All Other Grounds
The Basis
The disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden created a great chasm between God and mankind. The chasm still exists today, and still keeps man at arm’s length from God.
Although, God desires man to return to Him, but man seeks Him for wrong reasons and through wrong platforms. Until we see the way God has made for us to return to Him, and until we see that our weaknesses, needs and even strengths are not the right credentials and valid reasons to approach God, we will seek God but never find Him.It is natural for man to run close to God in time of suffering or dire need than any other times. Some other people come to Him as the next thing after a blessed life. The truth is we cannot access God on the platform of weakness or strength. Our affliction cannot be the basis of seeking God’s help through frenzied religious exercise, and our charitable work cannot be a certificate to ask for God’s further blessings. The best of this is as bad as the worst of it; they are all filthy rags before God. The truth is that God cannot be appeased by human good or cohearsed into action by human need or weakness. We have nothing good that can be acceptable to God and there’s no weakness that God cannot accept. We can only approach God on the basis of Himself; who He is: His strength and provision. Everything is about Him. "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." (Romans 11:36). It's all about what He did and gave not what we do, can give or do. This includes our salvation.
The disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden created a great chasm between God and mankind. The chasm still exists today, and still keeps man at arm’s length from God.
Although, God desires man to return to Him, but man seeks Him for wrong reasons and through wrong platforms. Until we see the way God has made for us to return to Him, and until we see that our weaknesses, needs and even strengths are not the right credentials and valid reasons to approach God, we will seek God but never find Him.It is natural for man to run close to God in time of suffering or dire need than any other times. Some other people come to Him as the next thing after a blessed life. The truth is we cannot access God on the platform of weakness or strength. Our affliction cannot be the basis of seeking God’s help through frenzied religious exercise, and our charitable work cannot be a certificate to ask for God’s further blessings. The best of this is as bad as the worst of it; they are all filthy rags before God. The truth is that God cannot be appeased by human good or cohearsed into action by human need or weakness. We have nothing good that can be acceptable to God and there’s no weakness that God cannot accept. We can only approach God on the basis of Himself; who He is: His strength and provision. Everything is about Him. "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." (Romans 11:36). It's all about what He did and gave not what we do, can give or do. This includes our salvation.
Our salvation is a FREE gift from God; it is not earned, deserved or paid for. It has nothing to do with what we did right or wrong, otherwise it is no longer a gift: "It is not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:9) Therefore, Grace is the basis of true salvation, not our response or decision to accept Christ or a positive or godly action on our side.
God GAVE salvation, (John 3:16) - This is grace, and then, we RECEIVED the salvation AS A GIFT ALREADY GIVEN (John1:12) - This is faith. Therefore, we are saved by GRACE through FAITH. “For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8). If it is grace, i.e. gift of God which we did not work for, earn or deserve, then, there is no reason to "pride" in our salvation or feel "sorry" for those not saved (yet). We must realize that we are no better than them and didn't do anything better than them to be saved. We are basically the same with them but God's mercy GAVE us the gift of salvation, and His power ENABLED us to accept the gift. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1Corinthians1:18)
We must also come to the basic reality of the fact that the same mercy of God that gave us salvation as a gift, and also gave us the power to receive the gift is also available to those not saved yet in their own order and season. "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." (1Corinthians 15:23-24).
God GAVE salvation, (John 3:16) - This is grace, and then, we RECEIVED the salvation AS A GIFT ALREADY GIVEN (John1:12) - This is faith. Therefore, we are saved by GRACE through FAITH. “For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8). If it is grace, i.e. gift of God which we did not work for, earn or deserve, then, there is no reason to "pride" in our salvation or feel "sorry" for those not saved (yet). We must realize that we are no better than them and didn't do anything better than them to be saved. We are basically the same with them but God's mercy GAVE us the gift of salvation, and His power ENABLED us to accept the gift. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1Corinthians1:18)
We must also come to the basic reality of the fact that the same mercy of God that gave us salvation as a gift, and also gave us the power to receive the gift is also available to those not saved yet in their own order and season. "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." (1Corinthians 15:23-24).
Overall Plan
In Matthew chapter 20 verse 1- 16, Jesus tells a parable of a householder who hired different people to work in his farm at different time of the day. At the end, he gave those who started work as early as 7am and worked 8 hours the same wage with those who started as late as 5am and only worked for one hour. While this doesn’t sound fair enough to human, it must be reconciled with the overall purpose and operation of God.
In verse eleven of the chapter, those who worked earlier and longer “murmured against the goodman of the house.” The farm owner answered them: “Friend, I do thee no wrong… is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” (vs. 13, 15-16). Paul wrote: "so then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." (Romans 9:16-17)
The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes also says: "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them." (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12)
The understanding of this fundamental truth is important so that we can come to God in His own turf and not ours. We must know that God is neither impressed by our strength nor sympathetic to our weakness. He is interested in His overall plan and agenda: to reconcile the fallen man to Himself, and He does that without recourse to man’s common sense. “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1Cor. 1:27-29) There is therefore the need for us to realign and re-orientate our mindset in line with God’s omnipotence and sovereignty. This may be a huge paradigm shift for us.
God is the God of all provisions, not emotions. We must approach Him from the point of who He is and not who we think He is. He is the all sufficient God and the initiator of everything, the causer of all causes, without whom nothing can happen, including our salvation. We must come to Him through this understanding. His salvation is a total package of what He alone can do. Even our acceptance of the free gift is by His power. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13). Our weakness or strength are therefore irrelevant in the overall operation of God, yet, He requires our participation.
We cannot present our weakness to God as excuse of why we cannot come to Him. In the same way, we cannot present our strength as the attraction that endeared Him to us. (Luke 12:16-20; Luke 19:20-22). He is the God of all provisions and He already made provision for man to come to Him in His terms, not our credential, good or bad. He that comes to Him “must believe that He is" the all sufficient God and need nothing from us to add to what He can give to make it whole. Cain came to God on the basis of his strength and he was disqualified. Abel came to Him on the basis of faith; who God is, not his own weakness, strength, offering or sacrifice: He was accepted.
In Matthew chapter 20 verse 1- 16, Jesus tells a parable of a householder who hired different people to work in his farm at different time of the day. At the end, he gave those who started work as early as 7am and worked 8 hours the same wage with those who started as late as 5am and only worked for one hour. While this doesn’t sound fair enough to human, it must be reconciled with the overall purpose and operation of God.
In verse eleven of the chapter, those who worked earlier and longer “murmured against the goodman of the house.” The farm owner answered them: “Friend, I do thee no wrong… is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” (vs. 13, 15-16). Paul wrote: "so then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." (Romans 9:16-17)
The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes also says: "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them." (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12)
The understanding of this fundamental truth is important so that we can come to God in His own turf and not ours. We must know that God is neither impressed by our strength nor sympathetic to our weakness. He is interested in His overall plan and agenda: to reconcile the fallen man to Himself, and He does that without recourse to man’s common sense. “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1Cor. 1:27-29) There is therefore the need for us to realign and re-orientate our mindset in line with God’s omnipotence and sovereignty. This may be a huge paradigm shift for us.
God is the God of all provisions, not emotions. We must approach Him from the point of who He is and not who we think He is. He is the all sufficient God and the initiator of everything, the causer of all causes, without whom nothing can happen, including our salvation. We must come to Him through this understanding. His salvation is a total package of what He alone can do. Even our acceptance of the free gift is by His power. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13). Our weakness or strength are therefore irrelevant in the overall operation of God, yet, He requires our participation.
We cannot present our weakness to God as excuse of why we cannot come to Him. In the same way, we cannot present our strength as the attraction that endeared Him to us. (Luke 12:16-20; Luke 19:20-22). He is the God of all provisions and He already made provision for man to come to Him in His terms, not our credential, good or bad. He that comes to Him “must believe that He is" the all sufficient God and need nothing from us to add to what He can give to make it whole. Cain came to God on the basis of his strength and he was disqualified. Abel came to Him on the basis of faith; who God is, not his own weakness, strength, offering or sacrifice: He was accepted.
The Power of Weakness
When the disciples of Jesus saw Him walk on water, they saw more of the negative power of the water than the positive power of Jesus. To them, the water was a weakness more than Jesus being a strength. They perceived the water as the obstacle to prevent them from getting to Jesus. It was a concluded barrier. No need to explore the possibility of stepping in it to go meet Jesus. They stayed and wondered what type of a man Jesus was. The natural conclusion was to wait for Him to come join them in the boat. But Peter saw beyond the barrier. He saw Jesus, not the water. What we see in every situation determines what we get in that situation. If all you see is water (trouble), it will confine you to the boat. You will be limited. But if you can see Jesus on the water, then, water (trouble) becomes a means to getting to Jesus (miracle).
Do not allow your weakness to prevent you from coming to God. God already made the provision beyond what you have or don’t have. Do not wait until there is something good in you, or you do some good things, that will only disqualify you, because there is nothing good that exist in us that we can give to God. If you have anything good in you, then, you do not need a Savior. In this context, therefore, your weakness is not a barrier to come to Him.
For anyone to be healed, he must be sick. Jesus says, "they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." (Matthew 9:12) You must come with your sickness or weakness and not without them. Come just the way you are. His gift is one hundred percent and needs no addition of your own to make it complete. All you need to do is to accept it: no cost, sacrifice or offering. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)
Peter saw more of Jesus than the water. He saw miracle, not trouble, even though his weakness would prevent him from experiencing it. Weakness is a qualification to receive strength. Jesus told Paul in his time of utter weakness in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." The understanding of this powerful truth makes Paul to say: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." This must also be your confidence. When you are too weak to stand, it is time to kneel and pray. The time of your weakness is the time of your greatest (spiritual) strength.
ShiftIng your present weakness what do you see? Have you given up on yourself because of a sin or vice in your life? Have you concluded that God cannot use you? Do you see a class of people God might answer their prayers or be pleased with and your name is not on the list because of the sin in your life? It is true that God hates sin, but also true that he loves the sinner and wants him to come to Him the way he is. God wants you to come to Him with those weaknesses, lack, needs, problems, etc. There must be something to present to God and it is not your good works. Bring those things to Him right now and give them over to Him. Talk to Him about them as you would talk to a close friend. Don't be ashamed. Weep if you must but bring them anyway.
What a relief to the disciples to discover that it was Jesus walking on the water, and not a ghost as they earlier thought. But then, only Peter was bold enough to go meet Him. Maybe you, too know Jesus as a powerful man who can walk on the water of your life, but that reality is not enough, you must be bold enough to step out into a personal experience of it. Experience is a call for action, not just acknowledgement. You cannot get the miraculous if you don’t do the ridiculous. Although, the water was an undisputed natural barrier enough to prevent the disciples from experiencing the miracle of Jesus, but Peter saw the same barrier as the very vehicle to get to his miracles.
The fact is that the water would sink Peter if he stepped into it in the natural. It is also a fact that if you try to experience a miracle without Jesus you will be consumed. But Jesus is waiting for you to be bold enough and trust Him enough to come to him disregarding the weakness around you.
Peter asked Jesus, “if it was you, bid me come.” Jesus said, “come.” That is all you need. Come! That was the only thing Peter heard and he obeyed. The same word is coming to you today, COME! Come just the way you are. Peter did not consult with other disciples if he should go or not. Stop looking for second opinion. Come. Stop thinking about the situation and the circumstances surrounding you, just come. Peter forgot about the water. What matter most right now is the voice of Jesus coming to you, saying, “come!” Peter left the mouth of the other disciples wide open when he foolishly stepped on the water. It's time for you to do the “foolish” and the ridiculous in order to get the miraculous. It’s time to let the mouth of your friends, colleagues and neighbors be wide opened by your decision. Stop thinking about the power of the water that will swallow you. Start seeing the power of God waiting to save you. All the elemental forces bow at the command of Jesus. He that said to the wind, "peace, be still," will the water not obey Him?
The water became solid as rock on Peter's feet. Only if the other disciples knew that was what would happen, they would have followed Peter. But it takes someone as weak as Peter but not allowing his weakness to stop him, and someone not ashamed of his weakness to experience the power and the provision of God. Are you ashamed that you are a no good person? Are you ashamed that you are not a good husband, wife, father, mother, child, friend, etc? Then, you can never experience deliverance and the great transformation of Jesus. But if you are not ashamed, and can come boldly to Jesus with that weakness and boldly ask him to change you, you will walk on water and experience the miracle of a changed life. Your weakness is actually a pathway to experiencing God. It is time to shift your ground, from your comfort boat to God's miracle zone. The weaknesses are there, but stop looking at them, rather, start "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2) Peter only started to sink when he looked away, same with Lot’s wife. Don't look away.
God is constantly bidding us to come to Him. But we look at our situations and we think there is no hope. Sometimes, we step out with our credentials, on the platform of our strength or weakness. Such are the ways that seems right to man, but “the end thereof is death.”
God does not see your weaknesses because He does not expect you to come to Him through them. He does not see your strength; it will disqualify you before Him. It is time to come to Him in His terms. All He requires from you is obedience.
Can you stop your complaints about your weaknesses and how if it had not been for that, you could have done better? The lame man at the pool of had a similar mindset. Jesus asked \him if he wanted to be healed and all he said was that, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool…”Yet he was talking to the man greater than the angel that brings healing into the troubled water. The same with Mary, Jesus said to her, “your brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection…” (John 5:121-25) How ironic to give excuses for failure when you are standing face to face with success. All you need is to believe with the simplicity of a child. Faithful is he who has promised who will also do it. ( )Your strength or weakness are pride to Him, and He looks at the proud afar off but bows to the humble.
It is time to leave all other grounds and come to the ground of Christ. See through God’s eyes and not through your thoughts, denominational beliefs or logic. It is all about His plans and purpose. He must be glorified in His own work for His own sake without your strength or weakness. He must increase and you must decrease. Everything about you must come to ruin so that you can receive His salvation. You must be able to say like Paul: "all that are gain to me, I count them as loss for excellency of Him... That I may know Him.” (Phil 3:10)
When the disciples of Jesus saw Him walk on water, they saw more of the negative power of the water than the positive power of Jesus. To them, the water was a weakness more than Jesus being a strength. They perceived the water as the obstacle to prevent them from getting to Jesus. It was a concluded barrier. No need to explore the possibility of stepping in it to go meet Jesus. They stayed and wondered what type of a man Jesus was. The natural conclusion was to wait for Him to come join them in the boat. But Peter saw beyond the barrier. He saw Jesus, not the water. What we see in every situation determines what we get in that situation. If all you see is water (trouble), it will confine you to the boat. You will be limited. But if you can see Jesus on the water, then, water (trouble) becomes a means to getting to Jesus (miracle).
Do not allow your weakness to prevent you from coming to God. God already made the provision beyond what you have or don’t have. Do not wait until there is something good in you, or you do some good things, that will only disqualify you, because there is nothing good that exist in us that we can give to God. If you have anything good in you, then, you do not need a Savior. In this context, therefore, your weakness is not a barrier to come to Him.
For anyone to be healed, he must be sick. Jesus says, "they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." (Matthew 9:12) You must come with your sickness or weakness and not without them. Come just the way you are. His gift is one hundred percent and needs no addition of your own to make it complete. All you need to do is to accept it: no cost, sacrifice or offering. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)
Peter saw more of Jesus than the water. He saw miracle, not trouble, even though his weakness would prevent him from experiencing it. Weakness is a qualification to receive strength. Jesus told Paul in his time of utter weakness in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." The understanding of this powerful truth makes Paul to say: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." This must also be your confidence. When you are too weak to stand, it is time to kneel and pray. The time of your weakness is the time of your greatest (spiritual) strength.
ShiftIng your present weakness what do you see? Have you given up on yourself because of a sin or vice in your life? Have you concluded that God cannot use you? Do you see a class of people God might answer their prayers or be pleased with and your name is not on the list because of the sin in your life? It is true that God hates sin, but also true that he loves the sinner and wants him to come to Him the way he is. God wants you to come to Him with those weaknesses, lack, needs, problems, etc. There must be something to present to God and it is not your good works. Bring those things to Him right now and give them over to Him. Talk to Him about them as you would talk to a close friend. Don't be ashamed. Weep if you must but bring them anyway.
What a relief to the disciples to discover that it was Jesus walking on the water, and not a ghost as they earlier thought. But then, only Peter was bold enough to go meet Him. Maybe you, too know Jesus as a powerful man who can walk on the water of your life, but that reality is not enough, you must be bold enough to step out into a personal experience of it. Experience is a call for action, not just acknowledgement. You cannot get the miraculous if you don’t do the ridiculous. Although, the water was an undisputed natural barrier enough to prevent the disciples from experiencing the miracle of Jesus, but Peter saw the same barrier as the very vehicle to get to his miracles.
The fact is that the water would sink Peter if he stepped into it in the natural. It is also a fact that if you try to experience a miracle without Jesus you will be consumed. But Jesus is waiting for you to be bold enough and trust Him enough to come to him disregarding the weakness around you.
Peter asked Jesus, “if it was you, bid me come.” Jesus said, “come.” That is all you need. Come! That was the only thing Peter heard and he obeyed. The same word is coming to you today, COME! Come just the way you are. Peter did not consult with other disciples if he should go or not. Stop looking for second opinion. Come. Stop thinking about the situation and the circumstances surrounding you, just come. Peter forgot about the water. What matter most right now is the voice of Jesus coming to you, saying, “come!” Peter left the mouth of the other disciples wide open when he foolishly stepped on the water. It's time for you to do the “foolish” and the ridiculous in order to get the miraculous. It’s time to let the mouth of your friends, colleagues and neighbors be wide opened by your decision. Stop thinking about the power of the water that will swallow you. Start seeing the power of God waiting to save you. All the elemental forces bow at the command of Jesus. He that said to the wind, "peace, be still," will the water not obey Him?
The water became solid as rock on Peter's feet. Only if the other disciples knew that was what would happen, they would have followed Peter. But it takes someone as weak as Peter but not allowing his weakness to stop him, and someone not ashamed of his weakness to experience the power and the provision of God. Are you ashamed that you are a no good person? Are you ashamed that you are not a good husband, wife, father, mother, child, friend, etc? Then, you can never experience deliverance and the great transformation of Jesus. But if you are not ashamed, and can come boldly to Jesus with that weakness and boldly ask him to change you, you will walk on water and experience the miracle of a changed life. Your weakness is actually a pathway to experiencing God. It is time to shift your ground, from your comfort boat to God's miracle zone. The weaknesses are there, but stop looking at them, rather, start "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2) Peter only started to sink when he looked away, same with Lot’s wife. Don't look away.
God is constantly bidding us to come to Him. But we look at our situations and we think there is no hope. Sometimes, we step out with our credentials, on the platform of our strength or weakness. Such are the ways that seems right to man, but “the end thereof is death.”
God does not see your weaknesses because He does not expect you to come to Him through them. He does not see your strength; it will disqualify you before Him. It is time to come to Him in His terms. All He requires from you is obedience.
Can you stop your complaints about your weaknesses and how if it had not been for that, you could have done better? The lame man at the pool of had a similar mindset. Jesus asked \him if he wanted to be healed and all he said was that, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool…”Yet he was talking to the man greater than the angel that brings healing into the troubled water. The same with Mary, Jesus said to her, “your brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection…” (John 5:121-25) How ironic to give excuses for failure when you are standing face to face with success. All you need is to believe with the simplicity of a child. Faithful is he who has promised who will also do it. ( )Your strength or weakness are pride to Him, and He looks at the proud afar off but bows to the humble.
It is time to leave all other grounds and come to the ground of Christ. See through God’s eyes and not through your thoughts, denominational beliefs or logic. It is all about His plans and purpose. He must be glorified in His own work for His own sake without your strength or weakness. He must increase and you must decrease. Everything about you must come to ruin so that you can receive His salvation. You must be able to say like Paul: "all that are gain to me, I count them as loss for excellency of Him... That I may know Him.” (Phil 3:10)