To Call part 4
God lives in us. The Kingdom is within us. It's not about something external. It's about what's inside. So when we "call on the Lord" in order to "BE saved" what we need to understand is that all we're really doing is filling ourselves with the fulness of God. He already filled us to overflowing. And all we have to do is believe it. Because when we believe it's in there--when we believe HE, LOVE is in there--that's when it comes out naturally. That's when the salvation (from our sins) that took place 2,000 years ago on the cross manifests with power in our lives. That's when we BE what we are. See, it's about possession. And I'm not about being possesed by something and having our heads spin around like that old movie. I'm talking about possessing something. I'm talking about being gripped by something, and gripping it back. I'm talking about Philippians 3:12, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." Now I'm going to leave the "not perfect" part for now. I've Ranted and preached on it before, and probably will again. But for now I'm focused on apprehending that which we've been apprehended of. Receiving the gift we've been given, if I can say it another way. I'm talking about calling on the name of the Lord, not in the sense that I need Him, but in the sense that I have Him. He's already inside. So by calling on Him what I'm really doing is releasing what's inside. Letting Him take the wheel. Not trying to it all myself, but giving Him room to operate. Not trying to live His life--that's impossible. Nobody can live Jesus' life except Jesus--but letting Him live His life in, and through, and as me. It's not, "Lord, I'm all alone and I need you. Please come save me!" It's, "Lord, let what's in me come out naturally so I can BE saved." We ARE saved, but we need to BE what we are. It's the same idea as BEING transformed by the renewing of our minds. We have BEEN transformed. But we need to BE what we are. We need to start walking in newness of life... by letting HIM walk with our feet. By letting HIM talk with our mouths. We be about our Father's business by letting our Father be about His own business--which is loving others--in, and through, and as us. Presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice and letting Jesus lives His own life in our bodies. That's how we partake of the Divine Nature. That's how we live (or experience) His life. Not by trying to do it ourselves and then breaking the glass when we get in over our heads--and listen, I'm not saying we shouldn't call on Him to save us when we DO get in over our heads. I'm simply trying to present a more excellent way. If Jesus (love) is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, that means we should start with Him. Commit all our ways to Him instead of just calling Him in when we lose our way. Again: Don't ever hesitate to call on Him. He's faithful. He'll answer. But how much better to start with Him and avoid some of those situations altogether? How much better for Jesus--love--to be first choice and not last chance? How much better to BE saved then trying to continually GET saved? What's inside will come out when you know and believe it's in there. And it'll (He'll) come out naturally. All on it's (His) own. Being saved is about experiencing the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of Jesus. From the inside-out. No matter what's going on around us. Because we are planted on the Rock, and cannot be shaken!