Refuge Church, we have a problem. A big problem… This problem has been weighing on my heart for a while now and I figured this would be the proper avenue in which to address it. It’s not a new problem. In fact, Paul speaks of this problem in Romans:
Romans 7:21-24 (NLT)
I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart.But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.Oh, what a miserable person I am!
The problem is that we aren’t naturally inclined to do good things.
We aren’t born with a desire to love others.
We don’t possess, in and of ourselves, the ability to live a sacrificially selfless life.
These are big problems. They become even bigger in light of the call that Jesus placed on our lives as he ascended into Heaven. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all the nations. We read this and realize that most of us can’t even make disciples of our own families, much less all the nations.
This is a huge problem.
Don’t get too depressed though. Every problem under the sun has a solution. Paul shares the solution as we keep reading the scripture above:
Romans 7:24-25 (NLT)
Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
It is extremely important that we, as followers of Christ, stay spiritually-healthy. If we are to live lives that exhibit qualities such as patience, goodness, and self-control, we have to maintain a constant connection to Jesus Christ. We need Jesus. He’s our only hope. We can do our best but even our best efforts won’t stand the test of time. We may burst out of the gates with a flurry of right living but all it takes is one conversation, one flat tire, or one tragedy to reduce us back into the spiritual infants that we are apart from Jesus.
So over the next few days, we’ll revisit some simple ways that we can maintain the close relationship with Christ that we must have to fulfill our purpose in this life.
After all, you can’t pour anything out of an empty cup.
