I Ain't Superman

Psalm 34:1-4

I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak of His praises. I will boast only in the LORD. Let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD's greatness. Let us exalt His name together. I prayed to the LORD< and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Sometimes I forget that the words I read in Scripture have been written by ordinary people. Sure these men were inspired and moved by God's Holy Spirit to write them, but they were human. They wrestled with fear and doubt. They had times when they did not believe. They even wandered off down "Sin" road and got themselves in all manner of trouble. Yet they always came back to God. They always realized the error of their choices. They always knew that God was the only real source of life.

I think sometimes we want our Bible hero's to be perfect. To be "Jesus 2.0" so to speak. We want them to look the part. Perfect hair....muscled and ripped .....never say the wrong thing, always doing the right thing. We create what I refer to as "The holy list". A list of rules and regulations that we MUST keep in order to look holy. "Don't do this...don't go there....don't say this...." and the list goes on and on and on. We believe ourselves to be spiritual Supermen and Superwomen. Holiness is an inward work, not an outward appearance. It is something that God imputes to us. I receive His Holiness. I don't create my own. In other words, I can never produce holiness in my own strength, heart or will.

Yes sir, we want our Bible hero's to be supermen. Able to leap life's problems in a single bound.....look there in the pages....It's Nehemiah! No It's Job! No, it's Peter and Paul!

Well, it didn't happen that way. I don't want to see Scripture in such a manner, and I'm grateful that God used a bunch of broken, messed up people to pour his love and letter through. It sets my mind in the direction that God is still in that business of using ordinary people. It gives me hope that, in spite of my mess ups and sin trips, God will and can use me. Such a thought as God using me lifts me up beyond life's struggles and battles, and gives me hope for this day. Just for this day.

Psalm 34:8

Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!

Spiritually speaking....feast on the LORD. Dine on His word and presence. Take it into your being. Sin entered by eating fruit. Salvation enters when we feast on Jesus. The whole idea of salvation is a Step #3 process. Step #3 of the Twelve Steps says, "We made a decision to turn will and life over to the care of God as we understood Him." 

By the time we get to this point, we are very much in touch with our humanness. We realize that we aren't SUPER anything. We are experiencing conviction because of God's Holy Spirit resting on us. The beauty of conviction is the amount of love God pours over us. Conviction uncovers our hearts, our motive and our intentions. It gives us perfect Spiritual vision to see the mess we have made in our lives because of our sin. But it doesn't leave there broken among the rubble of our past. Conviction points to Jesus as the only way out of this mess we've created. Conviction leads us to confession and repentance. Repentance leads us to Jesus as the only one who can truly help us. He IS the higher POWER we've been searching for.  Jesus is the direction we must turn to. Jesus is the truth that will uncover every lie within us. And Jesus is THE Life we have longed for, but never believed we could attain.  Now if that isn't good news....then where else is there to go? I'll take Jesus. I pray that you would also.

Psalm 34:11-14

Come, my children,and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.

Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.!
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace and work to maintain it.

God on you...

mb