If you look around you, you see the wonderful creation of God.
Watch a flower, a butterfly, a little dog, the majesty of a lion.
But don't meet this lion when he is hungry, then this marvellous
lion becomes a tremendous lion. And when you are watching him
catching a buffalo and beginning to eat him, with its offspring,
while the buffalo is still living, then you hear the cry of the
suffering creation. How much suffering on this earth, how much
injustice. Do you hear the cry of the creation?
Paul tells us that the creation has been subject to vanity, not
willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected it and that the
creation is expecting earnestly, anxiously, what? The creation is
expecting the manifestation of the sons of God. Why? Because the
creation has been subjected to vanity in the hope to be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. It was said that a cow will immediately
recognise when a farmer becomes a Christian.
It is important in life to have an hope and not an unreal hope but a certain hope and to have before you a glorious future, which gives you strength to resist, to go forward.
"When he came into this world he said: .. you have prepared me a body .. Behold I come .. to do your will, o God". He said again: "I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, but the will of him that sent me" (He 10:7; Jn 6:38).
The will of the father was
1. that Jesus would give eternal life to all who He would give to
him and that he would lose anybody and raise them up in the last
day (Jn 6:37-40, 44-45);
2. that all who He would give to Jesus would become one body
and one spirit with him.
"Know you not that your bodies are members of Christ?";
"He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit";
"..you are not of yourselves; for you were bought with a
price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit,
which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:15, 17, 20).
"He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose
again" (2 Co 5:15).
While Jesus has done perfectly the will of his father for us arises a great problem.
Our flesh lusts against the spirit and is inclined to sin (Ga 5:17).
Our mind is formed by the world and aims the things of this age.
Our soul desires to be exalted.
Our spirit is prisoner of the body and the soul.
While
The flesh, with its passions and its lusts, should be completely submitted to the spirit, crucified with Christ (Ga 5:24; 6:14).
The mind should be renewed that we may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Ro 12:2) and should aim the things above and not the things on the earth, for we are dead (Col 3:2-3).
The soul should leave the place to the spirit (Mt 16:25-26; Jn 12:24-25).
From the very moment I accept Christ and his work of salvation
on the cross for me, God begins His work of sanctification in me
in order that I may be blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ (1 Thess. 5:23).
He uses two tools to obtain my sanctification: The discipline and
His Word.
He deals with us as sons. The Lord disciplines and scourges
every son whom he receives so that we might be partakers of his
holiness (He 12:6, 10).
In order that I may realise the abundant life, Jesus came to give
me (Jn 10:10),
He has to break my independent will, my selfishness, my pride. He
has to cancel my love for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes and the vainglory of life.
This sanctification needs much or less time according to my
resistance. How much resistance is He finding in those who
confess to love Him.
Every day God, the Holy Spirit, is working in me through the many
situations I have to face. Every situation has the approval of my
father.
Do I see in the happenings the hand of my loving father who
desires to prepare me in order that He will be able to use me? Or
do I feel unhappy, unlucky, unfortunate and begin to complain as
soon as his hand touches me?
It is a pity that very often we consider our problems provoked by
men, society or surroundings and don't recognise the Lord who
gave his permission.
We don't have to do with blood and flesh or an hostile nature.
In the life of a
Christian nothing happens by chance (accident, case).
It is God who has our life in His hands.
We should ask: Lord, open my eyes in order that I am able to
understand your work in my life, so that I learn not to resist.
When I accept, through His grace, what He is disposing for my
life through the circumstances, my spirit becomes free to act for
the glory of God.
The more I try to spare myself, the more I seek my own
convenience I am useless.
The more I accept the discipline of my heavenly father I am
useful for Him.
Jesus said: "whosoever will save his
life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake
shall find it" (Mt 16: 25).
"Truly, truly, I say unto you, except
a corn of wheat falling into the ground dies, it remains alone;
but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12:24).
The love of myself. The attempt to avoid the work of the cross
in my life, to recognise me dead.
Are you able to irritate a dead person?
If I realy live in communion with Christ then I speak like He
did (I John 2:6). I will say: "Shall I
not drink the cup which the father has given to me?"
(Jn 18:11).
And like Jesus I will not drink the cup of vinegar mixed with
gall offered him before his crucifixion (Mt 27:34).
Lord act as ever you think best for me. I put myself without any condition and reserve or limitation in your hands. I desire that you accomplish fully your design in my life.
I am able to consecrate myself only in the measure of my
limited understanding and spiritual light. When I consecrate
myself to the Lord, according to the light I have, then the Holy
Spirit will discipline me according to His unlimited light and
according to my need. Indeed I never understand what will be the
consequences of my consecration. After every consecration the
Lord desires to bring me to the next consecration. He will guide
my circumstances according to my need and according to His
understanding. He will use the external situations to break the
resistance of my own will and fleshly desires.
Please never complain yourself for the situation you come to find
yourself, although you might be squeezed like a lemon, but bless
the Lord who loves you and cares for you in His wisdom. He likes
to make you partaker of his holiness and glory and will rest
until every part of your life will be sanctified, changed into
His likeness.
In this moment the Holy Spirit likes to use His second instrument to change your life from inside: His inspired Word.
His Word is able to divide the soul from the spirit so that
the soul doesn't hinder any more the spirit to operate, so that
the Lord will be able to touch the life of others through your
spirit. If you allow Him to work in you, you can avoid many
problems, because who has ears to hear and is willing to submit
himself needs not to be disciplined. Every father hates to
discipline his children and would enjoy it so much when his
children would listen to his voice.
Do you understand now how important it is for you to read daily
the Bible, trying to get in contact through your reading with
Him, who inspired the holy writers?
Dear brother, dear sister, did the Holy Spirit speak to you?
Submit yourself to His teaching.
Confess and beg His pardon for your rebellion, your self-will, your selfishness, your being unsatisfied, and whatever you have understood.
Put yourself fully in His loving hands.
Tell Him that you desire that He may transform your life according to His plain.
Submit yourself to His rule and guidance.
Don't accuse any more anybody, but lovingly react as Christian in His power and grace.
Will you?
Stand up and give Him the glory.
Klaus Döring - Via Azuni 7 - 07041 Alghero (SS) - Tel. 079-985 314 - klaus@chiesacristiana.org
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