HeartFaith@grace

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To be “in Christ” means to pull up the roots of one’s very life from the soil of sin and self and herd and plant them “in Christ.” He becomes the source of our life, the source of our thinking, our feeling, our acting, our being. This obviously involves self-surrender. Not merely the surrender of our sins, our bad habits, our wrong thinking, and our wrong motives, but of the very self behind all these. All of these are symptoms; the unsurrendered self is the disease. So the phrase “in Christ” is not only the ultimate concept, but it demands the ultimate act — self-surrender. The only thing we own is just ourselves. We don’t own our money, our property, not even the house we live in, for we will leave it all behind. The only thing we will take out with us is just ourselves. It is the only thing we own. That one thing we own — the self — is deliberately handed back to the Giver in an act of supreme self-surrender with words something like these: “I can’t handle this self of mine. Take me as I am, and make me as I ought to be. I give myself and my sins and my problems to Thee; but myself first and foremost. I’ve been ‘in myself.’; now I am ‘in Thee.’ ” We lose ourselves, and to our astonishment find ourselves. We live when we live “in Him.” One would expect that this ultimate concept in Christianity, “in Christ,” leading to the ultimate human response, self-surrender, would be deeply embedded in the New Testament. Is it? It is far more deeply embedded in the New Testament than many things upon which we have built whole denominations — the new birth, conversion, baptism of the Holy Spirit, justification by faith, baptism by water, apostolic succession, presbyters, bishops, forms of church government, inner light, absence of forms. The phrase “in Christ” or its equivalent is found 172 times in the New Testament.

 

Successful Living–In Christ Jesus

Grace Living –The God Law, In Christ! How to minister to ourselves and others…! Overview We can’t fix ourselves or anyone else. But if you love and accept them they will be in a better place for God to reveal the Truth that sets free. When people who are struggling first show up in our church or lives, they usually are not in a place where they can receive anything. So don’t just tell them they are loved, and accepted. Demonstrate it to them.

To be loved and accepted is the greatest of our God-given needs. For anyone who wants to have an impact on others’ lives, this is a nonnegotiable. If people do not feel accepted, you will never have an opportunity to share the truth that sets free. People who are struggling with addictive behavior, and other life-controlling issues have experienced great rejection and expect to be rejected. If they are not welcomed and feel ignored when they show up, they will perceive it as rejection and you probably will not see them again. They are saddled with low self-esteem and guilt and are living under condemnation. It will take a lot to get through that to where they can begin to receive truth.
Scriptural Truth – The Message Bible says it this way, “Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently” (Romans 14:1).

Apply The Truth, God tells us, there is no more condemnation. He doesn’t reject and condemn us, so let us make sure we don’t condemn others. Remember, don’t judge people and tell them what they’re doing wrong. Don’t tell them what to do. Our ministry is not to judge people, make them do right, or fix them. You will have people show up who may not know Christ. And even if they do, they may be so spiritually bound and emotionally traumatized that they are unable to receive any truth. They may be very resistant and even argumentative. How do you respond to a person like this?
Imparting Grace- “From now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer” (2 Corinthians 5:16). To love people, it can be done only with the love of God, which resides in you. You will not be able to forgive except through His life (Spirit) in you, and you can only truly love and accept others by faith.
Evaluation Although we do know the truth and have the answer in Jesus, some people will not be able to receive it, because they are not in a place of desperation and haven’t come to the end of self and their resources. They haven’t been disabused of the notion that they can do something to deal with their problem. They are looking for a program to tell them what to do, and when they find out you don’t have that program they will look elsewhere. That is fine, and there are countless programs that will tell them what to do. They actually need to try everything they can in order to find out that nothing works and only Christ can set them free.
Freedom F.O.C.U.S. [Faith Only Causes Us Success] Timing is God’s, and unless the Holy Spirit reveals Truth to them, many don’t know it. Many have the information or knowledge, but until God reveals Truth to them, it is just that—information. Our ministry is to be available to love and accept them and tell them the truth and point them to Jesus. If you understand this it takes the burden off you to accomplish anything. You can relax and watch what God is doing as you participate with Him in setting captives free.

HOW TO HELP AND MINISTER– There are hurting people all around you, even in your own family. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you know—God will use you if you do these five basic things. It is yet to be seen how much the love of Christ can do:

1. Accept them just the way they are. If you don’t do this, it doesn’t make any difference what else you do. It is truly said that people don’t care what you know until they know you care. This is everyone’s greatest need. In fact, when people realize how loved they are, they are very close to finding their freedom.

2. Have a ministry of grace, love, and forgiveness. Don’t try to make people do right. Tell them what God has done for them, how much He loves them, and what He will do for them. We need to know the truth—not what to do. We can’t do what’s right until we know who we are, in Christ.

3. Tell them who they are in Christ. Identity is always the issue. If you want to give someone real, positive, biblical hope, encourage them in the faith, and see their behavior changed, tell them who they are. We always act consistently with how we perceive ourselves.

4. Teach them their authority in Christ and how to resist Satan, and how to flee from sin. Let them know that Satan is a defeated foe. His only weapon against them is the lie, and they no longer have to let him set the agenda.

5. Tell them the truth that they are already free and have been given the victory. Freedom is not something to work for and one day perhaps achieve. It is for freedom, that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1) and we have been given the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). A person who understands who they are and what they have in Christ can quit struggling and striving, and live in the freedom and victory Christ has provided for them.

Declaration of Victory in Christ Jesus

Declaration of Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory in Christ Jesus, my Lord, I thank You that I, __________(insert name)__________________________________, who have stumbled, sinned, struggled, fumbled, faltered, and failed so many times, am completely forgiven, totally accepted, and unconditionally loved with an unending and limitless love by You. I’m not a sinner and I’m not an addict, but a child of God—and I am justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). I am dead to sin, freed from it, and alive to You (Romans 6:8,11), holy, righteous, and blameless because of what Christ has done (Ephesians 5:27). All of my sins past, present, and future have been paid for (Colossians 2:13). When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He meant it. I am free forever from condemnation, judgment, shame, guilt, and punishment (Romans 8:1). The last judgment for the Christian was at the cross. Sin is no longer an issue. The only issue in my life is my relationship with Christ. I don’t focus on what to do or not do, but on Jesus who is in me. I am united with Christ and He is one with me (1 Corinthians 6:17). I don’t try anything, attempt anything, or intend anything; I simply accept the fact that I am accepted and trust Christ as my life (Colossians 3:4). I am not under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14), and I’ve been set free to live a free life (Galatians 5:1). I don’t submit to rules, steps, principles, or regulations as they have no power against the desires of the flesh (Colossians 2:20,23). I submit to God and resist the devil, knowing that he will flee from me (James 4:7). I’m released from the law, its demands, people’s opinions, religious systems, and church traditions and now live in the new life of the Spirit (Romans 7:6). No matter what I do or don’t do, God is going to love, accept, and bless me throughout all eternity. I am complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10) and can’t get any more complete than that. God has given me everything I need for life and godliness by knowing Jesus, and He has given me His very great and precious promises that I may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4). I’m a joint heir with Christ (Romans 8:17). God is for me, so who can be against me? He gave up His only Son for me, and will give me all things (Romans 8:31-32). The old sin-loving sinner I was has been crucified and is dead and buried (Romans 6:4-6). I have been raised up with Christ and am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christ lives in me, and I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). Because of His great love for me God made me alive in Christ even when I was dead in my sins (Ephesians 2:4-5). I have been given a spirit of wisdom and revelation into the knowledge of Christ. His immeasurable power for me and in me is the power that raised Christ from the dead. God has raised me up with Christ and seated me with Him far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and has put all things under Christ’s feet and made Him head over everything (Ephesians 1:17-21). So all things (problems, trials, opposition, and setbacks) are under my feet since I am in Christ, and God causes all things to work together for my good (Romans 8:28). I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18). Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). I have been delivered from my besetting sin and am set free to live in a personal, intimate, face-to-face relationship with Jesus with no space between us. If I fail, I realize that I am not acting according to my true identity in Christ and it’s not me but sin in me that is doing it (Romans 7:17). This doesn’t affect God’s love and acceptance of me, and I confess my sin and thank God I am forgiven. As my flesh continually fights against the Spirit in me (Galatians 5:17), I cast out thoughts opposed to God in me in every situation and take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ and think truth (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). I am rooted and grounded in His love, and I understand how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that I may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). No charge can be brought against me. No one can condemn me (Romans 8:33-34).

No matter what comes my way—affliction, trouble, persecution, or danger—overwhelming victory is mine through Christ who loves me (Romans 8:35,37). My fears for today, my worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away (Romans 8:38-39). So I can love and accept others as God accepts me. Thank You, God, that You have given me the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) and I don’t have to achieve it, but believe it and receive it (1 John 5:4). I have received the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness and reign in life through Christ, my Lord, my Savior, and my life (Romans 5:17). Lord, You are the One who has called me, and You are faithful and You will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Your grace is enough. It is all I need for now and all eternity. Your power is made perfect in my weakness and limitations (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). I am victorious, and free in Christ. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine according to His power that is at work in me—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ throughout all ages, forever and ever. Amen! (Ephesians 3:20-21).

HE–Christ

Put in simplest terms, sin is Satan, and holiness is Jesus. In actual fact there is only one Person in the universe, only one who has ever said “I AM”, who calls Himself “the first and the last”, who is said to be the “All in all”, who is named “the Life”, “Love”, “Light”, “Truth”, “Power”. We created people are only so created as persons that in a complete sense the living God may manifest Himself through living people, in a way He cannot do so completely in lesser forms of creation. So holiness, love, power, life are never mine, never a part of me, neither now nor in eternity. They always are, and always will be HE, Christ Jesus, in me.

CLIMBING MOUNTAINS

When is the last time you climb a mountain, a real mountain? You know the kind I’m talking about. It starts out a nice easy wide path when you begin the ascent and as you climb higher and higher the path becomes more and more narrow. Then as you reach the peak of the mountain the trail has become so narrow that you have to watch out for the sticky bushes, tree roots and the occasional small ankle breaking rocks. But once you have endured the dangers, pitfalls and possible mishaps you finally dare to walk to the edge of the summit and you stare at the God prepared view in all of its grandeur and glory. Thinking, “I made it–and its awesome to be standing here at the top —“KING/QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE!!! The moral to this thought—Go and live as close to the edge of loving, forgiving and believing that in Christ Jesus all things work for good for those who love him.

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HeartFaith@grace

There is a certain marketing strategy used by just about everyone that encourages us to be dissatisfied about our quality of life. Their motto is, if you do not buy and use their products, services, or even elect them to some political office you will be lacking something that you conclude is essential for your happiness. Most Marketing, as well as campaigning are designed to make you “feel” there is something very major in your life that you lack, and you more than deserve to have, no matter what; so buy and use their products or elect them to office, because they are the solution to your unhappiness. We all are looking and working for a better quality of life that will bring happiness, satisfaction, and security to our quality of living. Marketer’s and Politicians are all working at accentuating certain negatives causing many to assess there is something they are LACKING in their personal lives that their product or service only can supply. This was the lie that a certain wily serpent, the devil, convinced Eve and Adam of in the Garden of Eden. They were already created in the image of God, and lived in a perfect environment. Why did they chose to disobey God and eat from the “Tree of Knowledge of good and evil”? They lacked nothing, and even experienced God walking with them in the cool of the day. Their downfall and ours started with being asked the wrong question, which if answered can only lead to wrong conclusions. God told Adam and Eve do not eat from the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for if you do you will surely die.” The serpent approached Eve and started the conversation with a question that was baited for an erroneous conclusion. “Has God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden”? Eve responded, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it.” Then Eve, added to what God had said, which was not true, she added, “neither shall we touch it, lest we die.” God had not said this. Because Eve added to what God had said, she embellished the presence and power of His mandate, especially of the consequences that would happen if not followed. This in turned gave the object in question an even greater temptation to be experienced, tried and tested, and the serpent knew this. By embellishing the very thing that advertisers and politicians say we lack and should be allowed to experience and enjoy, causes us to want to do whatever we have to to acquire the thing in question. The Serpent responded back to Eve, “You shall not surely die: For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” This logic caused Eve to question her creator. Her thinking would not be far off from our own had we been in her place. Perhaps her thinking went something like this. “Wow, a talking serpent is an incredible thing to behold, it has to be pretty smart, I mean didn’t God create it as well. Maybe there is something to what it is saying, the fruit is very pleasant to look at and certainly just a bite will not harm me.” Now, the bait has been placed and set, Eve takes a bite and discovers that she does not die at least physically, at least not then! She was deceived to believe that God held out on her and Adam, and because the Serpent caused her to question God’s total provision in her life, she believed she lacked something that was very important for her and Adam to have in order to be satisfied. So she chose to believe a lie and take the chance that this fruit would bring her some type of happiness and fulfillment that God was holding out on her and Adam. But not so! God is still not holding out anything from us, He has sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to give us “Abundant Life” (Jn. 10:10) NOW! Not just in the eternal future, but in the eternal NOW! In every area of our lives, He, Christ, has made provision. He offers us His peace, joy, and RIGHTEOUSNESS! He puts us in right standing with the Father in heaven, now and for ever. He provides healing for all, well-being, miracles, signs, and wonders! We lack in no area of our lives when we put our trust and confidence in the finished work of Jesus Christ. And, we accept that we are made “RIGHTEOUS” before God in heaven, because we have RECEIVED the Righteousness of Christ as our own. Because we live in the Righteousness of Christ Jesus here NOW we lack no good and prosperous thing in this life! But—you must remember, this must be believed and accepted in our HEARTS before it can be believed in our MINDS! “HEARTFAITH” comes by and through receiving His grace, because of His love abiding in us, and we then begin to reciprocate this grace and love unto others while having total faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Belief in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension unto the right hand side of the Father God in heaven interceded for you 24/7 making it possible to have an ABUNDANT LIFE in this World—-NOW!—-AMEN!

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