I Am Not the Lord of My Life

STUDY: #753 – Church in the Houses From: December 18 – 24, 2012

TOPIC: “I Am Not the Lord of My Life” Jeremiah 10:23

If there is something we should recognize when we converted, that is the sovereignty and dominion of the divine providence upon the created, especially upon are lives. To understand, accept and live recognizing that there is someone greater than you and me, someone who is our Lord and King and of everything created. We cannot be living for our disposition and what we like. It is not what I want to do! We do not have the capacity of disposing of our lives and our moves as if we were more than the Creator. I can’t do with my life what I crave or what I want. Poor of us when such attitude overcomes us! Our lives should be under God’s direction. We have to notice that the events that occur to us in our lives develop very frequently in a strange way, events that are almost always contrary to all our expectations. We should recognize how weak we are before life and its events; because we hardly possess the necessary strength as to confront so many different circumstances of life, and much less to be able to overcome the temptations and direct our steps correctly. Let us recognize and acknowledge that we are for God. Let us see how much we depend on God and live fastened to him. John 3:27 “To this John replied, A man can receive only what is given him from Heaven”. We do not own what we are or what we have because what is meant for us belongs to the true Owner; therefore, I cannot dispose of anything I have in my life as if I had originated it. I have to learn to prepare and decide who should really be directing my steps; I should put my whole life to the disposition and direction of His hands. We can see that people approached John the Baptist with gossip or complaints about Jesus baptizing and how the people approached him. John told them: “A man can receive only what is given him from Heaven.” John was very clear referring to our Lord. He knew that nothing could be obtained unless it comes from God, so those who believe God and are understanding know that humans are not Lords of their own steps. John understood that every success the Savior had was an indication of God’s approval. John the Baptist never intended to be someone great or important. He never pretended for his baptism to be superior to Jesus’ baptism. He simply said that he had no more than what he received from Heaven. He clearly lets us know that those who allow God to direct their steps will receive in their life the direction of the Spirit; that’s how easy this is. There is nothing to argue, nothing to search. So, there is nothing we could exalt ourselves before the men in this world. Separated from Him there is nothing we could do! The Lord Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.” The branch is the young tender sprout of the grapes vine. There is the vine leaf in a smaller branch that depends on the vine, of its trunk. That vine gathers the vitamins, the water and the nutrients of the land to favor the branch and feed it so it can maintain itself and grow. Without the vine the branch would never exist! So, its existence and value is because of the vine! When the branch is pulled out it dries up, so the total dependence of the vine can be seen. Jesus compares us as branches and Himself as the vine, the source of our existence, of our daily life, of our gifts and abilities. He cleanses us so that we can bear more fruit because the fruit can be seen in the branch, the grapes. It’s not about the branch having to live its life for the vine but just simply allows the life of the vine to flow for it. By depending each day of the source of life which is God and allowing His power and direction flow in us is the only way we can live the fullness of our life. This is all the same as saying to the Lord Jesus: Live your life

through me! Separated from Him we cannot do anything. The branch of the vine has only one and great purpose, to give fruit. It is useless to make furniture or houses; it isn’t even good for firewood. But, it is good and proper to give fruits...as long as it remains in the vine. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:5 “...not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” Here we can also see that the power from John the Baptist’s ministry did not proceed from within him but rather from above. Many times you hear voices like this one: “You indeed can be a pastor, because you work so much in church”, or something like “You can surely be a deacon” or “Why haven’t you been given this or that, well you deserve it?” This is human reasoning. What corresponds to men comes only from God. Paul denies any competition coming from him that would enable him to be considered as an apostle of Jesus Christ. The apostle is not seeking any credit for himself. One is not sufficient to do anything for God because He is the Perfect one; He is the one that could give and use us even with all our limitations. Nothing can be sought, or forced, or obligated, but rather it has to come from the maximum source: from God. I should allow Christ to live His life in my life, well I do not know how to handle it, but Jesus does. Amen.