From:

inchristsimage.org - Arrow Publications"
RiverofLifeMailer@InChristsImage.org
In Christ's Image Weekly Message
July 26th, 2001
Pastor Francis Frangipane

Used with permission

WHEN BECOMING NOTHING IS AN IMPROVEMENT

by Francis Frangipane

      In the beginning, the earth was formless and void, but that did not
deter the Almighty. He looked into the fathomless depth of its darkness
and concluded, "All it needs is light!" Likewise, in the beginning of our
spiritual lives, we also are "formless and void" and God, just as
confidently, is still saying, "All they need is a little light!" Remember:
it's the Lord's responsibility to create and our responsibility to submit
to His creating.
      The Lord only needs three things to fashion life. First, He needs a
"nothing." The Almighty always begins His great, creative works with a
"nothing" (this is very important because this is where we come in!).
Then, His Spirit needs to be hovering over the "nothing." And, finally, He
needs His Word, which is the "something" He's going to put in the
"nothing's" place.
      God has no difficulty at all creating something out of nothing. The
only obstacle He faces is when the nothing doesn't know it is nothing, but
instead thinks it's something. At that point God has to break it back down
to nothing before it is good for anything. (Are you still following me?)
Paul said this better than I when he wrote,
      "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives
himself" (Gal 6:3).
      Even as Christians, if we think we are something better than others
or that our opinion is wiser or that we have "arrived" spiritually and
become important in our own eyes, we are deceiving ourselves! The only
Something there truly is, is God. Yet and, this is wonderful if we
categorically know we are nothing without the Lord, and we simultaneously
recognize whatever grace He has worked in us is so we can be a blessing to
others, then there is no limit to how He can use us. Our knowing we are
nothing is a great attainment in His eyes. For then our energies are no
longer spent exalting ourselves, but in clinging to Christ and magnifying
Him.

God is not offended by chaos
      There will be times when, like the pre-creation universe, you
discover your life seems "formless and void." Do not be over-concerned.
When you discover there is "chaos" in the deepest part of you, do not
fret. You are at a new beginning. It has taken the Lord quite a long time
to help you to recognize your "nothingness."
      So, let all who know they are nothings rejoice: you are miles ahead
of those who think they are something! The proud, who consider themselves
something special, do not deal with the lightless regions of chaos in
their souls; they simply hide it. But, God is about to bring your life
into order and set you free! All you need is to open up and confess your
nothingness to the Holy Spirit.
      "For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One
who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6).
      This is the very way our great Creator creates. He causes light to
shine out of darkness! The only thing He requires of us is to be honest
about the darkness, to confess it instead of hiding it.
      "And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but
instead even expose them . . . But all things become visible when they are
exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light" (Eph
5:11,13).
      When darkness is exposed to the light, it becomes light. In fact,
the very reason our darkness becomes visible to us, is because God is
exposing it to light. If you persevere, if you continually thrust your
darkness into the light of God's grace and power, God's light will shine
out of your darkness. Your darkness will actually become light.

      Beloved, if you know you are nothing in yourself, you're a prime
candidate to become something in God! Consider again what Paul wrote:
      "For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God
and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I
myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind
to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of
the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to
the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the
righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things
were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of
Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the
surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may
gain Christ" (Phil. 3:3-8).
      Learning to put no confidence in the flesh, to become nothing in
ourselves, is an ongoing process and an integral part of the Christian
experience. Paul saw all his human attainments as obstacles. Certainly,
the Lord used all of the elements of Paul's life, but not before Paul gave
them up, surrendering them to the Lord. Such is the path into Oneness with
Christ and, beloved, oneness with one another. As John the Baptist said,
"He must increase and I must decrease." You see, though self-confidence
dies, God-confidence comes to life!
      So, do not fret; admit to yourself and others that you have areas
within that are dead and dark. Romans 4:17 says, "God . . . gives life to
the dead, and calls into being that which does not exist." God gives LIFE
to the dead. Do you sometimes feel dead?  Good. You're qualified to get
God's life! Look to God. Trust Him as your Creator. Do not fear when you
discover you are nothing. There is a time when becoming nothing is an
improvement.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

GIVING
You can help us continue making our resources available without charge by
sending a monthly or one time offering to: In Christ's Image, 125 Robins
Square Dr, Robins, IA 52328. To give by credit card you may call Steve at
888-934-6243 or 1-319-395-7617.

A service of In Christ's Image. Please visit our website at
http://www.inchristsimage.org for additional messages and resources.
To add, remove a name, or change a preference, please go to
http://www.inchristsimage.org/EmailSubscriptions.asp.

In Christ's Image does not sell nor distribute your email address to
others, and you can be confident that it will not be used for any other
purpose.

God bless you!