Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 6
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
SAME LEVEL OF DEFEAT
excerpt from pages 22-23 of SIW (5th printing, March 1998)
excerpt from pages 15-16 of SIW (14th printing, March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
“I believe in right
and true teaching, but why
is it that those who rest secure in their right teaching seem to be living on
the same level of defeat as those who do not have such teaching?
Strong discipleship
practices give a list of what to do for every conceivable situation. They function under the supposition that
people fail because they don’t know what to do.
But even in these very disciplined groups, those at the very top are not able to uphold all the
rules and lists, and ultimately fall by the wayside in defeat. The real issue is avoided: The lists of what to do to be spiritual and to
change did not work.
To the same degree that man loses his God-consciousness, he
increases the rules by which he lives.
Volumes of ordinances indicate one thing: We do not know God personally. The Old Testament law was given
for this very reason – man did not know God. The Pharisees were an excellent example of
this principle at work! The more
God-consciousness they lost, the more their edicts increased.
I recently did some
reading on Jewish dietary laws. In one
article the author was emphatic that we Christians must not eat such meats as
rabbit and camel. The question that immediately
came to mind was, ‘If I no longer eat rabbit and camels, will I get along with
my wife better, will my children grow up knowing the Lord, and will I be able
to overcome my depression and defeat?’
The answer is obviously ‘no.’ We should discuss something that
will enable us to execute important acts of quality life. When faced with wonderful theory,
good-sounding teaching, laws prohibiting, or innovative frames of reference, I
believe that we rarely ask ourselves the question, does this work? We are so miserable in our present condition
that we are willing to listen to anything that promises a quick remedy.”
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Michael gets right to the heart of the problem in
too many churches in his very first sentence.
Why hasn’t “the church” taken steps to change? Every week pastors see and hear folks whose
lives (some hidden, some not…as far as the church family is concerned) are
exactly like this.
God deliver us from the “list and rules”
churches. And give us teaching like
Michael details for us here:
·
The lists of what to do to be spiritual and to
change don’t work.
·
Preach and teach God-consciousness…too many have
none
·
Discuss something that will enable us to execute
important acts of “life more
abundantly”…that’s the quality life Jesus talked
about giving to us
(there are 7 things the NT describes as “life more abundantly”)
·
Ask the question over and over: Does this work?
·
Give up all quick remedies except going to Jesus!
I have started accumulating what I call “Life
Verses.” These are verses in both
testaments that bring/give life to my life in Christ. Look for some, be alert to “see” them when
you come across them…but most of all…write them down, look at them often. We cannot review too often these kind of
words from our Lord. And watch LIFE
overcome defeat.
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