My heart is full this morning, compelling me to write and just share with you what I sense is taking place in the body of Christ! Let me begin by sharing with you a recent conversation I had with someone....
I was having a deep conversation with a friend of mine and the question asked of me was "do you think I try to live a godly life?" I had a few answers rise up in my heart, but I knew that this person actually answered their own question in their heart already. As I shared my answers, the wheels began turning in my mind about Christianity as a whole, and how people "try" to look the part, but place such a demanding expectation on themselves to live up to "perfection" that they fail miserably, feeling defeated, judged by others, and ultimately giving up because of condemnation. Yet the Word tells us, there is now no condemnation, for those who are IN Christ! We are "grafted in!"
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| "Grafted In" |
Last night, I basically attended a "Jesus Party" at my home church - The Church at Whistling Pines. The night was amazing to say the least. God had begun speaking to me to share with the adults who had lost their childhood due to abuse, trauma, or the absence of a father, etc., and He wanted the youth to pray over those adults to inspire that childlike faith and ignite something in their hearts that would bring them to an experiential knowledge of Father God's passionate, crazy love for them! See, Father God accepts us fully because of Jesus Christ! He loves us passionately, even when we are at our worst! God called those things that were not as though they were, and He SEALED it "IN CHRIST!"
We weren't designed to follow the set of "Christian" rules and regulations that people have interpreted for our lives. We weren't designed to get our check lists out to be sure we're measuring up! I think that causes more failure in living a "Christian" life, as people refer to it, than anything else.
We were designed however to live life "IN" Christ! IN Christ, we are righteous! IN Christ, we measure up because Jesus measured up for us! IN Christ we have been given life and life abundantly! IN Christ, we live through HIS finished work on the cross! There is nothing left for us to do but receive what HE has given us!!!
There are so many definitions of "Christianity" that sometimes it makes me want to throw up for lack of a better term. The denominational barriers and religious rules/traditions that have been created by man - YES, created by man, set people up for failure! Over the last months, I have seen "Christians" attack other "Christians" because they have faulty "perceptions" of someone else's walk with God. Yet, their perceptions are clearly rooted in fallacy and insecurity. I have seen others judged harshly and it makes me want to hurl! In fact, I've been judged harshly by people because I may not be "acting" right in their eyes. Well, let me just say, Jesus set me free from having to go to "acting" classes! I'm not perfect, but Jesus is and I live "IN" Him!
My heart is for people to live in the knowledge that they are "IN" Christ and are set free from all the do's and don'ts of the "Christian" life! When you begin to experience God's perfect love for you, you can't help but live for Him! There is nothing like His love! Its pure, unconditional, non-condemning, it sets you free!! Will others continue to judge you....YEP! They sure will, but it will not matter.
So, stop "trying" to get your life right to earn God's love or get yourself to a place of trying to feel worthy of His love! Begin to live in the knowledge that His love is perfected in you already and watch your life change! When you allow God to breathe life on the inside of you, it no longer becomes about a list of rules and regulations! There is a shift taking place in the body of Christ and let me tell you, YOU WILL BE JUDGED by others! Yet, IN Christ, God already made the ultimate judgement and HE said "IT IS FINISHED!"
As Jared Gustafson said last night...At our worst, God was embracing us with His love! We live by our identity in Him and what He says. We do not live by what we see - the circumstances or situations that we may find ourselves in.
You want to know who you are? Look at the treasures of the Word and see what God says about you! He said it "IN CHRIST!" Stop trying to measure up in your life of "Christianity" and begin to live in the knowledge that you have been placed "IN CHRIST" and "IT IS FINISHED!"
The Body of Christ is beginning to rise and take their place "IN HIM" and your life as well as the lives of others will change radically!!! It's time.....
Living In the Finished Work,
TDahl
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