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The ABCs Of Christian Survival And Growth Reviewing 3C The only way to make it work -

The ABCs Of Christian Survival And Growth
Reviewing 3C The only way to make it work -
is to follow His rules

Obedience ... a word not often associated by most children today with freedom, blessing or exciting promise. But in fact, it is the key to those very things. The astoundingly generous and grace filled promises of our God are laid out before us in the whole of His Word. But enabling them to be realized in our own lives hinges on our choice to be obedient.

Obedience to: 1. believe, have faith, trust, that our God has been truthful in everything He's said - Choosing to believe that He didn't lie to us or wasn't just talking to us because He's likes to hear the sound of His own Godly voice. Obedience to: 2. live according to the truths He's laid out before us. If He, the author of all creation has told us that this is the way to live, then this IS the way to live. He's told us what the alternative is and what it brings, so our path should be crystal clear unless we have an eternal death wish. As I mentioned previously, our God is not negative. His expectant and hopeful focus is on our success in experiencing all of the blessing that He offers us - it's positive! He warns us away from the other because if He didn't tell us about it, we wouldn't know to avoid it.

There are those who would tell me right now that "I do believe God and I am living according to His Word, but bad things are still happening in my life". To those I would say that you're still looking at things from a limited human perspective. Our God does not lie and He doesn't make mistakes. You won't hear Him say "whoops! I messed that up!" Be remembering that He sees things from an eternal perspective and that this "life" as we call it, is only a moment of preparation for the life He intended for us when He created us. We are being shaped, molded, changed and transformed to become beings fit to reside with Him in a permanent life that He's promised us beyond this moment. Did God ever tell us that if we have His blessings then we would never have troubles too? No! Christ Himself told us that we would have trouble, but if we have trouble does mean that He doesn't love us? Again NO! Just the opposite! Like any good parent, our Father is shaping and prospering the good character of His children.

Consider 1Peter 1:7 (NLT) "These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world". And Romans 8:28 (NLT) "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them". One more - Don't forget what James said in James 1:2-4 (NLT) “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” There are so many more scriptures - things our Lord has let us know in advance (if we had the discipline to read them ...) that tell us what is true for us. Yes, we have troubles, but not without our Father's excellent good intention. For His children: only the best - the best future, the best promise, the best protection, the best of all that is truly good including the best education and refinement! Rejoice my loved ones - our Father corrects that which He loves and treasures! It's our perspective that makes the difference in how we see the troubles we encounter and they will come - Jesus said so! We can torture ourselves further by choosing to increase our misery by our own negativity. OR, we can see that our loving Father is doing a good work and rejoice that He takes pleasure in us enough to comfort and perfect us!

Now, to get back to the key of today's discussion. In each of His promises, if you're paying attention, there's always a preface or condition that we must enact or perform in order for us to gain the benefit of the promise. Scripture is full of phrases like: "If you (they, my children, my people) will ..." "Then I will...." Even our salvation is contingent on our obedience to follow what He tells us: "You must first believe..." There's always a key or condition to what He offers us. But He gives it to us plainly because He wants us to have it - as a good Father, He takes great pleasure in blessing His children (He's so positive!). Our compliance with the condition(s) - our obedience, is the key we either choose to use or ignore. But if you choose to ignore it, please don't waste your time, my time, or His, whining about the fact that you didn't get what you were supposed to. If this describes you and you're not happy because you're not experiencing the fulfillment of our Father's promises in your life because you fail to obey, then all that I can offer you ... is a big fat loving ... DUHHH!!!! For your own sake - grow up in Christ! Near the top of my blog, there's a phrase that I've posted there permanently. It's my own and it's this: "By His grace, life is given to those who seek it ... AND are willing to do what is required to possess it ..." It speaks for itself in light of what we're discussing.

In closing this humble offering of the thoughts He's impressing on my humble little mind, let me summarize:

He made the rules and He told us what to expect. He made promises to us and told us how to get them - He always keeps His end of the bargain. If we want to walk with Him and advance to have "Life", He's told us how ... the rest is up to us. We will experience trouble, but if we believe God, then we have to believe that even if it was intended for our harm ... as His children, He will turn it to our good. This is His word ... and His Word is our "Life". Live it with His perspective and walk in His Spirit.

Jeff

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