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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Can you say that?
Can we really say that – you and I? Truthfully? Oh yes, we can all say the last bit – “The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” That is fact. That is the amazing unalterable truth. That Jesus, the Spotless Lamb of God, loved me and died for me, giving up Himself totally for me – when I didn’t even care ‘two cents’ about Him.
Most of humanity is totally indifferent to the death of Christ and it is so easy for us to be drawn into the same complacency. We need a ‘check-up’ from time to time, don’t we? But yes – I acknowledge that truth. I am eternally grateful that Jesus “gave Himself for me.” I would live in fear and isolation and have no hope for tomorrow – if Jesus hadn’t died for me and if I hadn’t accepted His substitutionary death for me.
But Christianity was never meant to be a ‘crutch’ for weaklings or just a ‘ticket’ to Heaven. The Eternal Life, which is given to us by the Holy Spirit the moment we are born again into the family of God, is to be a new ‘Life’ and not a new ‘leaf’. The trouble with some of us is that Christianity becomes no more than an optional extra to our ‘old life and ways.’ We don’t really want to change ‘that much.’ Just make my life easier, less stressful, wealthier and more convenient. But that is not what Jesus offered and not what He offers us today, either.
I wonder if that is why, as Christians in ‘the West’, we are so often powerless and impotent. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Hard stuff – not what we tend to preach in our Gospel Services today – especially the ‘seeker-sensitive’ ones – is it?
But isn’t that still the ‘Good News’ from Jesus? Unfortunately, the problem is that the conditions haven’t changed. If you want to follow Jesus – you have to deny yourself and take up the cross. If you want to live in the power of His resurrection (see Philippians 3:10) – you must die first. Why? Because you will never be able to handle it in your old life. I have to get to the point where I don’t move out of bed in the morning without being totally “Sold Out for Jesus.” I must be totally submitted to His authority, plan and purpose for my life, every day.
Unless “Christ lives in me” today – my spiritual ‘life’ dies. Period. End of story.
Can that really be true? Yes – Paul tells us and demonstrated it for us. The message is not just for apostles, preachers, full-time paid church clergy and staff. It is for us all.
We all need to know what God’s will is for us and live it out in His strength and power and authority (by His Spirit). Then the world will know Jesus lives.
Not only will we experience a whole new dynamic dimension in our lives, but we will also see the Kingdom of God come to earth. To our families, work-places and neighbourhoods.
Have you really been crucified? Does Jesus know that too?
Remember it is a daily requirement, not just a one-off event.
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