created for good works-by the power of the only one who is Good
ugh. i have so much maturing to do, or Christ has so much increasing to do in me. i really really want to know what it is to be a child of God created for good works. i have absolutely no reason to not bear fruit. but i realized on my trip that if i can not produce fruit when in the midst of sin that my devotion to God secretly in my room is done in vain. abiding in His word and hiding it in my heart is what prepares me for a world of sin. instead when the people around me blasphemed His name or lived the entire day without recognizing Him or spoke Godless absurd talk i was weak and didnt fight the sin with a pursuit to enjoy God. it is sin to not enjoy God for one day. its sin to be an ambassador and get tangled up in this worlds affairs. i am commanded to love God and serve Him with gladness with a devotion that is unconditional.
"Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you." -duet. 28:47,48
after this week, i told amy i really think the time we have in our apartment should be spent toward preparing and training each other for being in the world daily. i dont ever want to function one day without speaking of God or enjoying Him or acknowledging Him, even if im alone in doing this i should still do all these things. the way i spent last week just doesnt make sense to me looking back.
im learning some cool stuff on being created for good works. and im beginning to realize the importance, as i am a child of God for the praise of His glory it only makes sense that every action of mine should exalt what He has done and continues to do in me.
"..He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness..." -1 peter 2:24
"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."- John 15:8
"For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."-romans 6:10,11
i know this is nothing new but its like i am hearing this and i know that i dont live each day as if this were true most of the time. Christ died SO i must live to exalt God. God is glorified when i bear much fruit SO i must prove to be in Christ. Christ lives SO i must live to God.
and if this doesnt motivate me enough, that Christ died to sin once and for all so that i would cease from sinning, then He gives me more reason to turn from sin and realize how good it is to live in obedience to God.
the fear of the Lord: "Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. "Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. "They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. "So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. "For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. "But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil." -proverbs 1:23-33
even though i cling to the truth that enjoying God is crucial, i reduce my joy to things that leave me miserable. and sometimes dwell in the misery rather than turn from it and enjoy God. this is a horrible way to live just one day and i dont want to do it anymore. there is just too many reasons to live for good works. which first of all, Jesus says to work the works of God is to simply believe. there is so much motivating me to live based on faith in God for His purposes. first that Christ died for this reason, so i may die to sin and live on for righteousness because this pleases Him; then out of fear of God because sin will ruin me and God will be satisfied to punish me if i choose the pleasure of sin over enjoyment of Him; and also because He came in the flesh and lived so i might walk in the manner He did. and even more He will be with me to build me up and mature me if i abide in His word.
the goodness of God is too satisfying and there is too much riding on eternity to not live as His workmanship. ive got to remind myself daily because i am so weak. and i am quick to exchange the enjoyment of God for puney things that ruin me. there seems to be so much God is teaching me and feeding me in His word and i want to pace myself in feasting on it because i dont want to study scripture in vain. i dont want to just hear truth and not live it. i could just study this scripture for months because i havent yet lived to obey it.
"If you continue in My word than you are truly disciples of Mine;"-john 8:31
i want to continue in His word for the purpose of being a doer of the word and not merely a hearer. i want to grow in His grace because i was created for His workmanship. praise God that He grants saints perseverance through trial and His word because to me this looks like an endless road.
"Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you." -duet. 28:47,48
after this week, i told amy i really think the time we have in our apartment should be spent toward preparing and training each other for being in the world daily. i dont ever want to function one day without speaking of God or enjoying Him or acknowledging Him, even if im alone in doing this i should still do all these things. the way i spent last week just doesnt make sense to me looking back.
im learning some cool stuff on being created for good works. and im beginning to realize the importance, as i am a child of God for the praise of His glory it only makes sense that every action of mine should exalt what He has done and continues to do in me.
"..He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness..." -1 peter 2:24
"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."- John 15:8
"For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."-romans 6:10,11
i know this is nothing new but its like i am hearing this and i know that i dont live each day as if this were true most of the time. Christ died SO i must live to exalt God. God is glorified when i bear much fruit SO i must prove to be in Christ. Christ lives SO i must live to God.
and if this doesnt motivate me enough, that Christ died to sin once and for all so that i would cease from sinning, then He gives me more reason to turn from sin and realize how good it is to live in obedience to God.
the fear of the Lord: "Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. "Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. "They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. "So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. "For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. "But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil." -proverbs 1:23-33
even though i cling to the truth that enjoying God is crucial, i reduce my joy to things that leave me miserable. and sometimes dwell in the misery rather than turn from it and enjoy God. this is a horrible way to live just one day and i dont want to do it anymore. there is just too many reasons to live for good works. which first of all, Jesus says to work the works of God is to simply believe. there is so much motivating me to live based on faith in God for His purposes. first that Christ died for this reason, so i may die to sin and live on for righteousness because this pleases Him; then out of fear of God because sin will ruin me and God will be satisfied to punish me if i choose the pleasure of sin over enjoyment of Him; and also because He came in the flesh and lived so i might walk in the manner He did. and even more He will be with me to build me up and mature me if i abide in His word.
the goodness of God is too satisfying and there is too much riding on eternity to not live as His workmanship. ive got to remind myself daily because i am so weak. and i am quick to exchange the enjoyment of God for puney things that ruin me. there seems to be so much God is teaching me and feeding me in His word and i want to pace myself in feasting on it because i dont want to study scripture in vain. i dont want to just hear truth and not live it. i could just study this scripture for months because i havent yet lived to obey it.
"If you continue in My word than you are truly disciples of Mine;"-john 8:31
i want to continue in His word for the purpose of being a doer of the word and not merely a hearer. i want to grow in His grace because i was created for His workmanship. praise God that He grants saints perseverance through trial and His word because to me this looks like an endless road.