John 20:30-31
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the
presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are
written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
(John 20:30-31 ESV)
I often feel as if I’m missing out on living life to the
full? I seem to identify with the guys
who pay full fare for a cruise ship and carries on a container full of water
and food, so that he will not go hungry, and yet all that the ship has to offer
is his. So this morning as I read, “and that by
believing you may have life in his name.” it was time to ponder
on what or how does that apply to my living out life on planet earth? The Helper (Spirit of Truth) put this thought
into my mind; “Examine
yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not
realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you
fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV)
This morning as I stood for inspection, the question was not
“what would Jesus do” but what did Jesus do, in that He is my life and is Jesus
still doing what He did while He kicked rocks as He walked the Judea hillside? Hebrews 13:8, gives this insight; “Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and today and forever.”
So it’s today and Jesus is still kicking rock, He has not
changed, He is just doing it in my earth suit, using my personality and the
talents and gifts that He has blessed me with.
Now there is still more information that we need, all that
is written above is true, but do not forget that my flesh is wanting to run the
show, and Channel 1 is telling me how to get my needs met outside of Christ,
where as Channel 2, the Spirit of Truth is telling me to watch out for the
deceiver who is speaking into my life using Channel 1. This is a great example of Channel 2, “For if anyone
thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each
one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone
and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.”
(Galatians 6:3-5 ESV)
Can we get real, that is not a message you will ever hear on Channel 1,
but as I reflect on my life, when I entered into Christ and He entered into me,
I brought nothing to the game, all that I have and all that I am is from
Him. (Note: My flesh does not like me
writing that truth.)
As I pondered these thoughts, it became clear that Jesus is
not talking only about eternal life, if that were the case He would not have
told us the following: “I came that they (meaning
you and me) may have life and have it abundantly.” (John
10:10b emphasis added)
Jesus also told us that living life on planet earth would
not be free of temptations, or pain, it would not be fair, but to relax because
He has over come the world and we are of great worth to the Father. And that is why the “Helper” the Holy Spirit
put this prayer into the apostle Paul’s heart to pray for us; “For this reason I
bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth
is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ
may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in
love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth
and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses
knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians
3:14-19 ESV)
If you like me have bought the deception message of Channel
1, then you are more like the example of the guys on the cruise ship, and that
is not even close to the abundant life that our Lord has provided. Let me continue to remind you that Channel
One is not a strange voice, the deceiver masks your voice, and he is hoping you
will own those thoughts. Thoughts like
“you deserve” or you are entitled, and often Channel One will tell you that you
are void of value, Channel Two guides you into truth, and the truth is Jesus is
still wanting to kick the rocks out of your path and live His life to the full
through your earth suit.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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