Thursday, 01 September 2022
“But whoever habitually keeps His Word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of GOD has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:” – 1 John 2:5 AMP
There are very few things in life that GOD asks of us that are easy. Most, if not all, of what GOD wants from us requires that we die to self and follow Him with everything we have. When we receive Christ we believe that we are in Him and Him in us but a time will come when our character is tested, and only then will we know of what stuff we are made of. Will we still keep going and keep His Word and precepts, when life is beating us down and when we are offended and hurt? Or will we choose the old path of comfort, where living in the flesh and choosing the self is more ideal? Being in Christ is not about lip service. It must be demonstrated by being able to stand no matter what comes.
We are quick to think that satan is after us whereas some of what we experience is GOD building our character. GOD cannot and will never use anyone who lacks character especially because those GOD uses will ultimately be responsible for souls. GOD cannot risk His people being broken by those who have no regard for His Word, or lack obedience. “But even though He was GOD’s Son, he learned through His sufferings to be obedient.” Hebrews 5:8 GNT.
Jesus Himself, was obedient, even to the point of death. He was never at any point disobedient, but He continued to grow in it. We cannot grow in obedience if nothing challenges us, or if we have no one to be answerable to. Life, and more so in a spiritual setting like the church, will challenge our faithfulness to GOD and to those He has placed in our lives to lead us. We must be determined to grow. Determined to trust the Holy Spirit to strengthen and encourage us to never give up. We are in Christ, and therefore examples to those who are yet to follow Him. May He be the beginning and the end of our decisions daily.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 NKJV. The world is a rough place and as long as we continue to live in it, in the flesh, it will continue to kill us slowly. What Christ has done for us enables us to live this life by faith. That same faith removes our old hearts of stone that rebel against GOD, and we receive hearts of flesh that are happy to obey His Word. We have not truly received Christ, if we still struggle to obey Him. It is His Spirit in us, after all, that makes it easy to walk in obedience.
We are in Christ, and therefore examples to those who are yet to follow Him
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