by David Brenneman
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
Do you give your best towards your relationship with Jesus? Half-hearted isn't what Jesus provides towards all...He gave His all for all.
"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." Proverbs 3:5-6.
There's that word all again.
What is provided? "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
There's that word all again.
All is what we're to bring to the table in our relationship with Jesus. Truth is so many people struggle because they have not brought all of themselves to the foot of the cross. Truth is they really believe the wrong thing about a real relationship with Jesus.
The Disciples gave their all towards their relationship with Jesus as their Master and Lord.
"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25.
When the Lord Jesus saved the fleeing people of Israel from Pharaoh...He was developing their trust in Him and not what their eyes were seeing.
Jesus had better be more to you and I than just "the man upstairs". More than someone we call on like roadside assistance. He isn't our butler. He isn't our genie in the bottle. He's not there to give us our every whim.
He left His Spirit to seal us in the name of Jesus Christ. He left His Spirit to teach us all things and to bring to remembrance all that He commanded. His goal being to transform us from our lowly estate into the likeness of Christ. Romans 12.
The children of Israel were told to write down the words of the Lord and keep them with them wherever they went.
Our best efforts without a relationship with Jesus aren't going to get us anywhere. No one comes to the Father but through Him.
No one will enter Heaven without a right relationship with Jesus. That He is the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life.
If what He wants of you is a deeper relationship with you, shouldn't you want the same?
Shouldn't you be finding time to be in prayer?
Shouldn't you be finding time to be in His Word, the Bible?
Shouldn't what is important to Him be important to you?
He is far more interested in your sanctification than your happiness.
2 Thessalonians 4:3a "This is the will of God for you, your sanctification".
If what God's wanting of you and for you is that, shouldn't you want it too?
Jesus does not want your leftovers. To be honest that's an insult to our Holy God that we would do that to Him who died and arose again to save us.
He wasn't at all comfortable on that cross. He wasn't wanting to be separated from His Father. He didn't really want to leave Heaven in the first place. But He did all that for each of us.
A life in Christ isn't going to be like anything we know because we're learning it as we grow and go. As we grow in Christ we do more in Christ. What you are capable of doing for Jesus today isn't what you were capable of doing years ago. That's the work of God in Christ Jesus for you.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10.
God has a plan for you, are you living it? If you know what it is, are you giving your best to see it through? Or have you been avoiding it?
"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord" Jeremiah 29:11-14a.
Do you seek Him with all your heart? Are you giving your best towards your relationship with Jesus? Are possessions more important to you? Are experiences more important to you? Are even people more important to you?
If you truly believe "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 then what's holding you back?
Give your best and see what Jesus will do. Take that extra time to be reading your Bible. Take those moments you have to talk to Jesus with honesty. Seek the Lord.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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