The Perfect "Formula"
Illustrating a Truth of Walking in the Spirit
What's driving you? What are you running on? Many are driven through the day by surges of anxiety and fear. Others are burning up the road of life, powered by anger and resentment, and giving off toxic fumes to all around them. Still others can't get their motors going because they've lost their spark. We need something better to operate on! 
There really are no formulas for living the Christian life for it is entirely based on a personal relationship with Jesus, our Best Friend, Savior, Helper and Guide. You can't condense the Mystery and intimacy of this new life with Jesus down to a set of rules. But we can at least understand the underlying Rule that governs the whole of our new life. That rule is given to us by Paul in Ephesians when he says that we are saved by grace through faith. Without God and His grace there could be no new life offered us. Without faith there could be no receiving of it or living of it.
The only thing that can rescue us from the ruin of self (and selfishness and self-will) is a revelation of a grace so full and complete that it makes all our fearful, untrusting walls collapse. That's what happens at conversion. The lost, usually sin-captured soul has nowhere else to turn, then turns to God and discovers the wonder of His love and mercy shared so freely through faith in Jesus. Grace, conversion, surrender and new life begins.
Unfortunately, that's where many seem to leave it, thinking that that level of trust and surrender is only necessary at the beginning. The reality is that every moment of the new life requires 100% grace being given, 100% surrender to grace and 100% guidance by the Lord to bring forth the beautiful new creation placed deep within us. It takes trust, trust, trust and a willingness to follow for the new creation cruising machine to operate at peak performance.
What are you waiting for? Head straight to that throne of grace, feast your eyes on our Beautiful Savior and fill your tank with fresh faith in His grace!
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
For by grace you have been saved through faith. Ephesians 2:8
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24
Prayer
Jesus, I can see now that I have been racing all over creation scrambling to get the most out of life and causing all kinds of problems as I speeded along. I have to admit that many times (too many!) I've allowed myself to be powered up by anger or fear. I've sometimes been driven by jealousy and greed. I've even fallen into such discouragement that I shut the joy down. Forgive me! Help me learn the way to keep my fuel clear of all these contaminants. I want to be powered up solely by faith in Your perfect love, undying mercy and unfailing help. Then, as I learn to trust all my life to this graceful giving of Yourself to me, let me surrender so completely that I will gladly follow You into every step You set before me.
Next Illustrated Insight
The Valley of Decision
Illustrating truths about God's sovereignty and our free will.
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