There is a popular saying
that runs the gamut of Christian circles in every century of time. It claims
that we do not want to be “so spiritually minded that we are no earthly good”.
That is a lie from the pit of hell. Look at Noah...He preached for 120 years
and he and his sons spent much of that time building an ark big enough to
protect anyone who wanted to be saved. However, since it had never rained
before this time, people scoffed at them as if they were so spiritually minded
they were no earthly good. Well, who had the last laugh in that scenario?
Many wanted to get aboard
the ark after it started raining, but it was too late. God already closed the
door (Genesis 7:16). Many who claim the name of
Christ in their life are oblivious to the destruction they inflict upon the
Kingdom of God by their words and actions (Matthew 7:16-23). A shallow consent to accept Christ brings no real
change to our life and requires no surrender for the glory of God. Authentic Christians can
never be content with participating in ritualistic, religious motions. We seek
relevance in every aspect of our life.
If
something is not Christ-centered, we have no interest in it. Our spirit, and
also our soul are grieved by anything that grieves Christ, because He dwells
within us in all of His fullness. We refrain from participating in anything
that is remotely sinful. We exhibit the fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians
5:22-23),
which is the result of the refining fire of His sanctifying process in our
life. We no longer live in the fleshly, carnal, worldly realm of life. If we
do, we do not belong to Christ (1 John 3:9).
The
Bible declares that if anyone claims to be a Christian, yet lives a worldly
life, they are liars (Romans 8:9; 1 John 2:4). You might believe in God.
You may have been convicted of your sin. You may like going to church and
listening to religious music. However, you are not Born Again. Even demons
believe and tremble at the name of Christ (James 2:19). If we are Born Again, we
live by the Spirit of God in everything we think, say and do (Romans
8:9). There is continual intimacy with the living Lord and growth in our
character and actions, which are led by His Spirit.
Salvation
is not an end in itself. It is the beginning of a whole new life (2 Corinthians
5:17). It is useless to attempt to become a better human
being. Self-help methods will never allow us to exchange our carnality with the
fruit of God’s Spirit. We are simply the branches. He is the Vine, which
connects us to the life-giving flow of God’s supernatural power to enhance our
life. Our humanity is already dead with Christ in God. God is love and if He
abides in us completely, we have no need to strive to show love to others. His
love fills us and overflows into the lives of everyone we meet.
Christ in us expresses the
fruit of the Spirit in and through us. We are a vessel containing the living Lord of the
universe with all the dynamic power of the triune God resident within us (Ephesians
3:20). We are
no longer in love with our self. We are no longer addicted to sin and we lay
down our idols – anything, which we want
more than God.
We submit to the total control of the Spirit of God. We get our self off the
throne of our life and put God in His rightful place.
So,
this is the bottom line: Get off the fence! Commit your life wholly and
completely to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Make a difference in His Kingdom by
following the leading of His Spirit moment by moment throughout the day. Fall
in love with Jesus. Living in the center of God’s will is the happiest place on
earth.
Prayer:
Lord
Jesus, the only person that may call him/her self a Christian is one with a
vital and vibrant intimate union with You. If we live according to our own
plans for the day and work You into them, we gravely miss every opportunity to
allow You to work Your plans through us. Remind us to converse with You moment
by moment throughout the day. You orchestrate the adventures in our life to
fulfill Your purpose in us. We hunger and thirst for a deeper relationship with
You, so that we may walk in the fullness of Your Spirit and allow You to
accomplish Your will in and through us.
Thought for the Day:
Total submission to the control of Christ in our
daily life is the next step after our salvation. Has that happened in your
life? – 1 Corinthians 15:22-28
