Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 86
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
It
seems like I am constantly saying, “It’s the fundamentals (building blocks)
that are so critical, yet it is the fundamentals (building blocks) that seem so
lacking in the lives of so many Christians.”
And therefore, life for them is like the house built on the sand that
falls badly. In one of the simplest, but
yet so critical writings in Michael’s book, this day’s examination of John 3:6-7
is profound. See if you “own” the fundamental
truths from this lesson…
DAY 201
Malfunction
Flesh gives birth to
flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying you must be born again. --John 3:6, 7
There
was something inherently wrong with man from the start.
Man could not, as he was
created, provide God with what He wanted, which was someone to love,
someone with whom to fellowship, and someone that understood His heart. Man was created with a weak
spirit that could either be drawn to heaven or attracted to things of the
world. The lusts of the fleshly soul looked to everything outside the spirit
for fulfillment; in short, it was fed by the world. Man lived in the fantasy
that fulfillment and happiness could come through the world's events and
offerings.
Upon
receiving a new born-again spirit, the Spirit overcame the outer life’s appeal, and man
could now begin to be filled within and be freed from what the world offers.
"Out of your innermost
being will flow rivers of living water.” At this point man had something much more significant in
common with God than with the world, and the reality of the things of God could
be sought by man. There was now fellowship on a much deeper level as what it
meant to be made in the image of God became revealed. Life was no longer found in the
fantasy but in the reality of giving, serving, loving, forgiving, and
redeeming; for now he was content to die an unknown, die abused, die without
money, die losing, and die totally free.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Michael uses a succinct title…”malfunction”…to set
the stage for writing about the devastation of:
1.
A person who hasn’t been Born Again and received
the Spirit of Christ.
2.
A Christian who hasn’t learned or grasped the
fundamental truths (building blocks) that are a part of life as a Christian
that provide the Life to be lived that overcomes all the world throws at us.
Both are a malfunction of God’s intended life for
mankind.
A person without Christ is simply flesh. A Christian has the new born-again Spirit,
Christ’s Spirit. And “rivers of living
water,” Christ’s life, can flow out of the Christian who is aware of His Life
within and will allow Him to “be” what the flesh can never be.
And one of the most important aspects of enjoying
Christ’s life is to know that through Him we can understand God’s heart (what
the NT calls His “will”). The very
meaning of the Greek word behind “will” describes God’s heart on a matter. It is not a mandated work or a perfect plan,
but a foundational heart-issue with God.
And, listen, not only to know God’s heart, but to experience in life His
heart flowing through our life. Don’t
I remember Michael saying something about “rising and falling with our
definitions”???
Michael has written a spectacular piece showing
what is wrong with man (all mankind…none escapes this) from the start (birth),
and the only way man has hope of overcoming and being freed from what the world
offers. Well, amen & amen!
To access ALL past weekly
emails, go to Living
Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
P. O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, Tx 75963 936-559-5696
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