- Sep 27, 2007
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Here is a question we all need to ponder. If Love is the real acid test of our Christianity, how are we doing?
We are told that love is the true test of the validity of our Christian walk. Not our doctrine. Not our church affiliation. It is simply whether we love God with all of our hearts and whether we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Some say this is a moot point because God sees us as holy, then regardless, all is fine. But is that really the truth?
Let’s be real here. In the book of Acts, men would exclaimed those in the early church "Behold how they love one another!" The love of God was manifested through them so that God would be glorified. Can we honestly say the same, or are we reduced to hiding under our "positional" love when it cannot be seen by any in the world? Is it any wonder they often call us hypocrites? As was foretold, the children of darkness are wiser than the children of light. Ah, but there is good news…. not for long!
Is our situation irreversible? Absolutely not. God longs to make us fruitful, and adorn us with love, joy, peace, and yes, praise God, even self control for those overcome by black addictive sins as I was. BUT..... these fruits cannot grow in the rocky soul of the flesh nature. We must finally bow low before our God and admit what is obvious to everyone except ourselves. We are NOT loving God with all of our hearts. Nor are we loving others as we love ourselves. Self still rules the roost and self must die.
We have heard the call to pick up our cross and deny ourselves. But how?? We cannot kill it, discipline it, ignore it, or tie it up tight enough to allow us to let God love through us. There is a narrow way, and obviously the early church was walking in it. What are we missing? Look, as long as we refuse to admit we need an infusion of God’s love, it will never happen, for it is only when we finally break before Him and cry out for Him to fill us and change us with out WHOLE heart will we find what we so desperately need. Let us remember, He dwells with those who are of a contrite heart, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
When we finally confess to Him that we need new hearts, loving hearts, hearts that He can FULLY possess, we will witness..... no, no..... be a part of... the greatest move of God the world has ever seen, and yes, that includes the book of Acts. Impossible, you say? Look, I get it, in this age of a Christianity that only wants to tickle our ears, how can we ever hope to see the joy of our salvation brought back from lukewarm to a full boil, spilling out on others. Many see only the great falling away, and not the promised end gathering that will precede our Lord’s return.
But praise God, even now the Lord is beginning to awaken us to what He has for us in these last days. We as His church have not been born in unity, power, and great love, only to see us limp across the finish line, with self quite intact, sin still overcoming us, with the world laughing at our multitude of divisions, which we call denominations, all bickering and arguing.
And why has this sad state occurred? It is simple. We have limited the Holy one of Israel by our unbelief. We have become satisfied with having our names written in Heaven, but with precious few truly lamenting their fleshliness or hungering after God to change us from the inside out. Jesus has promised to set us free indeed and longs to according to HIS definition, not ours. He has assured us that He will keep us from falling and He will change us from carnal children to overcoming saints. This is our destiny. But we simply have not believed it possible.
But that is all about to change. No more trading our birthright of walking as true overcomers for a mess of pottage. It is time we take possession of the land He has promised us. No more running laps in the wilderness of worldliness, compromise and lukewarm Sunday-go-to-church Christianity. It makes God sick. Should it not do the same to us? He is awakening us to who we are, and who He is in us. And when we do… and believe me, we will, the world will again say "Look! That which bore only briars and thorns has become again like the garden of Eden!" I cannot wait! How about you?
Let it be so, Lord. We are dry bones, but praise God, life is about to flow through us again. The world will marvel, but praise God, we will marvel more. Amaze us Lord with how potent your grace really is. Open our blinded eyes and break our satisfied hearts. Let us, like Paul, see ourselves as wretched men without real victory. And to all who do, wash away their unbelief and realize that we serve the God who will do abundantly above and beyond all that we ask or even think.
Live, bones, live.
Blessings to all.
Gideon
Nearly all of the Christians I speak with will agree that we should love everyone and put on a pretty good show until you bring up patriotism, war, capital punishment, and sitting on juries condemning the enemies of society. The vast majority of these loving Christians are all about "love" until you cross the line of self-defense or gun ownership to protect against intruders. These loving Christians will invariably return to the Old Testament to prove that God is really okay with murder in certain circumstances of which they are so thankful. Constantine and Augustine opened this Pandora's Box and Christians jump for joy at this new freedom to kill and condemn.
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