For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15"How fully have you welcomed what God has offered through Jesus (Heb. 9:15)?" (Beth Crawford, Bible Studies as a Follow-Up to this Week's Sermon May 30-31, 2009, Vineyard Church of Columbus)
I'm praying about volunteering just a little time with a ministry I believe strongly in. However, my past in similar experiences creates a fear in doing so. Can you relate?
Rich Nathan made this statement last night:
Receiving Jesus as Lord is not a true/false test. It is a yes/no test.
In other words, proclaiming to have Christ in me is not about whether I believe Jesus is Lord. Proclaiming to have received Christ is about whether I have submitted my life fully to Him as my Lord.
What does that have to do with my struggle of volunteering? Christ in me means I have been set free from past sins. The past experiences that created this fear came from attempting to do the right thing with my own knowledge rather than acknowledging the presence, power, and counsel of my Lord in the midst of that experience.
I realized I'm having a hard time hearing his will in this decision because I'm holding on to the fear.
The question is not so much do I believe I should volunteer? The question is will I submit fully to God in the process - the entire process from decision through involvement. Will I welcome what God has offered through Jesus - a clear conscience so that I can hear and serve with clarity.
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14
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