Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 176
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a
BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”. Why a
blog? So that many can receive these thoughts
in an easy manner.
“Are
you so foolish?” Paul, after being a pastor for
several years expresses that frustration. However, even though the New Testament is a plain and clear testimony
that Christianity is all about Christ, and not about us...we go and make it
about us way too much.
DAY 161
Impossibility Versus Accomplishment
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected
by the flesh? . . . Now that no one is justified by the Law before God
is evident; for, “The
righteous man shall live by faith.” –Galatians
3:3, 11
Many aspects of the believer's life have been made out to
be nearly impossible to accomplish. We are given reams
of material on how to be a good parent, partner, and child of God. There seems
to be so much information that we must know. How can we take it all in? How can
we always do the right thing? And those who present to us the much needed
information seem so much more spiritual than we are; they have done the right
things all along, and they even have degrees in how to be successful. However, Scripture does not indicate that
being a brother or sister in Christ, a parent, or a mate is all that difficult.
In fact, there is very little
in Scripture concerning what to do, but much about basic attitudes to have.
“And so, as those who
have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and
forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against any one; just as the Lord
forgave you, so also should you” (Colossians 3:12, 13). The Christian
life is as simple as loving our wives, respecting our husbands, forgiving our
enemies, not provoking our children, obeying parents, and working as unto the
Lord. This is our long-term plan. In keeping it day by day we will see ups and downs, reversals, and the
inevitable Christian hiccups, but we should never, never allow those daily
things to sidetrack us from our long-term plan, which will reap its own reward
in the fullness of time.
Often in our quest
for immediate relief we
see in others (and they see in us) things to change to bring instant comfort.
Therefore, we set out to covertly or overtly change those around us through
more control and more role-playing of God. Let me point out that if God believed a change in another
person's behavior were as important as we believe it to be, He would already
have changed it! A change in the behavior of Job’s friends would not
have lessened his plight one bit. It was Job’s trust in God and the long-term result of faith that kept
him. The whole test
was calculated to clean up Job, not to change others. Others actually
played very little into the scenario. God's role was primary, Job's secondary, and others' somewhere far
behind.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Is that an incredible truth, or what…”there is very little in Scripture
about what to do, but much about
basic attitudes to have.”
Chosen of God, holy (God says so), accepted in the beloved, living in
the Spirit…life is all taken care of by our Lord. Do we believe that” “God’s role was primary, Job’s (ours)
secondary, and others’ somewhere far behind.”
Well, amen!
I can let Him accomplish what only He can accomplish, and I can just
relax and live by His faith.
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 936-559-5696
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