Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 183
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.
This
day’s writing of Michael’s brings back memories from over 30 years ago, when I
first became a Christian. Those were
some interesting days…happy as Larry to be a Christian, oftentimes struggling
to live like one. Until one winter day
in Colorado…
DAY 348
Who Among
Us Is Like Jesus?
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it shall be done for you. --John 15:7
I have a challenge for those who have been believers for
many years. Read through the commands of Jesus and see,
after all these years, how well you are doing. How much progress has been made?
Has there been a ten, twenty, thirty, or forty percent improvement? How do you
act at your worst now? This is not turning into a guilt-based article; I just want to make the point
that you still fall way short. Why? I believe there are two things that we must always keep
in mind when reading the commandments of Jesus. First, He was setting a standard that unregenerate man
could never keep. The
bar was being set so high that no one would be able to reach His level of
righteousness. Peter listened every day and knew well the teaching to
love an enemy. The end result was cutting off a man’s ear! Often overlooked is one aspect
of Christ’s teaching: that it reveals not only what man should do but what man
cannot do. Second,
Jesus did it all; He did what He taught, and He did it freely, naturally,
consistently, and without struggle. Therefore, He proved it could be done.
Here is the secret to
dealing with commands we cannot keep, commands that must be kept, and commands
that He kept easily. The solution is simple: We admit we cannot; He moves and
keeps them through us. It
will be Christ in us living through us as though it is us, but it is not us.
We do not aspire to live
like Jesus; we gave that up. It is really Jesus living through us. Beautiful!
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Do any of you recall that old song sung so often in church years ago…
”To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus.
All I ask is to be like Him.
Through this hard trial from earth to glory, oh how I long to be like
Him.
He’s so meek and lowly, so meek and lowly. Jesus is ever humble and holy, humble and
holy. oh how I long, oh how I long to be
like Him.”
And we skipped out of church to go out and TRY to be like Him.
And then we didn’t quite “be like Him” all week.
Then we walked slowly back into church to sing again…
Or, one person changed it up a bit…
“I want to be more like Jesus…”
Aha, just “more like Him.”
And you know the end to that next week…
Well, what did you think of Michael’s challenge? How did you fare? What % improvement have you accomplished “after
all these years”??? How did you feel at “How
do you act at your worst now?”
I love thinking and knowing that although Jesus may have set a standard
that an unregenerate man couldn’t possibly keep…it is the same for me, a
regenerate man. I love thinking and
knowing that Jesus “did it all”…lived a perfect life…kept all the rules, laws,
and standards. AND I LOVE thinking and
knowing that Jesus IS my life as a Christian now (Colossians
3:3-4).
I have joined Michael and said, “I admit I cannot,” and Jesus moves and
keeps them through me. I now experience
Christ in me living through me, as though it is me, but it is not me. It REALLY is Jesus living through me! Well, amen.
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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