No Half measures

Photograph by Derek Jensen. This image is in the public domain.

No Half measures

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously (Colossians 1:9-11 – NASB)

The most amazing words are used in this passage; words that boggle the mind, and run contrary to the general climate prevailing in most modern churches. The general feeling is that we can be holy, but not too holy; we can please God, but not too much. To admit otherwise would be like saying we can be perfect in this life. And everybody knows none of us is perfect.

On such half-truths we conduct our Christian lives, and wonder why we have so little power.

There are three reasons why many Christians feel it is not possible to live more than a mediocre level of Christian holiness. The first is their misunderstanding of the meaning of the word “holiness.” They think it means absolute perfection, and glibly repeat the mantra, “Nobody’s perfect.”

The second reason is that they assume holiness is achievable by self-effort; we are to be partaker of His (God’s) holiness. The third reason has to do with not taking Scripture promises seriously, as in the Scripture for today:

First, we can be fully INFORMED

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…

We can be filled with the knowledge of His will.

Second, we can be fully APPROVED

…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…

We can please God in all respects

Thirdly, we can be fully EMPOWERED

…strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

We can be strengthened with all power for the attaining of all steadfastness.

Don’t settle for a pale imitation of what God has promised your Christian experience can be.

A Pale Imitation

(© Saturday 3^rd January 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:9-10 – AKJV)

A pale imitation of truth

Is mostly what Christians believe;

At least in these times of great ease –

The enemy strives to deceive.

Nobody believes anymore,

That the God of Mercy and Grace,

Is willing and able to grant

All riches, when we seek His face.

It’s a pale imitation when

We can’t quite believe God can

Do a full work within our hearts;

Make us clean in the inner man.

Sure, there’ll be struggles and battles;

Chastising is how He will bless,

But His goal is to make us partake

Of His Love and His holiness.

So don’t stagger in unbelief;

Don’t settle for less than the best.

Lay hold of God’s mighty promise:

I declare, you’ll surely be blessed.

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Dead in the Water

 

Dead in the Water

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:1-2 – NASB)

We have all seen pictures of those old “Tall Ships” that operated on wind power alone.

Sometimes those ships had to endure periods in which there was no wind for days at a time. The term used for a ship in that situation was that she was “dead in the water.”  The sailors were stranded in one spot till the wind started to blow again.

On the day of Pentecost the coming of the Holy Spirit is described as a noise like a violent rushing wind.

A wind like that may put one of those Tall Ships in some danger, but it certainly would not be “dead in the water.”

May I suggest that many of our modern churches today are “dead in the water,” or at least many of their members are? There is no movement of the Spirit in their lives; they are not moved by the Spirit to engage in evangelism, works of service, or acts of mercy. Their lives are static and they have never uttered an “Amen!” in a church service in their lives. They are “dead in the water.”

In the Old Testament a message was delivered to a man named Zerubbabel we could well apply to our hearts today:

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.’ (Zechariah 4:6b – NASB)

If we did, there would not be so many of us sitting “dead in the water.” The “wind of God” would move us to do mighty deeds in His Name.

Dead in the Water

(© Tuesday 17^th June 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

I’d been “dead in the water” for years;

Nothing stirred in my soul to be true.

My heart was not touched or inspired

To love and be worshiping You.

 

I went to church often, it’s true;

And often I’d say a long prayer –

I was asked to do a great deal,

But the power of God was not there.

 

I was not content in those days,

With the way things happened to be –

I called on You Lord, in earnest –

And in no time You answered me.

 

The Wind of the Spirit then blew,

Softer at first and then stronger;

The sails of my heart then billowed:

The “deadness” was there no longer.

(Picture by Kerri McKinnon – Used with permission)

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