Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 205
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
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If
it wasn’t so true it would almost be unbelievable…but in 30+ years of ministry
I have heard this story over and over and over…
DAY 47
Christian
Fatalism
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold
together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in
everything. --Colossians 1:17, 18
I was
once in Burma to teach when my father and I had the opportunity to visit the
world’s largest stupa, the Buddhist temple that looks much like the cap on a
Russian building and is representative of the large bubble that the Buddhists
say makes up life. As the bubble stands alone, the weather attacks it and
causes misery. For the Buddhist, to exist is pain and suffering, which is why
nirvana is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, the reaching of a point of no longer
existing and no more associated pain. Unfortunately, the Church is filled with a similar type
of fatalism, for many believe that life in Christ will be miserable, nothing
will work out, and the only relief that comes will be sometime in the future
when they enter heaven. Is the Christian life merely a bubble with
nothing within? Will we not have relief until we cease to exist in this body?
May it never be! There is a
special something within the Christian bubble, and all suffering has the
purpose of releasing what is within, which is the life of Christ. Suffering releases love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We need not be fatalists. We
suffer the realities of being on planet earth, but we really live because of
them! We must not let the enemy turn us into Christian fatalists.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
God tells us so beautifully that Jesus Christ is “before
all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church.” What an incredible picture of who our Savior
is! Coupled with all the other
descriptions of Who Jesus is, how can the church have a fatalism that thinks “life
in Christ will be miserable, nothing will work out, and the only relief will
come in the future when they enter heaven”???
Are we kidding ourselves!?!
Michael give us one of the most profound truths of
life as a Christian that really gives us the awesome hope we have IN CHRIST in this
life: “all suffering has the purpose
of releasing what is within, which is the life of Christ. Suffering releases love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Wow!
For any Christian to live in “fatalism” is a denial of the potential of Christ
within them.
Here’s an astounding fact: in my 30+ years of
ministry, Michael is the only one I have heard that has spoken to and
consistently pronounced the reality of the need for a “ministry of suffering.” The need is for teaching of Christ’s life
within to face and overcome any harsh reality of suffering. Most teach Christ will keep suffering from
you, and if you are suffering it is because you are sinning. Christians cannot escape suffering in this
life. But all Christians can deny any and
all teaching of fatalism, and enjoy the life of Christ from within.
To access ALL past weekly
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NOTICE: another blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. You can access by logging onto
www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches,
TX 75963 936-559-5696
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