Monday, March 2, 2015

The Pressure is Gone: No More Condemnation

Do the problems of the world weigh on your shoulders?

What does the Bible say about the world?

"He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing." (Job 26: 7)

and yet

"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)

and also

"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)

We are more than conquerors today in Christ Jesus, who loved us, and gave Himself for us (Romans 8: 37; Galatians 2: 20-21)

If there is pressure in your lives

The proof of God's love of caring is the Cross, and that all that Jesus did at the Cross was far more than anything we can understand just by one cursory reading of the Bible.

When Peter writes that we are to "Grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord" (2 Peter 3: 18), this includes an expanded awareness of all that happened at the Cross. What Jesus did when He died, and when He rose again, and now that He his seated at the right hand of God the Father, requires us to read the Word and learn more about our inheritance in Christ Jesus!

This is not about our doing something about feelings of fear and tumult. Paul meant when he said: "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16)

We do not bring him into our lives. The pressure is not on us, but on Jesus, for He wants to take care of everything:

"6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5: 6-7)

He isalready here and there and everywhere taking care of us. The pressure is off.

The Cross was the proof then and now of God's undying, unending love for me.

As for the pressure, let us realize today that all of this pressure is mere condemnation, pure and simple, as though everything depended on us. What does the Bible say?

"1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youa free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8: 1-2, NIV)

There is no condemnation, because all the condemnation was paid for (Colossians 2: 13-15)

Today, we have His life in us (Colossians 3: 1-4), and thus we have nothing to be afraid of.

This is not our life, and all things do not depend on us. They depend on Him who has been from the beginning! (1 John 2: 12-14)

I kept thinking that I had to resolve the fears and upsets in my head. The truth is that all of these matters have been taken care of, regardless of our feelings.

We believe in the testimony of God our Father and His Son, not because of some leap of fancy, but because of the written word and the evidence in science and history which affirms these accounts.

The pressure is gone because of the Cross, where all the condemnation was eaten away forever.

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