I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal 2:20 NKJV

For Paul, Christ’s redemption was personal.

It’s got to get personal. You either believe it with your whole heart, or you don’t really believe it at all. The transition – from benign unbelief to fervent faith – happens when it becomes personal. The excuses must die in the face of holy passion. Real love changes you from the inside out, to where your passion for self becomes a drive to love others because you love Him. The will of God has to become real, become personal in the heart of the born again one.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord… Ps 33:12 NKJV

The essence of fallen man is that of a slave, so unsaved man will always gravitate towards a slave system of society. Think about that, in light of world history!

Socialism in its ideals is an attempt to live Christianity without Christ, substituting government for God, which is not possible, so socialism always fails, and destroys everything with it, because socialism demands 100% involvement from its minions. Capitalism without Christ is like a car without a driver as well. But capitalism with Christ is perhaps the most ideal monetary system this side of Heaven to preserve individual freedom and initiative, giving everyone the best chance for the best life possible. True, simple Christianity is the absolute bedrock of any free, prosperous society.

As it has to become personal for an individual, it also has to become personal for a family, a business, a church, community, city, state or province, or even a nation…

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 NKJV

When I read the Word of God, I hear from God. When He says in His word, “Go into all the nations, and preach the Gospel to every creature,” I say, “God is speaking to me…how shall I respond?” When He says that we are seated at the right hand of God, I say, “God is speaking to me…how shall I respond?” I’m always amazed at people who say that they don’t hear from God! All I have to do is open it up and read it. God is speaking to me! You see, it’s personal…

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…Rom 12:2 NKJV

When God’s Word becomes personal it changes the paradigm within which all of your thought processes germinate and develop. Everything changes! The born again one moves from hopelessness to hope, from fear to love, from failure to faith for success. Literally, but figuratively, it’s turning from night into day. When I take God at His Word, His promises become my promises, His covenant becomes that for which I will die if necessary, His words become my words in my vernacular. I become an incarnation of Him…the highest possible aspiration for a man.

When God’s Word becomes personal, it seeps into the very fabric of a man’s life. Recently I heard a man testifying to a young person that he was trying to help. “Look around you,” he said, “All that you see is because I tithe to my God and He is faithful to me and His promises.” Knowing the man quite well, I could testify to the truth of what he had said. It was in the fabric of his soul…it was personal.

He sent a man before them — Joseph — who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. Ps 105:17-19 NKJV

The transition from benign unbelief to fervent faith will involve crisis, because faith is refined and tested  in the crucible of crisis. The length and depth of the crisis is usually defined by your response to the test. The sooner you can get to the place of real faith, the quicker the deliverance. But if self, sin or community unbelief hold you back from real faith, the crisis may go on longer, or even become permanent. This is a great reason why the Word of the Lord must become personal to you…it may not have become personal in those around you, even in your counselors, but it must become personal in you. It’s your life!

I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.'” Zech 13:9 NKJV

God’s Word becomes personal when you make it personal. You can always tell a preacher who truly believes what he preaches – the sweat, the fear, the anguish and the triumph always comes out. A lot of people preach stuff that they don’t really believe, and it always sounds hollow to me. I can’t stomach it, it leaves me empty and wishing I were someplace else…which usually shortly happens.

Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. Jer 15:16 NKJV

Jeremiah made it personal… and Jeremiah’s prophecies rocked the world, and very much still affect us today, three thousand years later!

Why do you thrill when you read Paul’s epistles? One reason is that you know Paul believed it with all of his heart. Almost nothing is more convincing than a man or woman who is on fire! It’s the secret to leadership, and if the word of the Lord is to become personal in our society today it will be because real leaders have made it personal in themselves.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:9-10 NKJV

I’ve always thought it was more important to know “why” than “how.” If you know the “why” you will figure out the “how.” I will start out the day in the Word and in prayer. In my prayer there will always be something like this: Lord, if I have said, or thought, or done, anything outside of your will, please forgive me. You see, 1 John 1:9 and 10 is personal to me. It’s real. I seek to make all of the word of the Lord just as personal as 1 John 1:9, because He is real, and He is my personal God. How about you?

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…