"A person can only be regenerated once. But in my experience I can testify that I have had a number of conversions. Regeneration is once for all, but conversion, to have some change in your life, is not just once for all."
That's sweet. Our regeneration is once and for all, but we need to have many conversions between us and the Lord. It's similar to our consecration. Every day, we need to have a fresh opening to the Lord. I believe my experience is altogether consistent with the above statement. On the one hand, we will never lose our salvation, but on the other hand, there is a different portion to be gained in each stage of our Christian life. The Lord always has something new about Himself that we must experience. That is wonderful. The Lord seeks to gain every inch of our being, yet His arrangement is altogether perfect. I'm encouraged that our relationship with the Lord should never grow stagnant.
"To be zealous for Christianity is really better than being worldly, and to be spiritual is really better than being carnal. Yet you have to realize that even being spiritual could be a barrier between you and Christ and could be a substitute of Christ to you."
This passage speaks so personally to me. The Lord really dealt with me the last 2 semesters. I've always been your quintessential "good church kid." Toward the end of last spring semester, suddenly the things of the church life became so dead and infuriating. I was so frustrated with all the meetings and all the saints. Nothing seemed real and I wanted to leave the church life. Eventually, as a result of a lot of outward circumstances, I came to the Lord desperately. It was then that I was exposed that I wanted to be spiritual and wanted to go to the meetings more than I wanted the Lord. And it came to the point where even that natural affection had already dried up. I was so convicted....and so, I took a step back this semester and surveyed the situation. I didn't go to as many events, but I was diligent to guard my personal time with the Lord, and to touch the Lord in whatever I did. It was there when the Lord really became so sweet to me, and restored to me the joy of my salvation.
The statement "Even good things, religious things, and even things concerning Christ can hinder us from seeking and being occupied with Christ Himself" couldn't be more true. These days, I have a constant prayer that the Lord would be new and living to me. Living...not religious. Lord, save me from seeking so many other things; save me from wanting to be spiritual. Lord, I pray I'd only care for you. And I pray that I would learn to take care of my spirit above every other matter. Nothing else matters if I don't touch Christ.
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