History

 Your loving-kindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
         Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 36:5


To all my Sisters in our Lord Jesus,


History never had an attraction for me and remained a weak subject until it came to my personal history. Raised religious, I was haunted with guilt over everything I did wrong, every sin, every failure scraped my conscience raw and corroded my hope of heaven. I had my self-righteous list of things I didn't do. In review, I wonder what I planned to do with my list!? Hand it to the Holy God and explain how I felt it qualified me for entrance to a sinless heaven? 


It is no wonder I am still sensible today of the sweet freedom that buoyed me from the dung pile of my existence. Jesus plucked me from my self-righteous path to hell. That very day my history died. My past life in Adam ended on the Cross. I was free! Free from corroding remorse. In Christ my sinful past no longer exists! No wonder I dance in jubilation for I am safely hidden in Jesus. Regrets over a sinful past will remain until we truly believe that: in the LORD, our sinful past does not exist. We have only Christ's past MJS and it is perfectly acceptable to a Holy God. The knowledge of our union with the Lord delivers us from all that relentlessly pulls us down into self-occupation. This Truth embraced results in joy and peace.


I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. 
Gal 2:20 


We share our Lord's Cross (Rom 6:6), we share His death (Col 3:3) and burial (Rom 6:4), we share His resurrection (Rom 6:4) and ascension (Eph 2:6). We share freedom from condemnation. (Rom 8:1)  (read this list again! doesn't it make you smile? shout? dance? fall on your knees in awe?)


 We need no self imposed guilt-burden plaguing us. This life is no longer about us. Instead of being occupied with our Lord and beholding Him, our enemy would cripple us with self-occupation, just another word for self pity. 


"You may know the Lord Jesus as your relief–for what He has done; but it is quite another thing to know Him as your resource–for what He is. It is one thing to know Him as the One who has relieved you from every pressure, it is another thing to know Him as the One attraction of your heart." -J.B.S.


My great lack is not having a sufficiently self-less walk (because it requires dying). In 2 Cor 4 it speaks of life for others coming out of our dying. When I hear these words, I believe it is saying I would not regard self at all! Embrace the freedom with me! Doesn't God want us to utterly drop occupation with self (our comfort? our timing? our desires? our contentment? our full bellies? our plans and dreams? our schedule?) and surrender to Him to be poured out for the sake of His body? Our heavenly Father loves us immeasurably and is leading us in His patient grace and gentleness away from the world and nearer to Himself. Oh to love Him so dearly is my hearts desire.


Father God,
If facing sin drives me to You, make me mindful of Your mercy and faithfulness that I may know Your incredible strength- reveal when 'self' is on the throne controlling. May I quickly respond in repentance; counting myself dead to sin and alive to You. I know You love me and are always working to reveal 'self' so I will be more sensitive to You, as You reveal Your grace and love to me. Hold each sister close and bring her just what she needs today. Encourage her by Your Holy Spirit that she might walk in faith and see herself hidden with Christ, free from past sins. Free to walk in a way pleasing to You. You love her so much. I lift her up.... praying in the wonderful name of Jesus.


In Christ,
az