It was just another Saturday morning. I was reading a book by one of my favorite authors, O. S. Hawkins, “The Joshua Code” when He stopped me flat-footed. He was writing about the family’s old iron bed. I visualized ours. It was the bed mother & dad had when they were first married. It still has the same painted flowers on the footboard. Then as he writes about the old bed sagging in the middle, he connects that word-picture with how Christians (me), sag in our Christian life. Then he stopped me in my tracks with Galatians 2:20.” I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” BAM!

If, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” then why do I get upset or mad over what someone says or does to me? Ouch! That means my rant when someone cuts me off on the interstate is…Sin! Could this mean when I lay into someone because they don’t measure up to my standards…that would be sin? And I guess my “telling it like it is” would not be something Jesus would do or be proud of?

But “the life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God” then why do I worry? Why do I allow what others think to control what I do? If you are more worried about “Political Correctness” than pleasing Almighty God, who truly is Lord? Ponder this. Proverbs 29:25 – “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” And then there is Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” It is a “TRUST” issue.

But what about the worries I have…the ones that keep me awake at night about my family, health, financial, work, our country…you know “what about me”? There is no escaping the first nine words of this verse, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Paul gave us more clarity in Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Wow, that’s powerful but verse 21 brings it all home. “who, by the power that enables Him (Jesus) to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” So, this power must be what God personally spoke to Joshua about in Josuha 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” It’s not our ability to be strong and courageous but His…His Power that we must trust and depend on! And then we find the secret the world does not know…the key to it all found in Acts 4:31, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

In John 4 we find the fascinating story of a woman in sin and rejected by her community. Then Jesus shows up. There in the hot sun, standing by a well Jesus transformed her life into a woman of value. He gave her value that people recognized and the power & boldness to tell her story that changed her community. “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him (Jesus) because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers.” John 4:39-41

Then Jesus shows up…“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20