Day 4 - Week 73 - Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

It's amazing sometimes how when you are focusing an aspect of faith, you get messages from multiple sources on the same subject.  Not long ago, we had some sessions in our Bible study group on Hebrews.  At the same time, our Sunday morning adult Bible class started studying Hebrews.  More than one of the e-mail daily devotionals that I received during that time focused on...Hebrews.  It became obvious to me that God wanted me looking into His Word as conveyed in the book of Hebrews.

This week we're focusing on the giving up of self in exchange for the taking on of Christ's attributes in our lives.  This morning I received a wonderful devotional from David Jeremiah, one of my favorite Bible teachers of our time.  Listen to what he says...

Historians have marveled how an uneducated, rugged boy like Dwight Moody could sway great crowds and lead thousands to Christ. Responding to these questions, Dr. R. A. Torrey wrote a tract after Moody's death in 1899, entitled, Why God Used D. L. Moody. He said, in part, "The first thing that accounts for God's using D. L. Moody so mightily was that he was a fully-surrendered man. Every ounce of that 280-pound body of his belonged to God; everything he was and everything he had belonged wholly to God. Now, I am not saying that Mr. Moody was perfect; he was not... nevertheless I know that he was a man who belonged wholly to God."

Torrey went on to say that Moody was greatly moved by this statement by Henry Varley: "It remains to be seen what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly to Him." Moody replied, "Well, I will be that man."

We can all be that man or woman. God wants to use us, but we must give ourselves wholly to Him.

"If you and I are to be used in our sphere as D. L. Moody was used in his, we must put all that we have and all that we are in the hands of God, for Him to use as He will." ~ R. A. Torrey

Mr. Jeremiah titled today's devotional, "Wholly and Holy" and used 2 Chronicles 16:9 as his text.  That verse in the NIV reads, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."

I may never be wholly holy, but I would sure like to be wholly committed...no "fence riding", nothing lukewarm...100% God-seeking. That's a goal that I believe is God's desire for us.  Wholly committed to allowing His Spirit to have complete dominion within this fleshly body of ours, crucifying our earthly desires and selfish motivations to allow His life to reign.  I want God's eyes, when they are ranging through this earth, to see the heart within me as one that is turned toward Him, a soft heart, waiting for His hand to shape.  A heart like Dwight Moody's that was ready to do whatever God led Him to.

This week's verse also brings to my mind the words of John the Baptist.  What wisdom he revealed as he saw Jesus' ministry coming forward, replacing his.  He knew his purpose had nearly been accomplished, as he announced to his followers, "He must increase, but I must decrease." 

When we take on the life of faith in Christ as our Savior, the same statement applies to us.  He must increase, we must decrease.  His life, in us...by faith.