Monday, March 2, 2015

Is Your Love For Jesus Casual Or Compelling?




“Do you love Me?” —John 21:17

“Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. […] Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. […] It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. “For the Word of God is living and powerful…, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit…”— to the point that no deception can remain (Hebrews 4:12). […] There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.” CHAMBERS

It is so easy to fall into a routine in our spiritual life.  A routine where we ignore the Word of God and adopt a shallow, but convincing appearance of being spiritual.  It is based upon our personal commitment to being righteous by works.  Our righteousness comes from Jesus, not from ourselves.  We know that, but still … we lose sight of that truth.  I try to be careful in crafting these words knowing that there are many who have not abandoned the Word … who maintain a close and abiding relationship with the Lord.  Yet, I know from my own experience that it is so easy to let things slip.  To let “life” crowd out the One who is the “Life”.  So my words are an encouragement and a caution.  Has your love dwindled to a memory, a causal affection, or is it still the compelling love that causes you to think of nothing but the object of that love.  That makes you willing to sell all you have for the pearl of great price. ELGIN

Revelation 2: 2-5 “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

No comments: