trACker 554The e-Devotional helping to keep you on-track
Published through
www.godtracker.co.uk
18 September 2015
Dear God-tracker
GOD-TRACKING IS KEEPING OUR EYES ON THE REALITY OF CHRIST
I have previously written about shadows and, how, as a child, I used to play games with my shadow. One popular game kids play is shadowboxing. On a bright sunny day I’d stand out in the middle of a field and punch at my shadow until I was exhausted. Shadowboxing is a futile exercise! Every move I’d make, my shadow would mirror. Try as I might, I could never out manoeuvre the dark faceless image of myself projected at 90 degrees from my feet. My dark counterpart was a complete copy of me, bar the reality. It lacked the substance of who I was. Turn out the light and my shadow would vanish.
Thinking about religious festivals and customs, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes, “These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance (or reality) belongs to Christ.” Paul was pointing out that the whole of the Old Testament law together with its regulation, rituals and rites was simply a shadow reflecting the true reality of God’s purposes and principles found in Christ. As a Jew, Paul was brought up and educated under the strict regime of the Law of Moses. In his own words, he called himself a, “Hebrew of Hebrews,” but he goes on to say that whatever credit he gained in his religious observances he counted as nothing compare to the reality of knowing Christ. Jesus himself said, “Do you think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” If the Law is the shadow then the real thing is Christ, the one casting that shadow by the light of God.
As you and I seek to find and remain on track with God’s plans for our lives we need to be sure that we keep our eyes on the real thing! Every Old Testament Law and every Old Testament rite is wrapped up in Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament we read of many types of Christ. These are shadows that mimic the exact image and movement of the Messiah, just as a shadow imitates the reality of its actual counterpart. For instance, the spotless lamb sacrificed at every Passover festival during temple times was the type (or shadow) of the antitype (or reality) who is the true sinless Lamb of God (Jesus). And Jesus was sacrificed at Calvary to take the punishment for your and my violation of the Law.
So where does this leave me boxing with my shadow? The more I boxed the more tired I became. The same applies to my attempting to keep the Commandments of God. The more I fight with myself in an attempt to subdue the flesh by my own efforts the more exhausted I will become. Like shadowboxing, it’s a futile exercise. I will never be successful in keeping the Law of God by my own strength. The Bible tells me that, although perfect, the Law was weakened by my sinful nature. But Jesus was not sinful! Therefore, he fulfilled the perfect requirements of the whole Law and bore the consequences of breaking the Law by dying on the cross. Therefore, only in Christ, who is the reality, are we no longer condemned by the Law and are free to live out his righteousness in our flesh by the Spirit.
God-tracking is keeping our eyes on the reality of Christ
Keep your eyes on Jesus
Dudley
It’s all in the Book…Colossians 2:6-23Philippians 3:3-11Matthew 5:17Romans 8:1-11
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VoW Verse of the Week
Romans 8:5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Quote of the Week A Sample of Dudley’s Fave Quotes.
“Walk with your face toward the Light or you may stumble in your own shadow.” ---
Author
Don’t Give Up, Look Up!Look up and Fix Your Eyes on Jesus!
You have set me free from sin; you have set me free from condemnation and written your word upon my heart
Pray“Dear Father God, thank you so much that Jesus has completed the requirements of the Law of Moses. Than you that, not only was he sinless, he bore the curse of my sin when he died on the cross. Today I praise you for my salvation and thank you that Jesus was the reality and the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. So, I choose to stop my shadowboxing turned away from that dark image of me to look full in your wonderful light. You have set me free from sin; you have set me free from condemnation and written your word upon my heart. Help me now to live by the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord. Amen.”
If you need more prayer feel free to email
dudley@godtracker.co.uk
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What is trACker? GodTracker and trACker owe their origins to an international Christian radio programme produced by Dudley Anderson called, On Track. Although On Track went off-air in 2005, trACker has continued to help people to track God's plans and purposes for their lives since July 2003.
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