Saturday, April 6, 2013

Why I want to live.

When I talk about doctrine, it's NOT about me, it's about scripture, it's about His thoughts and His ways (Isaiah 55:8-11). When I talk about change, it's NOT about me, it's for Him and His kingdom (Matt 6:33), for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12). When I talk about growth, it's NOT about me, it's so that, indeed, I can count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, and for his sake suffer the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (Php 3:8-11). When I talk about maturity, it's NOT about me, it's so that we can all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (Eph 4:11-16).

Why do I focus on growth? Because God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 2:4).  Because we have been given the mind of Christ (1Cor 2:12-16) and should use it. Because we should learn from Him since He is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we ask or think (Eph 3:20) and, as Paul prayed on his knees, so that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph 3:16-19)

It's not for me I want to live, but for Him.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Please, Make Yourself at Home!

One of my favorite verses follows Judas' simple question...

Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:22-23) 

The Greek word for 'keep' used here means to guard or protect, usually from loss or injury.  To me, this verse means that if we love Him, motivated by His love for us, then we will guard and even cherish His word in our hearts. Our thoughts will become His thoughts as we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). And if we guard and cherish His word in our hearts, Jesus and His Father will come and make themselves at home in our hearts. After all, home is wherever the heart is.