Fruit...

I have come to some astounding realities. And I think this one paragraph, really, sums it all up:
"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own."  'Christ's Object Lessons', pg. 69.

I just didn't realize how important this was. Let me quote from just up the page a bit:
"The object of the Christian life is fruit bearing--the reproduction of Christ's character in the believer, that it may be reproduced in others."  'Christ's Object Lessons', pg. 67.
Whoa...
Does that really mean what it says? You mean, preaching isn't the object? Or evangelistic series? Or how many members my local church, and the entire organized church, has and gains yearly?
No. The object is fruit.
I've had trouble with this whole thing of reflecting Christ's character. You see, I can't do it. I'm a product of an evangelistic series, along with my family. A former "heathen". And I'm very German, and can do it myself, thank you...
Well, not really. I found out that even my German stubborness is worthless when it comes to reflecting Christ's character. It's absolutely impossible for me to do it... Praise the Lord!!!
All I need to do, is step aside, and stop worrying about me, and just surrender. Let Him be me...
It's that simple. Christ created inumerable things from nothing, and He's vey able to work in my heart, and create it, not evolve it, into soemthing that looks just like His.
And when He gives me that, (Oh, I pray that I let Him...), I won't have to stress about outreach. Or the unreached. Or the millions upon millions in our cities right here at home who are hopeless. You see, Christ in me is the hope of glory. And I think that if He's really in me, and I'm only te vessel, He can shake the earth through me if He sees fit. But it'll be Him, not me. All the better. :D
Now, my job is to surrender. To make Him my first, last, and best, and all, in everything. He's redeemed me.  And now He wants to change me...
Oh, I want to let Him.
Do you have a story like mine?
I have found an answer for both of us. It's very simple, in fact, two words.
Jesus wants to live in your heart, and make His character yours. To be an example to the entire unvierse, of what Divine love can do...
Let Him.
And together, you and I and Him: we'll change the world. Through His power. Not ours.
And we'll all rejoice for all eternity, in what Divine love and power can do...