Why can't we see ourselves as GOD does? Boy did I hear the gasps with that one! I know from my own experience that if I even think about suggesting doing something like HE does or doing something that HE does some people get in a real tizzy. I made the statement one time to a group of people that we need to learn to see ourselves through HIS eyes, and I thought that a couple of those present were either going to fall over dead or burn me at the stake. Why do people get all stirred up over something as Scriptural as that? Let's take it to the next level and bring up what JESUS HIMSELF said to HIS followers while preparing them for the time that HE wouldn't be there among them any longer.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in ME, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to MY FATHER.' (John 14:12 NKJV)
There you have it, how much plainer does CHRIST have to be? JESUS isn't saying that we, as Believers, have more power or authority than HE did, and does. The point HE was making was that HIS time on earth was limited, you might say that GOD's Will for the SON was operating on a timeline. Another thing to keep in mind is that JESUS wasn't talking to or about any certain person. The only indication of who was being talked about was in the words 'he who believes in ME....' spoken by JESUS. It's pretty obvious that JESUS was telling HIS followers that since HIS time was about to run out, HE could only do so much of the work of the FATHER. Those who believed though, would have much more time to do HIS works, and that would be because HE was talking about the accumulated time from not just a certain Christian, but from all Believers.
Now, let's get back to the point I feel led to make today. Our goal every day needs to be to present not just our bodies, not just any resources we have, or have control over, to the LORD for HIS work, but to present our very lives as living breathing testimonies to the Grace and Mercy of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST! I've often said that CHRIST taught by example, and if you'll just read in the Scriptures about HIS ministry here on earth, you'll find that only after healing someone did HE tell HIS disciples to go and heal. Only after raising someone from death, or sleeping as HE put it several times, did HE command those following HIM to do likewise. Only after walking on water did JESUS instruct Peter to do the same thing. That incident had an extra built-in bonus lesson. Peter was doing just fine until he took his eyes, literally, off of CHRIST. Now does that sound familiar or what? We don't know of all of what we call miracles JESUS performed during the short years of HIS public ministry, Scripture tells us that.
'And truly JESUS did many other signs in the presence of HIS disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that JESUS is the CHRIST, the SON of GOD, and that believing you may have life in HIS name.' (John 20:30-31 NKJV)
The point isn't for us to be able to document every single time HE healed someone or raised someone from the dead. Would it be any easier to believe if instead of one blind man healed there were one hundred or one thousand who were given sight? Would you find it easier to believe that JESUS brought one hundred thousand young girls back to life than just the one we can read about? Here is the sad part of the whole thing, GOD believes in every single one of us more that most of us believe in HIM. Ouch! Maybe some are shaking their heads right about now and saying to themselves that this just isn't true, that GOD doesn't have to believe in us at all. That is correct, HE doesn't have to believe in us, and what's more is that HE has every reason not to believe in anything about us. That's the point though, isn't it? HE believes in us enough to believe that there is at least one amongst all of mankind who will accept the sacrifice of HIS SON as atonement for their sins. Do I believe that just one person being Born Again is all that HE wants? No, but I do believe that if only one person ever accepted CHRIST as their personal Savior that the death of HIS SON would have served it's purpose. Think about this little nugget of information, we have history to look back at, all of it lending credibility to why we should believe in HIM. What did HE have to make HIM think that any human would ever seek HIM out? What we can read of man's track record with GOD doesn't make us look good at all. But, HE still believed in us. Along with that belief comes love, and remember that it's not any kind of feelings of affection coming from us that has anything to do with how HE feels about us.
So, how about it? Do you believe in GOD? Do you love HIM? How do you think your belief and love stacks up against HIS? I guess it's a real good thing for us that HE doesn't keep score like that, isn't it? Aren't you glad HE believes in you much more that any of us could ever believe in HIM? I'm not talking about believing in HIS existance, I'm talking about believing in HIS love and mercy and grace for us. I guess it's a really good thing for us that HE believes, isn't it?
God Bless all you Believers out there!
Terry
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