Living Light

Stirring The Deep

Tag Archives: Obedience


by 5 Comments

Holiness Leads to Happiness

Holiness Leads to Happiness

Do you believe this truth; holiness leads to happiness?

My life testifies to this truth; though when I look around it’s dismissed by a multitude of lies, as it once was in my life. The main one being you can’t be truly holy AND happy because the path of holiness leads to continual sacrifice, thus suffering and lack. This is the world’s lie, when in reality the opposite is true; holiness leads to happiness. This lie keeps us from seeking it, thus truly seeking to walk in oneness with God and His perfect wisdom that makes our lives a continual feast. Psalm 138:8, Proverbs 15:15  To understand this dynamic of holiness and happiness is a part of knowing the true God.

Purging False Images

To understand this truth and for it to become real in our life, we first have to set aside all images of holiness; cathedrals, nuns, convents, contrived humility/meekness, anything eternal. Mark 7:7-8, 15 Holiness doesn’t come from the external, but internal. It’s of the heart, thus to know it ALL images related to it have to be purged. When we willing offer this clean slate to God; then the deep instruction of God begins. He destroys the lies and replaces them with truth.

What is Holiness?

Holiness =  feeling, thinking and doing what is the most loving and honoring (2 sides of same coin) for ourselves, others and God.

Holiness is the result of an inner transformation of the soul affecting our heart, spirit, and mind. It’s the interworking and result of purity, truth and love that come from being a part of God and obeying God’s truth. We become holy as we obey God’s instruction within our soul; for that is where God communes with us. When we obey we love. We obey when we love God. We obey because God’s ways are love. As we obey we become united to God. Then, holiness shines in us and lights the space around us.

If you continuously abide in pure love for yourself, others and God, what do you suppose the state of your soul will be?

Yes. Happiness.

Brings Abundant Life

Walking in God’s truth, which is obeying His counsel within our soul, is walking in true wisdom. When we act in wisdom, our life is recreated inside and out. Wisdom transforms not only us, but the space around us. It creates a life of inner and outer growing peace, purpose, rest, purity, healing … truly all things that bring abundant happiness and everlasting joy. Christ spirit in us is our wisdom. 1 Corin 1:30, 2 Peter 1:4 His Spirit within us counsels and instructs us in all wisdom, which is the most loving and honoring decision that results in holiness.

Becoming a Vessel of Honor

Once we truly start seeking God, our sin is used for refinement. The consequences of the sin (as an illness, hardship, angst, unrest, stress, etc) present a sign that we are going against God’s will, which we don’t desire for it leads to all those things we don’t want. If we are of God, we desire to abide in love and not have any sin abiding in us. We want purged all that is contrary to God, so we can dwell in perfect unity with Him.  2 Peter 3:11, 13-14 We need wisdom’s rebukes in our spirit so we can walk in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 1:23 As we grow in obedience, which is growing in love; the result is holiness. If we take away honor or love, then we take away holiness and joy.

Happy is he who trusts in God. When we trust we obey. If we trust external things to bring us honor/value/love, we’ll block holiness thus happiness.

Psalm 146:5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Ask God to build this truth in your life. This transformation within your soul is now possible as Christ is making His home in the souls prepared for Him. Rev 3:8, John 10:9 His spirit in us compels, enables, and empowers us to walk in the purest of love. Without His spirit, we can do nothing. With it nothing is impossible. His spirit is the morning star that is now rising in our souls. As we go through this transition, we are becoming a part of God’s house built without hands for Him to dwell in forever. Ephesians 2:20-21

Psalm 144:15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!


by 20 Comments

Defeating Illness

Defeating Illness

 

3 John 1:2  Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

It’s quite straightforward really …

Fear = disease       Love = health

Every time you act in true pure love, you heal. When you act in fear, you proliferate disease.

Many are suffering in the afflictions of illnesses and sicknesses. Healing springs forth when a transformation occurs within. Whatever is the state of your heart; so your life will be. When you think, speak and act out of the pure love of God, then all you are and all around you prospers in blessing, peace, rest, beauty, and loving kindness. When you think, speak or act from any other motive, then you and all around you deteriorates in suffering, illness, hardships, sorrows, and pains. This truth has been given to us from the beginning, yet it’s manifesting more powerfully in these days as truth increases. Proverbs 4:23, Luke 6:45

Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:

The key to vitality is for your truth to be God’s truth. The truth of God is true love and God’s love is the truth. Mark 12:30-31, 1 Timothy 1:5

Whatever your truth, it manifests itself in your life and surroundings. If you are bound in lies that create fear and its subparts: anxiousness, worry, guilt, blame, and anger, then in your life you create what you hate (all the negative outcomes including illness). In seeking and following after THE Truth/love; all that you hate is removed because the sources of it, the lies, are replaced by Truth.

If you are facing sickness and illness; become aware of God’s wisdom speaking to you from within; where He speaks intimately with YOU. No one can listen and find the answers for you. Only the spirit of God can search your soul and reveal your lies that you hold as truth; lies that are destroying you. Others can only confirm what you have heard. Ask for His wisdom regarding your circumstances. Desire to come into HIS truth and have all that isn’t of Him purged from your life. And be aware of the great manipulator; hypocritical love. It can be difficult to see. Romans 12:9

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

As you listen and obey, health will start to fill your soul and body transforming you, inward out.

When a thought or situation arises that causes you to respond in fear, chose to trust in the love of God. When you trust Him in the midst of a situation, (thus you feel a deep letting go and peace), you infuse His power into your circumstance and the outcomes are full of His perfect grace and love. This display of power is also how you know you are trusting the true God. When you truly trust THE GOD, you see His power. Psalm 34:10

When you feel pain within your body; seek God’s counsel to understand its source. Be aware of the acts or thoughts His Spirit within you brings to mind for you to stop and which new ones to embrace. It may be these incorrect thoughts/acts are manifesting the pain or illness. When you obey God and walk according to His perfect love; your obedience creates peace and power in your life across many dimensions.

God has given you all you need for what you seek; His spirit of wisdom/love which longs to commune and be united to your soul. 

John 7:38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”


by 12 Comments

Do to Others, Do to Christ

Do to Others, Do to Christ

 

Matthew 25:40 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

There are two ways we care for the spirit of Christ, the seed of His spirit in us and in others. Matthew 13

What we do to ourselves and others, we do to Christ, for Christ has purchased us with His blood. Acts 20:28 Christ owns us, the vessels holding a soul and spirit, who one day will be united in an oneness to His Spirit and thus a part of His kingdom. Some of us are being currently prepared for this union, thus our once corrupted spirit is being transformed into a spirit like Christ’s. Others are still in the darkness of their corrupted spirit. 1 Corin 3:13-15 But regardless, Christ owns all because one day He will be in all.  1 Corin 15:28 There will be a new heaven and new earth in which no death dwells. Rev 21:1, Rev 20:14. Christ holds the keys to death and Hades and He will set the prisoners free. Rev 1:18, Luke 4:18 Therefore, what we do to ourselves and others we are doing to Christ. Talk about a new framework for viewing yourself and the souls in your life. It’s very convicting. How do you see others; your neighbor, the people who come across your path, family, acquaintances and even enemies? Do you judge them? Or do you love them in truth and spirit knowing the sovereignty Christ has over their souls?

One of the Greatest Gifts to Give

When we truly believe in someone it’s a powerful force in their lives; as you see even among corrupted souls. Now consider the ultimate belief in someone; to be who God created them to be. One of the greatest gifts we can give someone is to believe in their best self; to see beyond the mishaps and corrosion of sin in their lives and see the wondrous creative soul designed and fashioned by God. When we start to view others in this light instead of judging their brokenness, we start to have the eyes of Christ. Eyes longing to love in truth, to help grow and defeat their greatest enemy; their self-will from which all corruption flows. When we see this beautiful seed of a spirit, which is of Christ, in others waiting to express itself through the unique creation in which God made them, it gives us the ability to truly feed, nourish, clothe, and set them free from the prison of their corrupted self-will. HOWEVER, we first have to be feed, nourished, clothed and set free before we can have this glorious vision. For it isn’t ourselves who feeds, nourishes and sets them free, but Christ’s spirit in us touching their souls. With Christ’s spirit, we are part of their watering that helps them become who God intended. 1 Corin 3:6

Bread = truth of God

Drink = spirit of God

Garments = righteousness

Prison = the self-will

Overcoming Judging Spirit with one of Loving-kindness

A judging spirit is contrary to a loving spirit. To see others as Christ, we have to be delivered from the judging spirit and filled with His Spirit of loving kindness.

By default souls are born with a judging spirit because they are born controlled by their self-will and judging is a key characteristic of the self-will. It causes judgment toward themselves and others and it’s a deep vast spirit that penetrates most thoughts far beyond people’s awareness. When it’s always been a part of you, it’s hard to see it for what it is until the light shines upon it. But this judging spirit is not of the spirit of Christ. John 12:47

If this corrupted spirit is so pervasive how are we freed from it? By feeding the seed of the spirit of Christ in us. Christ has put His seed, a seed of His spirit, into the soil, our souls for we are made of dust, to be nourished in water (spirit) and light (truth). The union of spirit and truth births true life.

How do we see others from a spirit of love? First, we feed the seed of the spirit of Christ in us. We feed it words of truth and listen to the promptings of His spirit. As we OBEY and WALK in His ways, that spirit will grow in us. Then we will be able to feed the spirit of Christ in others; for we give what we are. And how we treat ourselves and our own soul is how we truly treat others. This awareness should open eyes to the hypocrisy in our actions. We say we love; yet in our actions we don’t even love (in God’s love) our own souls.

As we feed Christ’s spirit in us by the truth and obeying the truth, it starts to grow and we are transformed. Luke 6:45 This spirit transforms our mind to the mind of Christ, the wisdom of God, and our faith to be fully in God and thus we become new creations. When our spirit and mind are shaped in the spirit of Christ, which is righteous love, then everything about us changes. One key aspect is the judging spirit dissipates because the self-will is dying as we abandon it and walk in truth.

As this spirit grows in us, then it is able to feed, nourish, and help others come out of the prison of their debase mind, for they have the seed of the spirit as well. The Christ spirit in us waters the Christ spirit in others for it is all one. As our spirit matures, we are able to see others as He does with the amazing love and mercy by which He gave His spirit to redeem and save. In that new sight, our heart and actions change to be of love, mercy and honor.

Judging ourselves and others is meaningless vanity that causes massive destruction. Christ came to redeem us. To continue to judge isn’t to trust in His power or what He has done, but to hold onto that which is dying and He came to destroy.

Malachi 2: 10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?

Seek to see and understand this judging spirit in your soul and for it to be purged by the power of God’s grace working in you. This is God’s will and when you come in line with it, it will be done. We can only repent from what we are aware of, and obey what we hear. Seek to be aware and obey God’s promptings of truth. In that process, you will grow and thus the spirit of Christ in you and others will be fed the truth, drink of the spirit, be clothed in righteousness, and freed from the prison of your self-will mind.


by 2 Comments

In the Current of Grace?

In the Current of Grace?

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

GRACE is the POWER of God working in us and in our lives. (Consider: Do you experience the True power of God in your life?)

When we are abiding in God’s grace, there is a current of power that underscores our lives. We abide in an evident fortress and godly favor.

God is power. When there is true power, it’s mighty in the gentlest ways. It’s the power in David and Goliath; in bringing down Jericho with marching and trumpets, in the smallest nation defeating the greatest, and in having a child beyond childbearing years.

Grace is a constant gentle force providing an abundance for each breath we take. The power of God doesn’t parade itself; it simply is. If you are truly in Him, you have this power. It isn’t expressed in a display of weapons and artillery, resources and riches, or the strength of mankind, as the world’s power. It’s far greater, because true power is established in eternal truth.

Grace/power shows itself through our lives: abiding in smooth paths, working in wisdom, acting in loving-kindness without hypocrisy, accomplishing our calling in ease beyond our natural ability, living in victories, receiving the deepest of healing, ruling of peace in our mind and in our lifestyle, transcending hardships/trials, and transforming our reality. Grace consists of a gentle power because it’s true power, and it conquers ALL  when we are in its current.

How do we tap into this gentle yet extremely powerful grace that is abundant for us?

2 Corin 6:1-2 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation

Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Power Comes with Obedience in Love

Paul warns us to not receive the grace of God in vain. What does that mean? The answer is in Hebrews 5:9. If we received grace, we’re growing in righteousness, for this is what it brings. If we receive it in vain, we don’t walk in righteousness, and we are still bound in our sin. 

Romans 5:21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness TO eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In many ways, the understanding of grace has been abused, misused, and thus received in vain. It’s been seen as an expulsion of sin in theory but not in actuality. Grace isn’t to excuse, justify or rationalize sin. It isn’t God turning His head to our sin and looking the other way. Galatians 6:7 It’s the power to ACTUALLY overcome it, to ACTUALLY walk in righteousness.

Grace is the power to obey and walk in righteous love as Christ did, because the grace of God is the power of God in us, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 1:19-20 This power of God transforms our minds and makes us into new creations of righteous loving-kindness. When we receive true grace, we walk in righteousness that leads to eternal life. Acts 15:11, James 1:18, 21

Grace is the gift of God through Christ Jesus. Romans 5:15 In giving us Christ’s spirit, we have the faith and power to move from an existence of death to one of abundant eternal life, because we can walk in true righteousness. Without grace, we could do nothing. With it nothing is impossible. Phil 4:13  In its current, our self-will is defeated, from which all sin flows. Its power overcomes the flesh. In it we abide in the spirit, which is true life.

Abused and Misused

When we neglect to obey God’s instruction of righteousness to us on a very personal level, we are living outside of the current of grace. One note: following God’s voice isn’t following a religion, how others’ say we should live a godly life, a godly image, or compulsion of our self-will. It is following God’s personal counsel and instruction to each one of us each day. Without a listening ear to the counsel of God and walking in that counsel, which are the paths of righteousness, we’ve received grace in vain, thus it lays dormant in our lives.  These lives reflect an absence of true belief/faith, for if it was real, then the act of seeking and obeying in love would follow. James 2:19-20 If we truly believe, we will act in accordance to faith, which is according to God’s will, then the power in our lives is a testimony to our beliefs. James 2:26

Outside of grace, lives are stripped of power and full of suffering and defeat. Instead of growing into a new creation, the prison bars grow in strength. Though mercy may still be evident, the power in constant victory and growing transformation isn’t found. 2 Corin 5:7-9, 11, 2 Corin 5:16-18 If we don’t continually seek to know God in truth and spirit, to hear His voice speaking to each one of us, and walk in His faith, then the grace given to us is received in vain.

Received in Love

To abide in grace, we act in faith as God leads us by that still small voice of power. 1 Kings 19:12-13 Acting in faith is putting our trust fully in the power of God to work in us and through situations. There is tremendous power for those who truly trust God. Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 57:2 To trust God, first, we have to be connected to the true God and not a false image, Galatians 1:6, Jude 1:4, two, we have to listen to Him, and third, we have to obey His leading. If we take the smallest steps of faith/obedience, God’s power works in us in gentle waves that destroy the largest enemies. In His paths of righteousness is life, we have to be walking in those paths, that means obeying Him in love. 2 Peter 3:18

When we are REALLY trusting, our soul is in a state of REST. We’ve let go of the situation and rely on God to work it out through us and for us. When we experience this relinquishing of our self-will along with any other emotion not of trust: fear, anxiousness, or anger; and abide in peace, then we’ve demonstrated we know and trust God. In submission to His care, there is tremendous power because He is faithful to perform all things to those who trust Him. This is living in the current of grace, the power of God made possible by Christ giving us His Spirit.

If we listen and step out knowing the power of God at work in our lives, God does amazing works in our lives that creates a life of the truest praise and worship. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Philemon 1:25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit


by 6 Comments

Path of TRUE Salvation

 Path of TRUE Salvation

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling;

1 Peter 1:15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

Fullness of Salvation

Christ died for all people. 1 Tim 4:10, Romans 5:8 In Christ, all are forgiven and are able to become sons/daughters of God. There is nothing we did to earn this forgiveness. It’s God’s gift to us. Is this salvation?

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

It’s part of salvation. Salvation in its fullness is our souls redeemed from the kingdom of darkness (lies, sin, pain, suffering, torment, death) and brought into the kingdom of light (truth, love, rest, peace, life). 1 Peter 2:9 We are literally delivered from all that torments us, this is salvation. Imagine abiding in complete rest in your soul; no fear, worry, angst, suffering or stress? Imagine being directed by God’s perfect counsel, will and love in every way? This is salvation, abundant life. John 10:10

Salvation is not simply believing Christ is who He is or what He did. Salvation is becoming a part of Him; a truth has been largely neglected because few intently seek for God, which you would do if you understood this truth.

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe–and tremble

What is neglected is true repentance. The demons don’t repent. They know who Christ is and even tremble at His presence, yet serve another master.

People remove the concept of true repentance from salvation, as they remove Lord from Christ who is our Lord and Savior. In both cases, they go hand-in-hand and both are required for eternal life.

True Repentance

In many cases, repentance has been taught to be more of an acknowledgement; an acknowledgement that you are a sinner and you know your ways are wrong and you need forgiveness.

This is an aspect of repentance, but repentance is turning from your ways to God’s – doing a 180 degree turn in your life. God calls us to confess sins and forsake them. This means leaving our ways behind and following God in every area. It’s obedience to His Words, His words to you personally for we all lead our own lives with our own issues and problems.

Obedience by God’s Power

But it’s not obedience by our strength. It’s obedience by the power of God in us. Ephesians 1:19 This is the power of Christ.  This isn’t being legalist. Being legalist is trying to follow rules in our own strength or for our own merit, “to be a good person”.  What God is talking about is us walking in His ways by His power because it’s actually Him working through us. It’s His righteousness pouring through our lives. It’s about becoming one with Him.

Seeking, Listening, Obeying

Our part in this journey is hearing and obeying God’s counsel to us. Because, how can we walk in God’s ways if we don’t know them? If we aren’t seeking? If we aren’t listening? We seek, hear, then obey. It’s His abundant grace that enables us to walk as He desires. 2 Corin 9:8 We need to seek His instruction then draw upon His infinite power available to us through grace to do as He asks. In grace, you can do what you could never do on your own, it’s a true power in your life.

Further, on this journey of purification, we can’t follow our perception of what is good or the image of a good person .. that is following our will. God is the potter not us. We are God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10 Yet many try in their own way to be a good person. They try to be the image of a Godly person instead of letting God direct that path in a very personal way, purging sin and instilling holiness bit by bit.

We are like broken down house. God starts rebuilding on one part and asks us to walk in that piece so it becomes a part of our life. As we do, He moves onto the next. We’re not transformed all at once. It’s a process of renewal. We grow bit by bit. As we learn a truth, His goodness leads us to repent, then the lie is purged, the truth instated, and it becomes our reality because it is our truth. Then God moves onto the next area. As we do we begin to leave the kingdom of darkness and move into His kingdom of light.

If we are following our will, we will be trying to walk in one way, like not complaining, and fail because God hasn’t worked on that part yet.  In doing what we think is right, we aren’t listening to Him and we don’t have the power to act as we desire. He gives us power to walk as HE builds. Because it’s God working in you, He determines the path in what, when and how. This is another reason why God needs to be the Teacher in our lives. Matthew 23:8. He knows exactly what we need to learn and when and in the process of HIM teaching us, He changes us.

We are forgiven, but now we are to seek God, listen and follow.  This is why it says to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

To be continued …


by 10 Comments

The True Sabbath Rest

The True Sabbath Rest

God saves and His Word sanctifies. John 17:17 Our part in this redemption and renewal is to believe in His Word, truth and promises. When we do (which is faith), we truly rest. Thus faith precedes true rest. You can’t rest without faith, thus the importance of gaining truth, which leads to faith. Romans 8:12

Here is the balance … our good works don’t sanctify us, God does. The true good works testify to our sanctification.

Because most of us struggle with sanctification without works, God designed a potent instruction tool, the Sabbath. God established the law of the Sabbath as a picture and foreshadowing of entering into this ultimate rest. On the Sabbath the Israelites were commanded not to do any work. The consequences of not honoring this day were severe. In Numbers 15:32-36, on the Sabbath, a man was gathering sticks; a seemingly low effort and harmless task. His penalty? Death. The Sabbath law was not to be taken lightly. Exodus 31:14

God established this day to teach and remind us that He sanctifies us and not our works. “Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” (Ezekiel 20:12) If we try even with the smallest effort, like picking up sticks, we are going against the will of God. This requirement of rest pointed to Christ who would be our eternal rest and free us from having to earn our righteousness by the law. He, the Word of God, became our rest and when He dwells in us, we become holy. We are to accept what He has done and rest in grace. We all fall into the performance trap, but the question is in what race are we trying to run, of works or grace? Yet, grace doesn’t negate obedience, it leads to it. If we have the truth we will live by it, but not because we are trying to become righteous. We already are, but because it’s life, unity with God, truth and love. It’s who we are because we are in Christ and have the mind of Christ. True obedience is the result of Christ is in us.

From the severity of the consequences of the Sabbath Law, we can see how important learning and abiding by this truth is to God. It’s critical to our spiritual survival to rest from attempting to earn our righteousness. If we try to live by the law then that is how we will be judged. If we break one iota then we have broken it altogether and we are accountable. The man who picked up sticks was put to death. It’s all or nothing. And no one can fulfill the whole law. We are human and we will fall short. This path, which the majority of the world attempts to walk, has one end, death. If your hope is in being a good person, good luck. Conversely, if we live by grace then we are judged by grace, and we abide in freedom and perfect assurance of our salvation and sanctification.

Most of us trust Christ with saving our souls but when it comes to sanctification we intervene. If the core motivation to our actions is to earn a high ranking in His kingdom or make us more worthy then our trust is in the wrong place. It’s clear by the consequences of breaking the law that God doesn’t tolerate us attempting to sanctify ourselves. Resting means we trust God to sanctify us alone. When we rest, our trust is fully in God, not ourselves.

Before I have to you completely shaking in your flip flops, let me remind you God’s mercy abounds to those who seek to trust Him. God knows that believing is a process because He created it that way. But are you working to believe in His work in you or are you busy earning your worthiness?

Christ fulfilled the Old Testament law, but what about the instructions of the New Testament? The Word tells us love others, pray for others, and use our gifts for the benefit of those around us. Christ fulfills these too by working in and through us. We have tremendous freedom, dear friend. This rest is the simplicity, beauty, and grace of the gospel. These instructions are the work and fruit of His Spirit within us. They are the results of being attached to the vine, Christ. These actions pour out of our souls when the Spirit is in us thus it’s not of our own efforts. A tree doesn’t work to gain fruit. It’s the outcome of the roots being in rich soul. Good works don’t come from our efforts; they are the results of us abiding in Him, stirring the deep, and Him working in us. The instructions of the New Testament are the fruit that we should see sprouting up in our lives because we are in Christ. Our part is to rest in what He will do in us in His timing as we abide in truth. Our work is to believe. John 6:29

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

When we are truly abiding in Christ Jesus, our motives aren’t to earn anything; we do what we do because that is our desire coming from His Spirit within. We do what we do out of love. Dwelling in this truth keeps our motives pure. Pride and haughtiness remain at an arms length because it’s of Him and not us. It’s to our shame if we trade our glory that should be in God for glory in our works. He is our confidence not what we do.

The constant temptation is to prove, earn or work because it appeases our needs to feel worthy and good. Our worth and goodness are defined solely in Christ. Our focus is to be on abiding in His truth, and fruit, sown in love, will be the outcome. Further, we can’t be hung up on some protocol of what a follower of God does because often God wants us doing something else at that moment. We are to follow His Spirit every moment, not what we think He wants, but what He is whispering in our ear.


by 8 Comments

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.”


by 6 Comments

Drawing Close to God

Drawing Close to God

The ultimate choice we have to make is between following God and following self. Following God leads to eternal life and following self leads to death. To be in unity with God, we have to turn from our self-will (true repentance) and follow God’s will. In following God we seek to do only His will, just as Jesus did. John 5:30 But we don’t know God’s will unless we seek to know – thus why God tells us to seek and live. Amos 5:4 When following self we do what we think is good and right – whatever it is.

To learn about God through the Bible a similar approach must be taken in order to draw near to God in truth and spirit – we have to deny self.

God tells us to believe in Him. The Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit is a gateway to deeply knowing God so we can believe in Him as He is. This venue isn’t everyone’s; for we are all unique. But it is a part of my journey, and for you who feel called to this thought-provoking venue will resonate with my journey.

Reading the Bible isn’t about learning “techniques of good living” to then fulfill our own purposes and desires. We have to let go of all our self-will in coming to God in order to really know God and for Him to be our Lord.

There are three areas of denying our self-will when abiding in the Bible in order to learn about God, thus draw near in truth and Spirit.

The first area is in regards to making time to seek God. It’s putting abiding in the Bible to be taught by the Holy Spirit as the priority. Consider all the times you’ve put something above spending time with God, when God has told you to seek Him first. Matthew 6:33 Times you choose to sleep in, attend to another person, do a task, or get consumed in work. At those times, YOU are deciding what is more important versus doing what GOD has told you to do – love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, to put Him first, and to diligently seek Him. This choice to do what you want is following your self-will. When you continue this pattern, deep down you think you know better, otherwise you would do what God says. So who’s will is dominating in you?

The second area is who you focus on when you do abide in the Bible. To get to know God through the Bible, you have to set your needs, wants, and expectations aside and focus on God. If you read the Bible with the mindset and motive that is focused on you, then you aren’t denying self, you are putting self first. You are putting your self-will and what you think the time in the Bible should be about above seeking to know God. Instead of saying, God, what do you want to teach me? What do you want me to know about you? It’s always about fixing you, searching for a certain answer, or preparing for a Bible study. Whose will is in control at this point?

If your interactions with your spouse were always about you, you would learn very little about her/him. There would be no true intimacy or bond. You would do what you thought that person wanted, but you really wouldn’t have a clue. You haven’t sought to know him/her intimately because every interaction has been about you. Therefore you wouldn’t have a real relationship, certainly not a healthy one. With God it’s the same. We have to realize we don’t know God unless we individually seek to know Him. Until we do we have a false image of Him, which means we have a false relationship. It’s necessary to seek Him while putting ourselves aside to know Him as He is. Then we’ll start to develop a real relationship.

The third area has to do with conforming the Bible to your beliefs versus the Bible molding your beliefs. It’s realizing that you have filters and ways of viewing God and the Bible that are wrong. That you hold ideas that you think are “truth” but aren’t. When you come to learn of God, you have come with a humble heart which is willing to receive and hear anything God may teach you instead of trying to fit the Bible to your paradigms. If you think you already know, you don’t really seek. You conform what you read and hear to what you already believe. If you think you already know then who are you following when you abide in the Bible?

In order to know God through the Bible, there is a choice to make, God or self. It’s a prelude to the ultimate choice of choosing Him in everyway over our self-will.

The way to life is choosing God. The only way for the Bible to be unsealed to you so you can draw near to God in truth and spirit is to choose God in these areas. If you don’t deny self when coming to the Bible to be taught by the Holy Spirit, then you are reading for your own purposes and goals based on what you think is good. Your will is in control. This is how the Pharisees could know the scriptures, but be totally off. They used them to fulfill what they determined was right and good.

God has to be first. He is Lord. He can’t be second.

One side note, letting go of self-will isn’t about losing your identity. It’s coming to the understanding that God’s will is good and leads to true life and therefore that is what you want to do. If you were walking through a dense forest and you had a guide with you who knew the best and safest way to get through it, what would you do? You would follow him. Same with God. God knows the path to life. We walk with Him when our will is submitted to Him because then we are walking in His footsteps. The journey leads us to what we’ve always truly and deeply desired, because God is that good.

Tomorrow when you sit down to learn about God through the Bible consider these three areas. Ask the Spirit to examine your heart; are you really making this about God and seeking Him or about you?


by 13 Comments

Rewards for Foolishness

Rewards for Foolishness

God will not reward foolishness.

No good father does.

We’ve all seen the scenario of a child acting up in the store and to assuage him the parent lets him have some M&Ms from the check out stand. What does that teach the child? Act up and get rewarded! Thus, the cycle begins. Can you imagine if God did that with us?

A more knowledgeable parent or perhaps a more patient one doesn’t encourage bad behavior and neither does God. God won’t reward us for our foolishness, but for our obedience. Our foolishness hurts us and others so God won’t reinforce it. Instead, we experience the discomforts of our actions instead of reward. Yet, because of His mercy, God keeps us from the full onslaught of the consequences we’ve manifested. He allows as much discomfort as we need to get our attention for the areas He wants to address in our lives. Psalm 107:17, Psalm 119:71

The discomforts (like physical aliments, trying situations or relationships, physical hardships) are to get us to seek. When all is good, we don’t ask. It’s when things go wrong that we start looking for answers. Our discomforts are often a sign we are somehow out of line with God and His will for us.

We chose to be either rebellious children living in a world of affliction because we are not heeding His Word and instruction in our lives. Or to be children who seek to walk in accordance with God’s will because it’s a path of truth, freedom, and love. Obedience is our wills coming in line with God’s so that we start living in the fullness of abundant life He desires for us. As our wills align, we gain unity with God. We live as one with Him in truth, love and purpose. Proverbs 13

Obedience isn’t about forgiveness. We are already forgiven now and always in Christ.

Obedience isn’t about being “good”. No one is good but God. Obeying God’s commands is about walking in God’s will. The moment we focus on trying to be a good person, we act according to our expectations and assumptions about what good means. Because we think we know what good is, we cease to seek God’s will in all things. Instead, we are following our definition of good thus our will, which is limited and often different than God’s. The essence of religion is people trying to be good, according their definitions. It’s easier to follow a set of rules verses seeking and listening to know God’s will day to day, but following rules doesn’t bring abundant life – drawing near to God does. True Christianity is about being in unity with God’s will. Big difference. Obedience is about the heart. If you are in line with God’s will in your heart, the right actions will follow.

Obedience isn’t about US taking control and making things right. It’s about God working in us. For Him to work, we have to submit. For a doctor to do surgery we have to submit to his work. We can’t be running around the hospital. Once we know God’s will for us in a situation, then our focus changes from moving forward our way to His. Part of our submission comes through prayer. Our prayers start to align to His will, and that is when our prayers become powerful. John 15:7

When I have a discomfort like an affliction in my spirit or a physical aliment, I seek. I seek God’s instruction and He opens my eyes to see my error. God doesn’t want us in affliction. He rewards a seeking heart with enlightenment and truth. Usually, it’s something I’ve justified to such an extent that I don’t see it as going against God’s will. But as I seek because of the rising discomfort, the Spirit points it out so clearly that I can’t deny my error. As a child of God, I desire to walk in God’s way. So upon knowing my error, my heart is moved to walk in His truth.

Though I desire to walk in God’s will, it can be hard to obey. We do what we do for a reason; approval, fear, self-protection, or lack of trust. So God also has to deal with this aspect of our rebellion as well. He has to go the source of why we do what we do, not just the outward actions. If you don’t fix the source nothing is fixed. Thus, obedience is a process. It’s a deep work of the heart and that takes time.

Because it’s about the heart, and it’s God who changes our heart, our part is to seek God’s work in us. Our role is to be willing to submit our will to God. To lay down on the surgeons table; to take the small steps of obedience as He leads us; and to pray in line with His will. Because a changed heart isn’t easy, we will never be more dependent upon Him, His strength and mercy. We have to depend on God to carry us through. We have to depend because it’s His work, not ours.

One area for many of us is a change in heart toward another. Can we just change our heart? Have you tried? I find I can’t in my own strength, but I’m not meant to either. My duty is to come to God and desire to submit and pray. I pray before each encounter with that person. I pray for a new perspective about them. I pray for God’s love to abound in me. And above all I trust in His work in me and His grace to carry me through.

Obedience is a process – an affliction or discomfort happens, we seek to understand, the Spirit reveals our error, we submit to God’s will, we pray according to that will, God works through our issues that cause such actions, and we start walking in His will. It’s a journey, but it’s the path to life. I’ve walked through this process in enough areas in my life to know it truly does lead to a more fulfilling, freeing, and loving existence.

Don’t ignore the discomforts or explain them away or think that is just life – seek. Deeply seek and listen as you spend time in God’s Word and prayer. Let God peel back the layers of your soul to expose the truth of your heart and actions because only then can your will start to align with His. As your will aligns with God it begins a sequence of events to bring on a change that will move you out of the discomfort and into the reward. Hebrews 11:6


by 24 Comments

Obedience is Freedom

Obedience is Freedom

Freedom

 

There are many paradoxes when we dive into the realm of understanding the spiritual dynamics of life. Here is another one.

The other day at the beach there were two dogs reminding me of a valuable lesson in life; obedience is freedom.

The first one was playing catch with his owner running into the cool ocean waves and retrieving his favorite ball. Highly trained, he obeyed each command his owner gave. Running, jumping, leaping, bounding, wagging his tail, and grinning ear to ear, he was having the time of his life.

The second dog was on a short leash. Pulling so there was no give, he drove forward trying to escape the bondage – if only he could run free! He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t free, so he pulled and pulled. However, unbeknown to him, he would never have what he was striving for. He wasn’t in control despite his efforts – his owner was. With his arm about to come out of the socket, the owner pulled back. The dog went one way and he another. Frustration covered the owner’s face, shaded by disappointment. He wanted to let his dog off the leash, but he couldn’t – because he wouldn’t obey his voice. So the battle warred on, the dog pulling in one direction and the owner in the other as they plowed through the sand. No one looked happy about the arrangement. The owner’s eyes revealed his thoughts – if only his dog would listen, what freedom he would have.

In our relationship with God, we can be like either of these two dogs. We have the perfect owner, who is ready to teach and train us so we can live a life of freedom and enjoyment, but we chose either to listen and follow our Lord’s voice or not listen and push forward going nowhere. The first way leads to immense freedom, joy, and living as we desire. The second leads to limitations, frustrations and never obtaining what we long for. Like the dogs, we either run toward our Lord in freedom and delight or away in bondage and frustration.

Obedience brings freedom. Because the first dog listened to his owner and the owner could trust him to listen – he had immense liberties. He could run unleashed, frolic in the ocean, and play with his ball. When the owner called, the dog listened and followed. He was granted freedom because there was a bond of trust. The owner trusted him to listen and he trusted his owner to lead. As a result of his obedience, he lived the life he wanted to and enjoyed an incredible bond with his owner along the way.

But the second dog didn’t listen and chose to go his own way; therefore he didn’t have any true freedom. He thought he was moving closer to having his freedom by all that pulling, but it was leading nowhere. There was no trust on either end. Therefore, there was no deep bond, and the owner and the dog missed out enjoying a rich life together.

The gift and secret of obedience is that it’s really about desire. When you know that God truly wants your best and happiness then you can trust Him and follow where He leads. When the first owner walked down the beach – the dog followed close behind. The dog delighted in following his master because he knew it led to what he wanted – a rich close relationship with his owner, freedom, and enjoyment of life.

In the same way, when we trust God and know He desires our best, we want to follow Him. Our obedience is our desire. From past experiences, we have learned our ways lead to bondage and His ways to freedom. In choosing His way, we experience a close bond with God, freedom and enjoyments in life. On the other hand, if we don’t know and trust Him we won’t follow Him. We will believe we know better and as a result we won’t live in the freedom we could and we won’t have the life we could – the life we truly desire. The second dog has no idea the extent of what he is missing – and it is a great deal.

God is good. He delights in giving us good things and freedoms just like the first owner, who had a huge smile as he watched his dog have the time of his life. The only way to a rich abundant life is following Him and listening to God’s voice. Obedience is freedom.

Which dog are you? Are you enjoying a strong close bond with God playing with Him in the ocean waves, or are you pulling away thinking you know better, missing on a relationship with Him and suffering for it?

Proverbs 16:20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.

Bookmark and Share