By Brenda Groves
The Post Newspaper Contributing Writer
I once heard a story about a woman who decided to cook a ham for her family using her mother’s recipe. She called up her mom and got the instructions, but she had a question about one part which called for cutting off both ends of the ham before baking. Her mother had no idea as the recipe had been handed down from her mother.
So, the young woman called her grandmother and asked her why she cut off both ends of the ham before she baked it. Her grandmother thought for a moment and said, “You know, I have no idea. I got the recipe from my mother. You’ll need to call her.”
Finally, the woman called her great grandmother and asked the million dollar question. “Mimi, I’m making your ham recipe and I was wondering, why do we cut the ends off of the ham before we roast it in the oven?” she said.
To which the elderly woman replied, “Well, I don’t know why you do it, but my cooking pan is too small.”
LOL!!!
You know, people are like that, we will continue doing the same things over and over, year after year, from generation to generation, without ever questioning “why.”
The herd mentality, I guess you could say.
For example, in the area of religion, I had been taught that in God’s eyes Christians were ‘just old sinners saved by grace.”
And in a sense that is true. I was an old sinner, and when I put my faith in Jesus, by the grace of God, I was saved. But in that defining moment of my spiritual rebirth, a miraculous change took place. My unrighteousness (sin nature/separation from God), was exchanged for Jesus’ righteousness (right standing with God.)
In my spirit man, old things had passed away and all things had been made new inside my core being and my spirit (We are a spirit, we have a soulful mind/will/emotions, and we live in a body).
For many years, I knew I was going to heaven. I had that reassurance the moment I met Jesus in my spirit, the night I got born again.
But I had little hope for anything else here in this life. I felt so unworthy in myself to expect anything more from God, because as I was taught, “I should be grateful that he took pity on me, you old sinner!” Lol. My faith meter was hovering just above the “Hell” mark.
But then, like the woman who went back to the original source of the recipe and learned the truth, I read my adoption papers. I read my Bible, and along with the correct teaching, I learned some amazing truths about who I am now: My true born again nature in Christ Jesus!
Upon these revelations, my faith meter skyrocketed to the top!!!
Why?
“Now faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
What kind of effect will that knowledge have on a Christian?
I got totally delivered from every addiction and stronghold that the devil had on me. I was healed from MS in 2007, and too many testimonies to write down here.
I stopped meditating on and believing the old things about me and began professing the truth of who I am now in Christ Jesus. I am His beloved. Redeemed from my old self. And so are you if you are born again.
As I renew my mind to what God says about me, I am seeing/releasing the fruit of my new born again spirit. “Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith and self control.” (Gal. 5:22)
“… that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” (Philemon 1:6)
Our faith is not activated/effective by acknowledging every rotten deed or thought, or how we feel, or who we dislike, etc.
On the contrary, the Bible says that our faith becomes effective by recognizing, acknowledging and/or paying attention to who we are now in Christ Jesus, and Jesus living in us.
We have faith like Jesus in our new born again spirit.
“…To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:1-9)
But we can’t enjoy/experience and share what we don’t know/believe that we have.
This verse is so true, “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down …” (Mark 7:13)
Jesus was addressing the religious sect. I don’t mean to offend anyone here, but we need to stop following religious teachings that are contrary to the word of God. When I did this, and humbled myself, God exalted me. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
It was a form of pride and false humility that held me back from agreeing with what God says about me now. It is true: I am nothing in myself, but I am not in myself! I am fully immersed in the body of Christ Jesus, and Christ Jesus lives inside of me. (John 14:16)
Brothers and sisters, we are Holy Spirit possessed from the moment of our spiritual birth, we are wall-to-wall Holy Ghost!!!!
“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Cor. 1:20-22
We are anointed and appointed for such a time as this!!!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
( All scripture is NKJV)
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
