Open Up

Open Up

by David Brenneman 

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 NASB 

Thinking on this verse of the day from Biblegateway, it took me to remembering a few other passages. One being the great passage in Ephesians 6, where we read of putting on the whole armor of God. That one and where Paul wrote of that we battle not against flesh and blood, that the war is ongoing in the Spiritual world.  

This physical world is going to have an end. It's woes will will eventually be done away with. We will indeed see the victory of God in our lives and the lives of others if we but look.

As a line from a song goes, we shouldn't formed by feelings, but hold fast to what is true. If it puts me in the fire I'll rejoice because you're there too.  

Thoughts and emotions will often trip us up. It doesn't take much. In Exodus in their first times being near the Lord, Israel was panicking by what their eyes were seeing and their ears hearing. One of the first things that the Lord told them NOT to do is one of the first they do end up doing. Making an image of gold to worship of something on the Earth. Something to physically see that would get their love and devotion. Something essentially from the darkness of this world that is a rejection of the light that the preincarnate Jesus was to be to them and what He had spelled out in the 10 Commandments. 

Do you view your life at all from a Spiritual perspective? Do you consider what you are doing from God's point of view? Are you at all concerned for those in the harvest that Jesus said to pray for help in going out into? Those in Christ aren't to fill out a resume and tell God what we are going to do. We aren't to tell God we are choosing where we are going to serve. There is no "career day" with God where we shop around for employment where we see ourselves in the years to come. 

We are set in the body of Christ when we are saved in Christ Jesus as the Spirit sees fit. That calling of God is irrevocable as said in Paul's book to the Romans. We aren't to quit at our calling because of others nor of ourselves. We aren't to use excuses of being hurt for ceasing the work that the Spirit has us doing. We likewise should not use success as a gauge for going into a different direction either. We are admonished to be sure of our calling in Christ Jesus and stand fast in it. Success is a deceiver at times. We easily can be lead astray by popularity or money. Thinking those things are more than they are. 

Do you look at your life through Spiritual eyes? With regard to the Spiritual impact of your physical decisions? Are you intentional about your walk, your relationship with Jesus? Have you given in to worldly success and its perks and have stopped doing what you were called to be doing in Christ?  

Those who are saved in Christ Jesus have 

been given a job to be doing in the body of Christ. Our responsibility is to be obedient in it. Joseph was one who remained obedient to living right before the Lord no matter his physical circumstances, even in success. We repeatedly read of the Lord being with him.  

First, be sure of your calling in Christ Jesus, by way of knowing for sure that you are saved. Then, find out what it is that the Spirit wants you to be doing, then do it with your everything. Don't look at what you're called to be doing as you doing it on your own. In Christ means He's there with you. Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

If you haven't given your life to Christ, no amount of works will gain you favor with Jesus. He eventually will tell you to depart from Him for He never knew you. Salvation is always the first step.  

Isaiah, after being forgiven and now seeing with clear Spiritual eyes readily volunteered "Here am I! Send me!".

Open up your eyes and see the Spiritual world around you. Pray for discernment in what you do and when you should do it. Pray for you to be ready to obey when the Spirit prompts you to go and do. Even if the world calls you crazy for doing so. 

Let today begin a better chapter of your life.