Truth Matters from Paster Dean Brdlik, June 21st 2023
One of the impediments to personal evangelism is introspection...that is, we worry too much about ourselves...how we are going to be perceived...are we worthy both in spirit and knowledge. This kind of “introspection” paralyzes us to the point we are not ambassadors for Christ, but rather “hanger-on-ners” to some form of weak and fragile Christianity. When we realize that when we believed and trusted in Christ’s work for us on the cross, it put us into an entirely different frame of reference...namely, we are no longer our own but rather we belong to Him. This paralyzing “introspection” must be put aside and replaced with a child-like faith that acts with a certain recklessness because we don’t matter...it’s Christ that matters. God used the Apostle Paul to give us “introspectors” perspective:
“7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ — 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3)
Today’s My Utmost for His Highest put it this way:
“The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. Until we get into this right and proper relationship with God, it is simply a case of our “hanging on by the skin of our teeth,” although we say, “What a wonderful victory I have!” Yet there is nothing at all in that which indicates the miracle of redemption. Launch out in reckless, unrestrained belief that the redemption is complete. Then don’t worry anymore about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ has said, in essence, “Pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints of God, and pray for all men.” Pray with the realization that you are perfect only in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of this argument: “Oh, Lord, I have done my best; please hear me now.”
How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth.”
We all know about the struggle to become more identified with our Lord Christ, but we won’t get there as long as we think defensively, “introspectfully.” We must live our lives more offensively, that is...a reckless abandonment of self to the will of God. My prayer for you and me today is this: Lord, You bought us, freed us, redeemed us from slavery to our “introspections”...now help us to live like it. To You be the honor and glory. Amen.
Walk with the King today and be a blessing.
