John 8:47 NLT
Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
I read some verses that bring joy to my heart and strike fear in my heart at the same time. This is one of those verses.
There is no doubt in my mind that I am a Christian. I’m not perfect, but I am brought back in line quickly by God’s Word when I wander off the path that God lays out in front of me, and I repent often. If you need proof, ask my wife, I call her right away after doing something that does not line up with God’s Word. And I call often.
About 5 years ago, I picked up the Bible to read every day, and I promised myself that I would never put it down again. I had read the Bible off and on since I was 8 years old but never stayed with it consistently until 5 years ago when I made that promise to myself.
About 6 months into that promise, I found myself at the lowest point in my life to the point where I considered ending it all. But I did something at that time that I never did before, and I called for help, something I would have never considered doing before that; see, I thought that I had all the answers.
I called my father, who was smart enough to hand the phone to his wife, who pointed me to Celebrate Recovery, a program in the church that I had been going to off and on for about 9 years.
I went, and I started working on the program that is based on the solid foundation of God’s Word. The beatitudes are the principles that the program is based on, principles that will help anyone bridge the gap from any hurt, habit, or hang up if they are willing to submit to God’s Word.
John 8:51 NLT
I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”
It’s not only about knowing God’s Word, but it is also always about living in obedience to these words that make all the difference.
Our Pastor says all the time, “We know that we know when we live it out in our lives.”
Until it manifests in our lives, we need to bring this to Jesus and ask Him to help us learn it.
An easy check for this is the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
If we are struggling with any of these attributes, we need to isolate the cause down to what we are doing that we need to stop doing or start doing to be right with God so that we start to see the fruit.
And the thing here is that it is not the outside circumstances or other people that need to change for us to experience this fruit; it is a change in us that needs to happen to experience this fruit.
This is hard work but work that will bring about unspeakable joy into our lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Romans 12:12 NLT
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
John 16:24 NLT
You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
Jesus said that we should count the cost.
Luke 14:33 NLT
So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
We need to give up our old feelings, our resentments; we need to lay these things down at the feet of Jesus Christ.
But this hard work will produce the joy that surpasses all understanding.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Let it dwell richly in my heart, let it affect my attitudes, and change the way I look at others around me.
Let it open my eyes to how I can compassionately lay my life down for those that You put into my life.
I thank you for the desire to seek You out, and I pray that You give me the courage and desire to live Your Word out in my life.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
It is all about living that word. If our life does not reflect the word then we are living like the word.