CORAM DEO MONDAYS with MARISA September 23, 2013 “God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having—life with Himself.” -- Oswald Chambers Continually redirecting the earthly focus of our hearts towards “the things above” requires that we adjust our understanding of the latter part of Colossians 3:3, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Most Christians have bought a twisted interpretation of this Scripture and believe that dying to self means we must be miserable, joyless, and lifeless. The first step in true spiritual freedom is attaining correct definitions. (Bob Hamp, Gateway Church Dallas). The truth about the truth sets us free. So let’s take a moment to correctly define the life Christ died for us to have. The Word says, “He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8) The good news of the gospel is that every ounce of hell we deserved fell on His body: “The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5) The very reason Christ came was: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (Jn. 10:10 KJV) The word abundantly means “superfluous, more than sufficient, what is above and over, denotes what is superior and advantageous.” (Vine 1984, 10, 25, 1106) Now let’s stop. If our spiritual life is not superfluous, more than sufficient, above and over, superior and advantageous then we are missing one of the key things Christ died to give us. God wants us to smother everything that hinders abundant living by being completely immersed in the life and love of His Son. This is what it means that “we’ve died and our lives are now hidden in Christ.” He promises that when we lay down our life we will find it. (Mt. 16:25) Unless we are clear-eyed about His lavish grace and good intentions toward us, the concept of dying to self, which is key to coram Deo living, will always leave us acting like abandoned martyrs in the desolate wilderness. We cannot possibly endure in our coram Deo resolve if we do not become completely settled in the knowledge that God is for us. The fact that we’ve died and our lives are now hidden in Christ really is the best thing that ever happened to us. Adapted from the Coram Deo Secret marisarickerson/coram-deo.html
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 04:10:00 +0000
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