The Right Stuff

 

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.   This is how we know it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.  If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is, what he promised us- even eternal life.  I am writing  these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.  As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you, remain in him.  And now, dear children, continue  in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him."  I John 2:18-29

Confident and unashamed.  Are those two words you would use to describe yourself?  I personally come up  short with regards to confidence- especially when it comes to the things of the Lord.  I have a hard time feeling satisfied with my "performance"  as a Christian.  I fall so short of what I purpose in my heart to do.  I fall so short of the requirements of the Bible. 

But notice what this passage says.  If we "continue in him..." this is what will result in us being confident and unashamed before him at his coming.  Here is a little secret that has revolutionized my walk with the Lord- my confidence comes from Him being good enough.  It has very little to do with me (or you.)  He looks at my heart, not whether or not I am perfectly carrying out all he wants me to do.  Remaining in him.  Walking in him.  Seeking after him.  That is what  he is looking for.  He made us.  He knows what we are capable of and the things that we could never accomplish apart from him.

God grades on the curve.  He sees what we do, then he notes the difference that Jesus makes in our life.  In our weakness, he is strong. That lets us off the hook quite a bit.  Rather than trying to never lose my temper or think a bad thought, I can concentrate instead on loving him with all of my heart, mind and strength.

But notice too, that the verse goes on to add that, "everyone who does what is right has been born of him."  Because we love him, we will begin to have the right stuff showing up in our lives.  I love what Joyce Meyer says, "When I was a sinner, I was a full-time sinner.  Occasionally I would mess up and do something right.  Now that I am a Christian, I am a full-time Christian.  Sometimes I mess up and do what is wrong."  (This is my paraphrase, but you get the point!)  As Christians we do not need to strive for works to make us OK with God.  Only Jesus' blood can make us righteous.  But because he is good and we love him, as we spend time with him, we become like him.  As we read his Word and obey it, we learn new truths and our character is transformed.  In due time, we should be exhibiting "Christian fruit."

Dear Lord,  help me to remain in you, becoming more and more like you.  Thank you for forgiving my failure.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri