Part 2 of 6 New Beginnings – The Passover

“Our lives are full of supposes.
Suppose this should happen, or suppose that should happen;
what could we do; how could we bear it?
But, if we are living in the high tower of the dwelling place of God,
all these supposes will drop out of our lives.
We shall be quiet from the fear of evil,
for no threatenings of evil can penetrate into the high tower of God.
Even when walking through the valley of the shadow of death,
the psalmist could say, will fear no evil;
and, if we are dwelling in God, we can say so too.”
Hannah Whitall Smith


Part 2 of 6 New Beginnings – The Passover

Like the Passover did in the natural, the Cross of Jesus Christ brings judgment over the evil in this world. The same Cross brings deliverance to those who choose to embrace it.

Some years ago I had a pastor friend who invited me to join a local club that sponsored events for children. The work of this club was admirable, and many youth were assisted in various different ways. The club conducts positive service projects in their communities aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. Members help empower young people to be the best they can be. Each club determines the needs of the young people in its community and conducts programs to meet those needs.
At first I welcomed the opportunity to participate in some of the youth events, and fund-raising opportunities. After a few months of participation I was asked to join and attend the clubs monthly meetings. I was somewhat taken back when they started their meeting by reciting the creed below:

“Promise yourself . . .
…to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
…to talk health, happiness, prosperity to every person you meet.
…to make all your friends feel that there is something of value in them.
…to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
…to think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect the best.
…to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
…to forget the mistake so the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
…to wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.
…to give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
…to be too large for worry, too noble for anger,
too strong for fear, and too happy to permit presence of trouble.”

On the surface, these statements seem to be innocent enough, and for some of them they coincide nicely to the Word of God. However, as I heard this being repeated, there was a disturbing uneasiness in my spirit.
These statements all exude the idea of self-improvement through human thought or actions. There is not one mention of God as the source of improvement, only self-effort.
This has always, since the fall of mankind been the issue that divides the carnal nature of man from the spiritual life achieved only in being born again in Christ Jesus. Indeed, much of this kind of carnal thinking has influenced much of the church itself.
The enemy is not threatened by our espousal of Christian doctrine or our traditions of ritualistic religious practice. These types of ‘religiousity’ (yes I know that’s not a real word) contain not power, and lead many astray. These things come from a close observance of the Law of God, while largely disregarding grace, mercy and love.
Human goodness, devoid of the love of Christ in us, is hypocrisy to God, and an affront to the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is rooted in the delusion that if we build up a storehouse of good acts, and only engage in occasional evil, then we will be acceptable before God. This is a deception of the enemy, for it negates us having to come to Jesus for salvation.
Satan is well pleased when we engage the religious, and neglect the Cross, and a personal relationship with the Lord. When we turn our lives over to Christ, and walk in a close personal intimacy with Him, all the power of the enemy is utterly destroyed. This was the very battle that raged between the first two brothers to walk the face of the earth, Cain and Able. It is the same battle we face today – the way of the Cross or the way of carnal man. A religious spirit is the absolute enemy of the life that we have in Christ Jesus.
One of the greatest persecutions of the church will always come from those who have been converted in their minds but not in their hearts. They are more concerned with the intellectual comprehension of the Word than they are with being obedient to it and having a intimate relationship with the Lord. True doctrine is born from putting Jesus first in our lives.

“If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching,
whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.”
John 7:17 NASB

We must love the Lord of the Truth (He is the Truth) rather than loving the truths of God. We must desire to have the Lord of the Bible more than a simple knowledge of the Word. Of course, we are to cherish God’s Word, but never place it before our adoration of Him.

Jesus own words are sobering in this regard:
“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 NASB

End Part 2