I’m currently in a ladies’ Bible study on Monday nights going through Jennifer Kennedy Dean’s “The Life Changing Power in the Blood of Christ.” It’s a deep study that challenges me to be calculated in my thinking and study of the Word. I encourage anyone to pick it up, man or woman. It’s written with truth in mind, not gender.
That being said, today’s study has me seeing a little clearer, which almost always leads to a frustrated Kerri. Here’s an excerpt from today:
“Jesus is the one who was, who is, and who is to come. We understand trusting the Jesus who was. He came to earth and died on the cross for my sins. We understand trusting the Jesus who is to come. He will come again to set up His kingdom on earth and I will live forever with Him. But we hardly dare to trust the Jesus who is. The Jesus who lives in me right now. The Jesus who lives His present-tense life through me.
Here is the startling truth. The Jesus who was, and the Jesus who is to come, is the same Jesus who is.” (-Jennifer Kennedy Dean)
This brings to mind a spiritual timeline of my life in Christ. I see clearly the point of salvation. “For I know Whom, I have believed.” Past-tense, believed. It was the point where death ended and life began; faith was born; I became a “new creation” in Christ. The point on this eternal timeline I also see vividly is the point of true perfection, life forever in Him and with Him when He returns and calls me to a new body and a forever home. It is my hope for the future and the promise I hold onto for my eternity.
Two points on a line that is my life. Beginning and “end” (aka, forever). What about the gap in between–the me that is now? The Him that is now? I believed and live based on what I know is coming, not on Who He is now in me. I’m completely missing out! Wake up, Kerri, and see your life now!
My life is to be an outward reflection of the inner workings. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it’s become. I live in disarray and depression, waiting for what is to come, relying on a better tomorrow. Today is the day the Lord has made! I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT! It is a choice. Oh, how I’ve made the wrong one, the easy one, over and over again. I’ve believed the lie that Satan often projects into the life of the saved and makes them stagnant, joyless, ineffective believers. He presented a false belief that I’ve grabbed on to, one where I have to wait for the end to see the gift of God. LIAR!
My Redeemer lives! Present tense. And He lives present tense in me–today, right now, eternally working, actively flowing. I’m so frustrated that I’ve lived the lie. Jesus is the River of Life, flowing in me right now; but I’ve worked hard at ignoring the now Jesus and have created little dams in my life. When water does not flow, it gets stagnant.
I’ve dammed up the River in many ways, and the stench of pond water has over powered the sweet fragrance of His love. NO MORE! I will tear down the dams by tearing down the lies of Satan. His lies are here and now, but my Truth is eternal–what was and is to come, but most importantly, what is now.
It’s time to beef up the timeline. I want a dot labeled trust on every day. I want more than a beginning and an eternity. I want life in Christ now. Oh, sweet Savior, what you can do today is fully up to you. Set me free in your Truth daily. Thank you for now and for being my present-tense Jesus!
“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” -1 John 5:11-13
That being said, today’s study has me seeing a little clearer, which almost always leads to a frustrated Kerri. Here’s an excerpt from today:
“Jesus is the one who was, who is, and who is to come. We understand trusting the Jesus who was. He came to earth and died on the cross for my sins. We understand trusting the Jesus who is to come. He will come again to set up His kingdom on earth and I will live forever with Him. But we hardly dare to trust the Jesus who is. The Jesus who lives in me right now. The Jesus who lives His present-tense life through me.
Here is the startling truth. The Jesus who was, and the Jesus who is to come, is the same Jesus who is.” (-Jennifer Kennedy Dean)
This brings to mind a spiritual timeline of my life in Christ. I see clearly the point of salvation. “For I know Whom, I have believed.” Past-tense, believed. It was the point where death ended and life began; faith was born; I became a “new creation” in Christ. The point on this eternal timeline I also see vividly is the point of true perfection, life forever in Him and with Him when He returns and calls me to a new body and a forever home. It is my hope for the future and the promise I hold onto for my eternity.
Two points on a line that is my life. Beginning and “end” (aka, forever). What about the gap in between–the me that is now? The Him that is now? I believed and live based on what I know is coming, not on Who He is now in me. I’m completely missing out! Wake up, Kerri, and see your life now!
My life is to be an outward reflection of the inner workings. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it’s become. I live in disarray and depression, waiting for what is to come, relying on a better tomorrow. Today is the day the Lord has made! I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT! It is a choice. Oh, how I’ve made the wrong one, the easy one, over and over again. I’ve believed the lie that Satan often projects into the life of the saved and makes them stagnant, joyless, ineffective believers. He presented a false belief that I’ve grabbed on to, one where I have to wait for the end to see the gift of God. LIAR!
My Redeemer lives! Present tense. And He lives present tense in me–today, right now, eternally working, actively flowing. I’m so frustrated that I’ve lived the lie. Jesus is the River of Life, flowing in me right now; but I’ve worked hard at ignoring the now Jesus and have created little dams in my life. When water does not flow, it gets stagnant.
Let the River of Life flow unhindered!
I’ve dammed up the River in many ways, and the stench of pond water has over powered the sweet fragrance of His love. NO MORE! I will tear down the dams by tearing down the lies of Satan. His lies are here and now, but my Truth is eternal–what was and is to come, but most importantly, what is now.
It’s time to beef up the timeline. I want a dot labeled trust on every day. I want more than a beginning and an eternity. I want life in Christ now. Oh, sweet Savior, what you can do today is fully up to you. Set me free in your Truth daily. Thank you for now and for being my present-tense Jesus!
“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” -1 John 5:11-13
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