My heart sings concerning my Redeemer! It is full of exaltation as the joy of my Salvation overflows to the brim. One thing have I desired---that will I seek after.
For sometime now, the Lord Jesus has kept me in the pastures of John 5. It is so sweet to hear the Shepherd speak and whisper His secrets in my ear. There is no greater joy than to heat His voice say, come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
This passage (John 5: 18-47) has been read...so many times I couldn't tell you exactly how many but this time around I saw it from a totally different angle. Just reminiscing over it makes a smile come over. Jesus is so GOOD. I just love how He so sweetly and lovingly reveals Himself over and over again! <3
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him,
because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his
own Father, making himself equal with God.
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can
do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For
whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the
Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these
will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also
the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all
judgment to Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly,
truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to
life.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now
here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear
will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son
also to have life in himself. And
he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is
coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those
who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to
the resurrection of judgment.
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my
judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent
me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another
who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about
me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the
testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be
saved. He was a burning and shining
lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater
than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish,
the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent
me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice
you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his
word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You
search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and
it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you
may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not
have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father's name, and you do
not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can
you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory
that comes from the only God? Do
not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you:
Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote
of me. But if you do not believe
his writings, how will you believe my words?”
"he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." Wow! What a truth yet what a stumbling block to the rulers of His day! David was known as the son of Jesse. Rachel and Leah were referred as the daughters of Laban. Even in the olden days sons and daughters were known by their fathers name. They took on their identity.
So it is with us when we are saved and experience the grace of God in our lives... we take on HIS IDENTITY. Isn't that good news?!? Sadly however, we don't live in this truth. We still tend to listen to the lies of the Enemy and harken to the lies and half truths of people who attempt to trip us up intentionally or not.
Sure, we don't immediately shed the deeds of the old life but by the GRACE of the Savior He leads us through the process of refinement. He ever beckons us, be you holy as I am holy.
If I haven't said so before, I'll proclaim it right now: I have the best Boss one could ever ask for! Having worked for him for the past 5.5 years plus, I can truly say that I am very happy that God lead my path.
One of the nicknames I earned was GI (General Inspector) due to the fact that my Boss put me in charge that whatever I said as 'clean' was to be followed and nothing less. Let's just say there was a few who didn't appreciate my 'skillz'. I'm gonna assume it was more out of a loving tag in which that name derived. :P "Oh--here comes the GI", or, "GI is going to inspect your job...better pass her white gloves!"
I bring this up because the Lord just kinda made these scriptures come alive for me using my job position. There been many times my boss would leave and tell me this and that and how things should run. 'And if .... well, I'll leave that to your judgment because I know you'll make the right decision.' Having 5 plus years under my belt has had many benefits. Looking back now, it wasn't until I was willing to learn and understand how/where He was coming from in order to judge accurately as to what His wishes would be in his absences.
I am in no wise saying that I am equal to him... I wouldn't want to be! Though some have said I'd do a great job. Whatev. It is more of learning and having a childlike attitude. Doing nothing of my own but only what my Boss would do. Not seeking my own will but only His who employed me. To be a servant before taking on a kingdom and not knowing how to command the realm.
Get it? Just as the Father sent the Son...I just can hear Him say, '...so send I you.' We are not greater than the Son but (and this just occurred to me, we will be able to do greater things than he did) he welcomes us to join Him in his kingdoms work. And we are many more things when we receive Jesus Christ into our life!
Even Jesus said, " I can do nothing on my own." Hm... How many of us desire desperately to run our own lives? Or when certain circumstances arise and it's not to our liking we begin to bemoan our predicament? And perhaps we could take the reigns and direct the ship back into safe harbor without weathering any storms? If Christ uttered not my will but thine then surely it is also our allotment in life as well.
To take on the form of Jesus Christ...perhaps we'd do well (as sons and daughters)if we'd begin our days with, "the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing." and, "I can do nothing on my own." If Jesus declared such a sweet secret then let me by all means remain in such a state of mind. After all, this life isn't mine but His---may it reflect His image.
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