In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord… —Isaiah 6:1
“What I need is God’s surgical procedure— His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification. Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever.” OSWALD CHAMBERS
If I were to tell you that You must love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, you would most certainly nod your head in agreement or maybe even shout amen. Actually Jesus said that. Read Matthew 22:37-39. He said that all the law .. the essence of the direction that God has given us .. the foundation of our life with respect to God and man is summed up in two commands … Love God, first and love others next.
As you well know, that level of relationship is not automatic .. you can’t just flip a switch. It requires that each of us intentionally lay our own life down - daily. There is an old hymn that goes “All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him. In His presence daily live.” In John 21 Jesus asked Peter, three times, “Do you love me?” Recall Peter denied Jesus three times before Jesus’ crucifixion. We need to be careful about our attitude toward Peter – wondering “How could Peter deny his relationship with Jesus so easily?” We should be careful lest we go the “way of Peter”. When Peter denied Jesus he feared men more than God. Remember, Peter was on his own at that point. After Pentecost, Peter was filled with the Spirit of God. The same Spirit that inhabits every Believer. IT happened to you and me on the day of our salvation.
What God asks you to do, you cannot do on your own … it is something spiritual that manifests itself in the natural. We look at the natural … everyday living … as if it is separate from the spiritual .. but it is not.
Everything we do, think, speak, and desire must be in the context of who God is and our love for Him. God’s expectation for that level of devotion is not reserved for the super-saints or the zealots …. It’s for me and for you. You want to know what’s missing in your new life? At the root, it’s the level of your love for God. Many Christians want to love God but when it comes down to it, they only like the idea of loving God. The truth is, they still have an affection for the things of the world.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." - 1 John 2:15-16
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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