“One
thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in
the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in His temple” (Ps 27:4; KJV).
King David’s primary desire was an intimate
relationship with God; this he sought. In Psalms 42 verse 1 David says his soul
panted and thirsted for God (Ps 42:1). It’s no wonder God could call David a
man after his own heart (Acts 13:22). Do we have the same priority as David? Do
we have the same relationship with God?
I
love the verse in the New Testament where Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, mesmerized
by and focused on the Lord and his every word (Luke 10:39). Think what
relationship we can have with God now, David had the Spirit on him (1 Sam
16:13). We are children of God (1 John 3:2) and we have his Spirit on the
inside of us (Acts 2:4).
Do
we have the same heart cry for relationship with God that David showed in the
Psalms (Ps 84:2)? Do we sit at Jesus feet as Mary did? Paul said that he
counted everything of the world as rubbish (that word can be translated dung)
the he might gain Christ (Phil 3:8).
For
me, the Apostle John captured the relationship God yearns for with us when he (John)
quoted Jesus' prayer for us as believers: "that they all may be one; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the
world may believe that you sent me" (John 17:21; KJV).
How
heartbroken Jesus was when he prayed over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37; the
people rejected His desire for intimacy.
My
desire is captured in Psalm 91:1 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of
the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty"; what about
you?
God
made us in His own image to enjoy and have dominion over the earth (Gen 1:26).
His desire was to have beings like Him that He could fellowship with (Gen
3:8-9) and through which His nature and character could be conveyed to His
creation.
I
love the picture created by Genesis 3:8, where God came to the garden in the
cool of the day to fellowship with Adam and Eve. This is a picture of peace,
love and fellowship; where everything is well and in harmony. God’s desire is
still to fellowship with men and women (1John 1:3).
Sin
broke this fellowship and separated us from God (Isa 59:1-9). Only in our
repenting of sin, receiving forgiveness and asking Jesus into our lives as Lord
and Saviour (Acts 3:19; Rom 10:9-10; AMP) can that fellowship be restored.
As
Christians, God dwells in us (Gal 2:20), He wants to transform us to be more
like Him (Ro 12:2), to bless us (John10:10) and to shine though us to a dead
and decaying world (Matt 5:14-16).
All
we have to do is to surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to mold us and
change us (2 Cor 3:18). As we rest in Him (Matt 11:28-30) and spend time with
Him in His word, fellowship and prayer, His power will transform us (Rom 8:11).
We can become more like Him each day if we will only just take the time!
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God's Fellowship Today
Visit
our website today and see the link to the promotional video for our book: “On
the Way: Basic Christian Training”: www.onthewayinlove.com
“But as it is written, Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor 2:9; KJV).
God has an abundant life for us (John 10:10). That word “life” is the life that
God lives. He wants to bless us, guide us, protect us and use us to take his
light to our world (Matt 28:19).
Christianity is a wonderful
journey, we grow daily but we have our part to play. “If ye abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein
is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”
(John 15:7-8).
God’s word changes us. God
tells us to discipline our thoughts (Rom 12:2), discipline our bodies (1 Cor
9:27; Ps141:3) and discipline our words so we can live and shine God’s life to
those around us.
How do we do all of this? We
need to study His word; our instruction manual for life. If we use our faith that
allows the power of God’s word, the power of the Holy Ghost, to change us. You
build your faith by getting in your bible; reading, meditating and speaking the
word (Rom 10:17; Josh 1:8). The bible tells us we need to be disciplined and to
work at building our faith (John 6:29). Let’s do it; the results are awesome.
Let’s be salt and light in
our world; live the God kind of life and bring that life and love to those
around us.
Here is the link to the
promotional video for our book: “On the way: Basic Christian training” https://youtu.be/ZsxYJaLSX4c
Please pass it on.
Sometimes
it can feel that we are on our own, even though we are Christians. We try to
tough it out down here in our own strength. Situations and circumstances can
arise to try us, but we are not alone. God said He would never leave us or
forsake us and that He is our helper (Heb 13:5-6).
It’s
true that adversity will come our way, we are not immune to it but be
encouraged, Jesus said we have peace in Him and He has overcome the world (John
16:33). Paul told us that God will keep us (2 Tim 1:12), complete what He has
begun in us (Phil 1:6) and that His grace (unmerited favor and power to
succeed) is sufficient for us (2 Cor 12:9).
Nothing
is too hard for God (Jer 32:27). Paul lectured the Galatians for trying to do
things in the flesh and not the Spirit (Gal 3:3). The only work God ever told
us to do is to believe (John 6:29). Believe God is for you, believe He is in
you as the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Rest in God (Matt 11:28), still your mind in
God’s Word (Rom 12:2) and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you. “For to be
carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom
8:6; KJV).
The
Holy Spirit is our comforter (Acts 9:31), (one who pulls alongside to assist,
to strengthen and encourage); He is the power of God to work on our behalf (Rom
8:11). Go to God’s word for your answers; the Holy Spirit will reveal them to
you (John 14:26). “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am
thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isa 41:10; KJV).
Here
is the link to the promotional video for our book: “On the way: Basic Christian
training” https://youtu.be/ZsxYJaLSX4c
What
should be our focus and how should we live as Christians? I have often heard it
said that we can be so heavenly minded as to be no earthly good or so earthly
focused to be no heavenly good.
Colossians
is a good place to start for some answers: “If ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (KJV; Col
3:1-2); well that’s pretty clear.
In
second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 17 we are told to come out from the
non-Christians in the world and be separate; that basically means not to follow
the same life style. But we are not told to leave the world (1 Cor 5:10), we
need to go where the non-Christians are as we are to be Light to them (Matt
5:14).
If
we are to be light, the non-Christians need to see us, need to see our Godly
life style, our good works and especially our love. The word says that God will
show His manifold wisdom to the world through us (Ex 34:14), in other words, we
don’t hide in our homes and churches.
So,
can we have stuff or are we to focus on ministry and have nothing? God says He
will provide all of our need if we seek Him first (Matt 6:33). God is a jealous
God, He wants us and wants to be our focus; as we keep our eyes on Him He will
bless us with an abundant life. (John 10:10). That word life is the kind of
life that God lives and enjoys; wow, that sounds good to me.
Please click on the following link to see a promotional video of our
book: ``On the Way: Basic Christian Training``: https://youtu.be/ZsxYJaLSX4c