Is it really possible for a believing Christian to have a bad day? By the standards of the world certainly there are good and bad days, and the world is the place of our carnal existence. When life presents extraordinary challenges and trials we are tempted to evaluate it strictly from a carnal perspective, but the believer in Jesus Christ is equipped with the Word and power of God to know and live the truth. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 13:20-21)
The true believing Christian has a different perspective from which to evaluate each day. (Matthew 16:33) Having our spirit brought to life through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the quality of each day is determined not by where, and in what we reside, but by WHO resides within us. (Ephesians 2:1-3) For Christians, our worst day as a believer should far exceed our best day as a non-believer. Is this our perspective?
If our witness of this day is exhibiting the demeanor of one whose success is determined by the experiences of this world God will not be glorified. By the blood of Jesus we are charged with the responsibility of being ambassadors for His kingdom, to present the truth of a higher existence not subject to the powers and circumstances of the world. Of which realm will be citizens today? (Romans 12:2)
Onward Christian soldiers!
Bob Benson
***********************************************
November 13
Faith or Experience?
. . . the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me —Galatians 2:20
We should battle through our moods, feelings, and emotions into absolute devotion to the Lord Jesus. We must break out of our own little world of experience into abandoned devotion to Him. Think who the New Testament says Jesus Christ is, and then think of the despicable meagerness of the miserable faith we exhibit by saying, "I haven’t had this experience or that experience"! Think what faith in Jesus Christ claims and provides—He can present us faultless before the throne of God, inexpressibly pure, absolutely righteous, and profoundly justified. Stand in absolute adoring faith "in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . ." ( 1 Corinthians 1:30 ). How dare we talk of making a sacrifice for the Son of God! We are saved from hell and total destruction, and then we talk about making sacrifices!
We must continually focus and firmly place our faith in Jesus Christ— not a "prayer meeting" Jesus Christ, or a "book" Jesus Christ, but the New Testament Jesus Christ, who is God Incarnate, and who ought to strike us dead at His feet. Our faith must be in the One from whom our salvation springs. Jesus Christ wants our absolute, unrestrained devotion to Himself. We can never experience Jesus Christ, or selfishly bind Him in the confines of our own hearts. Our faith must be built on strong determined confidence in Him.
It is because of our trusting in experience that we see the steadfast impatience of the Holy Spirit against unbelief. All of our fears are sinful, and we create our own fears by refusing to nourish ourselves in our faith. How can anyone who is identified with Jesus Christ suffer from doubt or fear! Our lives should be an absolute hymn of praise resulting from perfect, irrepressible, triumphant belief.
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
