What Difference Does It Make?
September 1, 2018
Dear Friends,
When you look at the world we live in and the people that make up that world how as Christians are we different than all those around us? We have jobs, children, and perhaps a mortgage. We have problems with our kids, we get sick, worry about the state of our country. We watch television, read books, listen to music, and work in the yard.
So when people look at you or listen to you what do they see? Are you much different than them or pretty much the same? We know from Scripture and personal experience that the Spirit of God lives in us. “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Cor 3:16) If the Spirit of God dwells in us then what difference should it make in our lives?
What do you think your life would be like if you actually began to fully grasp that the Spirit of God, the Creator of the Universe, lived in you? Think about this. If He is dwelling within, doesn’t it make sense that He wants relationship with us? Though we may be comfortable with religion, rituals, and rules, relationships often make us nervous.
Relationships require work. Deep, long lasting relationships require honesty, transparency, intimacy. It’s a bit staggering to think that God has called us and wants to reveal Himself to us and through us to others. That He wants to have the same level of intimacy with us that He had with His Son Jesus.
The only way for that level of relationship to happen is that we must spend significant amounts of time with Him. If I want to be close to you I have to spend time with you. There is no other way to develop significant relationship. So the question becomes, how much time do you spend with God? Is it once a week at church or daily?
Also, one thing that made Jesus unique was his quality of life. We would probably begin to believe like Jesus if we began to live the quality of life Jesus had. His faith was such that nothing was impossible for Him. When food was needed, food was provided. When demons needed to be cast out or dead sons and daughters brought back to life it was simply done. Not a big deal to Jesus? Why? Because of his of faith and trust in his Father. He knew he was loved, he knew his identity, he knew his destiny. In Scripture it says we are destined to become like Christ. We will be conformed to his image.
If God’s Spirit is truly within us and in complete control of our lives, demons would tremble at our arrival. Some years ago I was on a ministry trip to Banff, Canada. At that time I was very naive in regards to demons and their activity. I remember a young girl at this camp who was a practicing witch. Even though I was not fully aware of what I was carrying she knew and as such avoided me. I remember asking one of her friends why she so obviously avoided me. She told her friend, “I stay away from him because he has more power than I have!”
So when demons look at you what do they see? When people look at you what do they see? I would like to think that they would say, “Behold, here walks a child of God.”
Thank you for your prayers and support.
God bless,
Mike