Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 63
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. Why a blog? So that many can receive the weekly thoughts
I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.
Lie
#6 is not only appealing to one’s flesh, but it does more devastation than we
can begin to realize apart from what Michael shares in this section of
SIW. Read the pieces I have shared here
very carefully and prayerfully…his writing can be very helpful. Of course…it is best if you have one of these
books and read it over and over!
Lie #6 – WE HAVE
SPIRITUALLY ARRIVED
excerpt
from pages 183-185 of SIW (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 185-187 of SIW (14th printing,
March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
As
I have emphasized over and over, we are to live our lives moment by
moment. Therefore, spirituality is something
that is possessed only in the present moment of abiding. The subtle deception of the enemy is that he
uses a new truth, freeing though it may be, to make us think that we have at
long last arrived at the culmination of Christian maturity. The danger in such thinking is that as we
abide we continue to expand, while such a deception does not allow for
expansion, but will subtly cause us to become dormant. Teachers who take one truth and camp there
for very long will, with the passing of time, find themselves living a carnal
existence. The explanation for this
happening is really quite simple: Our experiences of the past begin to suffice
for life today…
There
is another difficulty with the enemy’s persuading us that we have arrived. As soon as we come to the point where we
believe we have THE teaching, often we are no longer open to any further
teachings or the manifestations of Christ-given gifts in others. An unteachable man is a carnal one.
…As
I have mentioned previously, those who enter into true faith no longer find a
compelling need to systematize God…
…I
do not want to go through all the gymnastics and gyrations that theologians do
to change the meaning of a Scripture verse so it will fit into their systems of
belief. Nor do I want to attempt to be
clever; I am only stating that I do not know all, I do not know the mind of
God, and I am not the teacher. Christ
alone is the Teacher, and whatever He says I believe, whether I can systematize
it or not.
The
enemy has persuaded many…to choose one…(causing divisions), and in so doing,
they suffer, for they stagnate. We want
to be of those who moment by moment look to the Holy Spirit to reveal what we
need for life right then, not what we think we need for our minds. We want life, not knowledge. When this is our attitude, God will reveal
what we need to know when we need to know it, and with the knowledge will come
life and power.
Every
Christian wants to be recognized as being “spiritual.” After all, in the minds of the church what is
the opposite? That’s something none want
to be (or, at least be recognized as)!
So, to “arrive” is the goal of today’s church discipleship. Imagine that…the church is aiding the enemy!
Michael
gives us a couple of things to be very aware of:
1.
the deception of “arriving” does not allow for expansion and will subtly cause
us to become dormant.
2.
teachers (and it seems students as well) camping at one truth very long will
find themselves living a carnal existence.
3.
an unteachable man is a carnal one.
And
experience has shown us that possessing true faith moves us away from having to
systematize God. That’s a huge blessing,
isn’t it!
So,
a big question for every believer is this: Are we going to believe the lie of
the enemy, or trust Christ our Teacher? And
ditch all the gymnastics and gyrations…and unbelief?
Note:
if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books,
please contact ALMI
(www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Getting
Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
NOTICE: another blog…on Michael Wells’ book, My
Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”. You can
access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
twitter: @bleemc67 email: leemccm@gmail.com
1737 CR
2051 Nacogdoches, Tx 75965 936-559-5696
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