I'm Not OK and You're Not OK

Back in the 1960's, a book was published, titled, I'm Ok, You're Ok. It sold about 15 million copies. People rushed to read the new way to get along with others, understand yourself and work your way through the psychological underpinnings of the day.

Today, we have violent protests, riots, killings, human trafficking, domestic abuse, bribery, graft, corruption, sex, alcohol and drugs in Middle Schools etc. Shall I go on?

Hmm, if anyone one hasn't noticed...it's not working because, "I'm Not Ok and You're Not Ok"!

There is one basic tenet that most of the "thinkers" of the day have forgotten...the human nature is broken. And not because God broke it. The disobedience of Adam caused the separation from the perfection of God, thus the imperfection of man.

People see the corrosion of behavior, so they pass a law. That ends up with loop holes, so they pass another law. Laws won't change your broken nature. They may hold you in check or accountable (unless you're rich, but that's for another discussion!), but still won't change you. It's illegal to lie on your income tax, but do you still do it? It's illegal to steal, but do you still take the toilet paper from the bathroom at work? Those are small examples, but how many larger examples are out there...murder, child pornography, drug dealing, theft. You get the picture. The written laws have not stopped any of those things.

So what's the solution...not more laws, not a trip to the shrink, rather a change in the broken nature. But if laws won't change your nature, what will? Glad you asked. And the answer is not religion either. Too many of them out there...take your pick. All the meditation, brown rice, cold showers, self-beatings, church attendance, song singing in the world won't alter your broken nature. It may alter some decisions or behaviors, but cannot fix that broken nature.

The only way, is to take a moment in time and humble yourself before the real God and ask for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to apply to you. Ask for forgiveness of all your wrong doings and most importantly, ask for Jesus Christ to come into your heart and bring His perfect nature. In that way, you have a fighting chance for real change. You still have the broken nature, but now you have a choice...defer to the old, broken nature or the new perfect one.

It's a fight from then on. Expect it. Paul, in the Scriptures, describes his fight in the Bible in Romans, Chapter 7. He cries out to the Lord, saying that what he wants to do, he doesn't and what he doesn't want to do he does. Who shall save him from the body of that death. The Lord tells him in Romans 8:1, Therefore now, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

Now, that's not a ticket to do anything you want just because you're forgiven of your sins. If you think that way, you don't have that perfect nature in you. The point being, that God sees we are born handicapped because of what Adam did, but that you are restored to Him by what Jesus did. That new nature is just that...new! You won't want to do what you did before, and even if you give in once or twice, you fight it, you hate it, instead of just shrugging your shoulders proclaiming that you don't see anything wrong with it.

Our country and a good deal of the world is in turmoil. But laws won't change your nature, only you with Jesus can do that. You see, that new nature will never lead you to break windows, attack people, curse, swear, throw rocks at the police. You may protest in free countries, but in the protest, you would just be bringing your ideas to bear. The new nature would never lead you burn or loot or riot. See what I mean. In you allowing the Spirit of God to be what runs you, you will never break any "law". You will, as Jesus says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and body, and your neighbor as yourself, as unto the first.

That old nature is brewing under the surface though. And that's why you have to "crucify" the flesh, the broken nature. Fight it back down, Let the perfect nature of God rise up. In that you will have wisdom, peace, joy...and even an answer to your protests!

This is the toughest thing you'll ever have to do, so it's not for the fainthearted! But it's the best thing you'll ever do. Fainthearted or not...just do it!!

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