In Christ, We Rise Above Our Raising

Some of us are blessed with the best of parents.


Some of us are unfortunate enough to have endured abusive or distant parents.


Some of us may never have known our parents.


No matter how diligent or painstaking our parents may have been in rearing or raising us, we must all eventually rise above our raising.

In fact, through Christ, we are adopted into the best family:

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1: 12-13)

Jesus confirmed the new family status of His followers when He revealed Himself to Mary:

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20: 17)

Because of the Holy Spirit within us, we have forevermore the certainty within us of whose we are:

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 14-15)


We no longer  depend on the learnings and lessons of our elders:

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24)


The Holy Spirit supplies us with all the direction that we need:

"Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." 1 John 2:20)


John later writes:


"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." (1 John 2:27)


Jesus never despised his parents, but He did have to remind them not just who He was, but whose He was:


"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49)


In now wise should we feel that we are betraying our Lord when we attach our calling, our very lives, to Him at the expense of our parents:


"And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it." (Luke 8:21)


Later, Jesus gives a more caustic calling:


"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)


Of course, the exhortation here is to love everyone with the love that God gives us through the Holy Spirit, forever breaking away the old, fleshly attachments to our parents and relatives.


We are called even to excel above Christ Himself in the works that believers will do by faith:


"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (John 14:12)


How is this possible? We are made to rise not just above our human raising, but raised with Christ Himself!:


"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:12)


We are risen with Christ, those who believe on Him. We sit in heavenly places with Christ, in the place of highest honor, at the right hand of God our Father: (Ephesians 2: 4-6)


There is no better reason to rise above one's raising!

Love Unconquerable that Conquers all Fear

In the past, I used to fear a lot. I would get so worked up, sometimes for no apparent reason.

A friend of mine reminded me of an important scripture:

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Fine. that made sense to me. Whatever I was afraid of, that fear was not of God. No longer would I focus on trying to explain away a specific fear, but determine within myself not to be afraid.

Yet even that was not enough. I knew that the fear was baseless, but the knowledge of this fact did not drive fear away.

Then I read in 1John 4:18:

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

When I first read this passage, I thought that as long as I loved perfectly, then I would not be afraid.

But I cannot love perfectly. Only God is good.

The answer to this problem lies in the next verse:

"We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19) This verse literally communicates, "We love because he first loved us."

We cannot love without His first loving us! He loves us, and by His love we can therefore love others.

And His love is perfect.

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

"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."

How can we have boldness? Through the death of His Son Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, that we would be made the righteousness of God, forever reconciled to His Father and now our Father.

Perfect Love God, having sent His son to die for us. Perfect love is not something that we do, but rather something that we receive by faith ( cf Ephesians 2:8)

When I looked over the events in my life, when I was afraid, I had thought that He was not there for me.

Scripture has made it abundantly clear that God does not abandon us:

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." (Isaiah 49:15)

and

" He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

Then what was the problem? I did not believe that God loved me, passionately and unconditionally.

Yet if there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, in whom I am made the righteousness of God, then I have nothing to fear!

When I believe on His word, that He loves me, that He lives in me, and that He will never leave me, then I am forever relieved, receiving His grace with all the fruits of the Spirit, and through me He achieves all things.

Therefore, by His love, in Him Himself, I can boldly declare:

"I am more than a conqueror through him that loved me!" (Romans 8:37)

Feeling Dirty? Remember Who You Are in Christ

If we feel down and dirty, condemned and guilty, then we must renew our minds (Romans 12: 2) to the truth of who we are. We are dead to our former selves, and now made alive in Christ:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 4-6)

If we need any further confirmation of our new identity in Christ, then look no further:
"And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." (1 Corinthians 3: 23)

and

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3: 3)

and

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2: 13)

Above all, if you are feeling dirty or down, condemned or guilty, remember who you are in Christ, and that you will be like Him:

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1-3)

You and I, we are children of God through Christ (Galatians 3: 29); nothing can remove us from His hand (Isaiah 49: 16)

Remember that you will be like Jesus in every way. Remembering who you are, that will purify you, cleanse you, remind you of who you really are --- not you errant thoughts, not your aberrant feelings, but:

"As he is, so are we [so are you!] in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

Feeling Afraid? You Do Not Have to Do Anything About It

I cannot get enough of 1 John 4: 18 :

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
How do we know and believe that we have this perfect love? John answers that question beforehand:

"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." (1 John 4: 17)

Our new identity is in Christ. We are spirit before God, and the resurrection, God will grant us a new body:

"Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3: 21)

When God the Father sees us, He sees His Son, He sees His beloved, in whom we have been accepted (Ephesians 1: 6). Therefore, we can stand before God in full favor.

Yet the fear matter may still assaults us. I know that I am not afraid in my spirit. I know that this fear is not from God. I know that this fear is a lie. But the fears still come.

Then I received the greatest revelation yet. The fear that became ultimately manifest was the burden that I had to do something about the fear, that the fear was a signal that my love was not perfect. Yet it has never been my love, but rather it is God's perfected love which casts out all fear!

If we feel afraid, we just have to remind ourselves -- renew our minds (Romans 12:2) -- to the truth that God's love is perfected in us. His work is done. His love is made manifest in our lives, shed abroad in our hearts by His Spirit (Romans 5: 5) We do not have to repeat it to ourselves to prove it or to make it real. Fear brings with it a sense of torment, a sense that "something must be done" to make right something that "feels" wrong. Yet Jesus did not cry "It is Finished!" (John 19: 30) on the Cross for nothing.

If you feel afraid, that is a mere lie which may tempt you to do something or say something in order not to feel afraid. Instead of struggling with the fears in your flesh, rest in the truth of God's perfected love in your spirit.

Moreover, this perfect love in us casts out -- present tense, right now, all fear. We do not have to do anything but believe and receive that His perfect love is in us, through us, and for us, and that we do not need to add anything to it!

Fear is a Spirit -- But Not Yours!

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 1 John 4: 18 :

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)

If we fear for any reason, it is because we are apprehensive about punishment in our lives, and that's why fear has torment.

Yet for the believer, we have no reason to fear punishment:

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8: 1, New American Standard Bible )

In fact, God has already exhausted all of his wrath against our sin upon His Son:

"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2: 2)

and later

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

So, then why do we still "feel" fear? The element of feeling is the part we must respond to. Every human being is spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5: 23).

In our spirit, we are resurrected, brought back from the dead. Paul prayed that the Ephesians believers would receive a greater revelation of this truth:

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

"Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places," (Ephesians 1: 17-20)

We need to accept that we are not our feelings, and we are certainly far more than the negative thoughts which hit our minds from time to time:

Now, fear is a spirit, andone which God has not given us:

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1: 7)

If fear is a spirit, and not from God, then we must respond with spirit, with God's Word (John 6: 63). Because we are called to let the Word of God richly dwell in us (Colossians 3: 16).

More importantly, God has given -- already has given us! -- a spirit of power and love! We already have God's perfect love in us!

Feeling Down? Look Up and See Where and Who You Really Are!

If we are down, dwelling on the fallen earth instead of our risen state, then we must renew our minds and we must remember now and forever who we are and where we are:

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." (Colossians 3: 1)

We are called to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10: 5). Christ's obedience was not just at the Cross, dying for our sins, but by His active obedience He sits at the right hand of the Father, representing us, both making intercession and justifying us before the Father (Romans 8: 33-34), that we may be made now and forever the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

Yet not only does Christ justify us, we are up there seated at the right hand of the Father:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 4-6)

When we set our eyes on things which are above, we must bring to remembrance that we are seated up there, too, in Christ, receiving the Father's love, blessings, and favor. For this reason, John could write:

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4: 4)

And of course:

"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." (1 John 4: 17)

When we meditate on who we are in Christ, we find that we can walk as He walked, for it is He who lives within us (Galatians 2: 20) and who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 13)

How To See Who We Really Are

In yesterday's section, I wrote that when we get down, we need to look up and see Christ seated at the right hand of the Father, who ministers for us and as us.

Of course, living in this fallen, we can become easily discouraged or distracted by the fallen things, the empty fears, the shocks and difficulties of this world.

James provides the quick antidote when we start feeling down:

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1: 2-4)

Some may also be asking: "How am I supposed to "set my eyes on things above?"

Paul provides the answer in his Epistle to the Ephesians:

"[I pray that] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," (Ephesians 1: 17-19)

We ask God to open the eyes of our understanding, our inner intellect. We can do this simply by asking for wisdom:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1: 5)

We are also transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12: 2), which we accomplish as we read and meditate on His Word:

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

"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." (2 Corinthians 3: 17-18)

God's Word is Spirit and Life (John 6: 63), and the Holy Spirit who dwells in us lead us into all knowledge:

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

"All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16: 13-15)

The Holy Spirit within us transforms, and through God's Word we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord. Through the Comforter who lives and dwells in every believer, we begin to see who we reallly are, just like Christ in this world.

Formerly Enemies, Now Sons of God

We were dead in our trespasses :(Ephesians 2:1), alienated against God in our darkened minds(Ephesians 2: 12). What enmity existed between us and God, that was done away with once and for all in the Cross, through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ:

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. " (John 1: 12-13)

We are His, and nothing can change that:

"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43: 1)

If we fear that what we have done has alienated us from God, let us look to scripture for the eternal comfort of God's infinite love for us:

"In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:8)

And in the Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul writes:

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" (Ephesians 2: 1-2)

And later:

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" (Ephesians 2: 12-14)

We were enemies, and now we are in one in Christ. We have an everlasting righteousness, one equal to God's own Son, by whose faith we live in this world!

He loves You, Even if You have Rebelled Against Him

At an earlier time in my life, I was very frustrated with what I had and where I was going. I wanted to do things my way, and I felt bad about it. I did not want to accept that whatever I was looking for at that time in my life was simply not worth the taking.

For the first time in my life, I actually defied God, so I thought. I told Him that I was going to do what I wanted to, whether He approved of it or not.

After the failures and fallouts of the decisions that I made in my life, I had begun to believe that God was OK with me, but that I did not have the  same glory, the same status, nor could I count on receiving from Him the fullness of His love.

Because I have now learned who I am in Christ, an unshakable inheritance which has seated me in above the heavenlies, I also know and believe that  I cannot lose this great inheritance, this new life and identity which I have in Christ.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a fine example of the welcome reception and reconciliation for every believer, not just unbeliever, who falsely believes that God is still angry with us.

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

"And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

"But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

"And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

"For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." (Luke 15: 20-14)

Instead of berating his son for walking away and wasting his inheritance, which under Mosaic law would have entitled the father to have his son executed by stoning, the Father warmly embraces his son, replaces his worn-out clothing with a new robe, sandals, and the family ring. Not only has the prodigal son been accepted back into the family, but He has been promoted by the Father, receiving the signet ring which authorizes him to transact business in the family's name.

This same inheritance awaits every believer. No matter how much we may have rebelled against God, and no matter how much we may sin in the future, we are on in Christ (John 17: 21), infused with the same righteousness as God's Son (2 Corinthians 5: 21), that we may boldly say:

"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13: )

and

"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." (1 John 4: 17)

He Embraces You -- Now!

Everybody needs a hug once in while. Whether from a parent or a spouse, we want to know the physical intimacy of being loved just for who we are. Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus:
"[God] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 5-6)

We are His children through Christ, who died for us and as us at the Cross.

As children, we can enjoy God's rich, lavish love for us.

An example of this love is in the parable of the Prodigal Son. After wasting his portion of the inheritance and overcoming the worst privations, the son comes to his senses:

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

"And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." (Luke 15: 18-20)

Many commentators have rightly pointed out that the Father was looking for his son daily. Not afraid to embarrass himself, for older men by custom are not permitted to run, the Father rushed to his son and embraced him. This is the hug that waits for every person who believes on His Son.

This Father's love is the same as God the Father for us. Jesus wants those who believe on Him and live depending on Him to know this:

"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." (John 17: 23-24)

God loves each of us as much as His own Son, and God loved His own Son before the foundation of the world. Now we can see ourselves standing before God in the stead of His own Son:

"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." (1 John 4: 17)

Our identity in Christ would be an impoverished revelation if we are not keenly aware of how much God loves and accepts us! He loved us first, He loved us in His Son before the foundation of the world.

Now, we enjoy God's love-hug every day through the Holy Spirit, who lives and dwells in us. When Peter was preaching to the house of Cornelius, the Holy Spirit fell upon them:

"And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." (Acts 10: 42-44)

In this verse, "fell on" is the Greek word ἐπιπίπτω epipipto, which means "embrace or grip strongly.

Every believer is in the loving grip of the Holy Spirit.

Now, many believers may say: I do not feel God's love. But we must learn to walk by faith, trusting His word, just as we believe in radio waves --- even though they are invisible, and just as we trust that we have a brain in our heads, even though we cannot see it or sense it. We take God at His Word, which renews our minds to the eternal reality of things unseen as well as seen.

The Lord is embracing each of us now! Let us rest in this blessed hope that He who never leaves us nor forsakes us is ever embracing us in the firm grip of His love.

Heart to Head, not Head to Heart

In the body of Christ, we spend much of our time thinking about what’s on our mind. In fact, we need to reflect on what is on our heart. Better yet, we need to realize that our heart thinks and that we are called to live out the issues of life from our heart.

Preacher who teach on the power and preeminence of the thought life refer frequently to the following verse:

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." (Proverbs 23: 7)

So,what is on the heart of the believer?:

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

"And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)

Our heart is just fine, for those who have received the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have received a new heart (Ezekiel 11: 18), one which is in turn with the Lord God.

This revelation has set me free, more than any other teaching which I have recently received from preachers, pundits, and parishioners. Yet I still found that I struggled with angry, sad, fearful, dark thoughts. Romans is very clear about the danger of such thinking:

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8: 6)

We have no business pondering empty, hateful, foolish thinking. We must set our minds on things above (Colossians 3: 1), bringing all thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10: 5) We do this through the renewing of our minds, meditating on God's word, which are spirit and life:

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6: 63)

The words of God, they are life and peace -- it is the word of God, therefore, that we need to set our minds to -- not as a work. In fact, the word of God is planted in our hearts (James 1: 21), and grows and bears fruit.

But what do we do about fearful, anxious thoughts?

Philippians 4: 7-8 makes it very clear – "Be careful for nothing." Whatever recriminations you are flurried over or worrying about, they have no place taking up space in your head. If your mind is whirring about at ninety miles an hour, you are stilling walking by sight and not by faith, you are living by works, not by grace. We are not our thoughts, we are not our feelings, they merely reveal the man and woman that we are, or the focus us that we have chosen to exercise in our lives.

We need to focus on the status of our hearts, not our minds. Our minds need to be renewed to the truth, not our hearts. Every believer has received a new heart – we have God’s laws written on our hearts and minds.

What’s on our heart? Grace, for it is good for the heart to be established by grace:

"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." (Hebrews 13: 9)

We do not thing our way to holiness or wholeness. We do not control our thinking -- in fact, our thinking, the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit does not come through our thinking, but through our hearts:

"And let the peace of God [lit. Christ] rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

The peace of God guards our hearts and minds. We do not cast about within our limited intellect for the truth, for comfort, for direction. The Holy Spirit guides us, directs us, convicts the believer of righteousness, and so leads us in this path for the sake of the One who loved us and died for us.

In the Body of Christ today, the rhetoric is consumed with moving the knowledge of God from our heads to our heart. On the contrary, we need to renew our minds to the truth of who we are in Christ, who has established our heart and fitted us with His Word!

Our Timing is Off -- God's is Always Right On

We do not need to subdivide the day into more portions , for that will never ease man's inability to plan his day properly and safeguard his precious little time on this earth.
Let us learn from God the Father, who has all things in His hands.

For God, days and time are of no concern:

"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." (Psalm 90:4)

Man is limited by his physical being:

"For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." (Psalm 90: 9-10)

We have a limitless God who is leading and living among limited men. What can we do?:

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

"Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

"O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." (Psalm 90: 12-14)

If we feel that God is not moving fast enough, we must remember that God's mercy permits man ample time to repent (literally "change one's mind") and receive the grace of God delivered through us by the death of His Son Jesus Christ:

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 2:9)

and

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4)

We do not need more time, we need the Holy Spirit living within, leading us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake (Psalm 23:3)

. The Lord of all who has made this world and time, whose gentle guidance far better makes use of our limited life on this world, infuses us with the eternal life of His Son, who not only teaches us to number, or rather reckon, our days, and rest in His Finished Work!

Loved and Accepted in Christ

Believers will endure persecution from day to day in this life. Most people do not appreciate us, they tend to judge us harshly or unfairly, they look down on us, and in many cases when you try to do something good, they misunderstand what we have done and look for something to suspect.

Most Christians can easily slip into self-pity, complaining:

"All anybody wants is to be accepted and loved."

Most believers make it sound as if love and acceptance are distant and elusive goals. On the contrary, every believer already has full, infinite access to these two things:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings. He has chosen us long before we were ever born, or before there was even an earth. We are made perfect before Him, holy and blameless. God Himself has adopted us, making us one with Him. Above all, in direct refutation to the empty pleading of the preacher, God the Father has already accepted us, and He accepts us as if we were His own Son! Just before His trial and crucifixion, Jesus prayed to His Father:

"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17: 23)

Because we are in Christ, God looks at His Son, and He therefore see us! We have the same access before God that His own Son has:

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. " (Hebrews 4: 14-16)

Christ entered the Holy of Holies, representing us. He died for our sins, all of the, and now He sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, representing us, justifying us before God the Father. We receive this wonderful mystery through His Holy Spirit, who has born within us Christ Jesus (Galatians 4: 9)

Therefore, let us set our minds on things above, where Jesus is seated (Colossians 3: 1) If we would spend more time allowing our minds to be renewed to the Truth of Scripture. Let us renew our minds o the truth of Christ Jesus in us. Our exalted status in Him is more than enough to dispel low self-esteem, dejection, rejection, bitter thoughts, fears and tumults, or any other sense of inferiority!

God's Love is Everywhere for You

God is:

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11: 6)

 God is Love:

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4: 16)

 God is Everywhere:

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

"If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (Psalm 139: 7-8)

 and

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1: 9)

God's Love is Everywhere for You:

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." (1 John 4: 7)

and

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4: 9)

and

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

"Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4: 12-13)

Paul writes about the Holy Spirit, what He brings to the believer:

"1For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. " (Romans 14: 17)

In this love, we walk and obey God:

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

"(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)" (Ephesians 5: 8-9)

God's Love is Everywhere, and God is Everywhere in Love with us.

By His Word, He Lives Out His Life in Us

I have learned that I do not have to do anything, necessarily, but instead I meditate on God's Word:

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalm 1:2 )

By meditating on His Word, I remember who I am in Christ, that He lives and thrives in me, no matter how I feel, or what I may be thinking. I am not trying to live this life, although for every believer that becomes the great temptation, to believe -- falsely -- that we are all alone in the world, and that I must move on my own.

The life I live, this life is Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1: 27).

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14: 6). He knows the Way, He quickens me on the Way to Go, and He ascertains my Way in peace -- in Himself. 

I cannot be separated from Him, and I cannot lose my place in Him. I do not worry about sinning, for I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21), and by walking in His Spirit, I do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5: 16).

The real challenge for me, and fore every believer is to renew the mind to the truth of who I am in Christ, or otherwise I may fall into the temptation that I must do something in my own effort, as opposed to letting His life live out through me.

Yet even if I attempt in my own efforts to be obedient instead of believing on Him, which is the only work that I must do (John 6: 28-29), I rest in this promise:

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8: 1 NASB)

If I try, it means that I am under condemnation, that I must do something. Since I am now in this world as He is, there is no condemnation, even if in my mind I yield at any time to the spirit of error which deceives me into believing that which is not true. He is always there, always within me, always working within me, and my feelings or thoughts cannot war against the truth of who I am in Christ.

His Word takes up residence in every believer:

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3: 16)

His laws, the laws of life and liberty, are written on our hearts and minds:

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." (Hebrews 8: 10)

If we need a Word, the Holy Spirit within us will supply us what we need to know:

"For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." (Luke 12: 12)

and

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16: 13)

and

"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." (1 John 2: 27)

By His Word, The Word made flesh lives out His life in every believer!

The Faith That Makes Our Life Happen in Our Mind

The problem for every believer is that we frustrate the grace of God in our lives. How does this happen? By trying to be obedient:

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

"For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." (Galatians 5: 4-6)

So, I do not try to live this life. I receive by faith, taking God at His Word, trusting that He is and rewards those who desire Him, that He is working in me. Then I faced another issue: I still struggled with empty thoughts, fearful and pessimistic thinking. I would have negative emotions and thoughts from the past and fear for the future. I never knew what to do, because these bad thoughts would distract me.

Then I discovered that we have all that we need in our spirit man:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1: 3)

As for my body and mind, those I yield to Him for renewal:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

"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: 1-2)

 My body I submit to God, by faith trusting His Spirit to guide me, as He promised:

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16: 13)

 But there was still the matter of my mind. I still had bad thoughts, fearful thinking. What do I do about this?

The writer of Hebrews provided me the answer that would renew my mind:

"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 13-14)

There is no reason for a believer to live or dwell in guilt or shame. No matter what thoughts may fly at us, we have no reason to entertain them.

Meditation of the Heart: The Gospel

God promised to give His people a new heart:

"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

"That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11: 19-20)

The fullness of this promise is expounded for us in the Book of Hebrews:

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

"And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)

It is the Holy Spirit, the promise of God the Father (Acts 2: 33) which makes these wonderful transformations possible.

Now, we have a new heart. What is this new heart made of? According to most translations, it is a heart of flesh, yet scripture declares throughout that by the flesh no man will be justified (Romans 3: 20) In Christ, we have been made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5: 21).

So, what's going on? What is our new heart like? More recent translations render the verse thus:

'"I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart." (New Living Translation)

or

"I will remove their stubborn hearts and give them obedient hearts." (GODS WORD Translation)

In the original Hebrew, the world "flesh" is "בָּשָׂר basar", which can also be rendered "to bear good news, or glad tidings." This word is translated according to this verse where the Old Testament prophets declare the coming of the Messiah:

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" (Isaiah 52: 7)

Paul appropriates this passage when he describes the full armor of God:

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;" (Ephesians 6: 15)

Our stony heart--- which represents the law -- has been replaced with the Gospel of grace! The writer confirms the new fundamental element of grace for our hearts:

"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." (Hebrews 13: 9)

As we meditate on God's Word, let us rest in the assurance that what our spirit declares will bless us:

"The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips." (Proverbs 16: 23)

and

"My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding." (Psalm 49: 3)

Today, on your heart is written the Good News of God's eternal forgiveness and everlasting righteousness. Renew your mind to this truth daily, and never sorrow again!

Do Not Try To Be Who You Are in Him

The more that I tried to be anything in this life, the worse things seem to get. Simply put, I was trying too hard! I was trying, instead of abiding in Christ, as He abides in me (John 15: 1-5)

 I am good at whatever I put my hands to, for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4: 13) and He supplies all my needs according to His infinite riches (Philippians 4: 19). I am able and skilled to do all things. I have His peace and good will within me to do all things:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Romans 5: 1)

Christ died on the Cross for me, that I may receive peace -- Christ Himself:

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." (Ephesians 2: 14)

Of course, peace is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit, through whom Christ comes to live in us:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace”(Galatians 5: 22)

To every believer, this is truth. He lives in everyone of us, and it is He who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 13)

Then why did I struggle with uncomfortable emotions, doubts, and fears? Because I did not know who I was, and in this world, it can be easy to forget who you are:

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4: 4)

Christ is within me! But there's more:

"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." (1 John 4: 17)

And then:

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John 5: 4)

 So my faith overcomes the world, and all of its troubles and hardships. Yet what am I supposed to be doing? I still get stuck in "my part", always waiting for some sign, something outside of me to tell  me what was the right or the wrong thing for me to do.

 Then I learned what, or rather whose faith lives in me:

"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.

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

 It is Christ who now lives in me. His life animates me. I am not living this life -- it is Christ who lives in me, who leads me, who guides me and every believer.

Have Faith in God, Not in Your Faith

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." (Job 13: 15)

Job was an upright man, but not a righteous one. Abraham received righteousness in the eyes of the Lord because he believed on Him (cf Genesis 15: 6), not for anything that the Patriarch did, said, or even thought, beyond taking the Lord God at His Word.

Job still stood by "his own ways," still insisting on coming to God on his terms.

It is His Word that sustains us, that maintains us, that retains us through all things:

"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." (Psalm 119: 60)

And also in the Old Testament, the prophet writes:

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55: 11)

Jesus affirmed the eternity and power of His Word:

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4: 4)

Jesus the preached in the Sermon on the Mount:

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5: 18)

and

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17: 17)

Later, the apostle Paul affirmed:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3: 16)

And Peter also wrote:

"But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1: 25)

Too many believers are trusting in their tenacity, in their strong sentiment, or in the right burst of emotional verve in order to move God. It's not about how much, how often, how strong we

God is already moving; we need to trust in Him, not in our trust in Him:

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12: 3)

We have the same measure of faith.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." (Galatians 5: 22)

Faith is a fruit of the Spirit, which He brings forth in us as we abide in Christ:

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." (John 15: 4)

And the gift of faith is ministered to us by the Power of the Holy Spirit:

"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12: 4)

Later followed by:

"To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;" (1 Corinthians 12: 9)

In fact, unlike Job, who lived before "the mediator" whom he sought had come (Job 9: 33), we have the one mediator living within us, and by His faith do we live:

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2: 5)

and then. . .

"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)


It's not the amount of faith, but the Person whom we believe in that counts. It's not our ways that maintain us, but the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14: 6) who lives in us, whose faith moves us, who prospers us as we receive from Him!

Have faith in God, not in your own faith, because He has given it to you already! And we are called to walk by this faith! (2 Corinthians 5: 7, Galatians 2: 20)

Love Perfected Casts Out Fear

While I was talking with a pastor friend of mine, he shared with me that he had been counseling a young man who was struggling with fear. Like that young man, I had contended with many fears throughout my life.

When I was struggling with fear in my life, another friend quoted to me one of Paul's verses on fear:

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1: 7)

Right away, I could then accept by faith that the fears in my life were not from God, nor where the spirits of caution to protect me from doing something. I also learned that the fears in my life were not caused by other people:

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; " (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5)

Yet the fears persisted. I began to meditate on John's verse about fear:

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)

Here, "perfect" would be better translated as "completed" or "perfected." This love speaks of God's love for us, not our love for God or for anyone else:

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

and

"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. " (1 John 4: 17)

Because we are like God (1 John 3: 1-3), we know that we have His love, for He loves us as much as He loves His own Son (John 17: 23). When the believer receives this growing revelation of God's love, a man's fear is cast out. Fear cannot be reasoned away through his thinking, but by the gracious of love of God we see every fear cast out of our lives.

This love has been perfected for us by the death of His Son, the gift so great, that we can believe with certainty that every other need will be met in our lives with Him (Romans 8: 31)

The only thing, therefore, that can delude us into losing this perfect love is to believe the lie that this love is not perfected, that Christ has done everything for us to receive His love shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5: 5), to be ignorant of the truth that the Holy Spirit within us bears the fruit of God's love in our lives (Galatians 5: 22)

We may feel afraid, a whisper of a lie from Satan, a discouraged unbeliever, or even our circumstances may cause us to believe that God does not love us, but He already has loved us, and by His Spirit, the life we live, we live by the faith of the Son of God in our lives (Galatians 2: 20)

The job of a believer, then, is to trust God's Word in the face of trials, to rejoice in Him always (Philippians 4: 4), to count it all joy, whether we face hardships or not (James 1: 2-3)

God's perfected love is already in the believer. We do not have to do anything to remove fear from our lives. Instead, let us pray to the Lord that He will open the eyes of our understanding to know by faith the riches that we have through Him (Ephesians 1: 17-19), and that we would be strengthened by faith in our inner man to receive a greater understanding of God's love for us (Ephesians 3: 16-19), the love that casts out every fear in our lives.

You Already Dwell in Him (So Stop Trying)

Abiding in Christ Jesus is essential for every believer:

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 4-5)

Bearing fruit is important for the believer, for that is what we are called to do:

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (Romans 7: 4)

Where does the authority come from, for us to bear fruit? In the name of Jesus our Savior, we receive this call and commission:

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15: 16)

Yet this fruit is already within us through Christ Jesus:

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

"That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

"Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1: 9-11)

So, He wants us to bear fruit, but He is the one bearing it within us. Our "job", therefore, is to abide. But how do I abide in Him?

Let's refer back to the one work which Jesus impressed on His followers:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)

If you are a believer, you are already abiding:

"Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4: 13)

How do we know that we have His spirit? By our confession:

"Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Corinthians 12: 3)

John confirms the central role of our confession of faith and trust in Christ:

"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4: 15-16)

So, what are we then supposed to do, exactly? Christ bears the fruit, Christ lives in us to bear the fruit, He is our life (John 14: 6). We do not have to try and abide in Him, since by faith we already do.

In fact, when we try to abide in Him through our own efforts, we frustrate His grace in our lives:

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 21)

Later in the same epistle, Paul explains how we can inadvertently frustrate God's grace in our lives:

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5: 4)

We are called to believe on Him, to meditate on His Word, and walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5: 16). The believer is called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18) We focus on Him, we walk in His love (Ephesians 5: 8), and He leads us to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 13)

In Christ, We Are "Too Much To Walk On!"

One of the most powerful exhortations I ever received as a teacher was from another teacher.

 One day, I yelled at a group of students who were not listening to me, tracing a line across my chest:

"Does it say ‘doormat’ here?"

Half-jokingly, another teacher told me: "I'll tell you what it says: ‘Too much man to walk on!’"

After reading the scripture, I discovered that this promise is open to all who believe on Jesus Christ.

Paul the apostle writes:

 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2:4-6)

From the moment a believer is born again, he sits currently, presently, and eternally with Christ in high places, at the right hand, the place of honor, next to God the Father.

The Gospel of John records the Forever Triumph of Jesus Christ for us:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Jesus made this calm, bold declaration even before dying on the Cross, the death sealed permanent his success and our glory!

John would write in his First epistle the blessed implications of this exalted status for all believers:

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (1 John 2:5-6)

 We should walk as He walked, which we do by the power of the Holy Spirit. How does this transfer into unending victory for the believer in Christ?

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. " (1 John 4:4)

 And

"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." (1 John 4:17)

 Whatever trial you are facing, whatever troubles that seem to be overtaking you, we can rest in Christ, knowing and believing that in Him, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8: 37)By the power of Holy Spirit, because of Christ's forever-atoning sacrifice, every believer can boldly say:

"In Christ, I am too much man to walk on!"

Live out Love, Not Live out of Fear.

Every believer enters into God and His love by faith:

"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4: 15-16)

We were made for love, to be filled and fruitful in God's love:

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 4-5)"

We are made to walk in love, and we make it in this world by living in God’s love for us as children of light, sons and daughters of the living  God through Christ Jesus:

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

"(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)" (Ephesians 5: 8-9)

I used to live in fear, goading myself to do good or bad based on what the consequences would be.

Yet no matter what I did, I could not make myself righteous:

"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3: 11)

Yet because of Jesus' death on the Cross, I do not have to entertain such hateful or fearful thoughts:

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 14)

"Dead works" speaks of our attempts to earn our righteousness, which must be received by faith as a gift.

 Then I learned about the fullness of God’s love for me at the Cross:

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

What does this accord to every believer in Him, regarding our fear. John explains later in the chapter:
"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.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. " (1 John 4: 17-18)

We live by the love of God, which is shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5), and is the first listed fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22) and we are assured of this because He has given us a new heart (Hebrews 8: 10-12). This heart grants us confidence:

"Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (1 John 3: 21)

We no longer meditate or fix in our minds in order to ascertain the truth. Instead, we rest in the grace of God -- which establishes our heart (Hebrews 13: 9). Thus we have no fear. We are no longer motivated by the letter, which kills, but by the Spirit, which gives life (2 Corinthians 3: 6)

Do no live out of fear, for His perfect love within you have already cast it out.. Live out His Love in you by Faith, for God is love, He dwells in you, and as you dwell in Him, you cannot help but live out His life!

Discover the Champion in You -- He is not You!

“Discover the Champion in You!”


This mantra opens up a popular religious broadcast every Sunday.

If any of us looking within ourselves for a champion, we will find despair or a lot of hot air:


"They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14: 3)


Jesus Christ taught that what was in man was not something worth discovering:


"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." (Matthew 15: 18)


We do not need to discover a champion within ourselves. All that fallen man can find is . . . a fallen man! Hardly a champion, we are dead in our trespasses.


We can receive a champion greater than anything we could ever imagine, one who can rescue us from our dead and lost state, and seat us in the highest status in the universe:


"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,


"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)


"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:


"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.


"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:


"Not of works, lest any man should boast.


"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2: 4-10)


He brings us from death to life, He seats in high places, above all principalities and powers (Colossians 2: 15) He showers on us His exceeding riches of grace and mercy, and not only that, but He fashions us for works, which He has already set in place for us to do!


This is not self-actualization, not one bit of it! We are Christ's, and Christ is God's!


We need to know who we are in Christ:


"As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)


And


"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4: 13)


He is our Champion, Christ. We need to discover more of this Blessed Person, and if He does not live in you, receive Him by grace through faith, believing in your heart, confessing out your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10: 17)!