Sunday, January 22, 2012

Who My God Is and How This Affects Me



My God knows exactly what He is doing, has done, and will do.

My God does not limit His work to my understanding. My God (though not the author of sin) has power over evil itself ~ the devil must ask Him permission to do anything! (Job 1; Is. 45:7) My God is at the same time fully good and unable to sin. Sin cannot so much as stand in His presence (Ps. 130:3). My God ~ knowing that I can do nothing good on my own ~ commands me to be holy as He is holy (Lev. 20:7). This command has to do with every part of my life ~ how I treat others (believers & unbelievers); how I spend my time; how I use my abilities; how I talk, dress, and act. Obedience? Only by the complete control of the Holy Spirit.

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" (Eph. 1:5,6).

He calls me to obey this command [be ye holy] not as a means to grace and the gift of eternal life (attained only through Jesus' blood) but as a result of His gracious gift. He made me for the purpose of being a living testimony of His love to all I meet.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).

My God gives me all that I need to obey Him.

"his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..." (2 Pet. 1:3)

My God is always the same and has the same plan from beginning to end.

He is worthy of my complete trust ~ the acknowledgement of my utter dependence on Him.

My God is the only One worth living for.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

To Be Wanted



It's amazing to think about how the deepest longings of the soul are a reflection of the longings of God Himself. Like the desire to be wanted....we all want to be accepted, to be needed, to be wanted. Everyone craves to security of knowing he/she is worth something to someone. The Lord knows we need Him - even if we don't acknowledge this need. But to be wanted, He allowed the Fall. He led His chosen people through the wilderness to a new land, then into captivity, then home again over and over. All the time calling them to follow Him, yet never forcing them to. He loved them faithfully, yet allowed them the choice of whether or not they would love Him.They chose not to, and He desired them still. This loving Father then sent His Son to live and to die for all mankind that He might justly woo us to Himself.
God wants you & me to want to love Him.

Our desire to be wanted is tainted by our sin nature. We are selfish. Yet the King of Love allowed us some small inkling of how a perfect relationship should work. This desiring is not about having one's own needs filled. Remember, God doesn't need anything in us. It is about loving the other person. We all want to be accepted by other people. It feels good to be needed. It gives us something to live for, to look forward to - it gives a sense of purpose. God doesn't need any of those things from us! But He loves us and wants us anyway!

Enough to blow your mind???

Do you want to be wanted? Jesus Christ wants you more than any human ever could. He will never stop wanting you. He will fill your deepest needs.

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:12-13).