Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. ~ Colossians 2:6-7
Christian, how did you come to Christ? Do you remember fear and trepidation as it dawned on you that God IS, and that He is pure and holy and completely righteous, and that He requires the same of you?
Do you remember feeling the corruption and guilt of your soul? How could pardon and love be for a sinner like me?
Do you remember feeling the weakness of your resolve, and the ever-present death of your slowly dying body? How could I get the power to surrender and trust?
Do you remember the inability to stand firm? How could a sinner like me remain faithful?
Corruption and guilt, weakness and death, unfaithfulness and failure - these difficulties were like mountains looming over your soul. How were they removed when you came to Jesus? Simply by the Word of God.
"That Word compelled you to believe that despite guilt in the past, weakness in the present, and unfaithfulness in the future, the promise was sure." ~ Andrew Murray; p36, Abiding in Christ
Think of it!
We come to Christ by faith.
We are united to Him by faith.
We are rooted and established in the faith.
Abiding in Jesus can only be BY FAITH.
Sadly, some Christians who profoundly believe that justification is by faith alone think that everything that follows depends on their diligence and faithfulness.
Not true.
The just shall live by faith! ~Romans 1:17
The old nature of the believer remains evil and sinful.
It is only as he comes daily,
empty and helpless
to Jesus His Saviour,
to receive HIS LIFE
and HIS STRENGTH
that he can bear fruit for God's glory!
Learn a lesson from when you first came to know Jesus.
- He called you
- He received you
- He pardoned you
- He loved you
- He saved you
He did this for you when you were an enemy and a stranger! Now that you are His own, will He not do so much more for you? Will He not keep His promises?
For if, while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. ~Romans 5:10
Oh, Beautiful Saviour, You are my Vine. You hold me fast by your strength and nourish me daily with Your food. You cause me to grow in grace and wisdom, and You see that I bear fruit for Your glory. Remind me each moment that I am a branch in You, my Vine. Without You, I am nothing. You keep me by Your power. I am ever grateful to be Yours.
Amen.
It's so cool to me that both you and Linda are posting about faith - and that was the message at church on Sunday! :D About Acts 3 - the lame man - who reached out IN FAITH and was healed. He wasn't healed before he reached out... but after he was already standing on his shriveled feet and ankles.
ReplyDeleteWe accept God's outstretched hand in faith... but it's Jesus who gives us the strength to reach out in the first place. :)