Wretchedness

Scripture

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

~Romans 7:24, NKJV

Quote

The knowledge of our poverty {wretchedness} brings us to the moral frontier where Jesus Christ works.

~Oswald Chambers

The July 21 entry of Oswald Chambers MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST was music to my ears. Chambers says, “The bedrock in Jesus Christ’s kingdom is poverty not possessions; not decisions for Christ {statistics}, but a sense of absolute futility–I cannot begin to do this.” Some people believe, I had a seminary professor for one, that Jesus taught a perfect ethic, and we are to live up to it by following His example. It is an ideal that we can’t possibly achieve. How can a man make himself pure in heart? I must acknowledge my utter dependence on Jesus Christ as my LORD and Savior. He came to make me a fisher of men. He came to make me a disciple. He came to make me holy, and He does it via the Holy Spirit, the Word, and grace. By the power of His grace and resurrected life, He is able to change our disposition. He literally transforms us and makes us pleasing to Himself. As long as we think we can live the Christ life in the strength of our flesh, God will probably allow us to try but there is no possibility of succeeding. Hopefully, at some point, sooner or later, we will come to realize that we cannot live up to Jesus’ ethic and we will humble ourselves before God and confess our wretchedness.

Can you imagine sending the Pharisee of Luke 18 out on church visitation {‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector}. How many fish will he catch? His pride and condescending attitude would be highly offensive to any lost person. I think Chambers is right on the money–The knowledge of our poverty {wretchedness} brings us to the moral frontier where Jesus Christ works. God does not use us because we are something; He uses us most when we bow before Him in confession of our wretchedness and our utter dependence on HIM. I’ll take the anointing of the Holy Spirit over gifts and abilities any day of the week and twice on Sunday. So, if you are trying to live the Christ life just stop; you can’t do it. If you could do it, there would have been no need in His coming and doing it for us. He wants to live HIS life through you. You share in the benefits, but He gets all the glory.

Extra

Last week of July and I am not grieving. I am ready for Fall. Had a good day yesterday and I want to Praise the LORD for his blessings. We had a $7,000 dollar building fund offering which puts us over $63,000 PTL.

Peggy Lindsey is still in DMH but may move to Moulton Rehab today. I finally got my phone fixed so I can read Gregg’s post and it was good. The ole boy has a gift. Joyce is about the same. Mrs. Clare is at Children’s in Birmingham and very sick. Please add Clara to your prayer list.

Have a good week and thanks for reading the blog.

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