The Commands of God

Well it has been awhile since my last post. Life has been very busy. Naturally schooling my children at home takes up a chunk of my day everyday. The material for this blog has been on my mind for awhile and every time I would sit down to write something would happen and I would have to quit. I discovered this verse doing Bible Study and was very excited about it and still am. I love how when you read the Bible you can read something you've read a hundred times yet you can still see a fresh word in it.

So let's look at 1 John 2:3-6 "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."NIV

Now let's see what the amplified version says, "And this is how we may discern [[a]daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments).
4Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [[b]of the Gospel] is not in him.
5But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:
6Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as [c]a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself."

These verses actually go along with my previous two blogs on living lives set apart. If we are children of God, then we will keep His commands and keeping His commands means we walk as Jesus did. I did a little search and found from Genesis to Revelation that there are 838 verses with some form of the word "command" in them. However according to these verses we need to mostly be concerned with the commands of the New Testatment. A quick search showed that there are 130 verses in the New Testament that contain some form of the word "command".

Do you know all the commands of God? How can we be expected to keep the commands of God if we don't know them? That's where quiet time, Bible reading, and Bible study come in. So guess what some of my future blogs will be covering? You guessed it, the commands of God! I probably won't cover all 130, but I will just let the Lord's guidance tell me which ones to cover. So until next time, start praying for God to give you wisdom and revelation of Himself and His Word!
Have a blessed Day!

Living Lives Set Apart 2

The last blog I talked about what it takes to live your life set apart from the world and for God. Most of us fear being different, yet that is exactly what God has called us to be. We discussed the verses in Proverbs that tell us how to live our lives for God and not the world.

How do we stay on God's path? Proverbs 4:20-24 tells us. " My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."

Most people think the Christian life is a bunch of "thou shalt nots". The christian life is not about a bunch of rules, it's about a relationship. Once you have an intimate relationship with the Lord of Lords and King of Kings you follow His commands because you want to out of love. As a Christian there are things that we need to "put off" to be set apart, but there are also things that need to be "put on" to be Godly.

What do we need to "put on" according to Proverbs 4:20-24?
1. We need to put on our listening ears. ("My Son pay attention to what I say") We have to be still to listen to God and then obey Him to be set apart.
2. We need to "put on" the habit of learning God's Word ("Do not let them -God's words- out of your sight, keep them in your heart") to have the knowledge needed to be set apart.
3. We need to "put on" an attitude of discernment to fill our lives and minds with Holiness.(Guard your heart)
4. We need to "put on" loving speech to everyone including our children. (Keep your tongue in check)
5. We need to "put on" a conscious effort to remain Holy. (Keep your eyes on the path and the goal)

Living lives set apart is not an option it is a command. Christians riding the fence are missing out on the best part of the christian life and that is intimacy with God. Having the manifest presence of God with you daily makes a set apart life a joyful life.

Are you missing the presence of God in your daily life? Then maybe you need to evaluate your position. Are you on the fence? God desires for you to be completely sold out to Him and Living for Him with all of your heart, soul, and might. Do others recognize Christ in you?

Have a blessed weekend!