Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 242
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
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A
great truth is this: what we perceive, we believe. With this in mind, think about your perceptions
of life as you read Michael’s perceptions of life, particularly the flesh’s
involvement.
DAY 146
The Cross And The Flesh Pool
Who, although He existed
in the form of God,
did not regard equality with
God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men. And being found in
appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of
death, even death on a cross. --Philippians 2:6-8
Why would Jesus put His life in flesh?
To answer that question we must ask another. Why did God put Jesus in flesh? The obvious reason is that He
must dwell in the flesh, overcome it, and come back to dwell in our flesh as One
who has already conquered. However, there is another reason. Being in the flesh would push Him to a
moment-by-moment abiding in the Father. The flesh is permitted because it is used of God to push us
to Him. Once we
acknowledge that apart from Him we can do nothing, He then does everything.
The flesh is only vexing if we do not want to be with Him and at the same time
we do not want to walk in the flesh. They tell the story in Korea of an old man
in the fish market. All the other vendors had big tanks, just like his, filled
with fish, with this one exception: Their fish died as soon as they were put in
the tank, and he sold his fish alive. Upon investigating, it was discovered
that the old man had put in his tank the fish’s predator. By alertly swimming
to stay away from the predator, the fish stayed alive and fresh. The flesh is
just that for us. Truth is not
only preached but demonstrated. In the state of recognizing abiding (again, abiding is not worked for but
recognized), the flesh is not bothersome. Being in the likeness of a
man, he emptied Himself, fell under God’s love, obeyed in everything, and there
never was or has been a man on earth that had more joy.
I am happy that my flesh has driven me to God.
When I empty myself, accept the death of the old “I” and let Him do everything,
I feel like the happiest man on the earth. Ministry is pressure when a believer is bound in the
power of a dead old “I” to create something that will please God.
However, Jesus did not create
ministry, He participated in it by letting God work the ministry through Him.
I am not creating
ministry; I am walking with Him, and of myself I can do nothing. Next, I
stumble into a situation, and He is in me, ready to meet it. It is I, but not I! It
is very easy to pray, “Jesus, like a Shepherd, lead me!” I have extended that
attitude to my ministry. I do not have a big one-year, three-year, and
five-year plan, but I do have a plan. Every morning I pray, “Jesus, like a Shepherd, lead me.”
Over the years, through the experience of trying to minister in the power of
the flesh and at the same time attempting to tame the flesh, I have been
broken. The Lord used my
flesh to bring me to the place I am today, where I can say, “Apart from You I can do nothing,”
and, “Jesus, like a Shepherd, lead me.” The failings from trusting my old dead “I” have caused me
to rest and wait on the new “I” to act. If ever I lose this attitude, the flesh is there to make me
miserable and, in so doing, drive me back to Him.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Merriam-Webster online dictionary: “perceive”
- to attain awareness or understanding of.
to regard as being such. to
become aware of through the senses; especially: see, observe.
Perception is important. What we
perceive, we believe. What we believe,
we act upon. Therefore, it is important
to know that we are affecting our actions in regard to spiritual matters by how
we perceive truth God has given us.
Michael gives us one of the most dramatic differences that all
Christians must take into consideration: “our flesh” works for us, or can cause
great problems for us. He gives us God’s
purpose and use for allowing “flesh” to remain in us (Believers) after our New
Birth. The question is: do we know this,
recognize this, and use this to our benefit, or let it make us miserable to the
point of detraction and disruption of abiding?
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital
“C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com
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
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