When France’s ministry of health realized that 17.8 percent of French women smoked while pregnant, they came up with a plan. For a trial period of thirty-six months, seventeen French hospitals paid women up to 300 euros to stop smoking during their pregnancies. Of the 612 participants, 22.5 percent of the women gave up their cigarettes.
The ministry of health was interested in the health of babies, but also wanted to see whether financial incentives would help women quit addictions. They obviously did!
Paul told the Galatians that they had something more powerful than financial motivation to curb an old “habit”—they had the very power of Christ. Since attempting to gain acceptance with God through the law would only lead to condemnation (Galatians 2:19), their only hope for salvation and daily freedom was union with Jesus in His death and resurrection (Galatians 2:20).
Christ wasn’t a sinner or a criminal, but in taking on the sins of humanity, He died like one. When Paul placed his faith in the crucified Jesus, his sinful desires were crucified as well. His selfish heart came to a decisive end, and his personal interests no longer controlled his life. Consequently, Jesus gave him a new heart and a new life fully empowered by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: “Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
Rewards can motivate us to do better, but willpower alone will fail to consistently change lives. Believers have something more powerful—the manifestation of God’s love through the cross of Jesus. When we yield to the power of the cross and exercise daily faith in the Son of God, the indwelling Spirit releases His power—resurrection power that enthrones Christ in our lives.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Isaiah 53:1-12
More:
Read Romans 6:14 and consider why we no longer live under the requirements of the law.
Next:
How will you yield to the power of the cross? How will you exercise daily faith this week? What do you need to surrender to Jesus?
Gary Shultz on May 23, 2017 at 5:21 am
Hi Marvin: I don’t know the way most people absorb the power of the cross, but for me it is an ever growing, ever generating point of death and then renewal. Because to have any power from the event of Christ death, like you said, it is the surrender. We must kill our self to surrender to the regenerative power of life after death while we are still living, of course not the actual body, but the desires of self and the old nature, that was defeated, but way to often accessible. And there comes the exercise for me. To daily place myself “on the cross” willfully understanding, I will get in the way of what Christ would have me do for that day. It is fresh it is alive, it is a rush, to know your life can be lived above the dung the world has to feed us. You ask what do we need surrender to Jesus? God does let us chose that, does He not? Our lives will be determined by the divestment of self and investment in God. We get to pick our flavor, I find the dung flavor to let a nasty taste. God says, “taste and see”, much, much better. Thanks Marvin
marvin williams on May 23, 2017 at 9:03 am
Gary, Jesus asks us to pick up our cross daily, right? It is not easy to surrender our lives, but something supernatural happens when we do. Peter says the glory of God rests on those who do. Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
conmeo on May 23, 2017 at 8:47 am
Hi Marvin and fellow ODJ ers. The words “the power of the Cross” oh so powerful. For me yielding is submitting to the Royal Law to love others the way God through Jesus loves us, unconditionally. In our society many claim their “rights” through the law, either the states law or the old testament laws. Yet we have this wonderful Grace from God overflowing into our lives to release us from the “law”. Let it rule us. 1 Corinthians 6:1 says “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?” Further on 1 Corinthians 6:11b “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
I will press daily toward this, by the Spirit of our God. What I need to surrender to Jesus is the graceful, loving, merciful example of our Great Lord and King, the loving, forgiving, reconciling and resurrecting Royal Law. James 2:8 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.” As you say Marvin-resurrection power that enthrones Christ in our lives. Please let us all pray that this great love example would be present in our hearts and Praise Him for His gifts. Amen. Peace be with us all in doing well.
marvin williams on May 23, 2017 at 9:06 am
conmeo, what great words. Thanks for pouring out your heart. Oh that we would all love this way. I stand with you in surrender to the power of the cross of Christ. May the Lord bless you and keep you, cause his face to sine upon you, be gracious to you and give you peace today.
mike h. on May 23, 2017 at 12:56 pm
People in the church are pretty much like people outside of it. Sexual addictions, particularly pornography, for example, are rife among both those in the pews and those in the pulpit. Many are crippled by anger and depression. People desperately want to know how to yield to the power of the cross. Happy talk from those who talk like they have it all together is very discouraging to many. This lack of reality drives people away from Christianity and the church. Loving Jesus does not make all of this mess go away magically.
marvin williams on May 23, 2017 at 2:25 pm
mike h., I appreciate your comment, and there is truth to what you are saying. Romans 7 clearly lets us know that it is not easy and that there will be struggles. Any Christian who pretends they have it all together is self-deceived. Just because we struggle daily, doesn’t mean the cross is powerless. You are right, happy talk is not the answer. Yielding daily to Jesus is the answer. Starting my day with yielding to and asking the Spirit to fill us, must be intentional. And, when the Spirit prompts us to respond like Jesus, we must act on it and justify why we want our own way. Where the Spirit is present and working, there is joy and peace and freedom. Mike, thank you so much for adding your voice here.
remembered on May 23, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Romans 6:14 (King James Version): “…sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
I dare say that if you’ve ever received a Speeding Ticket, you understand that you are not afterward “free” to break the Speed Limits, hereafter. To say that a Christian is no longer expected to keep the Law of God is an oxymoron, a figure of speech, that is nonsensical. ” …be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work…” Titus 3:1
We must understand that when one surrenders to God, He still requires us to love others cheerfully, completely, and immediately. Because of the Fall or Adam and Eve, mankind has the fallen human nature, and cannot love, naturally. The Godhead offers us the privilege that because of Christ’s Sacrifice for our Salvation FROM sin, we may freely partake of the divine nature, which alone enables us to overcome “the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” 1 John 2:16 “…he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:21 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. “ Romans 13:10
It is ONLY by the Spirit of Grace, by faith, that the Believer receives divine power to overcome temptation to be disloyal to God. ” the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (see Hebrews 10:23-38)
Christ’s testimony of Himself, is this: “…he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” John 8:29 “…continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” Which came first in Christ’s experience while He lived here in the likeness of our sinful flesh; keeping His Father’s commandments, or abiding in His love? It was His Father’s indwelling, abiding, divine presence by which Christ kept the Law of God’s kingdom, as an example to us.
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Psalm 119:1.
God, the great governor of the universe, has put everything under law. The tiny flower and the towering oak, the grain of sand and the mighty ocean, sunshine and shower, wind and rain, all obey nature’s laws. But man has been placed under a higher law. He has been given an intellect to see, and a conscience to feel, the powerful claims of God’s great moral law, the expression of what He desires His children to be.
God has made known His will so plainly that none need err. He desires all to have a correct understanding of His law, to feel the power of its principles; for their eternal interests are here involved. He who has an understanding of the far-reaching claims of God’s law can understand something of the heinousness of sin. And the more exalted his ideas of God’s requirements, the greater will be his gratitude for the pardon granted him.…
In his own strength the sinner cannot meet the demands of God. He must go for help to the One who paid the ransom for him.…
Christ is our hope. Those who trust in Him are cleansed. The grace of Christ and the government of God walk together in perfect harmony. When Jesus became man’s substitute, mercy and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other. The cross of Calvary bears witness to the high claims of God’s law.
The law of ten commandments is not to be looked upon as much from the prohibitory side, as from the mercy side. Its prohibitions are the sure guarantee of happiness in obedience. As received in Christ, it works in us the purity of character that will bring joy to us through eternal ages. To the obedient it is a wall of protection. We behold in it the goodness of God, who by revealing to men the immutable principles of righteousness, seeks to shield them from the evils that result from transgression.”
Our High Calling p. 137
conmeo on May 23, 2017 at 4:04 pm
Thanks mike h. Your comments are much appreciated. Yes the truth that this is messy business. It brings to mind the story of healing by Jesus of the blind man In John 9. Jesus spit in the dirt made mud and applied it to the blind man and he was healed. Messy, very messy. When the religious leaders heard of it and accused Jesus of “not being from God” because of His Sabbath day healing. The Pharisees summoned the formerly blind man at least twice pressing him. In John 9:27 the man replies; He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” Ouch and messy, the last thing they wanted was to be his disciples. The Pharisees continue to press him and eventually throw him out. Messy business. Jesus hears of it and goes to the man and the man believes in Jesus and worships him. Jesus explains ; John 9:39 “Jesus said,[a] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”’ Say What! The Pharisees hear and ask if they’re blind….messy. Gotta love Jesus response in John 9:41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Painful and messy. Getting involved in the mess is not for everyone, but I submit what better love can we offer than the same messy love Our Lord got into with us. We won’t be the first ones to be rejected. Love….unconditionally… messy yes but what great reward. Lord we love your example to get down on our knees and get in the mud, thank You for blessing us all. Peace be with us all as we love and serve, even in the mud (remembering when we were young and it was so much fun!) Let’s have fun.
street on May 23, 2017 at 10:59 pm
How will you yield to the power of the cross? How will you exercise daily faith this week? What do you need to surrender to Jesus?
couple passages come to mind 1. i have been crucified to the world,and the world to me. 2. i am crucified with Christ.
if i am crucified with Christ i will be raised with Christ by the same power, because He did not die for His sins, but mine and all who would trust in Him. i have to admit getting to the place of idol free, coveting free peace with God only comes by asking seeking and knocking, in other words seeking God Himself, not my own self. a big part of it is understanding what has already taken place and what will take place. the part that is so difficult is the here and now. what do i need to surrender to God? myself. the entire Bible deals with the past the present and the future. sure i struggle with understanding Scripture, but God did not leave me high and dry. He gave His very Own Holy Spirit to all His Children to grow and conform to the image of Christ. the growth and maturity of a Christian has more to do with the Glory of God than with the self. some ask what would Jesus do? could we ask what Glorifies God? if we do not know how to respond, wait till the Spirit reveals the foundation from which to build from. prayer and listening would be a good start. grace and truth would be apart of the response. Ephesians 2:4-10 past present future.
When we yield to the power of the cross “daily”…….could it be we are yielding to the love and Glory of God and not our own glory. i have to admit i get bored and disappointed with myself, not to mention the world too. so much for glory there, but the cross and the works of God. they take my breath away. creation,yes stunning, but no match for the cross of Christ. Thank You Father!