by David Brenneman
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 NASB.
Desire is defined as "a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen" as a noun. As a verb it's "strongly wish for ro want (something).
Pursue is defined as a verb is "follow (somone or something) in order to catch or attack them. Also "(of a person or way) continue or proceed along (a path or route).
God's desire in Christ Jesus is an intimate relationship with each of us. The question is what is your desire? It's easily seen that Jesus pursues each person who lives. The choice is to each to believe and accept what He's offering in Himself or to reject it.
Jealous is defined as an adjective as "feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages" It's interesting that even the online dictionary even includes this: "(of God) demanding faithfulness and exclusive worship.".
David Crowder Band has a song called "How He Loves Us". The intimacy that God desires with each of us is more than our finite minds can grasp. The yoke Jesus spoke of IS easy and IS light. What might that be? Micah 6:8 NASB "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord (Jesus) require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Hmm there that is again. First we saw in Galatians "walk by the Spirit" now we see in Micah "walk humbly with your God".
Consider these in light of Matthew 12:7 "But if you had known what this means: 'I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent." Again in 9:13 of Matthew "Now, go and learn what this means: 'I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.".
What motivates you in what you do? Personal success? Success of your company for which you either own or work for? Your image as presented to the world? Your will being done on Earth? Is your life seen as what you are doing in this world or is it seen with these verses in mind? Does the world see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven because of them? I only go where the Spirit is leading me to write, connecting dots as He illuminates them for me to see. This is powerful stuff!
What is motivating you as you get your coffee, your tea, or whatever you drink to start your day? Are you looking for the approval of men or of God? Are you seeking people to think more highly of you because of your degree's and successes than you ought? Scripture says in Romans 12:3 NASB "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.".
Are you seeking the favor of men or of God? If the unabashed truth were to be engraved on your tombstone, would it read something shameful or would it reveal that your heart walked with God? By that unabashed truth, I define that as meaning how would God put it on your tombstone? Not as defined by man but by God.
We read also in Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.".
When words come out of your mouth, are they God honoring or self honoring in their intent and purpose? Jesus gave a gauge to go by for people in the last days.
"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unhholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these." 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NASB.
Further think on that passage as referring to those IN THE CHURCH, those CLAIMING to be Christians who really are not. "I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or the idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world." 1 Corinthians 5:10 NASB.
Is your will being seen by the world or is God's in you by whom you claim to be walking? I saw a thing on Facebook the other day that said that no matter how far away from God you may think you are, you are only 1 step away from coming back to Him.
That list of people in the last days DID describe very clearly the Pharasee's and Sadduccee's of Jesus's day. It also describes people of today. Go figure. The Word of God is relivant in any time period. Hebrews 4:12 NASB "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.".
Take your motivations and use that lense to look at them. What would the word of God say about your motivations today? Of how you've lived your life?
We who are in Christ are to put off the old self and put on the new. "That, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth." Ephesians 4:22-24 NASB.
People who claim to be Christians are often those who give Christianity a bad name. Our lives are to reflect the work of Jesus in us. In Christ there is no separation of thoughts and abstractions between the world and God. That same God is to be God over all in Christ Jesus. You should NOT be one kind of person outside of the body of Christ on a Sunday or Saturday, whenever you attend Church and yet become someone else outside of it. If you are at work, you are still Christ to the world around you just as much as you are Christ to those around you at Church. If you're even running a company, God will expect you to run it as though you were doing it for Him and not for yourself or your own interests and successes.
In your personal time, are you at all times, honoring God with your thoughts and words? We are a people, regardless of nation, that justifies tearing people down. The most popular video's are those that cause great embarrassment and ridicule of others. People enjoying the discomfort of others. During sporting events we justify tearing apart someone whom my Bible says God died for. There's no excuse for degrading, berating, belittling, others because of a game. None. If the word of God is powerful enough to impact the soul and spirit, our words about others and towards others can be powerful too.
It's a battle of who's will is being done. Ours or God's in our lives. It's an easy thing to look at if we're going to be honest with ourselves. Look at what you collect. Look at what happens to your thoughts. Look at what you do concerning others.
How He Loves Us - David Crowder Band
"He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of the sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of the sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves
He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves
And we are His portion, He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by teh grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way
He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves
Yeah, He loves us
He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves
He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves
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