Lately I've been thinking about what it means to be a member of God's royal family. As His son, I am a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, a prince in His royal family, a knight in His army, and a priest in His temple (and over my own family). These are sustaining truths in my walk with God.
It's so good to reflect upon our identity in Christ and also to reflect upon who He is in us. We are on orders from Headquarters, so to speak. Our true home is with our precious family in Heaven. The Bible says, "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of rigteousness" (Rom. 8:10).
Here is a wonderful promise that relates to our identity in Christ and His strength within us: "I can do all things through Christ which strentheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).
I encourage you to read our Pure Gold Classic entitled Secret Power by D.L. Moody to learn more about these wonderful realities. So, put on the whole armor of God and walk in His power and strength, as you continue your mission on Earth. Remember, you are a royal child of God!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Success or Failure?
Several years ago I spoke to a Mennonite pastor about my lack of success in life. His response, though at first somewhat hard to take, was, "What's this talk about success? You're a failure to begin with."
Think about that for a moment. It is similar to something Charles Colson wrote, "All my life I labored for success, wealth, acceptance, and power. The more I obtained, the less I discovered I had. Surrendering everything in absolute brokenness, however, was the beginning of finding the identity and purpose for which I had battled so hard. In giving up my life to Christ, I had found it."
Paul wrote, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Of course we cannot crucify ourselves. The way to die to our self-life is to surrender everything to God--our lives, our careers, our health, our finances, our future--literally everything. This is not easy either; however, it is much easier when we obey Paul's words: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).
The verse that follows the above verse tells us more about this process: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).
So failure is success in the Christian live and, in a sense, success (according to the world's standards) is failure. In this connection may I recommend that you read two of our Pure Gold Classics: Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross and Madame Jeanne Guyon. Both works point us to death to self and union with God.
Think about that for a moment. It is similar to something Charles Colson wrote, "All my life I labored for success, wealth, acceptance, and power. The more I obtained, the less I discovered I had. Surrendering everything in absolute brokenness, however, was the beginning of finding the identity and purpose for which I had battled so hard. In giving up my life to Christ, I had found it."
Paul wrote, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Of course we cannot crucify ourselves. The way to die to our self-life is to surrender everything to God--our lives, our careers, our health, our finances, our future--literally everything. This is not easy either; however, it is much easier when we obey Paul's words: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).
The verse that follows the above verse tells us more about this process: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).
So failure is success in the Christian live and, in a sense, success (according to the world's standards) is failure. In this connection may I recommend that you read two of our Pure Gold Classics: Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross and Madame Jeanne Guyon. Both works point us to death to self and union with God.
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