PRAYER MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:30!!
Daily Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart:
1 John 4:9, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
To understand the Christian life properly, it is important to see that Christ is our relationship with everything.
In Galatians 2:20, when the apostle Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,” he opened up a profound revelation concerning our life–Christ is now our relationship with all things.
If Christ now lives in me, with the “I” crucified and no longer in the picture, then I do not have a separate, independent relationship with God.
My relationship with God is Christ!
In fact, one of the most refreshing things to my spirit is to declare that I do not have a relationship with God.
I have declared it many times, and said out loud–“My relationship with God is Jesus Christ!”
God has established one unique relationship, and that relationship is with His only begotten Son (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18).
1 John 4:9 says, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
To identify the Son as the only begotten means that God has a relationship with only one Person.
Then to directly relate the only begotten Son to us by saying, “that we might live through Him,” reveals that His relationship with the Father has now become our relationship.
Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Man.
As the Son of God, He is the One who has the relationship with God.
As the Son of Man, He is the One who has the relationship with man.
He is the representative man.
Indeed, only one Man has a proper and approved relationship with God and man.
That one Man is Jesus Christ.
He represents the meaning of man.
In Hebrews 2:6 the question is asked, “What is man?”
The answer comes in verse 9: “We see Jesus.”
Jesus Christ is the one Man who has the one, unique relationship with God.
Seek no further.
The address of Christ in us
2 Timothy 4:22, “The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.”
Many Christians may know the objective truth concerning their identification with Christ, but they may not know subjectively His location within their being.
To experience Christ as our relationship with everything, one of the most crucial things to know is that He lives in our spirit.
Man’s regenerated spirit is the address of Jesus Christ.
In the above verse the personal pronoun makes the address clear–“The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
This identifies the place where Christ actually lives in us.
We need to understand that our spirit is as much a part of our constitution as are our other faculties.
For example, our mouth is our mouth, and our eyes are our eyes, and our hands are our hands.
I can close my mouth and I can open my mouth.
I can close my eyes and I can open my eyes.
I can squeeze my hands and I can open my hands.
I can do all these things with my mouth, eyes, and hands because they are my members.
In other words, we have the ability to do whatever we desire with our own faculties.
In the same way, we have control over our own spirit (1 Cor. 14:32).
Have you ever observed how many personal pronouns there are in the New Testament related to the human spirit?
For example, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit” (Rom. 8:16).
“For they refreshed my spirit and yours”(1 Cor. 16:18).
“And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all” (2 Cor. 7:13).
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Gal. 6:18).
All these verses refer to our spirit, the deepest part of our being, which is joined to the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17).
It is from this joined part that Christ is our relationship with everything.
By walking according to our spirit, which we control, Christ becomes everything to us.
Until Tomorrow,
With A Shepherd’s Love
Pastor
Today’s Prayer List
Debra Roberts – IMPROVED
Hanna Hall – Pray For Grace
James Parsons – Mae’s Brother – Home on Palliative Care
Larry Barker – Hip Replacement
Sherry Yoachum – Recovering
Amy Garner’s Mother – Better –
Ashley Burn’s Sisters
Barbara Shed’s Family –
Bill Lawhead – Cancer Returned
Bill Moody –
Carla Martin – Pneumonia
Charlie Sessom –Waiting –
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons–
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom
Don Slate – Angela Bryan’s Dad – Hospice
Doug Fritzel –
James Garner – Shoulder Replacement
James Garner’s G’Son –
John Burnette –
Joyceann – James Garner’s Daughter
Kimberly – Dustin’s Sister–
Lavona Davis –
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Lynn – Nancy Brown’s Daughter –
Mary Sims –
Michael Stanley –
Nancy Brown’s G’Daughter –
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom –
Pastor Stucke– Nikki’s Dad
Paula Ferus’ Missionary Friend
Ricky Stubbs –
Roseleigh Osborn –
Scott Lanier – Lisa’s Cousin –
Sharon Blalock–
Shaelyn – Jill’s Friend
Shannon Golden –
Sheila Simmons Cousin –
Todd Bailey –
Todd Roberts –
Tom Witcher –
Wanda Galanti –