Hi all,
"One
day I opened the door to find a strange dog with our daily newspaper in
its mouth. Delighted by this unexpected delivery service, I gave him
some treats. The next morning I was horrified to see the same dog
wagging his tail, sitting there surrounded by 8 newspapers. I spent the
rest of the morning returning the papers to their owners." Story from
Reader's Digest magazine
Religion
tends to think like that dog, that God is behind a big door and will
reward us with a predictable response to a specific thing we do, thereby
gaining us answered prayer, healing, that job interviewed for, the sale
to finalize, etc. Then like that dog, when the treat doesn't come you
think you must have done something wrong, though with good intention,
and you sit in confusion trying to figure out what God wants. Add in a
heaping helping of condemnation and you have a Christian who acts like
that cowering dog convinced he did something wrong but clueless as to
what it was.
Steps towards becoming a non-legalistic believer
We aren't that dog. God is not the person behind the big door from whom you beg for treats and favors.
The
first and greatest point to understand is that Christ is already in
you, and there is nothing you can do to improve upon that fact. That
truth must really become part of your first nature, to realize God isn't
'out there', but rather 'in there', in your spirit. He already died and
rose for you, and caused you to be born again by His Spirit - you can't
bring Him enough 'spiritual newspapers' to improve upon Christ in you,
nor impress Him beyond what He thinks of you already!
He
thinks of you so highly He gave His only Son, Christ Jesus, to you -
and beyond that, decided to live inside you. He likes us THAT much. You
can't do anything to get Him more on 'your side' or liking you more.
Grace is totally dependent on the giver of that grace, and that means He
loves you and did that for you and there isn't a single thing you can
do about it - it's all on Him and in Him to love us, and like us - which
He surely does for we are born of Him and have His gifts and His
personality traits as part of our being.
If this is true...
...and
it certainly is, that means God the Father is beyond being manipulated.
You can't do something to make him un-like you and you can't do
something to make Him like you more. He is love - it's just how He is!
That
makes Him unpredictable in many ways, or appears so with our limited
understanding. You don't always know what He has in mind. You also can't
buy answered prayer, you can't impress Him by doing x deed, you can't
offer Him anything that will corrupt Him to manipulate things to your
liking over and above what someone else needs. He is God and He alone is
sovereign.
In
the same way I knew my grandfather and what he liked and didn't like,
he was to me unpredictable in many situations, and certainly beyond
manipulation. He was grandpa and his ways were set. What I tried to do
as a boy was to be around my grandfather to get to know him as best as I
could, and learn his ways and his thoughts.
He
was an eye, ear, nose, and throat doctor, and back in the 1960's when I
was a boy, after Sunday dinner at my grandparent's house, he would take
me along to the hospital to visit his patients. Each patient was
different and each had a different ailment and there was no way I could
know what my grandfather would do at each stop on his rounds.
But
I knew him, I knew his character, his demeanor, his heart, because I'd
been around him so much, so I knew that though he was unpredictable in
exactly how he would handle each patient, I knew the love and intent and
manners of my grandfather, so I knew whatever the solution for each
would be, it would be flowing from those good things in his heart. Our
heavenly Father is like that. He is unpredictable, yet entirely
predictable.
You don't start your day in sin and then work your way into fellowship and peace
Your
spirit man never sleeps and is in constant communion and one with
Christ in you. You don't open your eyes in the morning and are
immediately guilty of being a sinner. You open your eyes to become aware
once again, of Christ in you and you are still in fellowship and know
Almighty God.
Just
getting out of bed and ready for your day is not a sin. Neither are
necessary thoughts and conversations about your day a sin. Eating
breakfast isn't a sin. Being a human being isn't a sin. Sin is an
offense against God. You don't offend Him by going about your routine.
Legalism focuses on self and causes a person to be continually second
guessing themselves, worrying they have offended God or done something
wrong. If you sin He is fully capable of letting you know in your spirit
that you missed it...more on that next week because...
I've
run out of room for today. "Behold what manner of love the Father has
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God." I John
3:1 Amazing grace indeed!
Until next week, blessings,
John Fenn
New CD/MP3 Series
When the Grace has Lifted From What You are Doing
When
Israel traveled in the wilderness the Lord covered them by a cloud in
daytime and fire for heat and light at night. When the cloud moved they
knew it was time to move on. Today we liken 'the cloud' to grace to do a
job, to hang in there with a tough relationship, to stay at a church,
and so on. When there is no more grace to be where we are, or no more
grace to continue pouring ourselves out for another person, but we
wonder if it is us or is God saying move on – what to do! How do we know
when the grace has moved? This series is based on principles seen in
Israel’s walk in the wilderness following the cloud combined with real
life stories to impart wisdom for knowing where God’s grace is leading
next. 
Just a word about our On-line Video Bible School
- these classes, so far; Old Testament I & II, Righteousness and
Our Authority in Christ - are a go-at-your-own-pace, no test, investment
in your own faith and understanding of the Word and Lord. Once
registered, your password is good for a whole year so you can take your
time, but as I'm hearing from students, once they start they have a hard
time stopping! Each class is about 45-55 minutes long, so they are in
easy to receive segments...consider investing in a deeper study of the
things of God!
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