Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 4
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
REFUSING TO TRUST MYSELF
excerpt from pages 15-16 of SIW (used with permission from ALMI):
God’s answer for abundant life will
always be unbelievably simple: The Christian must learn to believe and receive
its simplicity. His answers require faith – faith we may not know we possess – not
great talent, ability, or intellect. The
problem is not that God places on us a great and difficult task to perform in
order to experience His peace, rest, and joy.
On the contrary, the
problem is that we place on ourselves these great tasks and set for ourselves a
standard of acceptance that is higher than God’s. Therefore, all who would enter into the life of faith and rest must
first experience the struggle and failure that come from their own effort to
change. We will only give up on ourselves and turn to God’s
simple answer after we have exhausted every other conceivable resource. God’s
answer is simple, but in order for Him to bring us to a place of accepting it,
He must first put us through a series of courses that will exhaust us, leaving
us despairing of self and others and prepared to listen to whatever God says
with a believing heart. It is not until man refuses to
trust himself that he will begin to trust God. Many defeated Christians are merely in the
process of learning to give up on themselves.
I began my Christian life in simple faith,
standing at the foot of the cross. However, through unbelief I left that
position, looking for capabilities within and trusting in self, much like
Israel in the wilderness. The further I journeyed from the cross, the
more lost and confused I became until I decided to return to where I began; it was there that I found
the simplicity lost! Take heart,
for it is God’s plan to bring all to a life of peace and joy. “If God is for us, who is against us?”
(Romans 8:31)
Travelling
around the world, I have found many godly believers who live a life desirable
to all of us. One question that I
immediately ask upon meeting such a one is, “How did you get to be such a
spiritual person?”
The
answer is always the same. “I don’t
know; God brought me this far.” Not once
has anyone told me it was because he belonged to a particular denomination or
subscribed to a certain doctrine! It is
rather because God brought him along, so take heart! God shows no partiality, and He will also take
you where you need to go!
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Two things stood out most for me in this day’s writing (even though
almost every sentence held a powerful thought):
1.
It takes God
putting us “through a series of courses that will exhaust us, leaving us
despairing of self and others and prepared to listen to whatever God says with
a believing heart.” REFUSING TO TRUST IN
MYSELF. Seriously!?! Can I not learn after just a FEW
failures! Yes, that’s me!
2.
And then just
like a lightning bolt…”until I decided to return to where I began.” Yes! I
began “in simple faith, standing at the foot of the cross” just like
Michael! And suddenly, all those verses
about living by faith, believing, trusting…they all took on new meaning. Remember that great gospel hymn:
“Just as I am, though
tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings within and fears
without, O Lamb of God, I come! I
come!
Just as I am, poor,
wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in thee to
find, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!”
Isn’t it amazing, it all begins at the foot of the cross in simple
faith. So, how could man move us away
from there when Christianity is all about HIM and OUR BELIEVING. Everything in Christianity is about HIM and
OUR BELIEVING. Simple.
Thank you, Michael, that at the very start of this wonderful book, you
have given us the foundation you will build upon to take us back to the foot of
the cross in our daily life.
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