Risen With Christ

 Scripture: Colossians 2 v 1 - 6: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 
3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"

How amazing to know that we were in Christ at the Last Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was on trial, whipped, mocked and crowned with thorns.  We were in Him when Pilate said he finds no fault with Him, and when He struggled up the road to Golgotha.

We were in Him as He was crucified, pierced and dying.  We were in Him when He died and rose again.  We are risen from death with Him, risen to new life that can never be extinguished.  We are already immortal, living our eternal life starting from the moment we are born again.

Our eyes should be on Heaven and things above us.  We should be reaching for higher knowledge and deeper experiences of God in our lives.  We are saved for a purpose and we need to discover it and complete it.  Everything else is vanity.  Everything else.

We need to be careful not to let our vanities get a grip upon us that blocks God's will for us.  It's only when we seek Him for more of His love, wisdom, holiness, that He takes us further into His purpose for us.

There is one general purpose for every believer....save as many as you can.  By preaching, teaching, loving, testifying, praying, healing and miracles the world is drawn to consider the Kingdom of our God.  Through the Word of God the truth is established.

To win the world we need to make Jesus real to them without lies, exaggeration or embellishment.  Be simple and truthful to confound the enemy who is blinding them to salvation.

2 Corinthians 4 v 1 - 5: "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 
3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:"

The god of this world is Satan and it is he who calls truth lies and deceit truth.  He is a total fake and all fake news, alternate views and fancy distractions are his box of tricks to keep the world blinded and in darkness.

We are dead and our lives are hid with Christ in God.  Sin killed us stone dead but we are alive in one place only, in Christ because we are risen with Him.  If this is your reality then He is calling you to continue His work.  There is a specific talent He has given you to open those spiritually blind eyes.

It is not humanitarianism or charitable work that makes the difference, it is Christ in us the hope of glory.  We can obscure His light by covering it up with excuses and distractions but the Lord sees our hearts and is waiting for us to make a move.

Jesus will back up our faith and efforts with exploits of His own.  Every encounter is different but He manages to get His Word across and like a grain of sand in an oyster He will eventually create a pearl out of us and those we touch with His love.  We can be creative in finding new approaches to try convincing those who oppose the truth about Jesus.

Many years ago the great preacher, Smith Wigglesworth, was walking past a tall building on a London street.  The Lord urgently nudged him to go to the letter box opening on the main entrance and speak John 3 v 16 loudly into it.  So he did this but Jesus said, Do it again, but louder!  With a crowd gathering, Smith obeyed.  For a third time Jesus told him to yell as loud as he could the words of that verse into the letter opening.  

He complied then started walking away.  He was stopped by a man shouting from the 11th floor window, asking him to come up to see him.  When he got there he saw a chair with a noose above it and a man sobbing.  He had been about to end his life when he called on God and said if He was real He must audibly speak to him.  Somehow the Lord made Smith's voice travel up 11 storeys and come out of his fireplace.  The man asked for the words to be repeated, twice.  God then told him to call out of his window.  He got gloriously saved that day.

We must never take the glory for the miracles He does.  We must let Him shine.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are risen from death to spiritual life in Your Son.  Let us not hide this privilege by denying Him the souls He seeks.  Let us allow Jesus to shine forth through us, through our broken places, to return souls to His Kingdom.  Help us find our talent and use it.  In Jesus' name. Amen.