One thing that those who mean business with God will experience, is the work of the Holy Spirit in helping us to empty ourselves in order that Christ may be enlarged in us.
This will be His continual focus, as the Holy Spirit, as far as He relates to believers, lives to remove and weaken our self life in order that Christ may be formed in us. That is the end result of all that God has for us, and it's an enormous undertaking; one that will continue on into eternity.
What we must understand to cooperate with the Holy Spirit is there is nothing in us that He can work with. Nothing good dwells in the flesh, and the sooner we accept that, the sooner we and God can get on with His purpose for us.
No matter how good we may seem when compared to other human beings, no matter what we may consider as good intentions or clean living, all of it is unclean before the Lord, who is the only true light.
In other words, from our fallen nature we have absolutely nothing to offer God but our hearts. That's it. Even there our hearts can be deceptive, and we can't trust anything about ourselves as it relates to God.
If we will embrace the work of the cross within us, we will find that God will have a place to do the work of conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. If not, He will continue to work and wait until we're ready to surrender all to Him. Saying we are ready to surrender, or singing we're ready to surrender all, doesn't mean we are in fact surrendering all.
The Holy Spirit is perfect in being able to reveal that by putting us through difficulties. It is in the hard times of life that we find out where we are really at. There is where God can do some work if we're willing to abide in Him while we go through our struggles.
Many Christians unnecessarily harden their hearts or are clueless as to the ways of God as they relate to finding a place to build Christ within the believer. If we are willing to see, we will discover and understand that it is in the struggles of life that the Holy Spirit finds a place in us to do His work.
Embracing that reality won't make it any easier, but it will work out the peaceable fruit of righteousness, where we can graciously be quiet and restful within even if our outer world seems to be falling apart.
All of it is for the glory of God in that we continually grow more and more like Jesus. The key is self-emptying, and the Holy Spirit is able to help you in that if you open your heart to Him.
Showing posts with label Self Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Life. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Possibly never since the time that Christ came into the world have people been ready for a move of God that reveals to them who Christ really is. That can only come about from the people that truly believe in Jesus Christ.
Now when I say the world is ready for the real church, I'm not talking about denominations or certain types of outward manifestations of religiousness which has little inward life to it. The people of God are completely wrapped up and identified with Christ if they are real about their faith, and the two can't be separated.
So when the idea of the real church is suggested, it's not primarily referring to any type of outward way of doing things or an intellectually-based belief system. Rather it's a people that are in living union and obedience with and to Christ, and who are part of those called out of the world and themselves to serve the living and only God.
It's also not talking about an institution, a building, or a organization that is based upon anything in this world. We're talking about a people that have taken on the characteristics of Christ Himself, who is not of this world or influenced by its purpose or priorities. The world after all is under the power and dominion of Satan.
Don't be discouraged by that last statement though, as the world is completely different than the earth from a Biblical point of view, as the "earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." The world is basically Satan and his imprint living in and through unredeemed man. It's personified by government force and control, which is Satan's biggest means of attempting to control and dominate man; including those bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Having started off with the idea of the world being ready for the real church, it must be understood that first Jesus Christ must reach out and gather to Himself those you proclaim Him but are deceived as to their salvation or are perpetual babes who only have their fire insurance. Once that is completed, from there He will strategically bring those together around the world into localities where He will begin to reveal and express Himself to the world, causing great numbers to respond.
This won't have anything to do with big shows, meetings and personalities, but rather a local push where a large impact will be made, but in a way that is largely under the national radar of a specific nation. Collectively it'll be huge, but locally it'll be less noticeable.
That will eventually grow as the followers of Jesus Christ find one another on a larger basis, which will allow for more significant impact around the world. None of this will result in a new denomination or any other such sin, but will be based upon fellowship that produces even more of Christ in the participants.
Ultimately, in that fellowship based solely upon the person of Jesus Christ, we'll see an alternative world appear in this one. A world with increasing righteousness and holiness; one that impacts all areas of life, starting with individuals, moving into the family, and then into neighborhoods, cities, states, and everywhere around the world.
This unstoppable life with also have an impact on all other areas of life, including business, government, media, and all other legitimate areas that must be redeemed for the Master's glory and use.
It will require death to the self, commitment to Jesus Christ and one another, and the supernatural love of Christ Himself shaping and forming a people to reveal Him to the world and invisible principalities and powers.
The failure of governments, corruption of crony capitalism, and the growth of false leaders who proclaim to be Christians but are really wolves in sheep's clothing, has brought people to a place of despair, which has opened doors to their hearts for those willing to embrace and take on Jesus Christ and His purpose.
Already there have been rumblings of this happening around the world; all of which is completely outside of denominations and institutional churches of all types, and also is not happening within buildings falsely called churches. All of this comes from people getting a scent of Christ, and understanding that He doesn't dwell in temples made with hands. Period!
More than that though, the people of God are understanding they must be completely out of the influence of the world if they and their children will have a chance to grow in the grace and commands of God almighty.
That means finding new ways of educating their children; sharing the life of Christ together; a completely different world view; and seeing Christ as a living being that dwells within them, shaping and conforming them to His image, and then ready to express that very image into a hungry and thirsty world looking for answers. It can only be found in a people 100 percent committed to Jesus Christ. That is something He will commit to and back up.
The question now is are believers ready for what Jesus Christ has always wanted to be and do in them. Are there those out there that even care about the fact that the fields are white to harvest, and have been since Jesus declared it about 2,000 years ago. Are there believers committed completely to Christ in a way that they will be willing to do whatever He wills to accomplish what He desires? Are you one of them?
Since the world is ready for the real church, which is another way of saying it is ready for Christ to manifest Himself in a people, than we all must answer the question of if we are ready to heed that call for such a time as this.
If we are, then there is absolutely nothing that should or will be able to stand in the way of being and doing whatever it takes to bring about and meet His purpose and satisfaction.
For those wanting to answer the call of the Spirit of the Living God, it will require going outside the religious camp and bearing His shame, as He did when He was crucified.
There can be nothing unreal or false in us who are called to walk as He did. Only that type of believer can ever work with Christ to bring about all that He has looked for from before the foundation of the world.
He yearns and cries out for those who will completely lay down their lives to attain His goal; not people talking about it and getting excited, but a people that will do it. The world is ready for that. Are you?
Now when I say the world is ready for the real church, I'm not talking about denominations or certain types of outward manifestations of religiousness which has little inward life to it. The people of God are completely wrapped up and identified with Christ if they are real about their faith, and the two can't be separated.
So when the idea of the real church is suggested, it's not primarily referring to any type of outward way of doing things or an intellectually-based belief system. Rather it's a people that are in living union and obedience with and to Christ, and who are part of those called out of the world and themselves to serve the living and only God.
It's also not talking about an institution, a building, or a organization that is based upon anything in this world. We're talking about a people that have taken on the characteristics of Christ Himself, who is not of this world or influenced by its purpose or priorities. The world after all is under the power and dominion of Satan.
Don't be discouraged by that last statement though, as the world is completely different than the earth from a Biblical point of view, as the "earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." The world is basically Satan and his imprint living in and through unredeemed man. It's personified by government force and control, which is Satan's biggest means of attempting to control and dominate man; including those bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Having started off with the idea of the world being ready for the real church, it must be understood that first Jesus Christ must reach out and gather to Himself those you proclaim Him but are deceived as to their salvation or are perpetual babes who only have their fire insurance. Once that is completed, from there He will strategically bring those together around the world into localities where He will begin to reveal and express Himself to the world, causing great numbers to respond.
This won't have anything to do with big shows, meetings and personalities, but rather a local push where a large impact will be made, but in a way that is largely under the national radar of a specific nation. Collectively it'll be huge, but locally it'll be less noticeable.
That will eventually grow as the followers of Jesus Christ find one another on a larger basis, which will allow for more significant impact around the world. None of this will result in a new denomination or any other such sin, but will be based upon fellowship that produces even more of Christ in the participants.
Ultimately, in that fellowship based solely upon the person of Jesus Christ, we'll see an alternative world appear in this one. A world with increasing righteousness and holiness; one that impacts all areas of life, starting with individuals, moving into the family, and then into neighborhoods, cities, states, and everywhere around the world.
This unstoppable life with also have an impact on all other areas of life, including business, government, media, and all other legitimate areas that must be redeemed for the Master's glory and use.
It will require death to the self, commitment to Jesus Christ and one another, and the supernatural love of Christ Himself shaping and forming a people to reveal Him to the world and invisible principalities and powers.
The failure of governments, corruption of crony capitalism, and the growth of false leaders who proclaim to be Christians but are really wolves in sheep's clothing, has brought people to a place of despair, which has opened doors to their hearts for those willing to embrace and take on Jesus Christ and His purpose.
Already there have been rumblings of this happening around the world; all of which is completely outside of denominations and institutional churches of all types, and also is not happening within buildings falsely called churches. All of this comes from people getting a scent of Christ, and understanding that He doesn't dwell in temples made with hands. Period!
More than that though, the people of God are understanding they must be completely out of the influence of the world if they and their children will have a chance to grow in the grace and commands of God almighty.
That means finding new ways of educating their children; sharing the life of Christ together; a completely different world view; and seeing Christ as a living being that dwells within them, shaping and conforming them to His image, and then ready to express that very image into a hungry and thirsty world looking for answers. It can only be found in a people 100 percent committed to Jesus Christ. That is something He will commit to and back up.
The question now is are believers ready for what Jesus Christ has always wanted to be and do in them. Are there those out there that even care about the fact that the fields are white to harvest, and have been since Jesus declared it about 2,000 years ago. Are there believers committed completely to Christ in a way that they will be willing to do whatever He wills to accomplish what He desires? Are you one of them?
Since the world is ready for the real church, which is another way of saying it is ready for Christ to manifest Himself in a people, than we all must answer the question of if we are ready to heed that call for such a time as this.
If we are, then there is absolutely nothing that should or will be able to stand in the way of being and doing whatever it takes to bring about and meet His purpose and satisfaction.
For those wanting to answer the call of the Spirit of the Living God, it will require going outside the religious camp and bearing His shame, as He did when He was crucified.
There can be nothing unreal or false in us who are called to walk as He did. Only that type of believer can ever work with Christ to bring about all that He has looked for from before the foundation of the world.
He yearns and cries out for those who will completely lay down their lives to attain His goal; not people talking about it and getting excited, but a people that will do it. The world is ready for that. Are you?
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Nothing is more important and vital to the Christian walk than death to self, and yet few people really search the Lord out for this valuable experience, which can only happen over a period of years ... and with much pain and suffering.
As Madame Jeanne Guyon said:
We must go beyond the objective and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, whereby we were buried with Him in death. That must be then embraced in a subjective way, having it worked our practically in our walk with the Lord.
The end of all of this, as in the eternal purpose of God, is that He may be all in all. That requires a deep and devastating work of the cross on our self. We must lose our lives in order to find Him deep within our spirit, where He dwells.
If not, we will live an endless life of frustration and ineffectiveness, or even deception, whereby we believe we're living for God, when in fact we're living from ourselves.
This requires experience, which results in the ability to discern what is of God and what is not of God.
The more you pursue Christ in order to get close to Him, the more of your self you'll have dealt with, as the closer you get to the center of your spirit where Christ dwells, the less of your self can survive.
Remember, the end of the purpose of God is to be all in all. That leaves none of self left.
That doesn't mean we lose our personhood, as in our patience we retain our souls. What it means is we lose our self. Our self lives and being a person are two different things.
The bottom line is we're to be alive unto God in Christ. We no longer live, but Christ lives in us.
As Madame Jeanne Guyon said:
It is only by a total death to self that we can experience the state of Divine union, and be lost in God.The scriptures also teach "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:39
We must go beyond the objective and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, whereby we were buried with Him in death. That must be then embraced in a subjective way, having it worked our practically in our walk with the Lord.
The end of all of this, as in the eternal purpose of God, is that He may be all in all. That requires a deep and devastating work of the cross on our self. We must lose our lives in order to find Him deep within our spirit, where He dwells.
If not, we will live an endless life of frustration and ineffectiveness, or even deception, whereby we believe we're living for God, when in fact we're living from ourselves.
This requires experience, which results in the ability to discern what is of God and what is not of God.
The more you pursue Christ in order to get close to Him, the more of your self you'll have dealt with, as the closer you get to the center of your spirit where Christ dwells, the less of your self can survive.
Remember, the end of the purpose of God is to be all in all. That leaves none of self left.
That doesn't mean we lose our personhood, as in our patience we retain our souls. What it means is we lose our self. Our self lives and being a person are two different things.
The bottom line is we're to be alive unto God in Christ. We no longer live, but Christ lives in us.
Friday, January 25, 2008
To answer that question we must go to the end. And what is the end. The final step and result of everything in connection to His purpose in creating man is that He may be all in all.
There is no other vision greater than this for Him, that's the end.
Of course the question then arises: How do we get there?
The answer is through a lifetime of God bringing us through circumstances that deal with our selfishness. I could call it the old man, the flesh ... but in the end, it's just another way of saying self, selfishness, self-centeredness and caring only about yourself.
Those looking for something far better than the man-created religious systems of our day, will never be able to bring forth something better, if the self isn't dealt with. The only way self is dealt with is by embracing willingly the inner work of the cross of Jesus Christ.
This is one of the reason so many things, even in the over 30 years I've been outside the religious system, and fellowshipping with those on a similar journey, who are looking - like Abraham, for a city whose builder and maker is God, have fallen by the wayside.
It doesn't take long amongst a group of people who have to face the reality of living close together, to find out they aren't very lovable. God doesn't love us because we're lovable, but because He's love.
One of the reasons so many people resist moving into what they instinctually know is the way of God, is because they understand there will be a great cost if they do.
The reason those who do go out and make the attempt fail, is because of their self life.
Self is so strong, it takes the extraordinary weakening through the work of the cross to become a human being of the type the Lord is looking for, not through our work of effort, but from taking everything that comes our way as from the hand of God Himself.
The Lion from the tribe of Judah overcame not because he was a lion, but because He was the lamb of God. It's the lamb that overcomes. It's the work of the cross within us that will eventually bring forth the life and image of Christ.
We must ask Him to help us hold to Him and keep our hearts open before Him as He does His work within us. We aren't even able to do that. We are totally and completely dependent on Jesus and we need to ask Him for his grace and mercy in order to walk on the path He has set before us.
The weaker we become in our self life, the stronger he'll become within us, and the more we'll be able to walk in the fellowship and extraordinary life He as also planned for us in Him. When we are weakest, He is the strongest. We need Him to be strong, not ourselves.
All that He wants for Himself in us will never happen if these things aren't part of our lives.
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