Before this morning I was determined to keep my eyes focused on Jesus. I realize now that just focusing on Jesus is not enough! I can focus on Jesus and "see" His finished work but "seeing" is not always believing or accepting! The whole world knows and "sees" that Jesus died a brutal death on the cross. The question is do they really know who Jesus is? Why did He die? Who did He die for? And when He cried, "It is Finished!" do they know what was finished? We need to accept the Finished work that took place on the cross.. not just a portion of it, but ALL that was provided on the cross!
It is kind of like "The Old Country Buffet" or "The Golden Corral"... the food is all there provided & spread out for our taking but we are the one's that need to dish it up and insert it into our mouths. The price is paid at the door so once we enter we can partake in as much or as little as we want but it has ALL been paid in full for us to enjoy!
Friends, Jesus has paid the price for us and has provided ALL on the cross. You can partake in as little or as much of His finished work as you would like but as for me, I want it ALL!!!
I woke up this morning and read an article posted by a brother in Christ that we had the privilege of meeting last week, Cody Bateman, about how to receive criticism. It was a good reminder to consider the source, ponder whether there is any truth to what is being said, and that "a soft answer turns away wrath" Proverbs 15:1. I then watched a message from Joseph Prince that was a good Word in due season for myself. This is when I realized that I needed to do more then merely "focus" on Jesus. I needed to remind myself who I am "IN" Christ. JP made a few statements that made my Spirit do a little cartwheel on the inside of me this morning...
"If I am in Christ and I am completely in Christ, I don't have to prove nothing to anybody... nothing to defend, nothing to prove, nobody to impress. It's a wonderful life!" JP
"When I know who I am in Christ then words from people are like water of a ducks back." JP
"When I forget who I am in Christ, that is when people's words start to get the better of me." JP
"You must be independent of people's opinions before you can help them. As long as you are still bound by people's opinions you can not help people because of your motivation. You do the right thing with the wrong reason." JP
So I hope this encourages others as much as it has encouraged me this morning. I don't want to just "Focus" on Jesus and view Him and His finished work from a distance... I want to accept Him & His finished work! I want to know, really know, who I am in Christ! Thank you Lord for allowing YOUR finished work to provide EVERYTHING for me!!! Help me daily to discover who I am in Christ so that I can partake in EVERYTHING that has already been provided for me as Jesus hung on the cross and cried out, "It is Finished"
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