| January 12th, 2001 - Friendship with God (Part 3) How do we show forth God's glory? Is this something we strive for? Something we learn how to do? Something we have to participate in? Obviously our wills are involved. We are not robots. Our ability to choose is what makes our love for God special to Him. If He had created us as automatrons who simply repeat acts of worship -- what good is that? No. God does not get any pleasure out of pulling a string and hearing a preprogrammed, "I love you, God" come out of us. It is our ability as beings who are able to respond to His goodness with genuine love, praise and worship that makes Him rejoice. In the book of Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 and 9 we catch a glimpse into this: "For it is by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." The key word I want you to focus on here is "workmanship" which is also translated "handiwork" or "artistry". Another related point of interest for the purpose of this study is "created in Christ" which describes the net result of our being saved by grace through faith. God has done the work, in us, through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. We are recreated in Him. We are New Creations. Our spirit beings are mystically united with His in this act, transcending time and space. We, who have come to God, through Christ, are just walking out the new creation realities of our inner beings. "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us (made friends with us) to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation..." (II Corinthians 5: 17, 18) This most definitely speaks of the work that God has done inside of us (we who are in Christ). The "all things are of God" used to stump me because I didn't understand the concept of being recreated in my spirit. But the walking out, or outworking of this New Life within will take the shape of ministry. Whether you feel you have a calling to ministry or not, the true heart cry within you as a Christian is to let others know that God has made friends with the world. He is extending to all the limitless love of His divine nature. The sin debt has been removed because He has taken the demands of His own justice upon Himself. So that He can be friends with you. Read about it in the following verse: "...To know, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (not holding their crimes aganist them); and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then as ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading with you through us: we beg you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to (be made friends with) God." (II Corinthians 19, 20) Can you see the humility with which the Almighty God is inviting all to come to Him? He is granting complete amnesty, unconditional! And this He is doing in us as we recognize this as part of His living and being in us. This is not a thing to try and do. This is a thing that is living in you. It is already there, as though it were a talent, or artistic drive, waiting for expression. As you take time with God, be with God, fellowship with God, it will find its outward expression in you. Final thought: Fruit trees don't grunt and strive to grow fruit. Hey! They're fruit trees! It's just what they do. Jesus puts it this way: "Abide in me (live in me), and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me (lives in me) and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing (i.e. without me you can produce no fruit of any lasting spiritual value)." (John 15: 4, 5) |