I once went for a job interview where I was asked to list all my weaknesses and all my strengths. I filled up a whole page with weaknesses and my list of strengths contained just one – “ability to identify weaknesses”!On reflection I was a bit hard on myself yesterday – completely honest – but probably not totally fair. My CSM said to me last night (he had read my blog) “Andrew if the Mercy Seat was lined every week with new converts you’d still not be satisfied” and he’s probably right :-)
What I was trying to say yesterday is that spiritual achievement is directly proportional to spiritual commitment and subsequent obedience and as Finney reminds us if we surrender 99.9% to God but knowingly hold back .9% that act of deliberate disobedience is sin.
It’s a good job we can bring grace into the equation or none of us would get to heaven!
I feel that something good and exciting is in the air, I feel that we as a movement (and Dartford as a Corps) are ready to enter the promised land, but our victory depends on surrendering to God ‘the devoted things’ and moving further along the path of holiness.
I recently re-read ‘The last battle’ (final book in the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis). As the characters make their way to heaven they are constantly urged to go “further up, and further in!” one of them encourages the others with the observation that “the further up and the further in you go, the bigger everything gets. The inside is larger than the outside.”
Our human perspective often leads us to be deceived! We act as if this is the real world, as if everything is down to us and our limited ability and resources when in fact reality is where God dwells and this is the ‘truth that sets us free’. On our own we can do nothing but with God we can do everything! Too often all we can see is the narrow doorway through which we are commanded to pass into greater achievement and effectiveness (and it is narrow), but we can’t see beyond to the wonderful possibilities opening up just beyond. What we need isn’t more discipline or greater self denial we just need more ‘faith’.
“Lord I believe help thou my unbelief!”
Love and prayers
A
1 comment:
To lead others to the Cross and then on to Holiness, obedience and increased faith - by example, honestly confessing personal weaknesses as opposed to continual self promotion is a refreshing stance from a CO.
The CO does not have exclusive rights to the Holy of Holies, and soldiers and COs alike would benefit from owning this truth, however, the priests were the first to take the step of faith into the Jordan carrying the Ark of the Covenant en route to the Promised Land. The people saw and followed.
May God bless you as you continue to lead your people, not just over the Jordan River, but right into the Holy of Holies, into His Presence.
And thank you. Praise God.
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