(Jesus command) Whoever serves me must follow me.. John 12:26
My dearest Sisters who love the Lord,
Those who desire to serve Christ walk straight into the crucible. At the foundry we melt bronze in the crucible at about 1500*. The bronze casting process truly replicates life. We cut, hammer, drill, grind, weld, power-wash and apply smelly chemical patinas to achieve likeness and beauty. God works in our life to create the likeness and beauty of Christ in us we receive blows and cutting and grinding away of all that is unlike Him. We are pounded with struggle and poured out to accomplish His will and purposes for us. It costs to serve. And Jesus states clearly that if we are to serve, we must follow and if we are to follow we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. The 'daily' part is so hard. I think how wonderful it would be to have it all accomplished in one day lasting until I am home with Him! Our life is "not I, but Christ'. (Galatians 2:20) How often i have quoted aloud these four words! The Lord does not ask me to work for him. He intends to work through me! There is a huge difference (ponder this). In one instance I am striving to work worthily for Him, feeling I never measure up... busy, busy, busy and feeling barren. This is why a most important factor in our walk is the Holy Spirit's revelation of the self-life to us. First we learn: 'not I' then 'but Christ'. EX: a kernel of corn falls into the ground, dies down in the dark, dank earth and because it dies new life springs out of its death bringing forth much fruit. The stalk, then ears, then kernels.
We are to called to die to the flesh and out of death His resurrection life might flow through us for His glory. All resurrection life flows out of death or it would not be resurrection life.
For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. II Cor 4:11-12
Do you see the amazing promise here? When death is at work in us, it is Christ Himself who touches others through us... Paul said when death worked in him, Christ's life worked in those he was serving. Their is a cost to follow the Lamb; death to self; just as it cost His life for us, whom He served. It costs to let Christ's love flow through you... death. We all have someone in our lives we struggle to love, but if Christ's love is flowing through us it will not fall short. When we struggle, as Paul describes in Romans 7, that is a healthy sign though it doesn't feel right. How else will we learn to detest the flesh and look to Christ for our need.
All through life God must show us our utter sinfulness and need before He is able to lead us on into realms of grace, in which we glimpse His glory. Self revelation precedes divine revelation. MJS
The Christian who is wrestling in life with failure is right where God can work in her life. Self will never cast out self. Only by God's Holy Spirit and His mercy leading us into total failure do we experience the great need to seek Christ and His strength and perfection. In the end we will know success and growth as God has planned. Whatever crumbles in the process is only that which needed to be removed from our lives. People and circumstances are not really the reason for our failure are they? The problem is 'our' reaction to them. My failure to be patient or to love or forgive others.... is the failure that causes me to cast myself on Jesus and cry out " Lord, change me"!
How infinite are the forms in which self appears. Some are occupied with good self. They pride themselves on their excellencies. Others are just as much occupied with bad self. They are forever groaning over their imperfections, and struggling with the flesh as if they hoped in time to improve it. When shall we be convinced it is so utterly bad that it is beyond all recovery? Is it, 'Reckon yourself to be weak in reference to sin? No, it is lower than that. Is It, 'Reckon yourself to be dying?' No, lower still. 'Reckon yourself to be dead' (Rom 6:11) indeed unto sin.' E.H.
Some think they are very 'weak' but this means they have some strength. A dead man has no strength. We are to live the 'fact' we are dead to sin and alive to Christ. It is not true because we live it, but we live it because it is true.
Namer of the stars, You who have engraved my name on the palm of Your hand, You who've known me by name from eternity past and have written my name in the Lamb's book of life; to whom will i compare you? Who is your equal? By the greatness of Your power You sustain life! I bow in awe of You. Who am i that You should love me? care for me? carry me? bless me? Who am i that You allow me to draw near? to know You? enjoy You? i rest in You Keeper of my heart. As i die, You live through me. I lift up my sisters asking You to guide their steps in Your Truth. Hold them and teach them to apply this dying to self (Romans 6) and rest in Who You are. Keep them from discouragement as You reveal their sinful nature to them. I pray they will keep their focus on You and not the trial. So many voices call to us give us ears to hear only You. Remind them again of Your love and that the battle is the Lord's!
In Your majestic name o Lamb of God i pray.
Not i, but Christ....
az
