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Category Archives: Obedience


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Being a Delight to God

Being a Delight to God

We desire to be a delight, thus give great joy, to those we love .. how are we a delight to our heavenly Father?

The Creator of all, the heavenly Father, possesses all things, so what do we give Him? Delight. How? By walking according to the wisdom He gives us (not the wisdom of the world), and letting Him establish our steps by that wisdom. Micah 6:8

When we seek, listen and obey our heavenly Father’s wisdom in our lives, it creates a life of joy, peace, happiness, rest, blessing, and love. When we are abiding in this state it greatly delights God. His delight is seeing us in pure delight. Proverbs 16:20, Matthew 6:33 His Spirit manifests the perfect loving Father to us in every way.

My step-daughter moved in at the beginning of the year. Since she has been here, she has been absorbing and walking by the truths we’ve taught her about how to live; all in accordance with true wisdom from above. James 3:13-18 The results of her heeding our words have already started to bear beautiful fruit in her life. The exceedingly great joy for me and my husband is to see her abiding and growing in joy and true happiness that flows from those truths. Could parents desire anything more than for a soul, who is brought under their wings, to be listening and following the wisdom of true life and abiding in the abundant good fruit it produces? For this is to abide in the presence of God.

Numbers 14:8 “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’

In a similar manner, the heavenly Father experiences delight in us. The wisdom He calls us to seek and abide in creates a life of satisfaction, peace, meaning, and love. Thus, when we follow this wisdom, it not only honors Him as our Father whom we obey, but our obedience shows we trust and love Him. John 15:10, John 14:15, 1 John 5:3 When our lives are a reality of delights of a pure heart, that gives Him great joy. The result is praise He desires, not contrived or forced, and the worship (loving and honoring Him) He desires, in spirit and truth.

God desires us to be in the fullness of joy, which we do by following His commandments/wisdom of pure love. Matthew 25:23, John 15:11

Proverbs 11:20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their ways are His delight.

To manifest this joy in our lives, the heavenly Father allows our situations to correct us when we are straying off the path of righteousness. Walking counter to the truth, which establishes love, creates pain and suffering. The pain and suffering are there to “tell” us to stop doing whatever is causing the pain (this can take deep reflection, seeking, and listening as the lies are many and layered) and seek His wisdom so we can experience peace and joy, thus experience Him in our lives.

Proverbs 3:12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Jeremiah 9:24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

We are to diligently seek the heavenly Father’s wisdom, which is the understanding of how to love Him, ourselves and others. Proverbs 3:15-16, 4:6, 16:16  This wisdom to be the guide to all our thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 It entails thinking and acting in honor, mercy, justice, trustworthiness, honesty, grace, humility, peace, and loving kindness.

We seek understanding to the nature of these characteristics, but how they play out in each moment, we trust God to direct. We don’t rely on our understanding for the moment because we are not all knowing, but we trust His prompting in the moment that applies His wisdom to our situations. It isn’t about gaining wisdom, then running our lives. It’s about gaining understanding of the spirit of God, wisdom, and letting Him govern our lives by that wisdom.  Jeremiah 10:23, Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 147:10-11 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.

This humbling of ourselves to our heavenly Father’s will is letting Him establish our righteousness and be our righteousness. This is also what it means to “accept Christ into our heart”. It means to let the word of God, Christ, govern our heart (the seat of our desires) in every way. It’s to move out of lies and deceit (mankind’s wisdom governing our heart) and let His truth establish our present reality as He wills. Thus we cultivate a very personal and intimate engagement with our God inside out.

Righteousness, love, and holiness are views of God from three different angles.

In righteousness all actions are done correctly. Love is what walking in righteousness looks like. When you walk in righteousness, you create an environment that is extremely loving to all. Righteousness, which creates love, makes the environment  holy because where true love is that is where God is because He is love.

Seek to be one in whom God delights.


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Knowing Christ is In You

How to Know

Christ is Within You

To abide in unity with the heavenly Father is the greatest communion you can seek for your soul; for in that union is immortality of living in the purest love.

To abide in this unity; you have to walk in the Father’s ways; for His holiness requires it. John 17:3

Christ IN you enables you to walk in the Father’s ways.

Christ is the Word of God. When Christ is in you, the truths of the Father are in you. And those truths, when followed, create true life out of your once dead life.

When the truths of the Father are in you, the result is you live according to them. If they are in you; they govern you, this is the power they hold. You embrace them because you know they are the means to your deepest desires, and all else is not. The Father’s ways are the means to the fulfillment of the purest love, peace, honor, beauty, purpose, rest and all else you deeply desire. These desires are the very nature of the Father, for He is spirit; thus the supreme desire is to be in unity with the Father.

If you look to or seek some other means to fulfill these desires, you keep yourself from experiencing the attainment of your desires, from being filled with Christ, and from experiencing a true bond with the Father. These other means are your idols; marriage, children, jobs, vocations, status, possessions, appearance, relationships, compulsions etc.

1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

To know the Father, thus have unity with Him, is to know and live in the truths of His ways. When you know His ways in wisdom and understanding, you DESIRE to do them and DO them because by them you receive all you deeply desire without corruption.

1 John 2:5-6 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

You know you are in Christ and He is in you, when you look at yourself and you see His nature as your nature. We look at ourselves from within out. We look at others from outside in. When He is in you, when you look at yourself you no longer see your old self and nature, but you see His nature; His desires, wisdom, love, mercy, purity, and power. You know that though He is beyond you; He is also in you. Your life is governed by His spirit and no longer your old self. The old self has become an ash heap from the fires you walked through that burned away all that was contrary to His spirit; which is of the purest righteous love. To come to the Father, you have to walk through the fires of refinement to purify yourself unto righteousness.

This union with Christ WITHIN US has begun to take place among the elect.

I don’t know how Jesus Himself will return, what it will look like, for the images we conjecture of the physical in our minds are often off.  But Christ returns WITHIN US as a spirit; as He is now doing in the elect – that is why they are the elect. He gives us the eyes and ears to see and hear so we can turn from our lies, idols, and ALL that is contrary to Him so we can abide in His truth; thus eternal life. His spirit in us is the power we need to live from our thoughts outward in truth and in love.


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Here Comes the Son

Here Comes the Son

 I woke to “Here Comes the Sun” in my head; and rightly so …

as obedience to truth sets you free and manifests the Son in you.

 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20

Not man-made commands, religious rules, formalities, or protocols, … anything external, but the words of the Eternal Father spoken to your individual heart is what sets you free from the pit of death and the prison of your mind. All of which, Christ made possible. It’s His spirit speaking to your spirit words of life; as they are words infused with His spirit and His faith. When His words are heard and received, spirit to spirit, then obedience is possible and exponentially powerful because of the love exudes.  He is speaking; are you listening?  Jeremiah 11:7-8, 9:13-14 When you listen within, for that is where the Father speaks to you, He gives YOU the truths that YOU need to be free.

A personal reflection  …

The other day, I saw a “funk” rising on the horizon of my soul. It’s like a dark cloud that manifests various thoughts contrary to peace, truth, and love. I’ve learned it’s the sensation of a battle rising in my mind as God is bringing in a glorious truth to reveal and dislodge a lie. As the truth moves in, it transcends me into a deeper level of love; thus power and freedom in my mind and soul.

Knowing what was approaching; I asked for the truth to set me free. (A very powerful prayer) And God answered …

“Seek to put on immortality; think nothing of the flesh that is quickly passing away.”

Now this may not mean much to you, because it was for me, but those words burned like fire into my soul. I heard them before, but this time they went much deeper. They burned off the muck of lies clinging to the sides of my mind causing me to act in ways contrary to the love of the Father. Because of it being the Father’s perfect revelation at the perfect time, I readily received it. I embraced it and the lie I had been serving was expelled; thus obedience.

With this truth written on my heart, I obey/live in this Truth and no longer the lie. The living/obedience to this truth is easy because of the previous truths He has assembled in me supporting it in combination with His power at work in my soul. Ephesians 1:19 See the grace in the midst of obedience? Immediately, the dark cloud dissipated and the Son rose on the horizon of my soul. Victory gained. 1 John 5:4

A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:19-21

If you ask, listen, and obey, the Father is faithful to give you the truths that shatter the prison bars of your mind. This is the process of the flesh-mind burning, being destroyed, purged, and dying, and His Divine Mind being knit to yours.

The fire of truth will season us all. 1 Corin 3:13-15. Question is do you recognize the fire; know what to seek, how to listen, and walk (obey) in that truth? Do you embrace the heat and learn the truth in love? Or do you wallow in the muck and misery of your imprisoned soul?

Obedience Tainted

The concept of obedience has been greatly tainted with various doctrines/philosophies calling to the extremes; all masking its powerful truth. When the Father is talking about obedience, He is talking about pure love; loving Him, loving you, and loving others.  All His words spoken to your spirit serve love. 2 John 1:6 AND to truly love is impossible without attachment to the Diving Mind of God for He is truth and pure truth comes from His spirit directly to yours. He is the Truth and power you need to truly love. To obey Truth is to love.

To love with the love of God is to know and abide in honor, holiness, purity, righteousness, and wisdom, which are all different angles of His love. All these characteristics we must be taught by God the true meaning of. These concepts are all deeply intertwined and cannot be separated. For those who separate these in their beliefs; for example … “yes, he is love, BUT he is just …” which is spoken to justify horrific doctrines (ie. eternal torment), they aren’t serving God, but Satan. The separation makes them not truth and thus they are the doctrines of lies and false images. Satan is the father of lies, there is no truth in him. He can’t put together these concepts because they are truth so under his doctrines they remain broken false images and counterfeits of the real thing. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Doctrines that keep you from the power of obedience in love are not of God but of the god of this world who feigns truth.

Knowing the Father is knowing these characteristics and their concinnity. Jeremiah 9:24

Obedience Lived

Each one of us has our own network of lies that keeps us from knowing love, having love and giving love. Only the Father who knows the interworking and depth of our spirit can give us the truth we need right now; the next building block to freeing our minds. The truth builds. HE assembles the truth in you. YOU go to Him directly, listen and follow. Ask for the truth to be set free as He reveals the bondage in your life. He’ll reveal one by one, and with each transition from a lie to the truth; you step away from the pit toward the light. Psalm 107:9

Truth is truth. When we live/obey in the words of God; we become spiritually alive and our lives bear the glorious fruit of truth. John 17:3 Christ enables us to obey as He comes intimately into our soul and instills the truth and the power to live it.

The disobedience that will destroy you and keep you in the pit and prison of your mind, is a refusal to listen and obey the beautiful truths your Eternal Father is speaking to your soul to set you free and abide with Him in love. Jeremiah 13:10, 12:17, Hebrews 8:10

Obeying the truth allows Christ to manifest Himself to you, for He is truth … Here Comes the Son.


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True Sabbath Rest

True Sabbath Rest

Matthew 18:3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The result of our salvation and redemption; to be sons of God; and in that is great rest. Ezekiel 20:12

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Attune to the State of Your Soul

Attune to the State of Your Soul

Matthew  6:19–20 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain.

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Christ Washing YOUR Feet

Christ Washing YOUR Feet

John 13:5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 

When Jesus knew His Hour had come, He kneeled down and humbly washed His disciples’ feet with the towel that was girded around His waist. The disciples didn’t understand … but would. John 13:7 What is the meaning of this beautiful act by the true King of Kings to those who followed Him?

The Foundation

Christ died so that His Spirit of liquid light could consume us, purge all darkness, and transform us into holy eternal creations, thus bringing us into reconciliation/unity with God. At His death, Christ’s eternal spirit penetrated death of the true grave; the spiritual sepulcher of the flesh body that’s cloaked in sin. Romans 8:3 On the last day (the Day of the Lord, the Revelation of Jesus Christ), His Spirit would resurrect in the souls of mankind bringing them into eternal life. In this resurrection, sin, thus death, would be defeated in us forever. John 12:23-25 His Spirit rising in us is the true breath of life, the purest of love and truth, imploding our souls. 2 Peter 1:19 This filling of Him in us is the coming of His righteous kingdom to earth. Luke 17:21 It’s the salvation of our souls from death and all that it produces; pain, suffering, hardship, unkindness, and fear. This is the true salvation. And His hour has come once again, thus the need for Him to wash our feet.

Christ Washing Our Feet

“… and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” 

The girded towel represents truth. Ephesians 6:14 Now that the seed of Christ’s spirit is rising within us, it has to be combined with the truth. When spirit and truth meet within our soul, then new life grows within us. Our souls then become the living stones of the kingdom of God.

The truth flows from this seed, for Christ is the word of God, the truth. He is the blood and the flesh. He is the wine and the bread. All these are symbolic of Him being the spirit and truth that when they come together within one soul produces life.

As Christ spirit rises in us, we perceive it as a cleansed and purified conscience. Hebrews 9:14 When our conscience is pure, then we can discern between holy and profane. We can walk uprightly, thus we can abide in the truth of God and His transcendent all-powerful love. But we have to listen and obey (walk) His inner counsel to us, which we do by His power in us. When we do listen and obey, we walk in paths of righteousness and we become righteous. This obedience is allowing Christ to wash our feet; feet representing the path we walk.

NOT Letting Christ Wash Your Feet

John 13:8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

If we don’t heed our cleansed conscience, then we aren’t having our feet washed. We continue generating unrighteous thoughts, words, and deeds. We continue to propagate the filth of sin not only in us, but also in the lives around us. Instead of fragrant pathways of rest, peace, joy and true love, we step in and spread dung all over the place. Have you ever had poo on your shoe? This is what we are carrying on us and spreading all over when we ignore His counsel; even in the smallest details. 1 Corin 5:6 We leave its residue wherever we go and spread its stench with every step. Jeremiah 8:2

If Christ does not wash our feet, we have no part of Him.

If we are not heeding Christ’s wisdom of truth being spoken to us from within (all in harmony with the Word of Truth as Taught by GOD), then we have no part of Him. Not only do we remain unrighteous, but we dismiss the very purpose in which He came; to be the door and the light by which we walk out of the pit of death and into eternal life. Though that seed is within us, it won’t take root. It won’t grow without following the wisdom of God. The tares of wickedness take over. We remain as we’ve always been, bound in the darkness of sin. In this state, great tribulation awaits as the Truth is coming as a flaming fire to reveal all the works of darkness and destroy all that is not of it.

Letting Christ Wash Your Feet

If we do heed Christ’s still small voice of truth guiding in the paths of true love, for that is what it teaches us to love ourselves, God and others, then we will be changed into eternal creations of the purest of love.

Therefore, if Christ is washing our feet, we are growing in true love every day.  One note, our love has been exceedingly abundantly corrupted by this world. Religion has proliferated hypocritical love, blinding people further to the lack of God’s true love in their lives. This world has amplified lust and judgment that fills people’s conceptions of love. Therefore, this isn’t as easy or straightforward as it may first appear. As we listen to the spirit of wisdom, we’ll find it’s a love far purer and beyond anything we’ve known. To walk in a life of true love, we require His detailed instruction (wisdom) until we become the truth we hear. Therefore, it isn’t following our preconceived notions of love; it’s seeking God’s love by having a constant listening ear and an attentive soul to His ways. Thankfully, it’s God’s will that we have this unity in Him, and His grace is more than sufficient to make us into His vessels of love as we are willing to follow Him.

Signs of True Love

To abide in the love of God is to be totally dependent on the leading and will of God in all areas of your life. It’s to be led by His spirit from within, not by rules from the outside. It’s to have a deep love for yourself, God and others around you so that you love unconsciously. It’s to know the truth for the truth is love. To walk in love is to walk in truth. It’s to trust God above all else, for those who trust Him obey Him, and those who obey Him, love Him. John 14:23

Have you allowed Christ Jesus to wash your feet? Do you daily seek, listen and walk according to His whisperings of wisdom (love) to your heart? Or do you walk according to the dictates of others, religion, the world’s wisdom, and your own imaginations?

There is only one way to be a part of Christ, to let Him wash your feet; to listen to the spirit of wisdom within you and allow His spirit to create your soul in perfect truth and love.


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A Slave or A Child

A Slave or A Child

 

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Free will – freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention

What is it to be free? What kind of freedom do you really want?

Every belief, thought, decision and action we take is influenced by many sources; our experiences, past, lies, truth, friends, culture, traditions, manipulation, media, family, teachers, knowledge or lack of. Making a free will decision isn’t realistic, many things influence us. When you boil it down, what influences us are either based on lies or the truth. Lies and truth make up our beliefs. And, we are governed by our beliefs, meaning we serve them. In other words, we are a slave to them. Thus we are either a slave to lies or to truth. Though the word “slave” has negative connotations, being a slave to what is truly good is a good thing.

In this life we have two options; we can serve the truth, God, or we can serve lies, anything that opposes God’s ways. We can be a slave to righteousness or a slave to unrighteousness/sin. This is the only real choice we have.

1 John 5:9 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Which will you serve?

The answer seems straight forward … truth. But it’s not that easy because the very nature of a lie is that you think it’s truth. If you believe it’s truth, you don’t question it, but continue to act according to it until it’s revealed for what it is. When we live according to lies, our lives produce what we don’t desire; sickness, poverty, lack, suffering, pain, anger, bitterness, envy, oppression, hardship, and afflictions.  Aren’t these elements of death what we really want to be free from?

Slave to Righteousness

Romans 6:18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

If you chose truth, then you will seek truth from the one who is truth, God. Only in seeking truth are the lies revealed for what they are. By seeking God, we see the lies for what they are and chose to believe His ways, which we learn are of peace, joy, fulfillment and love. In chosing His ways and will, we chose to believe in His words over another’s in every situation and our actions follow. James 2:20 In choosing God, we give up our ways and the ways of the world, and embrace His full governance over our lives as He deems good, because we’ve learned only He is truly good.

Because of God’s love for us, though we are heeding all His ways and thus a slave to righteousness for He is righteous, abiding in His truth is more of being a child than a slave.

God is perfect in righteous love. Therefore everything He does is for our very best and will truly satisfy us. God is the perfect Father; as it’s His will to provide, protect, care, help, nurture, comfort, lead, guide and love us. Luke 12:32 Imagine being under the care of the perfect father who had every resource at His finger tips? Being a recipient of this love is what it is to be God’s child.

As His child, you are not only governed by His perfect righteous love, but you are a part of Him. Therefore, your desires become His desires. Thus, He gives you the desires of your heart because they are His for you as well. Psalm 37:4 Like a child, 1. you abide in complete rest as God cares for all that concerns you and 2. you follow your desires. To abide in rest and live by your desires is what it means to be a slave to righteousness. Incredible truths.

The core lie that keeps people from seeking truth from God is that He’ll make our lives less somehow. That we’ll miss out. That He’ll leave us and we’ll be worse off than before. But these are all lies that keep us from obtaining the abundant peaceful and restful lives we desire.

In this choice, we are far more than a slave, because we become a part of God. (Led By Spirit of God)

Galatians 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Slave to Unrighteousness

Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

In not choosing God, so we don’t seek Truth from God, we default to being a slave to unrighteousness and the elements of death, for God is life and anything counter is death. We become slaves to lies by believing them to be truth. By believing and thus acting on those lies, we manifest a life of things we don’t want; pain, suffering, fear, hardships and so on.  We may “conquer” one issue, but the underlining belief hasn’t changed so it’s redirected and manifests in another way. We are left feeling trapped, overwhelmed, discouraged, oppressed, discontented, and wanting more.

When we serve unrighteousness, our decisions are based on the world’s messaging. We’re directed by the conglomeration of external influences, whichever messages are impressed upon us the strongest. Lies are lies. Though they take on many faces the results are the same; a spirit lacking in truth, righteous love and peace. We trust what we know, and we make choices on what we know. There is no free will, just decisions manifesting pain.

Two paths, two very different results … which will you serve?

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.


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Grace: A license to sin?

Grace: A License to Sin?

For years, I thought sins (anything contrary to God’s truth and ways), the little ones, were not that big of a deal. I assumed they were a part of life. On some level, I accepted them. On some level I enjoyed them – though it was a false joy proliferating pain. How often do you hear among professing believers, “well, we ARE sinners”, as if it’s an excuse for the little sins we knowingly sow? Whether true or not, after hearing something often enough you begin to believe it.

I “faithfully” trusted God’s grace to cover me and believed it would somehow negate the ramifications of those little sins that didn’t seem that big of a deal. (Though my life proved differently, which I refused to acknowledge.) Subconsciously, I assumed “I’m forgiven, this hardship can’t be happening because of those little insignificant sins” so I never learned. More than any other, we are best at deceiving ourselves. Further, for conscious sake, we often don’t call those little sins what they are, but they are covered in excuses, justifications, rationalizations … basically self-deception.

How many of us trust God’s grace to cover the sins of:

Not seeking God as He instructs us? Amos 5:4
Not pursuing His wisdom and understanding? Proverbs 4:7
Relying on our own strength and wisdom of the world to get us what we need? Psalm 147:10, Isaiah 31:1
Not loving God with all our heart, soul and mind as we neglect to spend time with Him and deeply get to know Him one-on-one? Mark 12:30
“Loving” others in a way that is really for our acceptance by them, rather than for true love? Mark 12:31

We overlook certain transgressions in the name of grace. This thinking shows we don’t understand God’s forgiveness in Christ and our new life in Him. (Now no one is perfect, obviously. But do we willing accept sins? Do we tolerate them? Or do we fight to live in God’s truth?)

In rebellion to legalism, many warp the doctrine of grace. True, the Old Testament law was fulfilled in Christ. However, there are instructions of God, like those above, that we are to follow, thus still His “law”. Grace doesn’t mean we don’t have to listen and obey our heavenly Father. It means God forgives us, by no action of ourselves, so we are reconciled back to the Him and able to receive His truth, to walk in it, and gain a spirit that is eternally united to Him.

If we truly understand God’s forgiveness and how that allows us to dwell in His presence, that knowledge changes us. We will act on this new understanding by seeking God and learning truth. This truth refashions our minds; preparing us to dwell in oneness with God.

If we really believe something, what do we do? We act on it. Once we truly understand God’s gift of forgiveness, we embark upon a journey of drawing near to God in truth and spirit. We want to know the One who showed us an incomparable love. This is the natural response to truly believing. What would our response be to someone who shows us true love? We would cultivate a relationship with him/her; same with God.

As we grow in truth, our lives are altered by that truth. John 17:17 We are the sum of our beliefs. In time, our lives are purified by the truth of God, and then God establishes His home in our souls. With Him a part of us, we desire to walk fully in His will. We see the little sins for what they are – the top of the stairs leading to the pit. No matter how small or big, anything contrary to God is following a self-will that creates destruction, pain and hardship. But in Him, our will no longer wants to have anything to do with any sin. This is why John said that those of God are without sin – our will doesn’t desire it. 1 John 3:9

If we have the truth abiding in us, will we willingly continue to sin? No. Will we desire complete obedience to God? Yes; an obedience that comes out of knowing and loving Him. John 14:23

It isn’t legalism; it’s love. What we do doesn’t “save” us. God forgave us, so He “saved” us. Seeking and walking in truth is the outcome of our understanding of God’s forgiveness. As God’s truth begins to dwell in us, our desires change because our truth is changing. We want to obey His truths as they are life and love. They aren’t burdensome because they are love and we abound in love with God. 1 John 5:3 It’s a burden when there is no love.

To willingly sin not only shows we aren’t rightly related to God, but also we readily invite a life of destruction, pain and hardship. There are many professing believers who hae been misled about grace and excusing sin and suffering for it, but have been blinded to the cause of their hardships because of the ill-communicated doctrine of grace.

To continue to knowingly sin shows we are foolish and unwise. We reap what we sow. If we sow truth, by following God’s will, we will reap deliverance, joy and love. If we sow lies, by following our self-will, we will reap pain, hardship, and suffering. There is a way to live that prospers our soul and a way that doesn’t. There are spiritual laws and physical laws. God designed us and this world to function in a certain way. When we honor His design, we live in peace; this is the essence of true wisdom. (verses honoring the world’s wisdom that destroys.) As a child of God, these laws still apply. God will not be mocked. Thinking God’s forgiveness is an excuse to go our own way is to mock God. Not a good idea.

Embrace God’s forgiveness given in grace, which enables you to live in unity with Him, by sowing truth and His love in your life. In time, as your beliefs are purged and renewed, you will reap a prospering soul. As you diligently cultivate a relationship with God, you will experience His love; a treasure that far exceeds anything you’ve known.


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Repentance and Grace

Repentance and Grace

 

With the flooding, earthquakes, fires, and tornados, our hearts should be stirring to repentance. Some think they’ve already repented … back in 1989 when they were “saved” and answered that alter call … but let’s ponder deeper …

Repentance is turning completely in the other direction and walking in it. It’s turning from our self-will, which has dictated our lives since birth, to seek and walk in God’s will and let Him dictate our lives. It’s a very deep soul choice between us and God; our way and His. Luke 13:3 Various sins are simply symptoms of going our own way. Therefore, true repentance is going to the source, our self-will, and choosing not to follow it at all, but choosing to follow God. This requires knowing and trusting God; two things that come from diligently seeking Him. Turning from individual sins is important, but they are only the symptoms to a much deeper repentance, a repentance you come to understand as you seek God with all your heart.

Jesus stood in our place and paid the penalty (death) for our sins (going our way instead of God’s) so we didn’t have to. By paying the penalty, He reconciled us back to God so that now we can live in God’s presence. In removing the barrier of sin, He opened the door so we could dwell in unity with God. NOW it’s our part to walk through that door and the journey entails learning of God and repentance. We can’t walk in God’s way when we are walking in ours. We can’t do what we don’t know, thus the need to seek. As we learn God’s ways, we turn from self and turn to God.

Proof of repentance is abiding in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit with the motive to know God, because it shows we are seeking God’s will so we can walk in it. We long to know God so we can walk in His ways and be sanctified to become His living temple. Thus, deep repentance is the response to the gift of grace from Christ.

Because of this gift of grace, for some the compelling need for deep repentance is dampened, when it should be heightened. It was for me. I thought because all sins were forgiven that my obedience wasn’t that big of a deal because I was covered. Yes I should obey, but it wasn’t critical. Therefore, abiding in the Bible wasn’t critical. How misled I was. My lack of desire to obey was a sign something was off; I didn’t bear my cross (crucify my self-will) because I was still following self. Therefore, nothing had really changed. My belief was in vain. Not truly turning from self means there is a lack of understanding of what the sacrifice of Jesus was for.

Luke 14:26 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Coming to understand what Jesus did for us and our falleness is only an acknowledgement of what is. At this point though we may recognize what is, the deep soul choice between following self and following God is still in favor of self. At this infancy of our understanding, we have no idea of the extent in which we follow self verses God.

What should be happening next is an intense journey of individually seeking God to know Him as He is so we can walk in His will. We are to walk through that door that was opened for us by Christ. We are to learn of God from the Holy Spirit given to us by Christ. It’s God’s truth constantly invading our soul that reveals the depths by which we are dominated by self-will. This is the path of sanctification. It’s the natural progression for one who is a child of God. Therefore, if we knowingly continue in habitual sins, we have neglected to understand Christ’s gift.

Repentance isn’t just an acknowledgement that we have sinned against God; it’s the action of turning away from following self and following God. But we can’t follow what we don’t know. This is why God commands that we seek Him and that we abide in His Word, so we can know His ways and walk in them, thus truly repent. This is why abiding in His Word being taught by Him is proof we are on the path of sanctification. John 17:17

Repentance is key and yet sometimes overlooked in the doctrine of grace. God won’t be mocked. What we sow we will reap. Galatians 6:7 Grace and repentance work hand in hand. Repentance is the manifestation of Christ’s gift of grace in our lives. Jesus and the apostles taught repentance and the kingdom of God. Repentance is how we come to abide in the kingdom of God; which is God’s reign in our soul with His will dominating.

If you are truly born of God, you’ll hate sin. You’ll long to walk in truth and love. You will hunger for His Word, so you know His will. You’ll be taught by God. John 6:45 You’ll want to know HIS will not someone’s thoughts on His will. You come to this point of desire through the grace of God showing you the truth. You come to it because you have sought God. Romans 8:29-30

Have you experienced a deep hearted repentance? Not just from various sins but from your self-will? This is true repentance. Are you walking more in truth today than a couple of months ago? Do you have a LOVE for the truth so that your life is moving to living in God’s will? You can only know His will for YOU if YOU personally seek it from Him. It’s a lifetime and daily activity. Seeking His will isn’t doing what your church says or some religious leader; it’s seeking God’s personal instruction in your life.

If you said no to these, get to know God by seeking Him in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit. When you come to know Him, you will want nothing of your self-will and everything of His.

Romans 2:4b that the goodness of God leads you to repentance


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Obedience is Love

Obedience is Love

John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

What would you do for your children and grandchildren? What acts/behaviors would you do for their well-being, joy and safety? What would you do to be closely united to them? Why do you do what you do?

You do what you do, because you love them. This faithfulness to them is an act of obedience. It doesn’t feel like obedience because normally we associate that gritty word with acts we don’t want to do but should. But when it comes to our kids, we want to “do what’s right” because we love them so it doesn’t feel like obedience.

Now take that mindset and apply it to God. We desire to do His will because we love Him. When we know God to a certain depth; His truth, goodness, freedom, peace, rest, joy which are all consumed in love, then we want nothing more than to be united to Him. He is life. He is love. He is the home of our desires. He is our great reward. He is our portion. We desire as much unity as possible, so we strive to walk His paths (obedience) so that we walk with Him.

Love is based on truth; not assumptions or lies because then there is no true bond. It would be all imaginary. Therefore, an aspect of true love is we don’t assume we know what pleases another; we want to make sure we know, therefore we seek. We want to know what brings another joy and delight. We want to know what will foster a deeper purer union. When we do and we act upon that knowledge, then the union solidifies because we are walking within an oneness of will and mind.

When we truly love God or want to love Him, we desire to know Him and His will. We don’t want ignorance, fears or anything else to separate us from Him; therefore we seek. We long to be as close as possible to God even to walk in His footsteps. Therefore we seek the truth of His will in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit and walk in that will. It’s our utmost desire because of the love we feel.

How can we do what we don’t know? How can we know without seeking? If we truly are desiring unity with God we will seek to know Him. We will have a passion and hunger for His truth so we can walk in unity with Him.

As we draw near in truth, we begin to surrender to whatever God’s will may be because of His inherent perfection. We fight any compulsion to hold back because we’ve experienced and know His goodness. When you know His goodness and love, you can let go and trust.

Therefore, obedience is the fruit of love, or love in action. It’s the result of knowing God and His truth finding its home in our soul. If we are seeking a true union with God, then we will desire to obey. Our life will show the fruit of that obedience. Faith (belief in and love of God) without works (walking in His truths) is dead. If there is no fruit of walking in His truth, then the truth isn’t in us.

Salvation comes by grace. A testimony that we understand this gift given to us is obedience. Salvation came from God that we might be united to Him. If we aren’t fostering unity in cultivating a deep and real relationship, we missed the whole point of that saving grace. Our heart to walk the path of life that fosters unity with God reveals our understanding of the grace we’ve been shown. It isn’t self-imposed obedience that anyone could do that testifies to our awareness. It’s the flowing desire to want to obey and walk in God’s truth because that truth is in us. Heart-motivated obedience comes from God’s spirit within us.

If you feel resistance to walking in God’s will, then you simply need to know God deeper. When you seek to know Him with all your heart, soul and mind you will encounter His magnificent love and goodness and in return you will love Him and desire Him to a point of being consumed. Therefore to be united to God in love begins by seeking to know Him personally, deeply. God desires you to be in a bond of love with Him that deepens with obedience. Seek Him in truth by abiding in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit. As you draw near you will know and abide in His love. In time, you will desire to walk in His will because you know of His goodness and that doing so enhances your union with Him.

This obedience is the kind God desires; an obedience driven by love.

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”