Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Lord, I promise .....

My Utmost For His Highest
 
‘Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting.’ CHAMBERS
 
Have you ever made a promise to God?  Something like “Lord if you will just get me out of this, I promise that I will … Or I won’t .....”
 
Unfortunately that is not the way it works.  Obedience comes before blessing, not afterwards.  Obedience might be in the form of a changed heart and may not necessarily be in the form of an action, but it can’t be an empty promise.  God judges the heart .. not our words .. our promises to God are often like New Year resolutions.  To say I would really like to do something .. and I might … just thinking about it or writing it down does not count for much with God? About as much as thinking about getting out of the way of a bus on a busy highway.
 
We don’t get to define our relationship with God .. He does .. and He says lay your life down .. give up your rights .. trust Me. When you do that .. you will find yourself doing things that make no earthly sense … things that are contrary to the way you  might do things ... but the results will have eternal consequences … and God will bless you …. Joshua 1:8,9  “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, [let the Bible be your guide] so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. [obey God] Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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