The Daily Message

2009-12-03T05:00:00.001-05:00

"For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power." 1 Corinthians 4:20

During this season of celebration of the birth of our Savior we may be presented with numerous opportunities to share the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Christmas season calls each and every Christian believer to celebrate and worship publicly, to glorify Jesus Christ through our acknowledgment of Him as Lord. The more we do so, the more we become a beacon for non-believers. (Matthew 5:16)

Sharing the Gospel can be done in either of two ways - in our own ability and power, or that of the Holy Spirit. We are most effective witnesses when we humbly rely on God the Holy Spirit when presented with an opportunity to share Jesus rather than our human talents or abilities. (Matthew 10:20; Luke 21:15)

While it is important to read, study, and meditate on the Word of God, it is God who determines the outcome of a witnessing opportunity. (Psalm 7:10; 68:20) Rather than striving for excellence or eloquence in sharing the Gospel with others, our attitude should instead be one of humble submission, surrender, and obedience to the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit. With this perspective, we are the perfect conduit for the One who truly saves. Remember, He is the Potter, and we are merely the clay. (Isaiah 64:8)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

December 3

"Not by Might nor by Power"

My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power . . . —1 Corinthians 2:4

If in preaching the gospel you substitute your knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the gospel, you hinder people from getting to reality. Take care to see while you proclaim your knowledge of the way of salvation, that you yourself are rooted and grounded by faith in God. Never rely on the clearness of your presentation, but as you give your explanation make sure that you are relying on the Holy Spirit. Rely on the certainty of God’s redemptive power, and He will create His own life in people.

Once you are rooted in reality, nothing can shake you. If your faith is in experiences, anything that happens is likely to upset that faith. But nothing can ever change God or the reality of redemption. Base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as God Himself. Once you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will never be moved again. That is the meaning of sanctification. God disapproves of our human efforts to cling to the concept that sanctification is merely an experience, while forgetting that even our sanctification must also be sanctified (see John 17:19 ). I must deliberately give my sanctified life to God for His service, so that He can use me as His hands and His feet.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-12-02T05:00:00.001-05:00

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

The instruction of Matthew 6:33 is to seek first, not do or be first. The temptation to make doing and being more important than seeking Jesus Christ has tripped up many Christians with good intentions. (Matthew 7:21-23)

The problem of placing the acts of doing and being like Christ ahead of seeking Him is that it encourages more of an inward perspective than an upward focus on the Savior. With seeking Jesus as our highest priority, we are less likely to be distracted by self-evaluation, one of the enemy's most subtle snares. Remember the parable of the Vine? (John 15:4-6) Branches are useless without a vine (roots).

Anything that causes us to take our eyes off of Jesus Christ for a moment, or even for what seems like a good reason for example, self-evaluation, exposes us to deception and misconception. Remember Peter walking on the water to Jesus during a storm. He did fine until he was distracted by the wind, but glancing away from His Lord for only a moment caused him to "sink". The encouraging part of this passage of Scripture is that when he cried out to Jesus, he was immediately saved. (Matthew 14:28-31)

Today we can focus on seeking Jesus, or something else that competes for our attention. It's our choice.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

December 2

Christian Perfection

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect . . . —Philippians 3:12

It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do—God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, "It could never be God’s will for me to be sick"? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son ( Isaiah 53:10 ), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary—that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-12-01T05:00:00.003-05:00

"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19

The principle of godly obedience often confuses Christians. While God's Word tells us it is impossible to be obedient enough to deserve His grace (Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3), it also says obedience is important. (1 Peter 1:22)

As with every other aspect of human behavior and conduct, obedience comes in two varieties - godly and ungodly. Godly obedience is conducted with a sincere heart for God's sovereignty and a genuine concern for pleasing Him. Ungodly obedience is born of our desire to obey God on our own terms, or in our own capability. While obedience to God in any form is better than disobedience, He always prefers that our obedience to Him is performed with a humble and contrite heart, and we should know that God is always aware of the heart with which we serve Him. (Acts 13:22, 1 Samuel 13:14)

Our Christian walk begins to glorify God when, in heart-felt obedience to Him, we become disciplined to obey the law (2 Corinthians 10:5). To the world, "obedience", while at times useful and necessary, is nearly always perceived as negative. To Christians intent upon pleasing God, godly obedience is a delight.

I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

December 1

The Law and the Gospel

Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all —James 2:10

The moral law does not consider our weaknesses as human beings; in fact, it does not take into account our heredity or infirmities. It simply demands that we be absolutely moral. The moral law never changes, either for the highest of society or for the weakest in the world. It is enduring and eternally the same. The moral law, ordained by God, does not make itself weak to the weak by excusing our shortcomings. It remains absolute for all time and eternity. If we are not aware of this, it is because we are less than alive. Once we do realize it, our life immediately becomes a fatal tragedy. "I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died" ( Romans 7:9 ).

The moment we realize this, the Spirit of God convicts us of sin. Until a person gets there and sees that there is no hope, the Cross of Christ remains absurd to him. Conviction of sin always brings a fearful, confining sense of the law. It makes a person hopeless—". . . sold under sin" ( Romans 7:14 ). I, a guilty sinner, can never work to get right with God—it is impossible. There is only one way by which I can get right with God, and that is through the death of Jesus Christ. I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience. Who of us could ever obey God to absolute perfection!

We only begin to realize the power of the moral law once we see that it comes with a condition and a promise. But God never coerces us. Sometimes we wish He would make us be obedient, and at other times we wish He would leave us alone. Whenever God’s will is in complete control, He removes all pressure. And when we deliberately choose to obey Him, He will reach to the remotest star and to the ends of the earth to assist us with all of His almighty power.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-30T05:00:00.001-05:00

"Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God," 2 Corinthians 3:5

As Kingdom ambassadors, Christian believers are charged to be in the world, but not of it. (John 17:14-16) This means that while living in the world among unbelievers, we are to considers ourselves like ambassadors in a foreign land. Ambassadors are charged to represent their home country most favorably, primarily for the purpose of encouraging positive and productive relationships with the citizens of the foreign land to which they are posted.

Successful ambassadors must learn to balance their desire to personally appeal to others with their responsibility to work on behalf of their home nation. Faithful believers in Jesus Christ are Christian ambassadors to the world. While encouraging relationships with unbelievers, we must never lose sight of our primary goal - to best represent our "home" Kingdom. (Matthew 5:14-16)

So how should a Kingdom ambassador appear to unbelievers? We are to present the principles of our King and His realm - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control - all while trusting in our Lord. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Successful Kingdom ambassadors are always prepared and enthusiastic regarding the privilege of sharing their King with all who will listen. (2 Timothy 4:2) It begins by seeking, knowing, and loving King Jesus with all of our heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 30

"By the Grace of God I Am What I Am"

By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain . . . —1 Corinthians 15:10

The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to our Creator. To complain over our incompetence is to accuse God falsely of having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining from God’s perspective those things that sound so humble to men. You will be amazed at how unbelievably inappropriate and disrespectful they are to Him. We say things such as, "Oh, I shouldn’t claim to be sanctified; I’m not a saint." But to say that before God means, "No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are opportunities I have not had and so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible." That may sound wonderfully humble to others, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.

Conversely, the things that sound humble before God may sound exactly the opposite to people. To say, "Thank God, I know I am saved and sanctified," is in God’s eyes the purest expression of humility. It means you have so completely surrendered yourself to God that you know He is true. Never worry about whether what you say sounds humble before others or not. But always be humble before God, and allow Him to be your all in all.

There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

"For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

Is it a coincidence that much of American life becomes excessively pre-occupied with self-indulgence and worldly distractions between Thanksgiving and Christmas, two of the three annual Christian holidays? The Christmas season reveals the clash of Christian and secular culture which exists largely unnoticed throughout the rest of the year. The spiritual battle waged between secular commercialism and true Christianity becomes a spectacle of immense proportion.

The only two things Satan dislikes more than observing the Christian world celebrate the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Easter) is when Christians gather to worship God in thankfulness, and to exalt the incarnation of His Son. Sadly, Satan has largely succeeded in creating a mockery of Thanksgiving and Christmas through the encouragement of self-indulgent customs and traditions having little to do with the reasons for both celebrations.

What can we do about it? We can begin by consecrating our lives (physically and spiritually) for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14). For the next 30 days, we can be content to merely observe the temporal seduction of the world, or be a bright beacon for those seeking, or at least wondering about, the Truth of the season. Will we be salt and light, especially during a season when many may be looking for it?

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it e made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew
5:13-16

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 27

The Consecration of Spiritual Power

. . . by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world —Galatians 6:14

If I dwell on the Cross of Christ, I do not simply become inwardly devout and solely interested in my own holiness— I become strongly focused on Jesus Christ’s interests. Our Lord was not a recluse nor a fanatical holy man practicing self-denial. He did not physically cut Himself off from society, but He was inwardly disconnected all the time. He was not aloof, but He lived in another world. In fact, He was so much in the common everyday world that the religious people of His day accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard. Yet our Lord never allowed anything to interfere with His consecration of spiritual power.

It is not genuine consecration to think that we can refuse to be used of God now in order to store up our spiritual power for later use. That is a hopeless mistake. The Spirit of God has set a great many people free from their sin, yet they are experiencing no fullness in their lives— no true sense of freedom. The kind of religious life we see around the world today is entirely different from the vigorous holiness of the life of Jesus Christ. "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one" ( John 17:15 ). We are to be in the world but not of it— to be separated internally, not externally (see John 17:16 ).

We must never allow anything to interfere with the consecration of our spiritual power. Consecration (being dedicated to God’s service) is our part; sanctification (being set apart from sin and being made holy) is God’s part. We must make a deliberate determination to be interested only in what God is interested. The way to make that determination, when faced with a perplexing problem, is to ask yourself, "Is this the kind of thing in which Jesus Christ is interested, or is it something in which the spirit that is diametrically opposed to Jesus is interested?"

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

"For the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

A wonderful aspect of the Gospel is that the grace of God is available to everyone. The Bible tells us some will accept it, and others will not. While it may be tempting to consider and discuss who will and will not be saved, giving in to such temptation is counter-productive to a successful Christian journey.

Regarding the kingdom of God, His Word tells us that knowing Jesus Christ should be our highest priority, for He alone is our source of spiritual nourishment. In Christ we are capable of a righteous and faithful walk, usually the most effective method for sharing the truth of God's salvation plan for mankind. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Much the same way as videos or movies offer instruction via the presentation of living examples, such is the walk of the believer. For maximum effect, the "script" of the believer's life will likely include vivid scenes depicting opportunities for faith in, and reliance on God in difficult times. (Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12)

What will be the effect of the message our life relates to the rest of the world today? Like the Director of a major motion picture, God is setting the stage for each of us individually to communicate His message. Will it be the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, or something else we consider more interesting or relevant? (1 Peter 4:11,16)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 26

The Focal Point of Spiritual Power

. . . except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . —Galatians 6:14

If you want to know the power of God (that is, the resurrection life of Jesus) in your human flesh, you must dwell on the tragedy of God. Break away from your personal concern over your own spiritual condition, and with a completely open spirit consider the tragedy of God. Instantly the power of God will be in you. "Look to Me. . ." (Isaiah 45:22). Pay attention to the external Source and the internal power will be there. We lose power because we don’t focus on the right thing. The effect of the Cross is salvation, sanctification, healing, etc., but we are not to preach any of these. We are to preach "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" ( 1 Corinthians 2:2 ). The proclaiming of Jesus will do its own work. Concentrate on God’s focal point in your preaching, and even if your listeners seem to pay it no attention, they will never be the same again. If I share my own words, they are of no more importance than your words are to me. But if we share the truth of God with one another, we will encounter it again and again. We have to focus on the great point of spiritual power— the Cross. If we stay in contact with that center of power, its energy is released in our lives. In holiness movements and spiritual experience meetings, the focus tends to be put not on the Cross of Christ but on the effects of the Cross.

The feebleness of the church is being criticized today, and the criticism is justified. One reason for the feebleness is that there has not been this focus on the true center of spiritual power. We have not dwelt enough on the tragedy of Calvary or on the meaning of redemption.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-25T05:00:00.002-05:00

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

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

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

2009-11-24T06:24:00.003-05:00

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Are we "branches" truly abiding in the Vine, Jesus Christ, or just branches striving to bear our own fruit? Undertaking godly service dependent on our own effort and capability alone usually results in frustration and defeat. (John 15:6) Jesus knew our best opportunity for effectively serving Him could only be realized in steadfastly seeking and relying on Him.

As Christian branches, our primary function is to seek and conduct nourishment from the Vine - not focus on bearing our own fruit. Obviously, since fruit sprouts from branches, some nurturing is necessary on our part, but we must be careful not to become absorbed or consumed by the development of the fruit relative to our concern for the Vine. The fruit can only be created and successfully maintained via our attention to the Vine. (John 15:4)

It is indeed a good thing to be energized for the Kingdom relative to our responsibility to share the Gospel, and disciple those who will hear and accept it. (Matthew 28:19-20) However, the real test for godly servants is to never lose sight of the Vine for the fruit. Seeking the Vine is our best opportunity to be blessed in bearing fruit.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 24

Direction of Focus

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters . . . , so our eyes look to the Lord our God . . . —Psalm 123:2

This verse is a description of total reliance on God. Just as the eyes of a servant are riveted on his master, our eyes should be directed to and focused on God. This is how knowledge of His countenance is gained and how God reveals Himself to us (see Isaiah 53:1 ). Our spiritual strength begins to be drained when we stop lifting our eyes to Him. Our stamina is sapped, not so much through external troubles surrounding us but through problems in our thinking. We wrongfully think, "I suppose I’ve been stretching myself a little too much, standing too tall and trying to look like God instead of being an ordinary humble person." We have to realize that no effort can be too high.

For example, you came to a crisis in your life, took a stand for God, and even had the witness of the Spirit as a confirmation that what you did was right. But now, maybe weeks or years have gone by, and you are slowly coming to the conclusion—"Well, maybe what I did showed too much pride or was superficial. Was I taking a stand a bit too high for me?" Your "rational" friends come and say, "Don’t be silly. We knew when you first talked about this spiritual awakening that it was a passing impulse, that you couldn’t hold up under the strain. And anyway, God doesn’t expect you to endure." You respond by saying, "Well, I suppose I was expecting too much." That sounds humble to say, but it means that your reliance on God is gone, and you are now relying on worldly opinion. The danger comes when, no longer relying on God, you neglect to focus your eyes on Him. Only when God brings you to a sudden stop will you realize that you have been the loser. Whenever there is a spiritual drain in your life, correct it immediately. Realize that something has been coming between you and God, and change or remove it at once.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-23T05:00:00.001-05:00

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;" Acts 3:19

As believers, do we strive to see the world through the eyes of Jesus, or instead with the perspective that other people seem to be lost, or at least less spiritual than we? Imagine having to deal entirely with unsaved, unspiritual people as Jesus did every day He spent on earth.

Most of us recall a time before we were "born again" into the family of God. Were we not some of the most insufferable people on earth? Our spiritual development means nothing to God if it does not translate into "Christ-likeness" (Matthew 5:16), and Jesus never considered anyone below Him (Mark 10:45).

Throughout this day we will encounter many potential stumbling blocks relative to living Christ for others to experience. They may be pleasant or unpleasant distractions, but we must know that to God both are the same. Anything we use as an excuse to be drawn away from the spirit and character of Jesus is of the enemy. (John 12:24-26)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 23

The Distraction of Contempt

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt —Psalm 123:3

What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. "Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously" ( Malachi 2:16 ). Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives.

Beware of "the cares of this world . . ." ( Mark 4:19 ). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by "the cares of this world."
Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, "O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself." Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, "I must explain myself," or, "I must get people to understand." Our Lord never explained anything—He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves.

When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-20T05:00:00.001-05:00

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14

Do we think of God as a "kind, old, forgiving gentlemen", perhaps like a grandfather? While it might be comforting to consider Him as someone looking for any reason to forgive us, that's not the God of the Bible.

We are forgiven for one reason only - Jesus suffered and died to pay the penalty for our sins. Without His sacrifice, forgiveness by God would not be possible. (Romans 3:21-26) While it is true that God's love for us was the motivation behind sending His Son as a sacrifice, (John 3:16) it was Christ's obedience that enabled God's plan to succeed. (Matthew 26:38-39) (John 17:4, 19:30)

We must never be deceived into believing God's love for us means that we're lovely. On the contrary, without the blood of Jesus Christ cleansing us of sin we are but filthy rags. (Job 15:16, Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3, Isaiah 64:6) Jesus alone saves us from eternal payment for our iniquity. Praise His holy name!

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 20

The Forgiveness of God

In Him we have . . . the forgiveness of sins . . . —Ephesians 1:7

Beware of the pleasant view of the fatherhood of God: God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ. To base our forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us to His favor is through the Cross of Christ. There is no other way! Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony at Calvary. We should never take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and our sanctification in simple faith, and then forget the enormous cost to God that made all of this ours.

Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ. To forgive sin, while remaining a holy God, this price had to be paid. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without the atonement He cannot forgive—He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement of the Cross. God’s forgiveness is possible only in the supernatural realm.

Compared with the miracle of the forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is small. Sanctification is simply the wonderful expression or evidence of the forgiveness of sins in a human life. But the thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin. Paul never got away from this. Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vise, constrained by the love of God.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

What did Jesus mean when He uttered the words of Matthew 10:34? Most theologians consider Jesus to be saying that the convicting truth of His Word is unsettling to the world, often to the extent that it will actually create strife between believers and unbelievers, even family members. (Luke 12:51-53)

Does this mean that we should welcome conflict with the world? To the contrary, conflict and strife with others should never be desired by God's people, but we are not to be surprised when His Truth is so disturbing to the lost and perishing that we will be shunned and often vilified. Obediently walking with Jesus is not the best way to win a cultural popularity contest. (Luke 21:12-13)

Godly love in the form of the crucifixion of His Son at Calvary is not a love the world can embrace. It says that we dirty, rotten, sinners, undeserving as we may be (Isaiah 64:6), are loved beyond measure by a righteous and exclusive God. (Romans 5:7-9)

We needed a savior, and God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ who defined Sonship through His steadfast obedience. He endured torture and ridicule unto death to please His Father, that we may have the same option, and a similar inheritance. (Galatians 3:18; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 1:12; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:8; 1 Peter 1:4)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 19

"When He Has Come"

When He has come, He will convict the world of sin . . . —John 16:8

Very few of us know anything about conviction of sin. We know the experience of being disturbed because we have done wrong things. But conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit blots out every relationship on earth and makes us aware of only one—"Against You, You only, have I sinned . . ." ( Psalm 51:4 ). When a person is convicted of sin in this way, he knows with every bit of his conscience that God would not dare to forgive him. If God did forgive him, then this person would have a stronger sense of justice than God. God does forgive, but it cost the breaking of His heart with grief in the death of Christ to enable Him to do so.

The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ alone that enables the divine nature to forgive and to remain true to itself in doing so. It is shallow nonsense to say that God forgives us because He is love. Once we have been convicted of sin, we will never say this again. The love of God means Calvary—nothing less! The love of God is spelled out on the Cross and nowhere else. The only basis for which God can forgive me is the Cross of Christ. It is there that His conscience is satisfied.

Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-18T05:00:00.001-05:00

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." Romans 8:2

The "dying seed" concept (John 12:24) of Christianity challenges all believers. Dying to self in order to grow fruitful in Christ requires a moment to moment attitude of submission, surrender, and obedience to God. (Galatians 5:24-25)

The key to self-crucifixion is found in replacing our carnal interests with love for Jesus Christ. (Matthew 22:36-40) For perspective if we want to lose weight, which is more successful in the long run - to stop eating altogether, or change permanently what we eat to shed extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight? Replacing fleshly indulgence with a spiritual diet of Jesus Christ is most effective in improving intimacy with God.

We are responsible to do whatever is necessary to adjust our lifestyle toward Jesus and away from ourselves. While sacrifice and self-denial is an important ingredient in the sanctification process, there is a big difference between running away from the world, and running to Jesus. (Isaiah 2:22)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 18

Winning into Freedom

If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed —John 8:36

If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, "I can’t surrender," or "I can’t be free." But the spiritual part of our being never says "I can’t"; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin—we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.

God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, "I can’t do that." God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our "arguments . . . and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" ( 2 Corinthians 10:5 )— we have to do it. Don’t say, "Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts." Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.

"If the Son makes you free . . . ." Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, "I have been crucified with Christ . . . ." His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. ". . . you shall be free indeed"—free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-17T05:00:00.002-05:00

"For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, " I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU." Hebrews 6:13-14

Christians often struggle with God's emphasis on obedience to Him. We find it difficult to willfully obey Him,though it is a key element in resisting our fallen human nature, and/or receiving God's blessing of protection. (Matthew 19:17, Luke 11:28)

For perspective, consider the small child refusing to hold a parent's hand on a busy street thereby disdaining the obedience necessary for safety in a potentially dangerous environment. In this situation the parent has a choice to make in either allowing the child to be subject to unnecessary injury or death; or enforcing the obedience necessary for the welfare of the child. As God's adult "children", do we ever confront Him with similar situations? (Hebrews 12:6)

Being an obedient Christian can be very difficult. It may require us to be unpopular with the world, and even loved ones. But if we truly love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:36-38) we know that willful obedience evidences such love. God desires a relationship with His children, and in any successful relationship both parties have responsibility. The more mature a Christian becomes, the more we appreciate and embrace willful obedience to God.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 17

The Eternal Goal

By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing . . . I will bless you . . . —Genesis 22:16-17

Abraham, at this point, has reached the place where he is in touch with the very nature of God. He now understands the reality of God.

My goal is God Himself . . .At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.

"At any cost . . . by any road" means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal.

There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if He speaks to His own nature in me. Prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says, "Come," I simply come; when He says, "Let go," I let go; when He says, "Trust God in this matter," I trust. This work of obedience is the evidence that the nature of God is in me.
God’s revelation of Himself to me is influenced by my character, not by God’s character.

’Tis because I am ordinary, Thy ways so often look ordinary to me.

It is through the discipline of obedience that I get to the place where Abraham was and I see who God is. God will never be real to me until I come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ. Then I will know and can boldly proclaim, "In all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee."

The promises of God are of no value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God. We may read some things in the Bible every day for a year and they may mean nothing to us. Then, because we have been obedient to God in some small detail, we suddenly see what God means and His nature is instantly opened up to us. "All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . ." (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our "Yes" must be born of obedience; when by obedience we ratify a promise of God by saying, "Amen," or, "So be it." That promise becomes ours.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:17

As children, most of us played the game "Simon Says". The objective of the contest was not to achieve anything spectacular, or even to finish ahead of anyone else, but rather to listen closely and only execute instructions preceded by the words "Simons says". The winner was usually the most patient and disciplined participant, as one by one the other contestants were eliminated for responding to instructions issued without the required "Simon says".

The Christian journey is somewhat like "Simon Says", in that we are to listen carefully and diligently for God's direction while shutting out the temptations and distractions of the world. However, unlike "Simon Says", we're not to stand completely motionless until instructions are received, but instead are to move through life with godly intent and perseverance. (Philippians 3:7-14)

The call to Christian service is not reserved only for those carrying out grand and extraordinary works for the Kingdom of God, but also to the saints who live, and work, and have their being every day in Christ Jesus, wherever they are called. The simplest acts of patience, kindness, and compassion shown to those whom God has placed in our path are what He desires of us each day. Is there anything more loving and caring than sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who will hear it?

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 16

Still Human!

. . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God —1 Corinthians 10:31

In the Scriptures, the great miracle of the incarnation slips into the ordinary life of a child; the great miracle of the transfiguration fades into the demon-possessed valley below; the glory of the resurrection descends into a breakfast on the seashore. This is not an anticlimax, but a great revelation of God.

We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want something that will make people say, "What a wonderful man of prayer he is!" or, "What a great woman of devotion she is!" If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time.

We want to be able to say, "Oh, I have had a wonderful call from God!" But to do even the most humbling tasks to the glory of God takes the Almighty God Incarnate working in us. To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us absolutely humanly His. The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life. We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life "hidden with Christ in God" in our everyday human conditions ( Colossians 3:3 ). Our human relationships are the very conditions in which the ideal life of God should be exhibited.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-13T05:00:00.001-05:00

"knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;" Romans 6:6

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

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

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

2009-11-12T05:00:00.003-05:00

"Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

Sanctification is the process by which we draw closer to God, and away from the attractions (and distractions) of the world. For some, there is dramatic life-change from the moment of salvation. Others may take years to mature even marginally, but all believers are sanctified (set apart for God) to some degree over the entire term of human life. (2 Timothy 2:19-21)

What is our part in the maturation process, and how does it happen?

The answer is found throughout God's Word, but the New Testament epistles are especially helpful for guidance and inspiration. These letters were written to believers in local churches struggling, as we do, against traditions, carnal lusts, and the deceptions such as are common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Another way we can know we have a responsibility in our relationship with God is that He desires fellowship with us. Successful relationships are dynamic, ever-growing as a result of increasing knowledge, understanding and compassion - direct results of intimate fellowship. (1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 John 1:3)

We can be assured the love of God will guide us into intimate fellowship with Him today, providing we are obedient to what Jesus stated was God's greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:36-38) We have everything to gain, and nothing to lose by loving Him with all of our being.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 12

The Changed Life

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new —2 Corinthians 5:17

What understanding do you have of the salvation of your soul? The work of salvation means that in your real life things are dramatically changed. You no longer look at things in the same way. Your desires are new and the old things have lost their power to attract you. One of the tests for determining if the work of salvation in your life is genuine is—has God changed the things that really matter to you? If you still yearn for the old things, it is absurd to talk about being born from above—you are deceiving yourself. If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the change very evident in your real life and thought. And when a crisis comes, you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you. There is no possibility of imagining that you did it. It is this complete and amazing change that is the very evidence that you are saved.

What difference has my salvation and sanctification made? For instance, can I stand in the light of 1 Corinthians 13 , or do I squirm and evade the issue? True salvation, worked out in me by the Holy Spirit, frees me completely. And as long as I "walk in the light as He is in the light" ( 1 John 1:7 ), God sees nothing to rebuke because His life is working itself into every detailed part of my being, not on the conscious level, but even deeper than my consciousness.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-11T05:00:00.001-05:00

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;" Hebrews 11:17

Abraham's example of faith in offering up Isaac challenges us all. What has God made evident to us regarding sacrifice or service that we find too difficult to carry out? We may be tempted to answer that we've never been challenged with such a task or trial, but how about sharing our faith? Has there ever been a time when we failed to share our faith in Christ because of what it might cost us?

We may not be tested with offering up an only son, but if we're not being tested and tried by God on some level we need to examine our faith life. Testing through service and sacrifice is one of the ways God grows and matures His children. (James 1:12) Consequently, a Christian without spiritual testing or trial may be one out of fellowship with the Father.

The lessons of godly testing or trial are rarely welcome from a human perspective, but spiritually they mold and shape God's children in the image of His Son Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7) Today, we can travel through life on our own plan and schedule, or take up our cross and follow Jesus.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 11

The Supreme Climb

He said, ’Take now your son . . .’ —Genesis 22:2

God’s command is, "Take now," not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later—it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.

"So Abraham rose early in the morning . . . and went to the place of which God had told him" ( Genesis 22:3 ). Oh, the wonderful simplicity of Abraham! When God spoke, he did not "confer with flesh and blood" ( Galatians 1:16 ). Beware when you want to "confer with flesh and blood" or even your own thoughts, insights, or understandings—anything that is not based on your personal relationship with God. These are all things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.

Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always guard against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, "I will only go to there, but no farther." God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

To unbelievers it seems ridiculous to turns one's life completely over to God. For the new believer it may not be ludicrous, but certainly disconcerting. How does one exist successfully in the world system while trusting God?

The answer involves re-evaluating our definition of success. Success in God's economy means obedient submission and surrender to Jesus as Lord. Since He has overcome the world, (John 16:33) as believers in Christ we have the opportunity for similar victory. (1 John 5:5)

These promises leave us with the legitimate option of walking with the world for ourselves, or in the world in step with God for His purpose. We can live merely as citizens of the world, or in the world as ambassadors for His kingdom. The decision is really that simple, and once we make the right choice the challenge is in how we succeed in self-denial relative to living for Christ.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 10

Fellowship in the Gospel

. . . fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ . . . —1 Thessalonians 3:2

After sanctification, it is difficult to state what your purpose in life is, because God has moved you into His purpose through the Holy Spirit. He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation. If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, "God has called me for this and for that," you barricade God from using you. As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests. This can only be accomplished by giving up all of your personal plans once and for all, and by allowing God to take you directly into His purpose for the world. Your understanding of your ways must also be surrendered, because they are now the ways of the Lord.

I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, "Lord, this causes me such heartache." To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy "world within the world," and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being "frost-bitten."

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-09T05:00:00.004-05:00

"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." Colossians 1:18

The best way to tell others about Jesus Christ is to know Him so well that we are enthusiastic about speaking of Him as a close personal friend. Regarding beloved family or friends, don't we typically find every opportunity to tell others about their attributes and how important they are to us?

If we don't feel the same way about Jesus Christ it is only for one reason - we don't know Him as well as we should. To know Jesus as He desires is to be passionate about Him, to want everyone else to know our Best Friend as we do, and to make Him the highest priority of each and every day. (Matthew 22:36-38)

Today we may have an opportunity to tell someone about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Will we communicate Him as the ultimate love of our life as we truly know Him, or something less?

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." 2 Timothy 4:2

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 9

Sacred Service

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . . —Colossians 1:24

The Christian worker has to be a sacred "go-between." He must be so closely identified with his Lord and the reality of His redemption that Christ can continually bring His creating life through him. I am not referring to the strength of one individual’s personality being superimposed on another, but the real presence of Christ coming through every aspect of the worker’s life. When we preach the historical facts of the life and death of our Lord as they are conveyed in the New Testament, our words are made sacred. God uses these words, on the basis of His redemption, to create something in those who listen which otherwise could never have been created. If we simply preach the effects of redemption in the human life instead of the revealed, divine truth regarding Jesus Himself, the result is not new birth in those who listen. The result is a refined religious lifestyle, and the Spirit of God cannot witness to it because such preaching is in a realm other than His. We must make sure that we are living in such harmony with God that as we proclaim His truth He can create in others those things which He alone can do.

When we say, "What a wonderful personality, what a fascinating person, and what wonderful insight!" then what opportunity does the gospel of God have through all of that? It cannot get through, because the attraction is to the messenger and not the message. If a person attracts through his personality, that becomes his appeal. If, however, he is identified with the Lord Himself, then the appeal becomes what Jesus Christ can do. The danger is to glory in men, yet Jesus says we are to lift up only Him (see John 12:32 ).

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-06T07:43:00.003-05:00

He said to His disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:40

Is it possible to live without the fear of a future negative event? It is possible with faith in Jesus Christ as our living Lord. Christ the living Word of God communes with our spirit, and the truth of His Word becomes the basis for fear-ending faith. (Romans 10:17)

If we believe God's assurance that all things work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28), we already know the outcome of all life circumstances - they are for our benefit! While all "good" things are not pleasant (painful discipline, challenging instruction, or remediation), knowing the final outcome will be for good enables us to have the peace that surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)

Studies have shown that a significant majority of what people worry about never takes place. In short, we suffer anxiety over the unknown, or due to uncertainty. With an eternal outlook - that whatever comes our way is no surprise to God, and ultimately for good - the anguish of trial and tribulation (or the anticipation of it) should be minimized. (John 14:27)

Are we trusting in God, knowing we're in His hands? If so, we know there is no better place to be. If not, it's time to run to His out-stretched arms by opening His Holy Word for blessed assurance, all the while offering intercessory prayer for others. The Gospel of Jesus Christ frees us from the fear of death and destruction enabling us to lift up others with the heart of a servant. (Ephesians 6:18)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 6

Intimate Theology

Do you believe this? - John 11:26

Martha believed in the power available to Jesus Christ; she believed that if He had been there He could have healed her brother; she also believed that Jesus had a special intimacy with God, and that whatever He asked of God, God would do. But— she needed a closer personal intimacy with Jesus. Martha’s theology had its fulfillment in the future. But Jesus continued to attract and draw her in until her belief became an intimate possession. It then slowly emerged into a personal inheritance— "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ . . ." ( John 11:27 ).

Is the Lord dealing with you in the same way? Is Jesus teaching you to have a personal intimacy with Himself? Allow Him to drive His question home to you— "Do you believe this?" Are you facing an area of doubt in your life? Have you come, like Martha, to a crossroads of overwhelming circumstances where your theology is about to become a very personal belief? This happens only when a personal problem brings the awareness of our personal need.

To believe is to commit. In the area of intellectual learning I commit myself mentally, and reject anything not related to that belief. In the realm of personal belief I commit myself morally to my convictions and refuse to compromise. But in intimate personal belief I commit myself spiritually to Jesus Christ and make a determination to be dominated by Him alone.

Then, when I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and He says to me, "Do you believe this?" I find that faith is as natural as breathing. And I am staggered when I think how foolish I have been in not trusting Him earlier

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-11-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

"For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:5

While few of us enjoy suffering, mature believers understand suffering's place in the Christian journey. Our human perspective is that suffering is always negative, but understanding God's viewpoint that suffering refines and strengthens is critical to staying in step with Him. (James 1:3, 1 Corinthians 3:13)

An interesting irony is that we can appreciate the value of conformity relative to joining a club, or even a church, but conformity to suffering in order to join Jesus' "club" seems incongruous. Why is our suffering so important to God? Because it was required of His Son, and also because it serves to grow and mature us spiritually. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

True faith in Jesus Christ is not a "sometimes" thing. Truly faithful believers understand the value of trusting God in all things. (Colossians 1:17) Will the sufferings of this day move us toward, or away from God?

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 5

Partakers of His Suffering

. . . but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings . . . —1 Peter 4:13

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, "Oh, I can’t deal with that person." Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.

The sufferings of Christ were not those of ordinary people. He suffered "according to the will of God" ( 1 Peter 4:19 ), having a different point of view of suffering from ours. It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. When it comes to suffering, it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God’s purpose beforehand. In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a shortcut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering—the way of the "long road home."

Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through—we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize—"God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!"

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end." Hebrews 3:6

What a blessing to worship the God whose greatest commandment is that we are to love Him. Relative to all the other "gods" we're inclined to worship, the God Most High stands alone. (Nehemiah 9:6) Sadly, many of His children don't consider Him from this perspective, instead preferring a god of good health, wealth, happiness, or some other carnal gratification.

The truth of God's love for mankind is manifested in His Son Jesus Christ, by Whom we have been redeemed from eternal damnation. All we have been required to do is sincerely acknowledge and proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior, at which point we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we are, for the first time, capable of returning God's love. (Colossians 2:13)

Realizing the truth of the Gospel should inspire believers to action. It is too good to keep to ourselves, and it is through the actions of saints that most people gain their first glimpse of God.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Remember that we could be the only Bible some people read today.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 4

The Authority of Truth

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you —James 4:8

It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual—you cannot act for him. It must be his own deliberate act, but the evangelical message should always lead him to action. Refusing to act leaves a person paralyzed, exactly where he was previously. But once he acts, he is never the same. It is the apparent folly of the truth that stands in the way of hundreds who have been convicted by the Spirit of God. Once I press myself into action, I immediately begin to live. Anything less is merely existing. The moments I truly live are the moments when I act with my entire will.

When a truth of God is brought home to your soul, never allow it to pass without acting on it internally in your will, not necessarily externally in your physical life. Record it with ink and with blood—work it into your life. The weakest saint who transacts business with Jesus Christ is liberated the second he acts and God’s almighty power is available on his behalf. We come up to the truth of God, confess we are wrong, but go back again. Then we approach it again and turn back, until we finally learn we have no business going back. When we are confronted with such a word of truth from our redeeming Lord, we must move directly to transact business with Him. "Come to Me . . ." ( Matthew 11:28 ). His word come means "to act." Yet the last thing we want to do is come. But everyone who does come knows that, at that very moment, the supernatural power of the life of God invades him. The dominating power of the world, the flesh, and the devil is now paralyzed; not by your act, but because your act has joined you to God and tapped you in to His redemptive power.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:24

The undeniable truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ points us all to the realization that we are sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Though we gratefully accept salvation by grace, we often come up short regarding crucifying the flesh.

Success under God is defined by the extent to which we are able to die to self, and live in Christ. (Philippians 1:21) If we think we bring anything of value to the relationship, we are destined to fail in our Christian walk. Christian growth and maturity requires crucifixion of the old life in deference to the new, otherwise the old life will significantly impede the new. (Romans 8:10)

Do we think ourselves bondservants for Christ? If not, it is likely because we worship some aspect of Christianity instead of Christ alone. If our faith is defined primarily by our concern for a church building, a favorite ministry, family - anything ahead of Jesus Christ - these are things we must make subject to our love of Jesus if we truly desire to serve our Savior. (Matthew 10:37-38)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 3

A Bondservant of Jesus

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . . —Galatians 2:20

These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, ". . . for My sake" ( Matthew 5:11 ). That is what makes a strong saint.

Has that breaking of my independence come? All the rest is religious fraud. The one point to decide is—will I give up? Will I surrender to Jesus Christ, placing no conditions whatsoever as to how the brokenness will come? I must be broken from my own understanding of myself. When I reach that point, immediately the reality of the supernatural identification with Jesus Christ takes place. And the witness of the Spirit of God is unmistakable— "I have been crucified with Christ . . . ."

The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint.

One student a year who hears God’s call would be sufficient for God to have called the Bible Training College into existence. This college has no value as an organization, not even academically. Its sole value for existence is for God to help Himself to lives. Will we allow Him to help Himself to us, or are we more concerned with our own ideas of what we are going to be?

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." John 15:10

When we think of obedience to God, is it relative to all things in life? Because human beings think of obedience in terms of duty or obligation rather than faith and love, we tend to only apply godly obedience to matters of significant consequence.

As with every other important life principle, obedience is best practiced in ALL things. Godly obedience should be our state of existence rather than reserved for select circumstances and/or challenges. God is pleased when obeying Him is our "default" attitude, actually becoming a part of our nature. (2 Chronicles 31:20-22)

Willful obedience to God encourages intimacy with Him, and in close harmony with God we are best able to be used for His good purpose. (Romans 6:16) Godly obedience is a step-by-step process which must be a foundational component of who we are, and hope to be. Obedience to God is a choice, but chosen in ALL things it becomes our nature.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

November 2

Obedience or Independence?

If you love Me, keep My commandments —John 14:15

Our Lord never insists on our obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an "If," meaning, "You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so." "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . ." ( Luke 9:23 ). In other words, "To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me." Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26 ). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.

The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." John 3:6

Most Christians know belief in Jesus as Lord is required for eternal life with God, but many are not understanding of God's definition of the word "belief". What does it mean to "believe" in Jesus?

From God's perspective, belief in His Son Jesus Christ means to have faith in Him. Believing Jesus is God is one thing, but having the faith to trust Him in and for all things requires the intimacy of relationship. To the world this is foolishness. (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21, and 2:14) How can we have a relationship with a person who lived and died nearly 2000 years ago?

Salvation is truly a mystery because it is of God and not of man (Romans 16:25, Ephesians 3:4), but with salvation comes the knowledge of our true standing before God. Suffice it to say that, often for the first time, we see ourselves and the world the way God sees us - totally depraved compared to Him and His Son Jesus. (Hosea 5:2, Acts 8:22, Romans 1:29) This introspection of humility manifesting itself within our prideful, arrogant human existence is the exclusive domain of God. Man is incapable of achieving it on our own.

When God calls seeking a greater relationship we can answer Him wisely in faith or continue in the foolishness of the world. Ponder the words of missionary Jim Elliott:

"Wise is the man who gives what he can not keep, for that which he can not lose".

God loves us as His children, and has a wonderful plan for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11-14) We can begin this day on our own, or take His hand in faith, holding fast throughout the day come what may. He loves us enough to allow us the choice.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 30

Faith

Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . —Hebrews 11:6

Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. "We know that all things work together for good . . ." ( Romans 8:28 ) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.

For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, "Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word" (for example, see Matthew 6:33 ). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" ( John 14:9 ) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh," Romans 8:3

When we realize Jesus became a living sacrifice for our sins, more as a result of obedience to the Father than because of sympathy for us, do we love Him less? What if His ONLY reason was obedience to God? Are we willing and committed to loving and preaching a Savior who died as much out of obedience to His Father as love for us? (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42)

We need to be careful regarding the basis for our love for Christ, as it is easy to make Him into a Savior we would desire rather than the One sent by God. Human understanding of love is limited, but God loves infinitely. We might think we know what is meant by "For God so loved the world", but earthly understanding and experience will likely not provide the breadth and width of God's love for humankind. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

To base our godly intentions and service on such a limited understanding alone (minimizing the significance of obedience to the Father in Jesus' crucifixion) exposes us to the danger of living a gospel of man rather than God. Certainly God is love, but in love He chastens those He considers His children. (Hebrews 12:6) Do we accept and worship the God who chastens in love as readily as the God of lovingkindness? The challenge is in knowing and living as if He is One in the same - as Jesus did.

Pleasing the Father involves loving Jesus to the extent that He lives in and through us, not what we think of His Son. This means we should assume Jesus' attitude and perspective regarding serving God which allows Him to be formed in us - willful surrender, submission, and obedience to the Father. Will this be our motivation for the day? If so, will it be our living witness, regardless of the consequences?

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 29

Substitution

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21

The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was "made . . . to be sin . . . ." Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take "away the sin of the world!" ( John 1:29 ). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24 ). John 14:9 , where Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father," was spoken to His disciples.

That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that "He died for all" ( 2 Corinthians 5:15 )—not, "He died my death"—and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19 ).

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." Ephesians 2:3

Is it possible to be saved without knowing you're lost? Fortunately, God answers this question for most of us since we have a clear memory of who we were prior to being born again, thus knowing for certain that we were, in fact, lost.

The reality of the Gospel is that without Jesus Christ the entire human race would be destined for eternal damnation. (Romans 3:10) None of us would merit a moment, let alone eternity, with God. Knowing this, how many of us still refuse to surrender all to Jesus Christ? We might be saved, but are we living the sanctified life which allows Jesus to shine through us to others?

Because Jesus lives we can call heaven home. Because Jesus lives death has lost its sting. (1 Corinthians 15:54-58) Will we live this day with the assurance and peace of one who will spend eternity in heaven with God? If we don't, then we deny the inheritance of the Kingdom. (Romans 8:16-17)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 28

Justification by Faith

If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life —Romans 5:10

I am not saved by believing—I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me—repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.

The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves—they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done—"It is finished!" ( John 19:30 ).

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:8

Perhaps the greatest challenge for Christian believers is to distinguish the difference between loving God, and loving godly principles - they are not one in the same. The proof is that it is possible to love godly principles without loving God, but not the reverse.

For centuries men and women have gone to the mission field, or to full-time ministry, with only a love of godly principles and the desire to profess them to the unknowing. While God is capable of using anyone for His purpose, His desire is that by our intimate relationship with Jesus, and through the power of His Holy Spirit, we would become shining points of distribution for His Gospel to all with whom we come into contact. (Matthew 5:16)

Today as we move among the world, will we be representative of a godly creed, or of a personal relationship with the Savior of the world? There is absolutely no power in a creed or doctrine, yet the power of Christ working through fools (1 Corinthians 3:18-20) who love Him evidences the greatest Gift ever offered to mankind. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 27

The Method of Missions

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . —Matthew 28:19

Jesus Christ did not say, "Go and save souls" (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, "Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . ." Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, "Don’t rejoice in successful service—the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me" (see Luke 10:17-20 ). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.

The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ—"Do you believe that I am able to do this?" ( Matthew 9:28 ). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is—do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord—"All authority has been given to Me . . . . Go therefore . . ." ( Matthew 28:18-19 ).

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

Are we the "little children" of God, or do we believe we are qualified and capable of helping Him? What little child is a genuine helper to adults? Very few little children are capable of helping adults, and that is one reason God presents little children as spiritual role models for believers. We are most capable before God when we rely on Him as little children, rather than on our talents or abilities as His helpers. (Mark 10:14)

It takes genuine "little children" to be available for God to do His most important work through them. This is a foreign concept to most people, and even to many believers who insist on holding what we perceive as our human assets or attributes up to God as a testament to our Kingdom value. Truthfully, God sees nothing of value in our human nature or capability, but only in our humility, surrender, and obedience as His little children. (Luke 10:21)

So how will we go about the Lord's business this day? Will we be like a little child, holding on tightly to our Father's hand, or the self-confident adult only reaching for God's hand when we come to the end or ourselves?

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 26

What is a Missionary?

Jesus said to them again, ’. . . As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’ —John 20:21

A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front—to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success. But in the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, and is the Lord Jesus Himself. The goal is to be true to Him—to carry out His plans.

Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and to His perspective is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary work the great danger is that God’s call will be replaced by the needs of the people, to the point that human sympathy for those needs will absolutely overwhelm the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, and the conditions so difficult, that every power of the mind falters and fails. We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ—"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . ." ( Matthew 28:19 ).

When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, "What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!" But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were "foolish" enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

The "good work" begun in us is God's salvation by grace. Believers saved by grace undergo a lifelong journey of sanctification, thus the "perfection" that will occur until the day of Christ Jesus.

Every moment between the "beginning of the good work", and the "day of Christ Jesus", is an opportunity for growth, even those experiences which occur as a result of sinful disobedience if we confess, repent, and seek God's forgiveness in Jesus. (James 5:16, 1 John 1:9) Hopefully, such occurrences diminish over time, as we become more concerned with getting in step with God, and out of step with the world.

Proof of spiritual growth and development is possessing a nature consistent with that of our Savior. Is this our goal, or is it to simply "model" Him? Acquiring the nature of Jesus Christ requires us to seek Him with all our being, (Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9) to identify with His suffering, and exaltation, and to subordinate our own needs and desires to a position far below our yearning for Him.

Is Jesus Christ our primary reason for existing? If so, we'll never wonder about our purpose, or anguish over burdensome tasks and responsibilities. (Philippians 4:13)

"I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee my precious Savior,
I surrender all."

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 23

Nothing of the Old Life!

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new —2 Corinthians 5:17

Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, "God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right." But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and "all things are of God" ( 2 Corinthians 5:18 ). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that "is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil"? ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 ). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God—such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him." Acts 5:32

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of humility is the understanding that God wants nothing to do with us - that is, our human nature. We will always be unsuccessful in approaching Him carnally. We are only able to have a relationship with God spiritually. (John 3:36)

Understanding that fellowship with God is dependent upon our submission and surrender to Jesus Christ residing in us through the Holy Spirit, obedience is the key that opens the door to God. (Hebrews 5:9) If we believe we can approach Him in any other attitude we are deceived.

Several times today we will be tempted to manage our circumstances or resolve issues based on our human ability alone. Sadly, we may be successful in our own capacity which will encourage independence and self-reliance. If we're believing of, and committed to the concept that strength in the Lord first requires weakness in self (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), we will begin this day praying to be guided to Him in Christ Jesus rather than succeeding in our own effort.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 22

The Witness of the Spirit

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit . . . —Romans 8:16

We are in danger of getting into a bargaining spirit with God when we come to Him—we want the witness of the Spirit before we have done what God tells us to do.

Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28 , "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . ." Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13 ).

The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:16

Almost from the moment we enter this world we are encouraged to hurry up, to win the race, to stay ahead. Speed, and moving quickly become a part of life. As we grow older, the world encourages us to admire people who act impulsively, or spontaneously, especially if they're successful by world standards.

Interestingly, the Bible provides nearly an opposite perspective regarding time. While it discourages slothfulness, or wasting of time, it rarely mentions anyone hurrying anywhere. The pace of life related in God's Word presents a stark contrast to today's "hurry-up" world. (Psalm 37:9, Psalm 123:2, Isaiah 8:17, Isaiah 40:31)

Have you ever considered that the Holy Bible, spanning thousands of years and recorded by various individuals, only speaks of the future in terms of prophetic events? As my youngest son once informed me, we know that God considers this moment a precious gift because He named it "the present".

We can obsess about yesterday and tomorrow, but how about today? In God's economy, there is no time more valuable than the present. (Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:6, 1 Peter 5:7) So here we are - now what would God have us do with it? Glorify His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ with all we say and do!

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 21

Impulsiveness or Discipleship?

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith . . . —Jude 20

There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman— an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.

Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he "followed Him at a distance" on dry land ( Mark 14:54 ). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises— human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God, but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people, and this is not learned in five minutes.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

2009-10-20T05:00:00.001-04:00

"Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." 1 Corinthians 6:18

We are born self-centered. Certainly there are varying degrees of self-focus, but nearly everyone is inherently more concerned for themselves than others. Therefore, without the gift of salvation through Christ, and the subsequent fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we are incapable of Christ-like servanthood.

With Jesus as our example, for the first time we can begin to understand the meaning of self-sacrifice, and also know how human pride distances us from God. This must all happen before we have an understanding of just how immoral we are. Without an abiding relationship with God, man has no idea of the extent of his depravity. (Ephesians 4:18)

The truth of the Gospel collides with our sin and immorality, revealing in its light that which we attempt to conduct in the dark. We can run, but can not hide, as the spiritual light of God can not be shielded or deflected. Thankfully, Jesus has provided the opportunity to move from the dark to the light instantly, allowing us the freedom to choose light over dark. (Hebrews 11:25) Will we surrender willfully and obediently to God, growing in grace and spiritual stature? We will likely be given the opportunity to decide many times today.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 20

Is God’s Will My Will?

This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:3

Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me—is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30 ). Beware of saying, "Oh, I am longing to be sanctified." No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.

All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8 ). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( Romans 8:39 ).

Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.

Amen!

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." Luke 17:21
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For most true Christians, our lives can be divided into two elements - the time we lived as unbelievers, and the time we've lived as children of God. Prior to salvation we lived to survive and/or prosper subject to the world system. Hopefully, since salvation we're maturing and progressing relative to eternal values and Kingdom principles because we seek to KNOW Jesus. (2 Peter 3:18)

Spiritual progression only occurs as the result of a sincere desire to KNOW Jesus Christ. We can preach on street corners, mission in Africa, work in inner-city soup kitchens - none of which amounts to anything without an intense and abiding love for, and focus on, Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:8)

Will our Savior determine the course and outcome of our day? Will we arise thinking of Him, and live each moment of the day seeking to KNOW Him better? Wherever we are, and whenever it may be, Jesus Christ is with us ready to take our hand as we reach up to Him. It doesn't matter what we did yesterday, or even a moment ago. The time to seek and KNOW Jesus is right now! (Romans 10:9)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 19

The Unheeded Secret

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world —John 18:36

The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . . For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you" ( Luke 17:20-21 ). It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person’s life.

We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.

It is not the practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College—its entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.

Amen!
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"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest." John 4:35
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Do we travel through life on two separate roads - one secular and the other spiritual? If so, we have succumbed to dualism, one of Satan's greatest deceptions. The world system encourages the belief that a life dedicated to God and His plan is only for those called to "the work of the church", or of a specific form of religion.

The concept of dualism (purposeful separation of spiritual and secular existence) is purely of the world, as it is never prescribed in God's Word. To the contrary, God's Word tells us to render all service as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23, Ephesians 6:7) Proverbs 3:5-6), and encourages no distinction between our secular and spiritual lives with its clear and consistent instruction to rely on God and seek His will for all things.

In his book, Loving Monday, (the entire book may be read online) author and successful business owner John D. Beckett presents the witness of how he has operated the R.W. Becket Company for many years as his Christian calling. Struggling to determine God's will for his life as a young man, he came to the realization that he could best serve God right where he was, as long as he considered his business, personal, and spiritual lives all as one under Jesus Christ.

John Beckett is a missionary, and one of the highest order since he submitted and surrendered to God's plan for his life rather than pursue his own. When he joined his father's business it had 30 employees. After nearly three decades of operating it under godly principles, and as an integral component of his own Christian journey, it has grown to more than 500 employees, becoming a leader in its industry. John Beckett's business life is not separate from his spiritual life. He has not succumbed to the lie of "dualism" as the world prescribes.

Through his decision to become a servant for Jesus Christ, John Beckett has influenced thousands of people for the Kingdom through his work. Would he have realized a similar opportunity in full-time, church-only related ministry or missions? Only God knows, but the truth of his life has been to allow Jesus to use him as a conduit for His plan, and that's really all that matters.

Where does Jesus have you today? Wherever it is, if you've submitted and surrendered your life to Him, you are, or have the potential to be, a successful missionary.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .

October 16

The Key to the Master’s Orders

Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest —Matthew 9:38

The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work—that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders—the key is prayer. "Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . ." In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.

From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person—Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father’s or your brother’s life—are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, "Oh, but I have a special work to do!" No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, "a servant [who] is not greater than his master" ( John 13:16 ), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work—He calls us to Himself. "Pray the Lord of the harvest," and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.

Amen!
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"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

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"We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." 1 John 4:14
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Are all Christians called to be missionaries? God's Word clearly encourages us without qualification, exclusion, or exception to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47)

Most people think of the word "missionary" as describing a person who travels to far away places to establish a church among those never having heard the Gospel. While this is one description of a missionary, the word is significantly more far ranging. Anyone who shares the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone else is a missionary. Whether on a foreign field, or in our own neighborhood we are missionaries by God's definition. Also, sharing the Gospel is not limited to verbal communication. The truth of Jesus Christ is often more effectively evidenced by actions, as the nature of a person is much more than spoken words.

So, to what mission field are we sent today? Will it involve the workplace, the community, or even the church? Will we be submitted and surrendered enough to allow God's leading? Remember, you will likely be the only Bible some people read today, so . . . .
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Onward Christian soldiers!

Bob Benson

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from My Utmost for His Highest. . .

October 15

The Key to the Missionary’s Work

He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world —1 John 2:2

The key to the missionary’s message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus—His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ’s work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But—"The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"—that is limitless ( John 1:29 ). The missionary’s message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.

The real key to the missionary’s message is the "remissionary" aspect of Christ’s life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. ". . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . ." ( Luke 24:47 ). The greatest message of limitless importance is that "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . ." The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is "for the whole world." When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.

A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim "the Lamb of God." It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, "Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me," but, ". . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" ( 1 Corinthians 9:16 ). And this is the gospel—"the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Amen!
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"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24