How can you compare anything to the splendor of the Lord Jesus Christ? How can you place anything beside Jesus Christ and hesitate between which is the greatest, the best for you, and the most glorious?
How does anything rate in all of creation with the Lord of Glory!!
The Bible describes Him as the Lamb of God. (John 1:29) Who takes away the sins of he world. Who, or what can compare with that? For the Bible also tells us that we all have sinned and the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)
He is called the Bread of life, and he who comes to Him will not hunger, and he who believes in Him will never thirst. (John 6:35)
Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) Every blessing that we (Christians) receive we receive only through Jesus Christ. Every blessing comes through Christ. Christ is indeed our all and all. Most of us recognize that Christ has done great and glorious things for us. What we sometimes have a problem with it that the Bible is clear also, that because of what Christ has done for us, we are required (commanded is the right way to say it) to walk worthy of the Lord. Jesus Christ took upon Himself a human nature to win our salvation. He still has that human nature, totally identified with us for all of eternity. We are exhorted throughout the New Testament to love Christ for what He has done for us, His sacrifice for us. We are exhorted to walk worthy of Christ. We are exhorted to love Christ and to show our love for Him, by obedience. Jesus says that if you love Him, we would obey Him. Concerning our obedience, Peter in his first letter to those chosen by God tells them this: according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. (1 Peter 1:2 NASB) This is the major theme throughout the New Testament. Obedience to Christ.
Self-control is an important ingredient for obedience, and self- control is a gift of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23). I always consider the commandments of God to be prayer requests. When the Word commands me to do something, it is really telling me to get on my knees and plead with God for His help, so that I can obey His commandment, that's something we learn, when we try to obey in our own power and ability, what little success we gain is short-lived. But when you plead with the One who holds creation up by the Word of His power, when you read where it says that He does everything according to the counsel of His will, and when you read where Paul prays that those whom he ministered to, would be strengthened with power through His Spirit (Christ's) in the inner man, I know I am in the will of God, and when I, you or anyone prays according to the will of God, I, you, or anyone else, receives what we pray for. Such as self-control. We have no power against Satan, the world, or our flesh, we have no strength to fight against spiritual enemies, for the Bible is clear that flesh and blood are not our enemies, it is a spiritual war that is going on and souls are at stake. Christ is our Power, being in Him, loving Him, being loved by Him. He helps us, all power and authority belongs to Christ, when we get that in our hearts - truly, we have gained in our Christian walk. Jesus Christ wants us to know that He is the POWER! There is nothing that can stand up to His power, we are not commanded to fight, walk, believe in our power, but in His Power. That's how our faith in Christ is increased, when we fight in prayer and yield in self-denial and allow Christ His proper place as our only Lord and Savior.
We must be on Christ's side, everything outside of Him, will be burned up. We must practice self denial - and as 1 Timothy says we must be absorbed in these things, what are you absorbed in? What are you immersed in? My prayer is that it is Jesus Christ.
There is nothing that can compare with Christ. When we yield to sin, when we yield to sexual immorality, to lying, stealing, disobedient to parents, lust, idolatry, covetousness, we are placing these things beside Jesus Christ and saying I choose this over you, Jesus!
When we can understand and sense in our spirit, the utter wickedness of this, we are moving in the right direction. When we sin we are saying we would rather have temporary sinful pleasure instead of eternal joy and peace in Christ. This is wickedness and we must plead with God to turn us, for to remain in that state is to be an enemy of God and not a child of God. God is merciful and gracious, each day displays His faithfulness. Christ's blood washes clean, even the most vile of sins. Christ is our all and all. We long to see His face, we long to be in His presence, yet, He tells us that he will never leave us nor forsake us. He is our Lord and Savior.
He is beyond comparison, there is nothing in creation that compare with Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 - But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth, It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Father, Thank you for being our Father, thank you for protecting us, for providing for us, for loving us, for choosing us, for sending Jesus Christ and demonstrating your love for us, we are truly loved and blessed, help us by your Spirit to be obedient to you, help us to see and love Jesus Christ with every part of our being, help us to gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us rest in that glory, let us wage warfare against our sin in that glory, let us see that glory, let us desire to live and breathe that glory, let Christ be our life, breath, and being indeed, help us to see the splendor and majesty of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, such that, we would long for nothing else but Him and His glory! Let us live for that glory, let us taste that glory and be forever changed, Gracious LORD, we believe that is in perfect accord with your Word and your Will, so we know it will be granted. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen
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