As I have been meditating, I have come to see and understand the stark difference between these two and that our "action-understanding" brings either a root failure OR a root success upon one's life; depending on our daily choices. I'm not talking small failure or small success... I'm talking paramount.
Like so many "grounds" -- there is no middle ground.
By our actions, we either bow our knee in submission to oneness or we raise ourselves with stiff necks in defense of our autonomy.
This theme can be applied to our walk with God, our interaction with The Body of Christ, our families, our marriages. It invades and penetrates EVERY fabric of our being and every fabric intertwined with our being.
I do believe if we were in a room together we would, as believers, agree that we are "one with Christ".... but do our actions affirm this statement of belief? Are our values His values? Are our actions His actions?
When the rubber meets the road, I believe, in order to truly grow, we have to stop deluding ourselves that our talk is equating to our action.
If married, how is that going? The Word says you and your spouse are one. Are you? Do you steward your body the same way as your spouse? Do you have separate financial accounts? Do you rise and go to bed together? Are you like-minded in life goals; making sure those goals are, above all else, Christ-willed? If not, PRAY, dear ones, for your spouse... and be responsible to make sure your walk's aim is oneness in Christ first and foremost!
Oneness. It's far more to God than a token of thought.
I know from personal experience just how intense that battle for oneness can be; both personally and maritally speaking. Truth be told, it potentially is a life-long battle with uncertain outcome, depending upon the strength of the self-will. I highlighted this in my last two posts concerning Jacob. The realization of this should sit on you like the proverbial two-ton brick. In love, I implore you, let such truth sober you.
Such battles often.... dare I say inclusively always.... include judgment by others.
One of the largest twists of the Word popular in today's culture is the mantra, "Judge not, lest you be judge." We hear it routinely in our politically correct (TOXIC) climate.
I wrote a lengthy article on www.joyinthemorning.com under the article's tab called "To Fully and Rightly Function as a Believer."
If you want to take the time - which I encourage - read it. It is about halfway down through the articles. Scroll till you find it. It's worth the hunt, I do believe.
The battle between autonomy and oneness in the believer's life will always include the buffet of God as well as other fellow believers. Don't run from it. Don't resist it. If you want to grow, embrace it.
One morning as I was meditating, the thought hit me, "If we are so touchy about the judgement of others, how ever will we be able to handle the day of account before God Himself?!"
I'm serious. Let that thought sit on you awhile and soak in beyond the surface.
The documentation of rightly judging of actions and words by God and others is found throughout the Word.
Understand the action of resisting judgment is an affirmation of your insistent autonomy. (Re-read that.)
Again, let it soak well below the surface.
Are you squirming? May I gently suggest that you humbly lay before God and ask Him why this topic is setting you off.
Understand the action of resisting judgment is an affirmation of your insistent autonomy. (Re-read that.)
Again, let it soak well below the surface.
Are you squirming? May I gently suggest that you humbly lay before God and ask Him why this topic is setting you off.
Self-will MUST die if oneness is to be achieved.
If we cannot yet say as Christ said, "I have come NOT to do My will, but to do the will of Him who sent me."....then the battle for oneness is still very much alive. Acknowledge it, confess it... then take the action steps God shows you today that line up with:
If anyone want to come with Me,
(again, oneness being the theme),
he must deny himself,
pick up his cross EVERY DAY,
and follow Me CONTINUOUSLY.
Luke 9:23
I'll close this out with two edifying points:
1) Take ten minutes or so and SLOWLY read out-loud Ephesians 5. Allow the words to fall on you as if it were the first time you were reading the passage. Engage ALL of your brain cells. In other words, resist reading it as the "familiar passage" it tends to be to the believer. It is charged with the powerful theme of oneness.
2) I wrote on Facebook this week something I felt the Spirit stir up and speak to me:
Autonomy and oneness have never and will never coexist.
To have one is to sacrifice the other.
Which one is placed upon the altar and burned up
depends NOT upon the presence of Christ's Lordship,
but upon our obedience to His Lordship.
Are you humbly on your knees, crying out to God to make oneness real in your life?
Or are you on your feet, defiantly stiff-necked in defense of your autonomy?
Pick your aim carefully.
Which will it be?
Autonomy or oneness?
Please know with all weightiness, your eternal destination hangs in the balance:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." Matthew 7:21
That should wake us ALL up!
I know it certainly has me wide awake.
What's God's will for you today?
Take the time.
SEEK it out
before Him
as if your very life
depends upon finding it
.... because it does.
♡Godspeed♡
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