Is It Possible That Jesus is Enough?

Chapter 4 – How I Lost My Devotional Life

Relationship to God has the freedom to be based on a response to Grace. Notice I didn’t say it “must be based”.

We do not have to see our devotional life as a set of “must do’s”. The joy will be robbed.

Our relationship with God is a gift, as are his blessing and direction. We need do nothing to earn what we already HAVE!

Legalism = death. Death to those who propagate legalism, and death to those who are propagated against. We are ministering death to those we love when we try to force them to live by rules and regulations.

The law kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor. 3:6

We cannot attain life through death – attain grace through legalism.

Yes, we need disciplines such as faithfulness and self-control. But these qualities are born out of our receipt of grace from the Lord. If we live legalistic lives, we are only self-righteous and are not able to walk in the free gifts that God has given.

Our obedience is a response to the gift of His righteousness to us.

He works – we RESPOND.

He does – we RESPOND.

We still have an action to perform – work to do – but that work earns us nothing. We work out of a response of love. RESPOND to Him and enjoy life!

Chapter 5 – Legalism Arouses Sinful Passions

Is the law only good for one thing? Is the law only useful to point to sin in our lives?

To show us that we are imprisoned by sin so we’ll have a desire for freedom through grace?

There is another use for the law - the law militates (has force or influence, brings about a change) against legalism because it constantly reveals our sin and our need for grace.

There – we NEED the law, but not only for the reason we normally think we do. The law is not meant to condemn alone. The law is meant to point to grace.

We must not stop at conviction of sin – that is an attitude of defeat and death – a hopeless finality.

We must continue from the law to grace – an attitude of victory and life – a hope-filled grace-filled living!!

Chapter 6 – Satisfied With Jesus

If God the Father is satisfied with Jesus’ finished work on the cross, shouldn’t I also be satisfied?

Would I dare put myself above the Father in my knowledge of a situation?

None of us would knowingly do that – put ourselves above the wisdom of the Father.

But we do so unknowingly by thinking there is more to be done beyond the grace God has ALREADY given us through His Son.

Why do we do that? Is it because we are not used to things being simple? Is it because we as Worldlians (my own made-up word for those of us who live in the world) are used to the hurry-scurry lives we live? We are accustomed to much work; much activity.

Activity and work = productivity. Right?

Perhaps that is true according to the standards of this world. But remember that this world is not our home. Our home has a different set of standards. Those standards are mostly in direct opposition to the ones we are ruled by here.

If you want to live – you must die.

If you want to “get ahead” – you must put yourself last and serve others.

So does it make sense that if we want to succeed (there’s that word again!), we must simply accept a gift and not concern ourselves with having to accomplish that which has already been accomplished?

If Jesus did His work (walked willingly to the cross and defeated death, hell and the grave) and then SAT DOWN. Why are we standing up??? Haha!

It’s kind of funny in a way. Jesus is not worried about something being undone. Why are we?

I hear you – you want this message to be balanced out with our responsibility to do good works. We already talked about that in chapter 4.

We will still do works. But the BASIS for those works will be what it ought to be.

Our basis will no longer be in an attempt to earn something from God. Our basis for good works will be love of our Savior. That’s all. We will still lead disciplined, faithful lives. But that discipline and faithfulness will gain us NOTHING (we already have it all J. We are simply RESPONDING in love. We are hugging the Father and telling Him “thank you” for what You have done – for what You have given. It is enough for me. Now I want to show you that it is enough by my actions and my life.

Same things accomplished – same success – but HE gets the glory instead of ME.

Oh, I feel I’m not explaining this clearly enough. But my lack will have to be made up by revelation from the Holy Spirit.

In that light, I stop here…