Taking Away Jesus – Toni Babcock When Mary Magdalene wept and lamented "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him," she was mistaken. No one had taken away her Lord, certainly not the disciples who were hiding in fear. Jesus had risen from the dead as she soon discovered (John 20:11-16 KJV). But there is a kind of 'taking Jesus away' that is quite possible. It involves taking away the glory of Jesus and quenching the work of His Spirit within the heart and mind of a soul.
It follows a familiar formula: 1) Take the glory due to Jesus alone, and assign it elsewhere, resulting in man-worship. 2) Take the pre-eminence of His Word and assign it elsewhere, diminishing the Word - resulting in a misplaced trust. Here is how to 'burglar proof' your heart and mind: Trust Christ and His Word implicitly, (Psalm 118:8 KJV, Psalm 40:4 KJV) for there is no 'other Jesus' and no higher word. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men: the man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5 KJV). Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:17-19 KJV). Read God's Word, and yield to His almighty power (Romans 12:1-2 KJV). Pray without ceasing, keeping heart and soul open to God on a daily basis (I Thessalonians 5:17 KJV). Lastly, "Little children, keep yourself from idols," (1 John 5:21). Toni Babcock is the author of The Stone Writer, Christian Fiction for Young Readers and Teens. Contact |