Dying in the Lord~ 14

We must learn to commit everything to the Lord for His safekeeping.

Whatever we need at any given moment will be given to us if everything is committed to the Lord. We gain all the riches of God when we give everything to Him.

There must be nothing in us that is not found in God. Whatever is not found in God is unholy.

We must give everything to God. When we do that we can say, All that I have belongs to God and all that God has belongs to me.

When we commit all to God, then we receive all; but only as we need it.

Money cannot save us in the day that is coming. To make one's life a quest for money in an effort to build a hedge against danger is a foolish enterprise. The only safe individual is the one who has given all to God.

When God gives back to us what we desire or hold dear it is ours for eternity. It has ceased to be a God to us. It is filled with the Presence and Life of Christ. It is treasure from Heaven.

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

The Lord is faithful to watch over all that has been committed to Him.

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23)

If we are willing to commit ourselves to God, no person or spirit can possibly harm us no matter how dark the spiritual environment becomes. God, the righteous Judge, will plead our case.

We are made perfect.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

The suffering and death of the cross remove the "spots and wrinkles" from our wedding garment. When we suffer in our flesh we stop sinning, if our heart is right toward God.

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (1 Peter 4:1)

Much suffering and the exercise of patience sanctify our spirit. There is no other way to gain the maturity we desire.

We bear the fruit of the image of Christ in ourselves and in others.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)

The fruit of the Kingdom cannot come from our adamic nature. It is only as we die and Christ lives that the Holy Spirit can take the life-giving Seed and from it bring forth the image of the Lord.

Continued. Dying in the Lord~ 15