1st of Todays painting
The Mystery of Believing
And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? Acts 9:6.
By the miracle of Redemption Saul of Tarsus was turned in one second from a strong-willed, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus.
There is nothing miraculous about the things we can explain. We command what we are able to explain. It is not natural to obey; nor is it necessarily sinful to disobey. There is no moral virtue in obedience unless there is a recognition of a higher authority in the one who dictates. It is possible an emancipation to the other person if he does not obey. If one man says to another-`You must,` and `You shall,` he breaks the human spirit and unfits it for God. A man is a slave for obeying unless behind his obedience there is a recognition of a holy God. Many a soul begins to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one Master of the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ. But woe be to me if when I see Him say-`I will not.` He will never insist that I do, but I have begun to sign a death warrant of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say-`I will not,` He will never insist; but I am backing away from the re-creating power of His Redemption. It is a matter of indifference to God`s grace how abominable I am if I come to the light; but woe be to me if I refuse the light (see John 3:19-21).
Work in progress.
Mastery over the Believer
Ye call Me Master and Lord; and ye say well; for so I am. John 13:13
Our Lord never insists on having authority; He never says-`Thou shalt.` He leaves us perfectly free-so free that we can spit in His face, as men did; so free that we can put Him to death, as men did; and He will never say a word. But when His life has been created in me by His Redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a moral domination-"Thou art unworthy..."It is only the unworthy in me that refuses to bow down to the worthy. If when I meet a man who is more holy than myself, I do not recognize his worthiness and obey what comes through him, it is a revelation of the unworthy in me. God educates us by means of people who are little better than we are, not intellectually, but `holily,` until we get under the domination of the Lord Himself, and then the whole attitude of the life is one of obedience to Him.
If Our Lord insisted upon obedience He would become a task-masker, and He would cease to have any authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly. He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience. We have to rescue the word `obedience` from the mire. Obedience is only possible between equals. It is the relationship between father and son, not between master and servant. "I and My Father are one." "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered." The Son`s obedience was as Redeemer, because He was Son, not in order to be Son.
So my brothers and sisters, this is an evening post which I thought it my duty to share with you. Now as it approaches 9pm, I shall take my leave. Blessings, peace and love be upon you.
Your brother Peter.
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