And Walk

I have been reading through Ephesians lately and couldn't get past verse two this morning in chapter five: "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour." 
   And walk in love... I haven't really noticed the word walk before, or at least considered more than just something that I'm supposed to be doing. But do we know what walk means? According to the strong's definition, walk means to live in, to go, to walk about. There is a reason why Paul chose to use the word walk instead of stand or sit: walking indicates movement and activity, and it's usually with a purpose.. 
So, Paul is encouraging Christians to walk (be actively moving, following, going) in love. Christ showed His active life of love through His sacrifice to God for us, and it was a sweet smelling savour to God!
Also, walk here means to follow, as a companion...wow. I am to follow love as if I were following a friend, someone who I accompany with for a long or short period of time. Because the Bible also says "God is love..." to accompany with love would also mean to accompany with God....
There are dozens more verses in the NT that use this same word  walk in accordance to walking by/in faith, honesty, as children of Light, worth of the Lord/God, the list goes on. But, all of this walking can be founded upon this one verse: 
      Colossians 2:6, "As ye have therefore received Christ, so walk ye in Him." 
                             So go out there and get some spiritual exercise!

A Life Crucified

April 5, 2013

Re-read All Hail the Power of Jesus Name hymn 

Galatians 2:20, "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."

Crucified means to destroy the power or ruling influence of; to subdue completely; to mortify.

Notice: "I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ"

I do not have to worry about killing the flesh; Christ did that when He died on the cross. So what's the problem? Keeping the flesh crucified! How can the flesh stay dead? By daily submission and surrender to the will of God rather than the will of my nature (flesh).

If I am dead (my flesh), then my spirit (Jesus Christ living in me) is alive. But my spirit cannot live if I allow the flesh any life at all; therefore I must die daily in order that Christ may live in me, or through me. 

The life that I now live wrapped in this decaying human flesh, should no longer be lived according to the desires and lusts of the flesh, but by the desires of the Spirit of God.

There is no hope to live the Christian life....on my own. I MUST have God's power and strength to live Godly because it is against my nature.

Galatians 5:17, " For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

Philippians 4:13, " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

1 John 4:4, "...because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in

the world."

I am dead to sin- I do not have to obey it anymore- I have a choice to choose between obeying the flesh or obeying Christ. Because I am God's child, He has promised me that He will give me the power to resist temptation and sin, to not bow in obedience to it. Instead, if I submit to Him, He will will give me power to resist temptation, and Satan will flee! (James 4:7). 

No Longer Condemned

Truly amazing that God would humble Himself to look down on us and count us worth sacrificing His Son for...and then to desire a daily walk with us....and then to choose to speak to, comfort, convict, chastise, provide, protect (list goes on and on) US...what an amazing God we serve! This blog is about God, and what He has spoken to my heart during my quiet times with Him. I hope this is a blessing and encouragement to all.

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April 3, 2013

Hymn: All Hail the Power of Jesus Name 

All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre, and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye morning stars of light, Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.

Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race, ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.

Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line, Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all.

Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.

Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all

Passage: Galatians 2:19," For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God."

What was the law? A schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24). A schoolmaster is one who, or that which, disciplines or directs.

What was the law's purpose? to discipline sinners and direct them towards Christ. The law showed judgment and consequences, but it did not solve the sin problem. It judged, brought punishment, and disciplined, but did not solve....but it did direct. The law directed sinners towards the solution: Jesus Christ. 

It is through the law that we come to a knowledge of our sinful state, and are directed towards Christ. When we accept Christ as the solution, as our Saviour, we become dead to the law...the law of sin and death. And if dead to the law, then alive unto God. 

I am no longer under the condemnation of the law! I will not die spiritually and spend an eternity in Hell because I am no longer condemned, but free! (Romans 8:1). I have passed from death unto life :D :D :D