I know many Christians are tired of being tired...trying to measure up to God's perfection...trying to please him a little more...and wondering if he is ever pleased.
GOOD NEWS! God does not desire that we try hard in our own strength to be holy in order to please Him. INSTEAD, God invites us to die to ourselves--to our agendas, our carnal affections, to our fleshly ambitions, and our sinful nature--so that Christ can live in us. It's when we stop trying to live for Him, that He can live through us.
And herein lies the problem: we can't deliver ourselves from our flesh and sinful nature. WHILE Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from sin, ONLY the cross sets us free from our sinful habits when we die to them.
Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son or God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Jesus died so that we can live. We can live when we die to ourselves and let Him live through us.
This 'death thing' is not a one-time decision. Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). When I die to myself, Christ's life can enter me. Then I become a slave of righteousness (Romans 6) instead of a slave of sin.
So let's stop trying to be super-spiritual and striving to be perfect. We simply cannot. But let's embrace the cross five times a day if necessary. Then the overcoming life can be ours, and we can boldly share our faith without fear and love others with the true heart of God.
Are you ready to live? Then let's lose our lives and embrace the cross to make room for Christ to live through us!
Intentional for souls,
Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries
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