Look And Live

 "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2...."Looking at the wound of sin will never save anyone. What you must do is look at the remedy." Dwight L. Moody

It's so easy to get caught up in looking not only at the effects of sin upon the human race, but upon the one who is the author of sin, Satan himself. What we look at always grows greater in our sight, Conversely, what we're not looking at always grows smaller. I think this is why so many, believer and unbeliever alike, stumble at believing that the promise of victory, abundance, and fullness of life in Christ. We keep looking at the wound of sin, and the sight of the wound only grows bigger. 

A question for each of us this day is, just how often do we look, really look, to Jesus in the midst of our trials, challenges, and deepest needs? How much time do we spend looking at them, and in conjunction at ourselves and our ability to overcome them? I think the second question and its answer gives us the reason we struggle so mightily with our addictions, compulsions, attitudes, unforgiveness, and the chronic sinful behaviors in our life. It's not that we wish to stay in this place, it's just that we've been so long in looking at the "wound" and its power over us that our only response ends up being discouragement, leading to despair, leading to hopelessness. We've tried so hard, yet fallen on our face time and again. We feel trapped. We are trapped. We need a change of scenery, but it's a change that doesn't involve a physical move on our part. It means looking in a new direction. A direction that fills the eyes of our heart with Him, Jesus Christ.

Where Jesus is, the power of sin is broken. Where sin is, wounds of every kind are healed. Where Jesus is, darkness is replaced by Light. Death is replaced by Life. His Light and His Life, but we will only know and experience that when we take our eyes off the wound and fix our eyes on Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Christ conquered sin in all of its forms. In Him, we conquer it as well. On this side of eternity, the enemy will never cease his attacks upon the people of God. He will seek through these attacks to keep our eyes focused on him and what he's doing. He knows that the moment we look to Jesus, the reality of his defeat becomes clear to us and he's put to flight. Scripture tells us to "resist the devil and he will flee from you." Our resistance will always fail when we look to our own abilities. When we look to His infinite power, we are empowered as overcomers. We stand in and with Him....and Satan flees.

There's a lyric in an old hymn that goes, "Look and live, my brother, live! Look to Jesus now and live!"

Look and live my brethren. Look to Jesus.....NOW....and LIVE!

Blessings,
Pastor O