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Author
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Topic: The leastest increasest
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Gal4:6 )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
When you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, do you lose your identity? Who or what do you identify with as a believer? More than likely it is with some-thing; or do you identify with Him? You might think that you are identifying with Christ, but it might only be with something about Him – a thing about Him. There is a difference. If you identify with a thing about Him, it will dictate your behavior to the extent that it will likely determine your denomination. I say likely, but in fact it will determine this, and your behavior in other ways.
If you identify with something about Him, you become what you identify with, and behave that way even according as to a denomination. A good example might be the Pentecostals. Do they identify with something about Him? I assert that they do. They identify with the Pentecost experience and walk and talk accordingly. This can be very strange to some people!
But and if you look at what one would associate with Pentecost, which we can see illustrated right there in the book of Acts, you will see these same expectations of His moving then, acted out by those believing now. And did I say acted out? I did, but why? Well, is most of what they do acting? Don’t get me wrong. I am only asking. But I will assert that genuine fruit is born, not of acting, but born out of identification with Him, and their acting out is however, in sufficient amount, out of relating to the experience and blessing of Pentecost rather than reality. It is in relating to the experience, particularly past experience, rather than to Him in the now. Scripture calls it superfluity of zeal, and they attempt to make things happen according to what they have understood, for the security that comes from relating to, or believing in this way, and relationship with others who also do.
I understand why. It is what it is, and you, whoever, desire more of it. However, this doesn’t happen by working the spiritual up. In fact, the same tends to brings reproach upon the faith because much of the acting out is just that, rather than substance. So you see! They identify with something, which is some-thing about our Lord Jesus, and they behave that way, one-to-one. It is in what they identify with. (Therefore they are ashamed of me now, to speak this way.)
So, the problem comes by way of their thinking that they are themselves that way. They are not that way. He is! But they are not identifying with Him, rather with that which is about Him, which is an experience, or attribute about Him. Truly, if they identified with Him, they would discover what they were looking for, and more.
Others, if they ever were to identify with Him, (this is called true relationship) would realize that His identity is their perfection, not their foolish efforts to accomplish anything towards it, which is actually sin. If they would identify with Jesus, willfully, if they would discover how, they would realize what they were trying to accomplish without all of the effort. This is called victory. It is also called the life that is Christ. The reason why, is because in identifying with Him, rather than in something about Him, you yield to Him; thereby you receive what He desires to give to you, or impart to you. Therefore, you walk in it. By identifying with Him, you become what He wants you to be – Christlike!
Ok! Jesus is your perfection, and since you don’t ‘do’ anything to accomplish this perfection apart from to believe and to receive Him by His grace, which is merely by identifying with Him by believing, by identifying with Him, you can bear fruit in service. Therefore, obedience is bearing fruit in service, not doing something for Him. After all, what does it mean to ‘serve’ Him? Does that mean to serve him by doing, as a maid would serve her employer?
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal 4:6)
“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. “(Gal 4:7)
You are not a servant, serving as in obeying like a maid or manservant. You are a son! Let that shake you into realizing, that as a son, you are an heir of God through Christ. And please note that you are an heir of who He is, and it follows, of what He has. You are an heir of God. From that comes:
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge [knowing] of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” 2Pe 1:3
I ask you again: Do you identify with Jesus, your personal savior, or with things that you like about Him? It is ok to identify with Him, for there life is! Get personal with Christ. You will not lose your identity. You will realize that you are a new creature in Christ.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
There is strength in weakness. That is important. What it means is to be weak. So it would not be wrong to pray for it if you get right down to it. Strange huh? But think about this also. Jesus said that the least shall be the greatest. Take too; John the Baptist said that “He must increase. I must decrease.” How are these assertions relevant to us in the world? Well, it is that the leastest, increasest. In other words, the less you are, the more He is. This is why I preach that doer’s don’t. By being a doer rather than a haver, you increase, and He decreases. It is basic, even if it is hard to humble yourself to it.
Along these same lines, “If you love your life, you will lose it.” This is what happens if we resist Him by ‘doing’, thinking you accomplish anything. If you will not love your life, He will be unbound, and what might happen if everyone went this route. America will see revival, like in the Book of Acts. Otherwise, He says that, “If the salt has lost its savor, it is fit for nothing but to be trodden under the feet of men.” In so saying, the prognostication for the church in America, and for America is dismal. As He says in Revelation, “Be hot or cold. Be not lukewarm or I will spew you out of my mouth.” And being hot doesn’t come from doing because doing maketh thee to increase, where having, which is receiving by God’s grace, out of His provision for you, maketh Him to increase.
Think about it.
Thas my message.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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