This blog is going to begin a new series, and take the blog in a new direction. In the past, I have ministered to those who think they know God's will, think they have correct doctrine but are sadly on the wrong path. My heart breaks for the state of religion and the church. Too many people are too religious, and too busy trying to establish their own righteousness to really apprehend and benefit from the love of God.
However! If you are brokenhearted, tired of the struggle to perform, feel as though you have been a failure, this blog is shifting to be a beacon of light and love for you. Yes, there are those out there that will read this blog post, realize that they are unsatisfied in their spiritual life and desperate for an answer. If this is you down deep inside, be encouraged. The gospel was NEVER meant to provide a self help solution to your moral dilemma. The gospel was meant to provide a bridge over the gap you feel in the separation between you and the creator of the universe that loves you so much that you cannot even comprehend it!
I'm reminded of the beatitudes. Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit. The Greek word that is translated poor is POCHOS... it means destitute, beyond hope. The reason that Jesus said the poor in spirit was blessed was because they were the substance of the kingdom of heaven. Yes my friend. If poor in spirit, destitute in spirit describes you way down deep in the recesses of your deepest most secret self, then indeed you are the stuff the kingdom of heaven is made of.
The verse from Isaiah that I have quoted at the top of this post is Jesus' mission statement. He said so when he quoted it in a synagogue in Luke chapter 4. The really good news is that He wants to heal your broken heart, no matter what your current situation is. Throw away the demands that the religionists have saddled you with and concentrate on the love of the Father demonstrated in the earthly mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are brokenhearted because you can't seem to measure up to religious standards that have been foisted on you by ignorant people who are without understanding when it comes to the real gospel and the true message of Jesus. You need to just simply believe. Now belief is not just a mental assent to an idea. Belief is an apprehension of the depth of the love of God. If you are having a hard time believing what I am writing here, just go back through the many blog posts where I have shown over and over in a multitude of ways why those who put the focus on religion are wrong. I have article after article of chapter and verses that prove how wrong the religious are. But I suggest that you simply listen to the words of the Apostle Paul that I am going to quote below.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 HCSB (17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. (18) Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (19) That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. (20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." (21) He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Read that over and over and over until you understand exactly what it is saying to you. No matter what you see, feel, or hear, if you have turned to Christ, YOU ARE a new creature! Think about the ramifications of the following... God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM! Further, read that He made Jesus, the one who did not even know sin to be made sin for us.... why, so that we could in-turn be the righteousness of God in Him.
It is simple... YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!. Believe it, apprehend it with every fiber of your being, rest in it and BE ENCOURAGED! More to come in this vain so stay tuned.....
No comments:
Post a Comment