Friday, April 17, 2009

Clinging to the "right" to be God's child

Philippians 2:5-8
Your attitude should be the same that Jesus Christ had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.
Philippians 3:7-11
I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I really can know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!
Romans 8:16-17
For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures- for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Many rights I ask you to give up.
The right to be unforgiving.
The right to be unloving.
The right to be selfish.
The right to be fearful.
The right to be greater than others.
The right to be right.
But the right you never have to give up, the right you must cling to and lean on is the right to be My child.
You are My child and noone can take that from you.
Be transformed by that truth.
Be transformed by My Love.
Only when you cling to this Truth, can you possibly give up the other "rights" I ask you to give up.
In your weakness is My Strength and in My Strength is your joy.
When My Son went to the cross, it was nothing less than Love.
A decison and an action- do you think he "felt" like dying on a cross?
No! But he had made the decision to love you long before the cross was before Him.
Make that decision with Him - love others as I love you.
Cling steadfastly to the knowledge that you are Mine and My Love is not swayed by human emotion for My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways.
In that knowledge is the freedom to be forgiving, loving, selfless, fearless, and one who gives up their "rights."
Let's go chase lions!

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