WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU!
The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice
August, 2006
Trinity Fellowship,
DID YOU KNOW THAT TRUE CHRISTIAN THINKING CONFOUNDS THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD?
TRY AND HAVE A CONVERSATION SOMETIME WITH ONE OF YOUR NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS ON ANY SUBJECT (ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, POLITICS, FAMILY VALUES) AND SEE HOW QUICKLY THEY DISAGREE WITH YOU.
SO HOW DO WE EQUIP OURSELVES INTELLECTUALLY FOR THESE TYPES OF “BATTLES OF WITS?”
WHEN JESUS SENT HIS 12 DISCIPLES OUT INTO THE WORLD, HE KNEW HE WAS SENDING UNLEARNED, UNTRAINED MEN. HE DID THIS ON PURPOSE. IT WAS PART OF WHAT HE MEANT BY SAYING THEY SHOULD GO AS “INNOCENT AS DOVES.” TODAY, FOR US, THE TERM “INNOCENT AS DOVES” HAS ADDITIONAL CONNOTATIONS: IT REFERS TO THE PURITY WE STAND IN THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THE WISDOM WE OBTAIN THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT
BUT JESUS ALSO SAID THEY SHOULD BE WISE AS SERPENTS. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD HE WANT US TO BE LIKE LOW DOWN SNAKES? WELL, IN GENESIS, WE’RE TOLD THAT THE SERPENT WAS THE CRAFTIEST OF GOD’S CREATION. THEREFORE, WE NEED TO LET CHRIST DEVELOP A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF “CRAFTINESS” IN US AS HE SENDS
THERE ARE TWO CONSTANTS IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IF WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW HIM EFFECTIVELY:
1) WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL THINGS TO US;
2) WE NEED TO RENEW OUR MINDS IN CHRIST TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THIS WISDOM
(OBVIOUSLY, YOU MUST HAVE FIRST TRUSTED JESUS FOR YOUR SALVATION BEFORE ANY OF THIS, BUT WITHOUT COMMITTING TO DO THOSE TWO THINGS WE MAY BE SAVED, BUT WE ARE OPERATING ON OUR OWN STEAM.)
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 CORINTHIANS 1: 4-8)
IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S ALL UNDER GOD’S POWER, NOT OURS. AND , IF ANYONE ASKS WHAT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED FROM YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST, THERE’S THE LIST:
1) WE HAVE HIS GRACE, ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
2) WE ARE ENRICHED IN HIM IN EVERY WAY
a. ALL SPEAKING
b. ALL KNOWLEDGE
c. CONFIRMED IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS
3) WE ARE NOT LACKING IN ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT
4) WE EAGERLY AWAIT THE REVELATION (PRESENT AND FUTURE) OF CHRIST
5) HE KEEPS US STRONG
6) HE KEEPS US BLAMELESS
7) HE CALLS US INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST
8) HE IS FAITHFUL
THANK GOD NONE OF THE ABOVE RELIES ON OUR STRENGTH, OR OUR ABILITIES! IF THIS WERE NOT SO, WE’D FALL FLAT ON OUR FACES WHEN DEALING WITH THE WORLD!
(c) 2006 Richard C. Trice and TriceTunes, all rights reserved.
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