"Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets." (Beethoven) Embrace and practice the same with the art of life in Christ—force your way into its secrets! There is a world of difference in the tension between a passive profession of Jesus and “taking the life of Christ and his Kingdom by force.”
To embrace the latter will always call us to force our way into the secrets of His life! As you devotionally read Paul’s classic description of this tension in Romans 7 and 8 can you feel him forcing his way into the secrets of the art of life in Christ? Can you readily identify with his struggle?
15 “What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. 16 So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for me and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary. 17 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! 18 I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. 19 I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do badly, but then I do it anyway.
20 My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. 21 It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. 22 I truly delight in God's commands, 23 but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? 25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.” (Romans 7:15-25, Msg)
1 “With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. 2 A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
3 God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code (religious self-effort), weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that. 4 And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.” (Romans 8:1-4, Msg)
While forcing our way into the secrets of life in Christ’ Holy Spirit, we discover an abundance there not previously known or even imagined in our wildest hopes and dreams! There is always more than enough, an eternal never-ending more, an invitation to more abundance, a manifold many times more above all measure, never-ending supply! Wow! Force your way into abundant, never-ending more! Don’t settle anymore for lack! Push your way by brave faith into the heavenly bliss of ‘more than conquering, overcoming life in Christ’!
14 “Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst - not ever (Quenched; the soul's thirst for water of life more than met forever). The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life." 15 The woman said, "Sir, give me this water so I won't ever get thirsty, won't ever have to come back to this well again!" (John 4:14-15, Msg)
35 Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more (It is said of the heavenly bliss, "They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more) and thirsts no more, ever. (John 6:35, Msg)
37 “Now on the last day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah, Yeshua stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking!” (John 7:37, CJB)
4 “Like good stewards of the manifold (manifold more abundantly, many times more) grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” (1 Peter 4:10, NRS)
35 “Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 36 (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming (above all measure, more than more, never-ending supply) victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8: 35-37 NLT) God’s love is always abundantly more!
Following is a secret of the art of life in Jesus that will keep you and me in an abundant receiving mode.
4 “You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. 5 And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." 6 And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble." 7 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. 8 Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. 9 Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. 10 Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.” (James 4:4-10, Msg)
7 “Because of the extravagance of those revelations (secrets of the art of life in Christ), and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! 8 At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, 9 and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. 10 Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Msg)
I am presently practicing this in regards to diabetes; overcoming a mini-stroke and taking the ground back for the major stroke my doctors say is just around the corner. This truth is as real and relevant as it gets!
In the loving grip of the secrets of the art of life in Christ Jesus, Ron Ross
Comments