Reading the Rest
by David Brenneman
"“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:9-10 NASB95
I have heard many a person quote verse 9. This is as much as an importance of reading what follows it as John 3:17 is to John 3:16.
When a person comes to Christ for salvation, a transformation process starts that does not end until they arrive in Heaven. The process of sanctification.
Our lives are not our own after coming to Christ for salvation. Jesus paid the price for our sins and took the place that was rightfully ours in receiving the wrath of God concerning our sins.
Why then do so many people try to rewrite the Bible? Why do so many try to halt this transformation in themselves that the Spirit is going to complete? How are they doing this you ask? By refusing to obey the Word of God. By choosing to go their own way. Never once truly considering exactly what Jeremiah wrote down.
My Dear Reader do you not realize there is nothing about you that the Spirit doesn't know about?
In your heart, in your mind, these places have been laid bare before Jesus since before you were born. Your every thought has been known to Him with whom we have to do.
Your every thought that you never told anyone...He knows.
Your every supposed secret...He knows.
Your every evil intent towards another...He knows.
Your every selfish consideration, every selfish act...He knows.
Your every selfish thing...He knows.
He knows your true 'why'.
True 'why'? Yes. He knows the truths you hide even from yourself.
He knows.
Read the rest of the Scriptures, not just what you want to see and hear. The Spirit is to teach you all things. Not just about the Lord Jesus Christ, but also about you.
Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Our idea of good deeds is abysmal. Our choices for what is desirable are highly questionable. Our wants are sadly temporary and we don't see the futility of pursuing them. Our minds wander about quickly to ungodly things. Our desires aren't for what God desires for us. Even Believers can pursue doing what is right in their own eyes...just like the unbelieving.
We care not what importance that Jesus says that the Scriptures are. We do not put the same determination in keeping vows before God as God does. In the Church it's as bad outside of it that Believers throw away marriage like it's a used zip lock bag. Believers teaching Believers to just accept this or that without checking with Jesus first. Believers teaching Believers to value even their physical health above their Spiritual health.
Never truly considering that rest of the verse.
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds."
People often cry out as to why does God allow this or that. Truth is why do we pursue this or that without regard to what God's wanting in us?
Believers are to realize the truth of the Scriptures. That the Spirit sets each Believer in the body of Christ as HE SEES FIT. We don't choose our roles in the body of Christ. We don't change our roles in the body of Christ because we don't like what we're to be doing. Paul spoke on this very thing.
"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, [m]it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it." 1 Corinthians 12:13-27 NASB95
Who would ever WANT to hear Jesus ask them a question He ALREADY knows the answer to? Who WANTS to hear Him ask you "Why didn't you do what you were supposed to be doing for Me?" "Why did you walk away from your calling in Me?" "Why did you separate what I was there to join together...two believing hearts with Myself?" "Why did you pursue what you did in your life?" "Why did you put yourself before others?"
He already knows your 'why'. Believers will give an account of our lives before Jesus...the things we did in the body for Jesus. Will yours be mostly nothing due to living for you rather than for Him?
Our lives are not our own. Truth.
Jesus said to take up our own cross and follow Him. Truth.
Jesus said to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Truth.
Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself. Truth.
Jesus said those who seek Him would find Him. Truth.
Jesus said to love not the world nor the things of this world. Truth.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
That's the rest.
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