King Above All

"We can actually live without sin."

MY LIFE IS on hold. I have this list of things I will not do "until,” and being frank, some days, “until” feels a long way off. In the meantime, though I know that day will come, I'm treading water, a not-so-bad thing. I took swimming lessons in my childhood. Hated it. Nothing like being forced into a possible drowning situation to make you wanna be there. In any case, I learned how to tread water. It's a particular rhythm of leg and arm movements that suspend the body in place without sinking. Or moving forward. On the one hand, you're glad your head is above water. On the other, GET ME OUTTA HERE!

Hiking guru Kraig Adams has traveled the most beautiful distances through countries across the globe. Mostly alone, he says nothing, just videoing himself putting up the tent, taking down the tent, eating pre-made meals, and occasionally visiting small towns along the path. Oh, and lots of walking. He will hike ten to twelve miles a day through crazy terrain with, again mostly, a smile on his face. What I will never do and where I will never go, he does with practiced ease.

Watch “Kraig Adams” go places.

There are those who have seen fantastic things. Horrible things. Both golden and darkened memories. Both Jew and Gentile have survived warfare, holocausts, and terrific fighting. They have seen nations rise and nations fall, many lives affected in the balance. Jesus is a Jew, and the King of Israel and the King of the Jews. He is King of Kings. We picture Him. We design Him. The disciples “handled” Him, spoke to and dined with Him. We try to mentally picture them, too. The truth is, we, Americans don't understand kingdom mentality. Or being Jewish amidst a Roman culture. Even reading about it, we're more than a little bit off in our conclusions. In our modern thinking, we're all about personal, individual freedom and so we have a do-what-you-want mentality. In this, we miss the importance of Him. The importance of kingship.

It isn't just having a king that matters. Though there have been good kings, earthly kings have always ruled from an earthly agenda, doing what suits them without total regard for who they rule. King David included, and he was called by God, anointed for kingship, and had the Father’s heart. But we are selfish human beings. Jesus is human, but He is God. There is the difference. We were designed to be like Him, in His image. The Word of God tells us His body was made before the foundation of the world (Hebrews 10:5; 1 Peter 1:20). We are like Him, so that He could become one of us. What an amazing thought! He did become one of us, and His death and subsequent Resurrection gave us new life in our spirits (this is the real you), because sin had come through Adam and Eve and all subsequent generations died spiritually (Ephesians 2:1). NOT from birth. Children are born innocent. But living in this world, sin creeps in, and from sin comes death. God wanted us to live and in living, to depend solely upon Him. Enter Jesus, came down from heaven, to be the only wise, just King.

Human-made gods of wood and metal and stone have been given human reactions to the stories they've been placed in. They love from the lusts of their body and mind, and rule from the passions of immoral thinking. They hate as the anti-righteous one does, the devil, and are subject to irrational selfish decision-making. Jesus is one in complete unity with the Father, who is greatest of all, and one with the Spirit, who is the life of the universe. He is holy, and being holy, does all things with truth and without error. He isn't at the will of uneven emotions but rules from the most generous heart of love. Love is an emotion, but it is also the wind of the Spirit. All of the kingdom of heaven works from love. It is power which changes minds and gives life to human hearts.

Jesus literally can do no wrong. He has never sinned and being God, cannot sin. It isn't even an option (James 1:13). And here’s what we haven’t considered: We are made like Him. We can actually live without sin. But it is only when we walk fully in the leading and the power of the Spirit.

The problem is, we've made things sin that aren't sin and so condemn ourselves and others. The religious leaders of Jesus' day did this, and He called them out on it. They'd made rules not in the Law, including one which allowed for the deliberate refusal to care for one's parents. From Ten Commandments, they made hundreds. We’ve done the same, and perhaps the greatest thing we, the church, have done in this area is our acceptance of failure in our lives. In aging, and personal success, through the words we speak, we allow destruction. We say, “This happens to everyone as they get old,” or “This happens to people at this time in their life." We say, "Debt is everyone's problem," and, "Sometimes, bad things happen." We're continually at the will of the weather, the political and educational systems as if God won’t help us there.

But no, God is King above it all. He has our best interests in heart about everything.

I urge you to change your thinking and guard your talking. The Word is full of promises of blessing and protection for the righteous. It says, "Not one of His bones will be broken," for instance (Psalm 34:20). We've seen this as a prophecy, and it is, but have then neglected to take it up for ourselves. Similarly, Proverbs 10:7 says, “The memory of the righteous is blessed.” That isn't just people's opinions of us but also our brain’s health and our thinking. We don't have to have memory loss. Stop confessing it over yourself.

We don't have to settle for lack and financial loss over our physical homes either. God will provide transportation if you need it, new appliances or house repairs. Years ago, He gave my parents a new roof at minimal cost, even providing free labor. God has removed fire ants from my yard because I spoke His Word over them. This may seem trivial to you, but then, that is my point. How much do you want to ask Him for and believe? He straightens teeth. He thickens hair. The more impossible it seems, the more I know He will do it.

“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)

Because Jesus is King over all, and He made "the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers [be] cleansed, the deaf hear (Luke 7:22)." I'll take that. My eyesight, physical and spiritual, is cleansed. My ears, physical and spiritual, are free of infirmity. My skin is healthy and nothing anti-righteous can cause me any trauma. I walk strong in the Lord's power (the Holy Spirit), in His might.

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Matthew 11:5)

Our King healed the entire multitude. Every single person regardless of their upbringing, incorrect beliefs, deliberate sins, and lack of faith, went away whole. He met them with compassion that would hang Him on the cross, underneath people’s scorn and mocking, the pot calling the Potter ineffective. It wasn't true, not even a tiny bit. But see God's heart that it didn't matter what men said. He is the Truth. And while a sinful world spins its own history and future from the lies in their heads, while men tear apart men, in what looks futile and useless, there is a King who loves us, who cares for us. And does what He’s said. Praise God.


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com