Crockpots and Crackpots – Part 2
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves [2 Corinthians 4:7].
Yesterday we left you feeling let down. Paul’s answer as to why we still have our frail earthly bodies after salvation didn’t register? Well, you shouldn’t be befuddled, dear friends! Let me tell you why.
Our salvation is powerful. We have seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. We have at our disposal all the riches of the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Whatever is bound on earth is bound in heaven because we are in Christ Jesus. This is awesome!
But beware. It is also dangerous because we frail humans are full of ourselves. We have a penchant for taking the bows when the power of God is manifested in our lives, as if we do great things rather than Jesus does them in and through us.
And there is the answer to my question about why I am not already in heaven with my resurrection body. The Lord leaves us on earth to be His body, the Church. He indwells us and conducts His ministry in and through us throughout the earth during the Church Age.
If we remained on the earth but had our resurrection bodies already, we would no longer be like unsaved humans. In order to demonstrate to them how Christ can change their lives and deliver them from enslavement to sin, we need to have the same frail earthen vessels they have—that would be those earthen vessels we had before being saved.
Ergo, the Lord leaves us in our earthen vessels, as weak as everyone who isn’t saved, as dependent on Him for victory as everyone else. In this way it is evident to all that we are not some sort of supermen, to whom others cannot relate. Rather, the unsaved folks as well as the saved folks can see that we are not capable in our own might of having the victories we experience.
In this way we are witnesses of the Lord Jesus because it is apparent that the surpassing greatness of the power is from God, not us. The Lord Jesus receives the glory. The unsaved flock to Him for their deliverance—a deliverance, I might add, which we are incapable of giving them.
Paul expressed this best when he made the observation, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” [2 Corinthians 12:10] Just as relevant is Jesus’ response to Paul for removal of his weakness. Jesus denied Paul’s request, noting, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9]
When I am doing well in life, I tend to think I am good and have less need of God’s grace. This is the reverse of spiritual maturity which says, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” When I am weak, then the power of God can work in and through me. This makes me strong. It is real strength, God’s power in me.
What say ye? Do you want your good things now? Do you want to be seen as Mr. Macho? Do you want folks to be allured by your mighty works and witty thoughts? The world is full of suchlike crackpots.
Or do prefer that the Lord be mighty and witty in you and through you to others? We have this surpassing power in earthen vessels—in crockpots if you would—for a godly purpose. We cannot improve on God’s plan, dear friends. Why not surrender to Him and allow Him to fulfill His plan in our earthen vessels?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Yesterday we left you feeling let down. Paul’s answer as to why we still have our frail earthly bodies after salvation didn’t register? Well, you shouldn’t be befuddled, dear friends! Let me tell you why.
Our salvation is powerful. We have seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. We have at our disposal all the riches of the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Whatever is bound on earth is bound in heaven because we are in Christ Jesus. This is awesome!
But beware. It is also dangerous because we frail humans are full of ourselves. We have a penchant for taking the bows when the power of God is manifested in our lives, as if we do great things rather than Jesus does them in and through us.
And there is the answer to my question about why I am not already in heaven with my resurrection body. The Lord leaves us on earth to be His body, the Church. He indwells us and conducts His ministry in and through us throughout the earth during the Church Age.
If we remained on the earth but had our resurrection bodies already, we would no longer be like unsaved humans. In order to demonstrate to them how Christ can change their lives and deliver them from enslavement to sin, we need to have the same frail earthen vessels they have—that would be those earthen vessels we had before being saved.
Ergo, the Lord leaves us in our earthen vessels, as weak as everyone who isn’t saved, as dependent on Him for victory as everyone else. In this way it is evident to all that we are not some sort of supermen, to whom others cannot relate. Rather, the unsaved folks as well as the saved folks can see that we are not capable in our own might of having the victories we experience.
In this way we are witnesses of the Lord Jesus because it is apparent that the surpassing greatness of the power is from God, not us. The Lord Jesus receives the glory. The unsaved flock to Him for their deliverance—a deliverance, I might add, which we are incapable of giving them.
Paul expressed this best when he made the observation, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” [2 Corinthians 12:10] Just as relevant is Jesus’ response to Paul for removal of his weakness. Jesus denied Paul’s request, noting, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9]
When I am doing well in life, I tend to think I am good and have less need of God’s grace. This is the reverse of spiritual maturity which says, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” When I am weak, then the power of God can work in and through me. This makes me strong. It is real strength, God’s power in me.
What say ye? Do you want your good things now? Do you want to be seen as Mr. Macho? Do you want folks to be allured by your mighty works and witty thoughts? The world is full of suchlike crackpots.
Or do prefer that the Lord be mighty and witty in you and through you to others? We have this surpassing power in earthen vessels—in crockpots if you would—for a godly purpose. We cannot improve on God’s plan, dear friends. Why not surrender to Him and allow Him to fulfill His plan in our earthen vessels?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
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