Tags
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 2 Peter 1:2-4, Called To Follow Jesus!, Ephesians 2:8-10, Faith, Galatians 5:16 &25, Galatians 5:19-24, God's Work NOT Ours, JESUS, John 14:6, John 15:1-5, John 6:37, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 2:13, Romans 11:36, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 8:28-32, Salvation
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 02 You’re Not A DIY!!!
We live in a culture of DIY—Do it YOURSELF! But God never calls us to ‘fix’ ourselves but to yield to HIS love, work and transforming power. I would like to share from the scriptures some food for thought to perhaps readjust our thinking. I pray that it will touch hearts, encourage the faithful, convict those who have fallen for the lies of the enemy, by speaking the truth of God in love. I do love and pray for each of you that will read this post, that God will speak HIS Word to your heart; that you will come to know that you don’t have to DIY; you simply have to “let God BE God”!
“Being confident
of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work
in you
will perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6
God begins His work in us by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus—His substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice of Himself for us. We couldn’t save ourselves and apart from Jesus we surely can’t keep ourselves!
“I am the true vine,
and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit
he taketh away:
and every branch that beareth fruit,
he purgeth it,
that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean
through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me,
and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself,
except it abide in the vine;
no more can ye,
except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine,
ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me,
and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me
ye can do nothing.” John 15:1-5
Just as a branch broken off of the tree will not grow—neither will we unless we abide in Jesus. He has provided everything that we need to be faithful, successful followers of His! God has called and equipped us to grow IN HIM!
“Grace and peace be multiplied
unto you
through the knowledge of God,
and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power
hath given unto us
all things
that pertain unto life
and godliness,
through the knowledge of him
that hath called us
to glory
and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great
and precious
promises:
that by these
ye might be partakers
of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption
that is in the world
through lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4
As Paul said above—God began it—and He will finish the work in His own!
“And we know
that all things work together
for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate
to be conformed
to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren.
30 Moreover
whom he did predestinate,
them he also called:
and whom he called,
them he also justified:
and whom he justified,
them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us,
who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all,
how shall he not
with him
also freely give us
all things?” Romans 8:28-32
And how do we become HIS? By coming to Jesus in repentance and faith! Only One Way—only One Savior: “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” And we come by faith in The One who died for you and me, who also said: “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”! Amen! (See John 14:6 & 6:37)
“For by grace are ye saved
through faith;
and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works,
lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
unto good works,
which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10
Instead of a DIY project, God calls us to die to self, and live unto Him, by Him and for Him!
“I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice,
holy,
acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed
to this world:
but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove
what is that good,
and acceptable,
and perfect,
will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
It’s all about JESUS!
“For of him,
and through him,
and to him,
are all things:
to whom be glory
for ever. Amen.” Romans 11:36
So my conclusion is that we must stop working on our own—doing our DIY project on ourselves–and let Jesus do HIS work in us, yielding to His Spirit, knowing His Word, His truth, and trusting to HIS perfect provision and providence (a word that we have mostly forgotten today)! Here are a few passages to help us focus on our Master Builder rather than ourselves!
“For it is God
which worketh in you
both to will
and to do
of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
“This I say then,
Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh……
25 If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
provoking one another,
envying one another.” Galatians 5:16 & 25-26
And more from our brother Paul:
“What?
know ye not
that your body is the temple
of the Holy Ghost
which is in you,
which ye have of God,
and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God
in your body,
and in your spirit,
which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Finally, how do we know what it looks like to choose HIS way? Again, Paul gives us an amazing contrast that I’ll leave with you! You must decide if you will focus on the way of the flesh or The Spirit.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these;
Adultery,
fornication,
uncleanness,
lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry,
witchcraft,
hatred,
variance,
emulations,
wrath,
strife,
seditions,
heresies,
21 Envyings,
murders,
drunkenness,
revellings,
and such like:
of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things
shall not inherit
the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love,
joy,
peace,
longsuffering,
gentleness,
goodness,
faith,
23 Meekness,
temperance:
against such
there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s
have crucified the flesh
with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:19-24
Remember the fruit can only come from abiding in the tree! May we learn to measure with God’s plumb-line not the world’s; and abide in our LORD Jesus in all our ways! Be fruitful!
Amen and Amen!!!
