Me: I am going to help you with those plants today.
Prodigal: Good, I could use some teamwork!
Me: Teamwork is better than standing alone.
This is from the book The Cross of Christ by John R. W. Stott
The concept of substitution may be said, then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives which belong to God alone; God accepts penalties which belong to man alone.
We need reminders of this all the time because our flesh becomes proud and we began to think we can do things that only God can do. Yes, the Lord uses us to help people, but really the change of a person’s heart, and spirit can only be completed by Christ. This is not to condemn us but it is to turn us to Christ, and put out hearts and spirits where they need to be.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:1
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
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