I may be dating myself a bit with this but here we go anyway! Do you guys remember the "No Fear" clothing stuff that WAS really popular long ago...like my middle school days. It came to mind this morning after a week of learning sort of collided and reminded me I should have "no fear". In my ladies Bible study this week we studied Colossions 3 about holy living and putting on our newness in Christ. Then my accountability partner and I are memorizing 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, which is about believing and speaking truth even in troubled times, and believing Jesus is renewing us (clothing us inside out) with good things. So we should fix our eyes on Him and eternity. Then (keep following it might come together soon) our "day starter" today with the kiddos was to work on memorizing Pslam 27:1 "The Lord is the light of my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?' The collision of what I have been hearing this week from Jesus happened this morning in a beautiful way. I realized that am confused about my "clothes" in Christ. In Colossians when Paul is talking about our clothing it is the outside result of truly knowing Jesus! It is a mindset, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" vs 2-3. This mindset opens the door to a closet full of all of the garments I am made to wear....compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. I can't put them on myself and when God puts them on me I can't take them off...they are me.
Now flip to the 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 passage. How and why do I speak... because I am a believer. I have to believe first and because I do I can't help it but to share and speak of God and His goodness. How am I able to do this life? Go to verse 14: "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus....". Because of who He is and what He did and not because of who I am or what I can do. Does anybody else want to sigh "thank goodness" right now...I can't mess this up....He has completed this! So why do we put on new clothes, why do we tell others, why do we die to self and live for Jesus even in the midst of trouble....."All this is for your benefit , so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." verse 15. For Him...when people know of His grace the know of love, and we are thankful for that love and it overflows in such of way that He is glorified. So cool!!! If you are a "question and answer " person you are smiling now!!!
Paul sums it up by encouraging us that our inside is changing and God will make the outside match (He will dress us like Col 3) and in order to do that our outside flesh will waste away whether thru trial, trouble, or purification....all the same its supposed to go. He reminds us again to fix our eyes on Jesus and live above trouble (he doesn't promise we won't have it) because the reward is greater.
This is one of those passages that is like kerosene on a fire....leaves me fired up, but living it out is hard. I think we are equipped and designed for life to look like this. This morning He showed me with Psalm 27:1 that I have no reason not to live this way. I have nothing to fear. I believe Him and I believe His word and as I read over and over Psalm 27:1 I was reminded that the Lord again, the Lord Himself, has overcome this world and given me His strength to cling to.
As my big kiddos and I (Noah was more interested in Fresh beat band) said the verse again and again and again all put to motions in our living room....an amazing collision of TRUTH came over my life from these three passages. So here it is : I believe so I boldly speak and share because He who is in me is faithful. He is changing my inside and changing my outside to match Him....and I don't have to be afraid because the Lord of my Salvation never fails. (Insert YAY and happy dance)
I am not sure what my kids learned, but this momma is exhaling a big ole sigh of "Thank You Jesus." This was a collision of TRUTH....and I am bringing back the "no fear" gear :) and putting in on today!!!
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