When I was born again there was something essential that I did not understand. After I had lived the "Christian" life in misery for more than 15 years, I discovered the following verses that changed my Whole life, seriously.
Romans 10:9-10
if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
You ask, "How did you get "born again" if you hadn't already known those verses?
I mentally knew those verses. I had openly declared Jesus is Lord, but I had NO comprehension what I was confessing really meant.
Then I found these verses:
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
I looked up the meaning of "Lord" to find out that it means: Lord, Master, Supreme Authority.
At that moment I realized that I had never ever truly made Him Lord, Master or Supreme Authority of my life. Not even one time. I was still the Ruler of my life.
I believed He is the Son of God. I believed He died, shed His blood for the payment of my sins. I believed He rose again from the dead. I believed He was seated at the right hand of the Father. But, although I had said the words "Jesus is Lord". I had NEVER submitted to His Lordship.
I struggled with the words "Depart from Me, I never knew you, you doers of wickedness." I sobbed as I had realized my situation. I did not want Jesus to tell me "depart from me" because I had never made Him Lord, Master, and the Supreme Authority of my life, so as to do His will and not my own.
I repented and this time I knew what it meant to declare Jesus is Lord and this time I meant what I said when I confessed Him Lord of my Life. "Not my will, but Your will be done". Teach me. Help me.
The following verses only continued to impact my decision....
Revelations 3:15-16
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
I certainly did not want to happen to me. My foolish complacency was definitely over. My heart had been pierced by God Himself.
James 2:19-20
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
James 1:22-25
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
Luke 6:46-49
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
I was convinced by the Word of God, that my life had been miserable because I had not yielded myself to Jesus as Supreme Authority of my life. I had been a fool. I was not at all a doer of His instructions. I had continued in my own ways of thinking and doing and the resulting ruin of my life was obvious.
That day Jesus truly became the Lord, Master and Supreme Authority of my life. It is hard to express all that happened to me as a result of of that decision. It was truly a heart change that resulted in changes in my life in so many ways. I had a respect for God and His Word that I never had before. I truly started taking God at His Word, without trying to make excuses or justify my own wrong behavior. "Yes, Lord", was a far better approach. I became more and more sensitive to seeing, admitting and responding to the things that needed changing in my life as God, through His Word, revealed them to me. I desired to please God, it wasn't a set of rules that I was obligated to perform. It truly was because His way is a far better way and I really did want to please Him. I was tired of the struggles and the outcome of trying to be the controller of my life. Admittedly, I wanted the better results that obeying God offered. I chose to humble myself and I truly was repentant. I desired to study God's Word, I wanted to learn and do things His way, I wanted Him to tell me "Well done, Good and faithful servant..." .....the results were well worth it all.
The biggest issue was that I had no idea how I would ever be able to implement the changes I saw necessary to obey Him, but my desire to please Him and my aversion to going back to a miserable life have been so great that I have received His correction, often in tears, and cried out to God for the help to change.
Honestly, His Grace has been sufficient for me, is not just a fine saying. The power He extends to me to do His will has made the work of changing mostly in the decision to submit and obey. The actual changing has been far easier than I thought it would be.
Denying myself and choosing to obey has, at times, been a challenge. I really do not want the fruit of my own ways again. When I am in a rebellious curve of "what about Me?" It is far better to yield to my Master and say, "not my will, but thine be done, O Lord!" At times I have gone back to foolishness and yielded to thinking my way is ok. I quickly find out that it still remains totally undesirable. It doesn't take me long to repent and do things God's ways again! He is faithful to forgive me and cleanse me from my wrong ways.
Life is good as long as I continue submitting to Him as the authority of my life. This has been the pathway to the happy, peaceful, prosperous in every way, life that I now enjoy. It's so much better not being the boss of my life. God is All-Wise and I am not interested in being a fool any longer!
This is not to say that difficulties and challenges haven't come my way. Still, in and through those times, doing things God's way remains the preferable way to handle life and it's issues. It has taken some serious talking to myself at times, like when I have been hurt and don't want to forgive. I always have choices to make. The choices I make determines the trajectory of my life. Choosing God's Way keeps me on the desirable path. God is always my ready help. He never has left me alone and He never has left me without His help. This is not an issue of the power of my own will. It is a matter of recognizing who God is and my proper attitude and position before Him. He is the Supreme Authority of my life, Not me! I really DO like it that way!
What about you? Is Jesus truly your Lord, Master and the Supreme Authority of your life. I encourage you to humble yourself and embrace His ways. It is the wise way to go. He will be your help, too.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.
This is not to say that difficulties and challenges haven't come my way. Still, in and through those times, doing things God's way remains the preferable way to handle life and it's issues. It has taken some serious talking to myself at times, like when I have been hurt and don't want to forgive. I always have choices to make. The choices I make determines the trajectory of my life. Choosing God's Way keeps me on the desirable path. God is always my ready help. He never has left me alone and He never has left me without His help. This is not an issue of the power of my own will. It is a matter of recognizing who God is and my proper attitude and position before Him. He is the Supreme Authority of my life, Not me! I really DO like it that way!
What about you? Is Jesus truly your Lord, Master and the Supreme Authority of your life. I encourage you to humble yourself and embrace His ways. It is the wise way to go. He will be your help, too.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.
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