Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Living In The Significance Of Your Salvation

My Utmost For His Highest
 
Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16
 
“Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. […] There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God’s sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it— “If anyone…” (Luke 14:26). Paul’s words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “…separated to the gospel…” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him.”  CHAMBERS
 
Are you familiar with the phrase “Talk to the hand”?  If not, it means, “I am not listening any more so you might as well talk to my hand for what good it will do you”.  We can become like that with the Lord.  Not intentionally, but it happens all too often.  We become content in our definition of what it means to “be a Christian”.  The problem?  We lose our awareness of the significance of our salvation.  We don’t have an appreciation for what it means to be servants.  Jesus said He did not come to be served but to serve. (Matthew 20:28)  He was focused on doing the will of the Father.  (John 6:38) “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”  Jesus is our example in so many ways, but particularly in how we are to relate to the Father and to the world.  I think that most Christians under-estimate the level of effort required to stay focused on the Father’s will, to hear God’s voice, and to walk in obedience to it.  In fact with become satisfied with something less that God’s intent and label it – faithfulness.  All of us must be on our guard.  We all have feet of clay.
 
As I get older, my hearing it not as sharp as it used to be.  When I am in  a place of competing sounds, I must focus intently on the sound/voice that I want to hear.  So it is with hearing God.  But more than hearing … we must do what He says.  (James 1:22) “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”  ELGIN
 
“It’s Your Will”  DC Talk
 
“ I'm setting the stage for the things I love.  And I'm now the man I once couldn't be.  Nothing on earth could now ever move me.  I now have the will and the strength a man needs
 
Complexity haunts me for I am two men  Entrenched in a battle that I'll never win  My discipline fails me, my knowledge it fools me  But You are my shelter, all the strength that I need
 
I'm learning to give up the rights to myself  The bits and the pieces I've gathered as well  They're nothing compared to the joy that You bring me  The peace that You show me is the strength that I need
 
[chorus]
 
It's my will, and I'm not moving,  Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me,  It's my will, to bow and praise You,  I now have the will to praise my God”
 
Charley Elgin

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