot pray without guarding against distractions that ruin all conversation with God. I cannot try to figure out problems His way unless my focus is on His way. This matter of yielding to God and making Him the center of my life goes even farther:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31–33)

Eating and drinking are normal activities of life and yet not to be separated from worship or my witness to God’s glory. In the same line, seeking His glory is connected to pleasing others in an effort to win them to Jesus. Being in sync with God is not only required, it is required no matter what I am doing.

PRAY: Jesus, there are days where my mind is all over the place. To be in sync with You, I need Your Spirit and Your power. Such vivid focus is totally beyond my ability. That is the why for being yielded to You and filled with the Holy Spirit all the time, but it is also the only way to do Your will and live for You. Keep me in sync today. I’m not sure I’ll get that Fitbit working properly, but I know that You can do what needs to be done that I can worship and serve You and others as You want me to.

An Appetite Check . . .

 

Today’s devotional says my appetite for righteousness should equal my appetite for food and water. The idea of severe hunger and thirst is foreign to me. If either happens, it isn’t long before food and drink are available. I don’t fast. This discipline is used to encourage deeper concentration on spiritual matters, but I get such a severe headache that this purpose is thwarted and I’ve had to find other ways to focus on Jesus.

However, food and water aside, I do have a hunger and thirst to be like Him. For this, I need the Holy Spirit. Also, it is important to have no desire to walk in the flesh. The NT says,

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

This passage goes on to list things like idolatry, strife, etc., yet I know the subtle fleshy traits too, like boasting, wanting to out-do someone, jealousy, self-pity, complaining, gossip, and other ‘little’ sins that spoil my fellowship with Jesus. Wanting nothing between Him and my heart gives me that hunger for righteousness that David writes about:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1–4)

This is a paradox: my continuous and intense desire for righteousness is continually satisfied by Christ. But it never goes away. One church leader said, “To be hungry is not enough; I must be really starving to know what is in [God’s] heart towards me. When the prodigal son was hungry, he went to feed upon husks, but when he was starving, he turned to his father.”

Yes, only God can satisfy this kind of hunger and thirst. If I try anything else, I’m more than disappointed because anything else is idolatry and sin, deepening the hunger and never giving satisfaction that has lasting value. It took years to learn this, but looking back, the hunger was always there. I am so thankful that Jesus has also always been there.

Jesus, with David I say, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15) Even as most experiences on earth are temporary and unrelated to eternal bliss, this one is different. Someday I will begin forever with You and that hunger and thirst will melt into full satisfaction that never ends. For now, I’m so glad that You give me a taste of who You are and of Your tremendous ability to meet all my needs. I look forward to seeing You fully, face to face, as You are — the glorious One, my Bread and Water of life!

DO THIS: Read Philippians 3:1–14. What does it mean to place confidence in the flesh? How did Paul define true righteousness? How challenging is it to think this way about myself?`

 

Dealing with unpredictable people . . .

READ 1 Samuel 24–27

The NT speaks of a double-minded person as someone whose faith goes on and off like a faulty light bulb. It says:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5–8)

This describes unpredictable people who sometimes seem to trust God and be filled with the Spirit, and other times they are full of doubt, upset, confused, angry and difficult to talk to, as if truth has abandoned them. This behavior could mean the absence of any faith, yet it seems more like Galatians 5:16–17 that says, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

Christians are supposed to be filled with the Spirit, live by Him and not do things in a fleshy or self-motivated way. To flop back and forth between the two is being double-minded.

The story of Saul and David illustrates how Saul was like that. He tried to kill David many times because of his jealousy and fear. When David did not retaliate, Saul said things like:

“You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me; in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” (24:17–22)

On one occasion David sought hospitality from a foolish man who ignored him. David decided to retaliate but was stopped by that man’s wife who warned him not to do such a thing. David replied:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male . . . .” Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.” (25:32–35)

The Lord “struck Nabal, and he died” obviously not a man of faith. Yet Saul was not always like Nabal. He also wanted to kill David but each time David showed kindness and spared him, he seemed to change his mind.

In next encounter, David could easily have killed him but didn’t. Saul said, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” At that, David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. (26:24–25) However, this didn’t earn David’s trust.

David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.”

David took his men and served the Philistines. When Saul was told where David had gone, “he no longer sought him.”

I understand David’s lack of trust. One double-minded person I avoid because he can be so adamant and unreasonable about certain issues that he is painful to talk to. Another person rattles off Scripture with great accuracy yet in her next breath says the opposite. Talking to her is also painful. Yet reading how David handled Saul gives me instruction. Always be kind.

Also, these stories show that God was testing His future king and preparing him for his royal position. Leaders of every description need to know how to deal with merciless people who want to tear them down. David’s many encounters with Saul and that one encounter with Nabal showed him what God wanted when attacked by unstable people. Those I know do not try to kill me, but I am not to allow them to bring out my fleshy selfishness in retaliation.