By Divine Design
In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus how they could recognize the signs of his second coming. When we look back through the perspective of human history, we must keep in mind His Story, the story of Jesus Christ from the heavenly perspective of the Word of God. The first point of the Gospel is that the nature of man is sinful, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We were born with the sinful nature that we inherited from Adam. God originally designed Adam according to his own spiritual nature. Adam’s spirit of God died the day that he disobeyed God by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fallen nature of the flesh that we inherited from Adam is opposed to God’s spiritual nature. However, when we were born again, God created within us a new spiritual nature. The new nature of the spirit that we inherited when we were born again allows us to see heaven and to perceive the contrast between the sinful nature of the flesh and the righteous nature of the spirit of God in Christ in us. If we, having been born again, don’t have eternity in our hearts by setting our affections on things above, we cannot understand God’s eternal perspective.
According to Ephesians Chapter 2: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his men to have such confidence in Him that they will be the dependable ones. They will have the peace that passes all understanding and the joy that cannot be stolen. They are the ones who are willing to sacrifice for the good of others. This is the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who looked evil in the face and acknowledged his mission that he came not to condemn the world but rather to shed his innocent blood that the world through him might be saved.
When Saint Thomas Moore was sentenced to death for his faithful stand, he said to his executioner, “thank you for sending me to my father.” He understood the purpose for which God designed him. As the Apostle Paul said,” I press toward the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.” According to Micah 6:8, “But what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
The devil’s purpose is the exact opposite of God’s design for our lives. Jesus said, “the Thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Our adversary the devil was a murderer and a liar from the beginning. This is the nature of the adversary and the fallen nature that we inherited from Adam. The natural man cannot help but sin… it’s hard wired into the fallen nature of the flesh. Before we were born again, we were slaves to sin because we had no choice. We were held captive to the flesh and to the adversary’s destructive purpose.
Having been born again, when Jesus asks us if we are willing to follow him, our answer like Peter’s is, “where else can we go.” Since we were born again, how can we who are dead to sin live any longer therein? I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back… no turning back. We have been called to the body of Christ and into the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Jesus Christ has called us to be his dependable ones for such a time as this. According to Ephesians 4, we have been called as fittings within the body of Christ fitly framed together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working of every part to the edifying of the body in love. We need Godly men in our life to see us through the tribulations of life… men who put Jesus first despite the confusion and disillusionment of this world of Vanity Faire. As we look back over the years, we need to appreciate those whom God has called to surround us and to influence our lives. Talk is cheap. You can fake caring but you can’t fake showing up. Disappointment is the result of failing to meet God and those he has called at the appointed time.
You teach what you know but you reproduce who you are. Who are you in Christ? Jesus has called men whose heart’s desire is to be just like their master… his hands behind our hands, his feet behind our feet, his eyes behind our eyes, his heart behind our heart. Jesus answered the rich young ruler who asked, “what must I do to be saved?” He said you have a problem with materialism. You need to go and sell everything that you have, give the proceeds to the poor, and come and follow me.” The first and greatest commandment is “thou shall have no other gods between your face and my face.” What comes between me and God? To approach the throne of God I must forsake myself, and approach the holy of holies with a humble, broken and contrite heart.
To be excited about following Christ, we need to understand that God is doing everything to build Christ’s character into our life. Seek and ye shall find… when the student is ready the teacher will come. We can come to him the hard way or the easy way. We can be brought to our knees by the trials and the tribulations of this world or we can come willingly with personal abandonment and absolute trust. This is the essence of faith. Can you trust God with your career, your spouse, your children, your worldly possessions? What must God do to teach us that all I have is thine… Jesus said that he who loses his life for my sake shall find it. The last beattitude says, “blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you for my sake for great is your reward in heaven.”
The world’s way is diametrically opposed to the Word’s way. Choose ye this day whom ye will serve… as for me and my house, we will serve the lord. As long as we can pray, we will always have strength to shine as lights in this world of darkness. Our prayer must be, Lord not my will but thine be done.
What is the purpose for which God designed me? It is he who has made us and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Be thankful unto him and bless his name… For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. God has designed us according to his Divine purpose… to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he has made us acceptable in the beloved.
May God richly bless you.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael