THE LIFE OF FAITH AND THE GLORIOUS CHURCH - 2009
                                                       january 25th

FROM THE INSIDIOUS ROOT OF SELF-DEPENDENCE [INDIVIDUALLY] COMES A CHURCH VOID OF POWER FROM ON HIGH - A CHURCH CONSTRAINED BY THE DARKNESS OF WORLDLY WISDOM RATHER THAN THE LOVE AND MIND OF CHRIST; A CHURCH MORE INCLINED TOWARDS THE FOOLISHNESS OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING AND AN EXCESSIVE DEVOTION TO OUTWARD APPEARANCES RATHER THAN THE ABSOLUTE FAITH IN GOD WHICH IS REQUIRED!

        ...."Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite [belly], and whose glory is their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself"....

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Philippians 3:17-21 NASB


          Satan has attempted to make reliance upon ourselves seem like a very inconsequential thing but, in reality, ANY form of "self-dependence" sets itself as an enemy of the "cross of Christ" [obedience unto the denial of the self-life]. The Father desires to have an intimate relationship with each one of His children - that they might be blessed [empowered] to the greatest degree continually. It is ONLY the desire to seek "anything" for ourselves that prevents the Father's glorious blessing and favor from resting upon us. From the insidious root of self-dependence [individually] comes a church void of power from on high - a church constrained by the darkness of worldly wisdom rather than the love and mind of Christ; a church more inclined toward the foolishness of human understanding, and an excessive devotion to outward appearances rather than the absolute faith in God which is required! It must be clearly understood by EVERY child of God that the Father desires us to depend upon [trust in] Him for ALL things: upon His wisdom, upon His power, and upon His understanding.

IN THE PERFECT UNDERSTANDING OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST [THE FULLNESS OF OUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST], FEAR WILL NO LONGER BE AN ACTIVE FORCE IN OUR LIFE AND MINISTRY

          Where one's "treasure" is there shall their heart be also. All that which is sown to the Spirit of God shall always lead to life, and all that is sown to the flesh shall lead only to death and corruption. Until one has a deep revelation of the fact that God's Word is true - and that He is watching over His Word to perform it - then their instantaneous reaction to a pressure situation will remain one of fear and worry rather than one of faith and divine hope and trust! When we take the time to diligently "fill" our heart with the Word of God, and continually practice bringing EVERY thought captive to the revealed knowledge of that Word - desiring in our heart ABOVE ALL ELSE to understand how the Father thinks, and to see things as He sees them - then, in the perfect understanding of who we are in Christ [the fullness of our inheritance in Christ], fear will no longer be an "active" force in our life and ministry. 

Related Scriptures: Colossians 3:1-3; Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Colossians 1:9-14; Matthew 6:21; Galatians 6:6-7; Jeremiah 1:12; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 John 4:18; 2 Timothy 1:7;


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