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Friday, February
6, 2009
Without Who?
John 15:5-7 I am the vine, ye are the
branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he
is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast
them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you. (KJV)
All this week we have been on the topic
of righteousness; justified, good standing with the Lord. As we see in the
above verses the Lord is quite emphatic to point out that without Him we
can do nothing; or another way of putting it is, we will have run this race
in vain, without results. Keep in mind our Lord did not need our help when
He created this world and planned for our salvation, but rather it was us
that needed His help, and more and more as we see the day of our Lord
coming.
Isaiah 64:6-8 But we are all as an
unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all
do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (7)
And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to
take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed
us, because of our iniquities. (8) But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we
are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (KJV)
Have you ever heard the term “self
righteous”? Well, as we can see in the above verses right where our own
righteousness ranks; and again, like the withering branch we are like a
leaf ready to be blown away. Do you desire to be in good standing with the
Lord? Then you need to leave your own thoughts and ideas at the door before
entering into His realm. You will need to leave that baggage on the outside
as well if you wish to abide in His realm, and stay in good standing with
Him. Verse 7 makes reference to the fact that none are calling on His name,
and as I listen too many today, there are few that know let alone call upon
the name of the Lord.
Romans 9:31-33 But Israel, which followed
after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of
righteousness. (32) Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as
it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
(33) As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of
offence: and whosoever believeth on
him shall not be ashamed. (KJV)
Again we see the term ‘Israel’, which
applies to anyone or any organization that still holds to the old law and are
not walking according to the law of faith. Many today still stumble and
fall at the stumbling stone which they take offence to, and rather than believe
in the Son of God that was sent on our behalf they are still going about
trying to establish their own righteousness, which leaves them withering
and drying out, ready to be burned.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (KJV)
In the end it all points to Christ, who
put an end to the law, and now it is a matter of who is willing to believe
in His name. This is where many stumble and fall; they miss the simplicity
of the gospel. We actually have groups and organizations that try to one up
each other rather than build the people up and teach them who they are in
Christ, and then wonder why the people are weak and sickly Spiritually.
1 Corinthians 3:9-11 For we are labourers
together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (10) According
to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have
laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take
heed how he buildeth thereupon. (11) For other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (KJV)
You are supposed to be working with God,
because if we are not with Him then that puts us in opposition to Him, thus
the term antichrist. Let’s face facts, if Christ is not involved in your
walk, if you have tried to build a foundation and establish a relationship
with God through any other name, then it will not work, you will stumble
and eventually fall.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new. (18) And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry
of reconciliation; (19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the
world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (21) For he hath made him to be
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him. (KJV)
Are you walking in newness of life, or is
it same o, same o, same stuff just another day? Your right standing with
God, your only justification is found in Christ and you believing that the
good He has begun in you will continue as long as you allow it.
Matthew 16:16-18 And Simon Peter answered
and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (18)
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (KJV)
I bring this verse up because the other
day I actually heard a so called priest from a large prominent religious
organization claim that the rock, the church, is founded on Peter. Well, I
am sure that if Peter himself were here today he would be the first one to
dispute that claim. Sound too simple? Well, that is the part many miss the
mark on, adding more things to the Word of God than what our Lord intended.
God is not the author of confusion but rather of peace; so be assured that
the only peace you will find with God is through Christ; for without Him
you can do nothing.
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