From the moment we're saved through faith in Jesus Christ we get ALL of the Holy Spirit, but does the Holy Spirit get all of us? If we're honest, the answer for most Christians is "perhaps for awhile".
Typically, the more dramatic our conversion experience, the more we are subject to the leading of the Spirit, at least for a time. While we have little to do with our salvation experience (Ephesians 2:8), from that moment forward how we continue in faith, devotion, submission, and obedience is significantly determined by our own self-discipline and perseverance. (Hebrews 12:1)
The apostle Paul's great devotion and perseverance came out of the realization that what Jesus had accomplished at Calvary was done even for him though he aggressively persecuted the church of Jesus Christ. But having less than a dramatic conversion experience is never an excuse for an undisciplined Christian walk.
If we are truly saved by grace, then we are no more or less saved than any other saint. Each day is an opportunity to dedicate it to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If we fail in this regard, the person in the mirror is the only one to be held responsible. It is finished (John 19:30) empowers us to live the sanctified life through faith, but God allows each of us to determine to what extent we will.
Onward Christian soldiers!
Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .
November 25
The Secret of Spiritual Consistency
God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . —Galatians 6:14
The Secret of Spiritual Consistency
God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . —Galatians 6:14
When a person is newly born again, he seems inconsistent due to his unrelated emotions and the state of the external things or circumstances in his life. The apostle Paul had a strong and steady underlying consistency in his life. Consequently, he could let his external life change without internal distress because he was rooted and grounded in God. Most of us are not consistent spiritually because we are more concerned about being consistent externally. In the external expression of things, Paul lived in the basement, while his critics lived on the upper level. And these two levels do not begin to touch each other. But Paul’s consistency was down deep in the fundamentals. The great basis of his consistency was the agony of God in the redemption of the world, namely, the Cross of Christ.
State your beliefs to yourself again. Get back to the foundation of the Cross of Christ, doing away with any belief not based on it. In secular history the Cross is an infinitesimally small thing, but from the biblical perspective it is of more importance than all the empires of the world. If we get away from dwelling on the tragedy of God on the Cross in our preaching, our preaching produces nothing. It will not transmit the energy of God to man; it may be interesting, but it will have no power. However, when we preach the Cross, the energy of God is released. ". . . it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. . . . we preach Christ crucified . . ." ( 1 Corinthians 1:21, 23 ).
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
