Jesus, Is All I Need to Want

 HELLO,

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30 "BUT OF HIM ARE YE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US WISDOM, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION."
 
WHEN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER ASKED A LITTLE BOY TO QUOTE HIS FAVORITE SCRIPTURE, IN HIS EXCITEMENT HE SAID:  "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, THAT'S ALL I WANT."   BUT THINK ABOUT IT; IS THAT NOT A GREAT TRANSLATION OF THE VERSE? 
 
IF OUR LIFE IS SURRENDERED TO CHRIST, JESUS HAS BECOME ALL WE NEED TO WANT, FOR WHEN WE STAND BEFORE GOD THE FATHER, HE SEES CHRIST, NOT US, FOR IT IS HIS IMPUTED WISDOM, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION THAT JUSTIFIES US BEFORE THE THRONE.  THIS IS A GREAT TRUTH IN SCRIPTURE.  NOW THIS IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SOMETHING WE CAN SAY TAKES PLACE IN HEAVEN, IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.
 
HOWEVER, IF IT IS OVEREMPHASIZED TO THE NEGLECT OF ANOTHER GREAT SCRIPTURAL TRUTH, IMPARTED OR EXPERIENTIAL WISDOM, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION, THE SOUL IS IN DANGER OF BELIEVING HE HAS A LICENSE TO SIN.  FOR YOU SEE THAT THIS SECOND TRUTH, REGENERATION, IS SOMETHING THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE HUMAN HEART.  IT IS IMPARTED, YOU EXPERIENCE IT AND IT MAKES YOU A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST UNTIL OLD THINGS PASS AWAY AND ALL THINGS BECOME NEW.  PASTOR "A" HAD A WONDERFUL MESSAGE SUNDAY ON, "I'VE JUST MET JESUS AND NOW I'M CHANGED". 
 
PAUL PRAYED FOR THE EPHESIANS THAT CHRIST MIGHT "DWELL IN THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH ", THEY MIGHT BE  "FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD",  HE CAN DO MORE THAN WE CAN THINK OR ASK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER "THAT WORKETH IN US."   NOTICE THE PHRASE:  WORKETH IN US.  THAT IS NOT IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS.  THAT IS NOT JUDICIAL STANDING.  THAT IS SOMETHING VITAL AND REAL THAT ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE IN THE HUMAN HEART ON EARTH; AND WHEN IT DOES TAKE PLACE, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY YOU LIVE.  1 JOHN 3:7  "LITTLE CHILDREN, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU: HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS, EVEN AS HE IS RIGHTEOUS." 
 
HOWEVER, TO OVEREMPHASIZE THIS GREAT SCRIPTURAL TRUTH OF IMPARTED, OR EXPERIENTIAL RIGHTEOUSNESS, TO THE NEGLECT OF THE OTHER, IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS, WILL LEAD YOU TO AN UP AND DOWN LIFE.  YOU WILL BE TRYING TO FEEL FOR YOUR FEELINGS HALF THE TIME TO SEE IF YOU FEEL AS GOOD AS YOU DID WHEN YOU FELT BETTER; OR IN A WORD, YOU WILL BE JUDGING YOUR STANDING WITH GOD BY YOUR SPIRITUAL PULSE OR TEMPERATURE AND YOU WILL BE A VACILLATING, UP-AND DOWN-CHRISTIAN.
 
THESE TWO TRUTHS THAT JESUS PROVIDES FOR US NEED TO BE KEPT IN HARMONY AND IN BALANCE WITH EACH OTHER, FOR THIS IS NOT AN, EITHER/OR, OPTION, BECAUSE IN TRUTH, YOU WILL NOT HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.  WHEN THEY ARE IN BALANCE, THEY MAKE A WELL-ROUNDED TRUTH.  NOW WE CAN SEE, THE LITTLE BOY'S QUOTE OF THE SCRIPTURE DOES RING TRUE:  "JESUS IS MY SHEPHERD, THAT 'S ALL I WANT"
 
MAY THE GIVER OF ALL THESE GOOD GIFTS BLESS YOU TODAY, AND NEVER FORGET THAT YOU ARE LOVED!!!         

HENRY