April 2008
The Monthly View comes forth each month as I spend time in God’s presence receiving what He would have me share. I pray that you will be encouraged while visiting this web site, so that faith will take you to new levels of God’s grace. And that you will “…keep yourself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” 1
Victim or Victor
Many prisoners go through a grief process similar to what the victims of crime of catastrophe go through. Prisoners have a lot of time to think about how they ended up in prison. Reasoning “if only” or “what if?” haunts their thoughts and dreams. They seem to blame others and deal with severe anger and desperation. Often, the circumstances which led to the criminal choices are seen by the perpetrators of crime to be due to the actions of other people and events, or even crime that had been committed against them.
The Lord spoke through the prophet Zechariah, saying: “Because of the covenant [agreement] I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon. Come back to the place of safety, all of you prisoners, for there is yet hope! I promise this very day that I will repay you two mercies for each of your woes!”2
The point is this: Both the victims of crime and the perpetrators of crime have a choice. Will they remain what they are or become a victor through Jesus Christ? We are all victims because of the Fall of man, until we agree in our hearts that Christ took our victimhood by becoming the sacrifice for our sins. 3
God’s love, righteousness and gift of faith abounds when we “by the mercies of God present in our bodies a living sacrifice [in Christ], holy, and acceptable to God.” 4It’s time to turn it over to God and have a breakthrough “For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”5
Victim 1969
A victim is the one who allows his life to be governed by external circumstances. I allowed people and events to govern my actions. I blamed my parents, Manson and drugs for my situation, instead of taking responsibility for my own choices.
The result of my disobedient heart was pride, rebellion, anger, and death. My wrong thoughts, beliefs and attitudes caused tremendous pain, suffering, despair and futility. “My Personal recovery Graph” will help you to understand my depravity and recovery. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” 6
Self-centeredness ruled my life instead of Christ, until the Lord opened my eyes. As the Psalmist sand: “For the Lord looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did He behold the earth ; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death.” 7 The Lord saved me from the sentence of death.
Victor 1975
Admitting responsibility for my sin, that placed Christ on the cross, brought victory. Jesus never blamed anyone, but went willing to His death for us. As I humbled myself, taking up my cross, saying no to self, I became able to love, forgive and bring freedom to others through Him. Jesus said; “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” 8
The responsible life is one of much pain and self-sacrifice. The crisis of life brings patience, maturity, hope and love. Those willing to endure the cross, can powerfully witness God’s love to an unbelieving world. Self-sacrifice is the foundation upon which law of the universe is built, the law by which it operates. If sacrifice were not the supreme law of the universe, would God, the supreme ruler of the universe, operate on that principle?
This Abounding Love outreach has been witnessing God’s love for three decades, only because the Lord gave me the ability to respond through His grace. The Lord had led me to unveil my Lifelong Learning Packet this month, which demonstrates what they Lord has done. It is never too late to yield to God and become responsible, no matter how far you have fallen. God’s love never fails. 9
Vision Today
The vision of the cross and resurrection of Christ makes us victors. My vision for life is to glorify God by serving others, not things. God’s message is simply repentance from loving self to loving others; from knowing truths to being true; from being a victim to being a victor.
Through Calvary God is saying to us, “This is the throne of the universe, not only for Christ; it is the only pathway to power, authority and ruler ship for everyone.” The Apostle Paul could say, “Thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ.” 10 That he might be a victor and not a victim of his circumstances. He put heart and soul into his Christian experience.
This is my vision for life. As King Solomon wrote; “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God through Christ], the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the aw [ God’s word]. A servant will not be corrected by mere words; from though he understands, he will not respond.” 11 Won’t you respond today?
I’m providing you my Recovery Glossary, defining recovery words that will help you understand the vision of the cross. Mediate upon these words for wisdom. Choose a life based upon God’s promises, the truth found in the Bible. As a result, you will rise up in freedom and be a blessing to all those around you, instead of a curse.
Pray out loud:
Our Father in Heaven, great is your name and the sacrifice of your son, Jesus, which has the power to turn me into a victor. Thank you Father, because you always cause me to triumph in Christ’s victory [making me a conqueror] through the cross and resurrection. I trust in Jesus for the victory that is available through His grace. He takes from me, that which defeats me. I nail all that defeats me in this world to the cross. Thank you Father for giving me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ. I am victorious and abundantly alive in Christ in whose Name I say: Amen!
Scripture References:
1 Jude 21
2 Zech. 9:11,12
3 2 Cor. 5:21
4 Rom. 12:1
5 1John 5:4,5
6 Pro. 14:12
7 Psa. 102:19,20
8 Luke 9:23
9 1Cor. 13:8a
10 2Cor. 2:14
11 Pro. 29:18,19