May 27, 2009
“He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him.” Acts 15:9 The Message
Are you trying to make the christian life work…?
… in your own strength … on your terms .. trying .. failing .. trying .. failing .. trying .. failing??? Life in Christ sometimes seems so incredible. God found you when you weren’t looking for him. He loved you completely .. totally .. all-embracing .. even though you weren’t really asking. He cleaned you up on the inside and patiently keeps working to the outsides of your life. Is it that simple .. really? Trusting .. Surrendering .. Believing .. Receiving .. Releasing .. Forgiving .. Waiting .. Walking .. Praying .. Praising .. Loving .. Really Living? Do you think that God is really waiting for you to do your part .. wear yourself out trying before He steps in .. or has He sealed you with His Holy Spirit .. His ReallyLiving Presence .. to change you from the inside out? Yes .. it happens through Jesus. Yes .. there was and is a Cross .. big enough and far reaching enough to cover your whole life completely. Yes .. He has risen from the dead so that you can really live in Christ and Christ can really live in you. Your life as a Christ Follower can only be explained by Jesus. Yes .. Your life is the most simplistically complicated mess-made-whole-in-Jesus today. Do you really think that you can add one layer to what God has in store for you today? He simply invites you to love Him and go out in the world you live in and live for Him. He’ll fill in the blanks … It only takes a moment …
“Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in our lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you?” Galatians 3:5 The Message
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Made-Alive-in-Christ Followers scattered all over the place today. (ken@priorityone.org)
