Part 3 .... The Sign of the CROSS.... in TRUTH+

  What Would JESUS , The TRUTH+,  Do ?
Message by Byron Miller, Wellspring Mennonite Church, Athens, TN.

Drawing by The ORDER of The GOOD SHEPHERD+

Think about the answer to the motto, or the words, "What Would Jesus Do ?" 

That motto is good, 

but I think 

often the answer 

would be 

more self-evident, 

be easier to discern, 

if GOD'S Kingdom was my consuming focus.

In other words, our selfish desires often bring us 

into compromising situations, 

into positions, 

that cause us to question 

what GOD really wants in a given situation.

SELF CLOUDS OUR MIND FROM TRUTH.

There is nothing that can cloud our mind more than

 allowing Self to be in control.

Do we really desire our will to be in subjection to any?  

Too often we do not want that; that is not our desire.  

The human-ness in us balks at that ; it does not want it.

 We can yield here, we can yield there, in different areas... as long as we can still be our own master.

But GOD'S strength comes only through submission. We can try many other things, many good things. 

But do we want GOD'S strength in our lives ?

 

Look at  Romans 6  ....

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  GOD forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?   Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into JESUS CHRIST were baptized into His+ death?

Therefore we are buried with Him+ by baptism into death: that like as CHRIST was raised up from the dead by the glory of the FATHER, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His+ death, we shall be also in the likeness of His+ Resurrection:   Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him+ ...

I do not know that there were any survivors of crucifixion ,save one, CHRIST. 

HE+ died, but HE+ "survived" , later. 

Crucifixion is death.

...   that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.   For he that is dead is freed from sin.  

Now if we be dead with CHRIST, we believe that we shall also live with him:   Knowing that CHRIST being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him+. For in that HE+ died, HE+ died unto sin once: but in that HE+ liveth, HE+ liveth unto GOD.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto GOD through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto GOD, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto GOD.

The call here is for Self to be

dead, 

buried,

crucified,

destroyed.

That is our Self, our will within.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves 

to be dead indeed unto sin, 

but alive unto GOD    

through     

JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

What does it mean? How do I reckon ?

What exactly does that mean? 

Reckon means: account, credited as, account as dead, and to count in expectation, looking forward.

In exchange for our "death," these verses tell us 

we are planted, 

we are freed, 

alive, 

and 

... we are to be yielded. 

That is what HE+ wants for us, what HE+ will give us,  in exchange for our death. 

( Part 4 to be continued.) 

Dear Heavenly FATHER, 

From Whom all blessings flow, help me to be dead unto my Self ... in all aspects of my desires, my own will ... and alive only unto Thy Beloved SON+ JESUS CHRIST. 

O Holy FATHER, I call HIM+ "LORD,"   yet I do my own will so often. I neglect to submit my thoughts unto HIM+.  

I am careful to ask HIM+ to bless my plans... but I am forgetful to WAIT BEFORE HIM+ until I receive His+ approval  of those plans. 

Please help me to be regenerate in my mind, for the glory of Thy Holy SON+JESUS CHRIST, in Whose+ Name and by Whose+ strength I pray...  

Amen. 

Part 2.... The SIGN of the CROSS ... in the Inner Man

Drawing by The ORDER of the GOOD SHEPHERD+

Part  2 of Byron Miller's Message, Wellspring Mennonite Church,Athens, Tn

Who is in control ? 

Self will rationalize, it will deceive, it will twist facts. 

It will convince us that something is a "GOD-given right." 

How many times have we expressed that, or felt that, or heard that ? 

It is " a GOD-given right," we affirm .... 

in order for Self to retain that place in our heart.

As long as we look at things from our own perspective --- and not FROM GOD'S perspective --- that will be our mind-set.

Self on the Throne asks, "Will GOD punish me if I do that?" or "What is wrong with this ?" That is a pretty popular one: I am sure we have all heard that one and we have probably all said that, from time to time.

Well, What  is wrong with those sentiments, 

with those statements ?

The reality is, we should rather be saying, "Will this honor CHRIST, my Master ?  

" Am I the focus in my life ...or is CHRIST?

Instead, we say, "How will CHRIST enhance or make my life better ?"  --- or perhaps --- "How will CHRIST help me?"  

Now, not that HE+ will not, not that CHRIST does not, make our life better; yes, and we praise the LORD for that.

But... is "making my life easier or more comfortable" to be my focus, rather than building Christ's Kingdom?  

What can I do to honor my LORD and my GOD ? That should be my focus, our focus.

Too many times, though, we view the Christian life as, "What is it doing for me ? " rather than, "What can I do for The LORD ? "  How can I honor Him+ and build His+ Kingdom ?

In Philippians 2.... starting in verse 5

 Let this mind be in you, which was also in CHRIST JESUS:

Who+, being in the form of GOD, thought it not robbery to be equal with GOD: But made HIMSELF+ of no reputation, and took upon HIM+ the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, HE+ humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the CROSS.

While here on this earth, JESUS' ministry and His+ life-focus and everything that encompassed His+ Ministry here, was engulfed ...  was consumed ... with putting forward GOD'S kingdom.

 His+ focus was not on His+ own comforts. 

It was not all about "him," humanly-speaking. 

HE+ was not Self-centered, not even focused on His+ soon return to Heaven with all its glories and all its appeal. 

HE+ said to one would-be follower, "I do not even have a rock to lay My+ head on." And HE+ was the Creator of it all !

Now, can we get that mind-set, 

can we grasp how EMPTY of Self HE+ was ?

Oh Heavenly FATHER... 

How far I have strayed from the straight and narrow path, that for me to live is to empty my Self into Thy hands, unto Thy Will, for Thy good pleasure ! 

O LORD, help me not to be like those foolish maidens , so nonchalant about their coming LORD and Bridegroom.

Grant me the unction to sit quietly before THEE, to listen for Thy Word, to abide in stillness with THEE as my Beloved. 

Show me, O LORD, how to empty my Self and live unto CHRIST. 

How I long to see His+ Face ! 

Through the merits of Thy Beloved SON+, Our LORD and SAVIOR , JESUS the CHRIST, I pray. 

Amen

( To be continued to Part 3 )

xxx

The Sign of the CROSS... in our Daily Lives... Part 1

Drawing by the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+

Who is in Control ?

Message by BYRON  MILLER, 

of Wellspring Mennonite Church,

Athens, TN.  

PART 1

Our mind-set, 

our focus, 

the things that we cherish most, 

determine who we are.

Who is calling the shots on my decisions, on how I live, and really, on who I am?

In other words, within my own heart, who is in control of my life?

COLOSSIANS 3 

 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Our mind-set ... our focus ... the things that we cherish most ... determine who we are.

So... who are we?  

It talks in Colossians about setting our affections,    setting our focus, setting our ambitions elsewhere.

What do we value most ?   We need to set our affections, our focus, our ambitions on Heavenly, Eternal, Christ-centered things.

Notice in verse 1 it says,

 ... "Be ye risen... " not just have risen, not just were risen. We are not going to be risen. 

Note that the verb is  a present active form, BE RISEN.

Verse 3 says, "For ye are dead." 

Aha ! Does Self within me seem dead to those around 

me?  Is Christ living instead ?

Scripture says, "For ye are dead and your life is hid with 

Christ in GOD." 

Let's look at this another way.

 Who is hid in my life? Is it me that is hid... or is it CHRIST ? Who is most prominent ?

When somebody gets to know you very well, can they see what is driving your life ?

Verse 5 says mortify. "Mortify" is to subjugate by abstinence, discipline, or self-inflicted suffering.

"Mortify therefore..."  That  does not sound like something we are naturally going to gravitate towards, does it ? 

There is one Throne within each of our spirits.

Who resides there ? Christ asks for nothing less than to reside there, to reside on that Throne.

Now, Self  grudgingly gives up anything. 

Though, if forced to do so, Self will usually give up 

ANYTHING except the right  for Him+ to reside there as 

King+, as LORD in control.  

That, however, is what HE+ calls His+ own right, His+ 

own place in the human heart. That is HOME to HIM+.

Thoughts  like, "If I become a Christian, do I have to give up this? " or  "Since I am a Christian, can I still do that ?" are really LORD-SHIP questions. 

They are actually avoiding the real issue of LORD-SHIP in my life. 

Who is in control ?

 

Dear Heavenly FATHER, 

I repent of trying to control my life, my spouse's life, my friends' lives.  

Help me to STOP being so controlling of every thing and every body and to re-focus my energies on performing my own submission to Thy SON+, our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. ... for the glory of Thy HOLY Name. 

This I ask in the NAME of JESUS, my Savior...  the only ONE+ Who+ can save me from my Self.  Amen

Only ONE Chair...

...And only ONE occupant at a time, is the rule.

I am the LORD:

that is My Name:

and My Glory

will I not give to another,

neither My praise to graven images.

Isaiah 42:8

This wonderful piece of Christian "art" will never be found in art galleries of the famous. It will, however, be found in the most important places, i.e... imprinted on the heart, mind, and spirit of those who follow CHRIST.

.

There is only one chair in the Throne Room of our hearts. Who will fill it during 2010 ? Who filled it during 2009 ?
.

Is it time to make changes? None of us are getting younger. All of us are marching ever onward toward that inevitable appointment with The Almighty. Since the Keys to life and death are TOTALLY in HIS+ Hands, is it time to make REAL changes in the Throne Room of our hearts?

.

The question is very simple, black and white: WHO RULES?

.

The answer is also very simple, black and white: Self or The LORD JESUS CHRIST?

.

Whichever one we serve here on earth in this life will be the determining factor of our eternal... unceasing... continual... without end... always and forever placement the instant we close our eyes in death. Rich or poor, sick or healthy, young or old, lazy or industrious, clever or not... the same rule goes for all.

.

Everyone KNOWS we cannot carry one little scrap with our soul and spirit as we fly away: not one dollar bill, not one degree, not one award nor certificate, not one license, not one piece of furniture, and not even one tiny thread of material to cover our nakedness.

.

Moreover, not one friend nor acquaintance, not one father or mother or brother or sister or wife or husband or son or daughter, will accompany us at that Time Appointed. Neither minister nor church group, be they ever so faithful, will stand at the judgment with us. Each one of us WILL STAND ALONE to render an account of what we have savored during our allotted years: Self ... or... The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

.

We will enter eternity covered only with one thing: The righteous Blood of The LAMB ... or ... our own stains of Self-rule. Yes, eternity DOES WAIT for us all; our entrance is really rather close. It is also quite certain.

.

But, through WHICH DOOR shall we enter eternity? The one that leads Heaven-ward ... or ... the entrance into perdition?

.

There is only ONE CHAIR

in the Throne Room of our hearts.

Who will rule:

Self ?

... or ...

The LORD JESUS CHRIST ?

.

Thankfully, no-one is ordained to go into perdition and no-one is ordained to go to Heaven. We can repent of serving Self and we can live to serve Our LORD... or... we can continue on serving Self, satan, and the things of this world.

.

HE+ will not force us

to follow HIM+.

.

And likewise,

we cannot force HIM+

to let us into Heaven.

.

Only one life,

'Twill soon be past;

Only what's done for CHRIST

Will last.

.

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11

.

The WORD of The LORD;

Thanks be to GOD!

+ + +

In the name of The FATHER

Who created thee;

And His Beloved SON+,

Our LORD JESUS CHRIST,

Who saves thee;

And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

Who sanctifies thee.

+

.