BELILVE IT OR NOT
by Dick Wild
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins that He might deliver us out of this
present evil age, according to the will of God our Father, to whom be
the glory forevermore. Amen.
Galatians 1:3-5
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of
Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us
everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true
knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by
these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in
order that by them you might become partakers of the Divine Nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
II Peter 1:2-4
The question of the ages: Is there -- or is there not -- the power to
change a human life? Can a person who does bad things change in
behavior and learn to direct that energy onto a positive and
productive path? Can a human being stop committing immoral, abusive,
evil, and unlawful acts? Can sin decrease in the inner man, for real?
Myriads say yes. Multitudes say no. Significant others just don’t
know.
What does the God of the Bible say? He conclusively and
compassionately says, “yes!”
A person can be transformed by His power of intervention. “His Divine
power has granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness.”
Substantial controversy pulses within the heart of this very subject
today! Primarily within the bodies of religious circles.
Yet gospel truth hinges on this crucial Biblical fulcrum, allowing no
room for error or compromise. Why? Because etemal healing weighs in
the balance for the lost and wandering sheep of the earth.
The gospel declares One truth. Even the most vile among us can be
cleansed, healed, changed, and freed to live a moral and healthy life.
How?
“He can deliver us.”
His promise holds true for all who choose to receive His Divine power.
In other words, HIS LOVING PRESENCE.
Many Christians proclaim to be believers of the transforming gospel,
but when change is sprouting innumerous new believers, too many, too
often, become judgmental or critical. Instead of rejoicing, they
somehow refuse to accept or believe what is progressing right in front
of their eyes.
The severity of this subtle disapproval often coincides with the
degree of perceived sin committed in the background of a recovering
new Christian or what sin one might struggle in the transformation
process under God’s journey of Grace. Blood washed sin becomes a
label, the label becomes a bushel basket that hides a modern day
miracle. Denounced and discredited is the modern day miracle of God’s
love and His ability to transform a life by His personal simple gospel
plan in His appointed time.
Yes, it is wise to test the spirits. It’s proper to inspect the fruit.
But too often, God’s process of grace and power to change lives is
confused by religious self righteousness and life-snuffing
condemnation prevails instead. To be a human decider of whom among us
shall be forgiven or condemned is not our responsibility. That burden,
which God never intended us to carry, results in various Christians
involving themselves in the MINISTRY OF REJECTION, instead of the
MINISTRY OP RECONCILIATION.
When one needing grace confuses self righteous activity with the
gospel Power of Grace to change lives, God’s work in the life of a new
serious convert is hindered and sometimes destroyed. What’s lacking is
the unconditional love, discipleship, a safe place to change in
honesty and the common sense unconditional nurturing needed from the
Body fellowship. The Sanhedrin in the modern day religious circles
echoes the words of their predecessors of old, denouncing association
with such gross sinners. How the heart of Christ must ache.
Biblically speaking, mature contemporary re-born Christians should
demonstrate the joy and gratitude concerning their own salvation, by
unconditionally supporting younger blood-washed sinners in their
unfamiliar process of Divine transformation. In the grace of Christ,
they also walk in the Way. The same Way we all must walk to gain
salvation, cleansing and healing. If the Spiritual heart and mind of
Christ is truly growing through out contemporary ecclesiastical
circles, then lives should mirror the attitude of Jesus, not the
arrogant religionists over time. These Pharisees challenge the
immutable WAY and TRUTH of Jesus, even today. Throughout many of the
religious circles that exist today in our country we see many
embracing the lost sheep, but sadly many demonstrate other activity
contrary to the teachings of the Bible and what the Spirit of Christ
is presently doing, such as various types of religious abuse and
control.
I don’t want to judge anyone, but I think God is not pleased. What
people do is between them and God. Therefore, I advocate that God is
looking for people who see the facts as they exist and want move on in
His Spirit, striving to learn from our mistakes. He is wanting
born-again Christians to live the simple basics of His Word and
teachings and rid themselves of obvious hindrances that damage the
Spiritual Kingdom’s expansion on the earth.
The WORD candidly explains how the life changing power of God is to
flow through the Body Ministry, from one to another. Interpersonal
relationships and loving interaction between believers is essential
for personal and spiritual growth. The Lord’s Spiritual Kingdom, from
His perspective, is really void of physical and denominational
barriers that deteriorate relationships in Christ; instead of
strengthening relationships in the bonds of love, in the Oneness of
His Spirit.
God loves, rears, and nurtures us by His Holy presence which flows
through and between us, and in no way erects barriers of
judgmentalism, but instead connects personally and interacts through
each in unconditional love and acceptance. His compassionate presence
heals us in simple daily interaction through the fellowship of
believers, no matter what church one attends, what doctrines are in
place or what role one holds in the local congregation.
This interaction is especially crucial for new believers to see and
experience, especially those who struggle to relinquish a wounded and
hard-core sinful lifestyle. Even a young teen raised in a Christian
home needs to witness and experience functional love to develop in a
healthy way. Wandering lost sheep are actually prisoners of war,
deceived captives of Satan. Many search for ways to escape evil powers
because they are tired of the bondage and pain. Release can happen
through a valid conversion in Christ, a Prodigal Son experience.
These seekers and new converts need to witness and experience the
functional loving activity of a church family because most did not
experience it in the dysfunctional family system in which they were
raised. If hurting new Christians cannot have Godly functionality
modeled for them inside the Body of Christ, where else can they see it
in action in order to become whole?
There is a spiritual war on earth, no matter if lost sheep who are
afflicted casualties realize it or not. It is crucial that Christians,
who want to genuinely minister Christ, knowthey are agents of
salvation and realize who they really are in this spiritual war. We
are anointed to “ set the captives free. “ We are not appointed to be
mill stones around their neck in which many sink to the bottom of life
because of neglect or rejection.
As a Chaplain (and once hard core sinner still in the life change
process), I work with many broken and sorrow-filled people who feel
convicted and guilty of committing vast assorunents of wrongful acts.
Yet, one thing establishes a common link between us when someone
resolves to change his or her life. The commonan link is desiring to
flee the brokenness of bondage to past circumstances. This connection
leads to the cross and the living resurrected JESUS who shows genuine
seekers the WAY of escape. Christ is not religion, dogma, or doctrine.
Christ in them is their only hope of glory and the Power to walk in
God’s Divine healing freedom that delivers captives from corruption
here on earth.
We who have connected with Christ must carry the cross to others, so
they might cross over to liberty in the kingdom of blood-washed
sinners. We carriers of Christ are on assignment to share in the
Cause. The Cause is His Cause of Grace. We must be transparent so our
brother and sister, lost sheep, can discover Christ personally because
they can see Him working in our lives by His Presence of Grace and
unconditional truth demonstrating life changing Power.
Born again Christians receive the personal living Christ who
identifies with each person’s pain. He in turn wants to personally
work through us, after conversion and in our healing process, to reach
out and win over others around us in similar types of pain. His plan
is to work through us and in us to witness the hope and healing Light
to others, spiritually and in the dimension of physical life.
It seems that our world of modern technology and scientific
advancement has blinded the eyes of multitudes of non-Christians and
Christians to the “TRUTH” and reality that remains alien even to the
scientific world.
Myriads insist that there are no miracles today. Well...where are they
looking? I have seen so many so called “dirt balls” genuinely change
by the LIVING POWER OF CHRIST. I changed! Where one life is changed,
where one soul is saved, dozens more will be affected. A converted
life is a miracle! With God’s help people who need and want to change
can live a transformed fulfilled life. God’s Divine Power is available
for us now, here on earth. Its for all people who genuinely want it
and choose to stop deceiving themselves, others and especially God.
One only need to ask God for help. His help is available to anyone at
any time, on the outside or on the inside of various congregational
settings. But a seeker must realize God is a Spiritual Being wanting
to personally connect by a prayer of faith and intimately live within,
to journey with each one in life.
Change spiritually takes place in the realm of a change agency. The
fellowship of Christ centered believers in every daily environment is
God’s plan here on earth for Change to occur. The Body of Christ was
designed by God to be a transformation ministry. Christ in us is our
hope of glory. Christ and us, through us, is their (lost sheep) hope
of glory. His Divine power is the healing balm for the wandering lost
sheep of this world.
A real Christian who truly experiences Christ’s Spirit within is
destined to act and react like Jesus. Compassion and understanding are
His trademarks. The essence of these trademarks are seen on His nailed
scarred hands and feet. Are these trademarks stamped on your heart by
His Spirit? Indeed, Christ was crucified in weakness, yet He lives
because of the Power of God and His Gift of compassion for us all.
Does His Power live in us? Does his ministry reflect our ministry?
Test yourself. Are you truly in the faith? Look close, examine your
motives and abilities. Or don’t you know that Jesus Christ is in you?
(II Cor. 13:4&5)
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