Note: Sorry I haven't posted in a few days...I'll be posting at least 3 times a week.  Thank you for reading!  I am honored!


In Church yesterday we sang a song (even better, my wife and our incredibly talented praise band led us in a song) called "In Christ Alone", which absolutely dominated me.  I listened to it all morning, as my wife prepared while we were getting ready, in my prayer time with youth when I got to the church before we had a meeting, during the song in church, then again Monday morning while I was getting ready.  And I can't shake these lines:

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

These words 100% describe my life, and our lives, as we walk with Christ.  I realized yesterday morning as I was thinking about Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit" while in a worship planning meeting, how extremely self-centered I am.  It seems like I quite often find myself faking a friendly demeanor when inside I am secretely churning with bitterness and pride over situations, circumstances, ideas, topics and sometimes even people (I hate and am ashamed to admit) I deem to be beneath me, or that I think I could do a lot better.  However, if a situation or person presents itself as being helpful to me, or seems useful, then, all of a sudden, I can look past all the things I've seen in them (or it) that made me bitter or angry before.

 Often I find myself living out this equation - Arrogance + Insecurity = Fearful living and people getting hurt and used.   I know I'm living this out when I find myself holding others to standards that I don't hold myself to and getting angry at them for not doing what I think they should do; or seeing the worst in others and holding arguments with them in my head where I bring up all their flaws and pretend like they're doing the same with me (you know...to justify my comments); or just when I find myself talking bad about someone behind their back for the smallest thing (or anything!).  

BUT, "as he stands in victory; sins curse has lost its grip on me"!!!  I am soooo desperate for the love and victory offered through the sacrifice of God.  As that blood and water flow over all my sin and shame, I stand and proclaim that I don't have to live a life full of fear, supported by arrogance and insecurity, anymore!  I am no longer afraid of the guilt and death that suppress and shut down the freeing, Creative power of the Holy Spirit's activity in me, or the world, any longer!  No one can bring up anything that God the Father doesn't already know about, that the blood of Jesus hasn't already covered, and that the work of the Holy Spirit hasn't already REDEEMED!  I AM FREE AND "THIS IS THE POWER OF CHRIST IN ME"!  So I offer a new equation to this world; A victorious Savior +  a desperate follower = A Changed world full of radically changed lives.  Let me know what you think