A life sentence!
Have you ever watched a court show on television and heard the judge say these words to the defendant? "you will have a life sentence without the possibility of parole" and then the gavel comes down and the defendant's life is over as they knew it. It can be a very somber moment in the show leaving you thinking there's no hope for that person.
What if we could have a life sentence that we would be glad to receive? A life sentence that would actually add to our life and not subtract from it.
In Romans 5:12 we see that the first person who was created, Adam, had a life sentence that brought death to the whole human race through his choice. What this means is that God gave him the choice to choose from the Life tree to receive eternal life but he chose the fruit of the tree of good and evil, and from that moment on he had no life of God in him.
There is a quote by Christopher Bullock back in 1716 that sums this up well I think:
"Two things we know are certain on this planet - death and taxes!"
Although, we cannot escape either one of these on our own, (at least the death part) we do have a person who has stepped in to our world and made the death sentence a Life sentence.
In Romans 5:17 (King James version) we see this:
17 For if by one man's (Adam) offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
I like the way the Message version of this scripture weaves it out for us to understand a little more clearly -
Romans 5:17 (The Message)
17 Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man’s sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God’s gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do! There’s no comparison between that death-dealing sin and this generous, life-giving gift. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins that followed was this wonderful life sentence. If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, absolute life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?
This is the life sentence that we would all want if we understood that we can reign in life.
When we think about what it means to reign we probably think about royalty. This is exactly where we need to start from. Reigning in life sounds great but how does it come about and truly become a way to experience Christ as our Life?
Have you ever been in a circumstance that is restrictive and feels like your going to have the literal life sucked out of you? I've experienced this in my life and I know the reality of not thinking you could have joy or peace until you're out of it. As we have read this passage of scripture we can understand that circumstances may come and go but through Jesus we can reign or rule over them.
How can this be possible? Let’s look at these ways to reign in our lives -
1. we need to know that we belong to the King of Kings, the ultimate One who reigns. You can't reign if your not in His kingdom.
2. having an attitude of thankfulness and praise to Him in the midst of the trouble.
3. asking Him for guidance and wisdom brings about humility as you go through the situation.
4. waiting on Him to renew you thoughts it is very important! If we have thoughts that don’t bring life, we need to have them changed or renewed.
5. trusting Him with whatever the outcome may be, no matter how long it may go on.
These are just a few life giving ways to expererience our Life sentence in Christ.
We all have things we're going through in our lives, but if we truly know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the Life we can rest in Him as we walk through those things.
If you are a Christian what this means is that He is the way in and out of what's going on in our lives. Next, He hears and sees all things, so I can turn to Him in prayer and ask Him to show me the truth of what is happening to me and around me. Sometimes, we are not able to see things because of all the hurts and wounds in our lives, but take your situation to Him, discuss it with Him and leave it with Him. He never promised us that we would get out of the situation or problem, but He did say and show us many times in the Bible how He can work in the prisons we feel we’re in. Just go read the story of Joseph in the Old Testament and learn how he was wrongfully accused and then sold by his family and then thrown into circumstances beyond his control. If you keep reading you will see that God was with him the whole time and never left him. I know we can feel so alone in our struggles but do not believe this lie, because as God's children we are never alone, even if everyone leaves you, lies about you or just to put it plainly, they just flat out reject you. We have an opportunity right now to turn our attention towards Him, our wonderful Father. He is wonderful, counselor, peace, He's got it all. Then after all is discussed and left in His hands of protection and care we then remind ourselves continuously that we trust Him!
Today, is a day that can be in a life sentence unto Life not death! Today is "In the hands of the Living God! To know more about this I encourage you to check out the classes I teach on the home page.
Our lives are not to be lived any other way than through the Life of Christ in us. I'm so thankful for His Life Sentence!
Scripture references and encouragement:
Colossians 3:1-3
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Genesis 39:20-22
20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison,
21 the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.
Psalm 42:2a
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Enjoy His Life today!