8.5.12 "Who's Making You Who You Are?"

"Who's Making You Who You Are?"

Ezra 1:1-2:70
I Corinthians 1:18-2:5
Psalm 27:7-14
Proverbs 20:22-23

"For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus. He showed us God's plan of salvation; he was the one who made us acceptable to God; he made us pure and holy and gave himself to purchase our salvation. As it says in the Scriptures, "If anyone is going to boast, let him boast only of what the Lord has done."" I Cor. 1:30-31

Can you remember this past January's New Year's resolution? How are you doing on that? It's not often we're asked that in August. Why do resolutions rarely work? I think it's because at some level, Our resolutions are our attempt to mold our character. Yes, most of them have to do with our conduct, but most of the time that conduct is a result of a character issue. Changing our character is not something we can do in our own strength.

Are you maturing in Christ? If you're not, why not? If you are, how are you doing it?

If we're not maturing in Christ, it may be a result of trying to do it in our own strength. We're trying to fix ourselves before coming to God. As we mature in Christ, sometimes we can too easily and unintentionally slip into thinking that it's something we've done. We don't mean for this to happen, it's just natural for our human nature to be bent that way. There is a sense of accomplishment in the steps of maturity, and it's difficult at times to keep the progress in perspective.

It's like we've got the spiritual equivalent of our Girl Scout sashes & Boy Scout uniforms on, and we get these patches, these steps of accomplishment. (don't worry, I support the badges!) And we forget where the progress comes from. 

As verse 30 says, "...it is from God alone that you have your life..." We need to consistently acknowledge the source of our strength and progress in the Christian walk. It is only through the power of the Spirit. The personal stake in this process is getting out of the way to let the Spirit do his work. The "bragging" is in doing nothing, which is of course, nothing to brag about.

I'm a person who enjoys puzzles, so I like to "solve" things. When situations arise, and even when I sense God working in my life, I want to "figure it out". I want to "find the solution", and sometimes I find myself attempting to manipulate the hand of God. When the Spirit convicts me, I try to fix myself before allowing him to change me. In essence, I'm trying to "get cleaned up before taking a bath". Sometimes I think that that's how we "grow weary in doing good." We try to work the plan of God in our own strength.

The formula should be this simple: The Spirit moves, we get out of the way, God completes his work.

This habit of getting out of the way, this posture of humility, this life of dependance.... THAT'S maturing in Christ. Then, what do we have to boast about? "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Todays Psalm 27:8 says, "My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me, O my people.' And my heart responds, 'Lord, I am coming.'" That's what it's all about.

We must have an encounter with God. Sitting in His presence will change us. He's not desiring to sit us down and scold us, He wants to love on us. 

Lord, I feel your Spirit calling me. Forgive me for trying to fix things in my own strength. My heart hears you, and it responds by saying "do your work in me!"


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

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