A Life that is True

A Life that is True 

by David Brenneman 

I always know something is afoot when, after a struggle to sleep well, I wake up to  hymn going through my mind. 

Living for Jesus, a life that is true,

Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.

Refrain:

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,

For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

2. Living for Jesus Who died in my place, Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace; Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.

3. Living for Jesus, wherever I am,

Doing each duty in His holy Name;

Willing to suffer affliction and loss,

Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

4. Living for Jesus through earth’s little while, My dearest treasure, the light of His smile; Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

Upon looking deeper, this hymn was written by Thomas O. Chisholm in 1917 at the behest of composer C. Harold Lowden.  As it's written, Lowden was prompted by the Spirit to contact Chisholm to put words to the music.  Chisholm wrote back that he didn't know how to. He was then urged to do it anyway and a month later this hymn was born. 

How seriously do you take the Word of God?  How seriously do you take God at His word?  

Do you truly believe that you were bought with a price? The precious blood of Jesus Christ?  That in that very moment your life was not your own?

How deeply do you go with that?

Are you trying an impossible task of balancing what you want versus what God, through the Spirit, is trying to work out in you?  

How effective in living your life, even for a single day, would you be if you wore two sets of clothes at the same time?  How about 3...or 4?  

Do you not realize, my Dear Reader, that in trying to live for you and live for Jesus, that's what you are doing?

We read the following: 

"So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.  But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Ephesians 4:17-24 NASB95  

People these days try to live several lives. They are one way at home, another on social media, another in public, another at Church, yet another in the workplace.  Years ago a sitcom that was popular was "Keeping Up Appearances".  It ran for 5 years on British television.  Hyacinth Bucket (she would pronounce it bouquet) always trying to present a life that was more than it appeared to be, at much the dismay of her husband. 

Paul wrote for us to simply live for Jesus. 

Are you at all, and let’s be honest and truthful here, trying to get out of life what you want more than what the Spirit is wanting to do through you?

Are you, in all reality, fighting the work of God in Christ Jesus that's trying to transform you into the likeness of your Savior?

This isn't Burger King...it's not about having it your way.  

We so easily destroy relationships, destroy friendships all because of selfishness and selfish desires.  We sometimes even do it in the name of Jesus Christ.  What blasphemy!  That's what people do when they break apart what God's joined together.  That's what they are doing when they, in their finite understanding, tell God they know better than Him. 

Would you be so bold as to tell God that you know more about a situation, a relationship, than He?  I certainly would not!!

Living for Jesus a life that is true. 

Striving to please Him in all that I do. 

There's that word again. All. Seems to be something that Jesus said. Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart And ALL your soul and ALL your mind. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. 

Are you lying to yourself in trying to compartmentalize your life?  Are you deceived in thinking you can have your cake and eat it too?  

How's that going to play out when you stand before Jesus to give an account of your life?  How are you going to attempt to defend a life that wasn't spent living for Jesus?  A life that was in all reality spent on you?

It is with great urging that I suggest you take a good look at your life.  If indeed you've been doing these things...stop. Repent, turn back to Jesus with a whole heart.  

If this isn't you...please take heed to what dangers are out there to compromise in areas of your life.  

It's what you do in your body for Jesus that translates to a crown that will be given by you back to Jesus. Will you have anything of substance that will become a crown? 

Selfishness is that chaff that will be burned away in that day before Jesus. 

Live a life that is true. True to Jesus who gave Himself for you. 

Being Different Should be Intentional

Being Different Should be Intentional 

by David Brenneman 

Am reading in the book of Job...have gotten to my second most favorite part.  The part where Elihu, the youngest of Job's friends, speaks up.  

It's worth noting that of all who purported to speak wisdom to Job, only Elihu did not get rebuked by Jesus. 

Elihu indeed was wiser than those older than himself.  He was different from the rest and understood that came from his relationship with the Lord.  

Joseph, in his life of wanderings thanks to his own family, learned to be different.  The Bible says that the Lord was with him.  

David, we read, was a man after God's own heart.  Obviously the Lord was with him.  We can quite easily see that his life was much different than King Saul. 

Samuel was set apart from before he was born to be different.  His life of dedication to his Lord was evident even unto death. 

We live in this so called marvel of a world that wants conformity unto itself.  To have people believe that this person or that owes them, which is why they haven't achieved success or prosperity.  To have people believe that there is no God, that it's you against the world in fighting for what you want to be or to do in life.  This world promotes self.  Self-love, self-centered living and everything that goes with it.  Trying to even deceive the elect of God into living the same.  To water down Christianity into a tame, if not neutered, version that can be brushed aside.  

Being in Christ is to be different!  What the Spirit of God does with an obedient soul is beyond conventional wisdom. It's a path and a life that goes beyond any worldly wisdom that can be conceived or understood. 

We ought to be intentional in our days. 

Intentional in our time with Jesus in prayer. 

Intentional in our study of His Word. 

Intentional in our thoughts with Jesus. 

Intentional in our desires to become what He desires in our lives. 

Intentional in every way that the Spirit directs us to live.

Would you describe your life as intentional towards Christian living? Not merely those one or two times of stepping into a church building.  Not just those possible times you might prayer before eating. 

Are you pressing your agenda for living life instead of what the Spirit has in mind for you to be doing?  

Are you making rash decisions, rash statements of what you will or won't do and are not realizing that you've said these thing to God?  

We are told in advance that the god of this world is going to have a huge problem with our coming to Christ for salvation.  

Many, without realizing it, are trying to broker a truce with him in order to live a full life that they want rather than the full life that God wants and desires for them. 

Many, try to live life as close to the line of sin as they can experience and think they won't cross over.

Many, try to persist in their choices for living and would even betray a relationship that God brought together.  Again, choosing self over the desires of God for them.   Impatience is not a good virtue. 

Would anyone looking at your life see that something different is present that could only be explained by a relationship with Jesus?  Would they hear you speak and know that you have been with God?  

Or would they hear bitterness or even a spirit of a quitter in you?  Giving up on the life that God's provided for you because it's path is uncertain to you?  That you don't want to give up on what you have, believing that it won't come again?

In Romans Paul spoke of living a transformed life.  Romans 12 to be more precise.  The early Church spent much time in prayer and dedication to the reading of the Bible as they had it.  Consider it well that until they received copies of Paul's letters or what was written by others such as John and Peter, their Bible was the Old Testament.  Some, even though what was taught to them came from the Apostles, wouldn't receive their words as true without confirming it to the Word of God. 

Our world teaches, by way of example, blind trust.  Public schools teach millions to just believe what is taught.  Society wants people that are controllable.  Critical thinking is a rarity these days.  Satan doesn't want people that will stop and think.  Certainly doesn't want people thinking at any length or on any level about the truths of God's word. 

You eat because your body needs nourishment.  What are you feeding your spirit?  What are you feeding your soul?

Are you at all concerned about healthy spiritual living?  

It's painful to hear of people giving up so easily on a relationship that God brought together all because of family history on how those before them had.  That it must be their lot in life.   Really? Should we be mourning because the God of the Bible must be dead or so preoccupied with running the universe to work in your life or the life of those in our lives? 

It's equally painful to know of people who don't see their own lives as demanding God giving them what they want.  

Has God changed?  Has He stopped His work in you? Has He ever stopped being who the Bible says that He is?  Has He ever stopped being faithful?  Has He ever stopped being right and true?  Has He ever not been who He was when you first came to Christ for salvation?  

Our lives in Christ are meant to be different.  We aren't to repeat what others have done before us in failing to live for Jesus as the Spirit has established. 

If you're struggling with stubbornness...stop.  If you're not listening to God...stop. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  

You will never be satisfied with your ideas of satisfaction.  God is not dead that we should ever live a moment thinking of self as more important.  

We are meant to live lives in Christ Jesus in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. Period. We are supposed to be different on purpose. 

We Cannot Give Up

We Cannot Give Up 

by David Brenneman 

Just ask the waves

If they are stilled at the mention of His name

They'll say my God is still the same

Ask the walls

If they still fall at the mighty sound of praise

They'll say my God is still the same

When did He break His promise?

When did His kindness fail?

Never has, never will

My God is still the same

When did He lose His power?

When did His mercy change?

Never has, never will

My God is still the same, yeah

My God is still the same

Just ask the words

You prayed in desperation if they're heard

They'll say my God is still the same

Ask the grave

If it's strong enough to keep hope in it's chains

It'll say, "God is still the same"

Yeah

When did He break His promise?

When did His kindness fail?

Never has, never will

My God is still the same

When did He lose His power?

When did His mercy change?

Never has, never will

My God is still the same, yeah

Not once did He ever stop moving

Not once has He ever let go

Not once did He ever stop proving

Our God is in control

Not once did He ever stop moving

Not once has He ever let go

Not once did He ever stop proving

Our God is in control

When did He break His promise?

When did His kindness fail?

Never has, never will

My God is still the same

When did He lose His power?

When did His mercy change? 

Never has, never will

My God is still the same, yeah

Not once did He ever stop moving

Not once has He ever let go

Not once did He ever stop proving

Our God is in control

Not once did He ever stop moving

Not once has He ever let go

Never has, never will

My God is still the same

(My God is still the same)

My God is still the same

- "My God is Still the Same" Sanctus Real 

Quitting and giving up on the plan of God for you or I isn't what the Spirit wants for us. 

Rolling over and caving in to that particular temptation is very detrimental to our growth in Christ Jesus. 

When did He break His promise?

When did His kindness fail?

Can you point to a time when He broke a promise?  Is there some moment that is distinct where you can say "There!"?

When did He lose His power?

When did His mercy change?

These thoughts of Jesus breaking promises, of His kindness failing. These thoughts of His power not being enough or His mercies changing with regards to us.

Where do they really come from?

When two Believers even consider parting ways because whatever has happened appears unsurmountable...isn't this whay they are truly telling themselves and the world?  That there's no way that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is greater than what they are seeing?

Not once did He ever stop moving

Not once has He ever let go

Not once did He ever stop proving

Our God is in control

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still

And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

When we entertain thoughts that say that a relationship isn't worth fighting for that God was present at its inception, that God put His blessing on, then we are saying we know more than the Almighty, that we know better than the Author and the Perfector of our faith. 

When we put our personal happiness ahead of the Will of God...we will face utter disappointment.  When we dig in as a burrow, as a stubborn donkey, against what the Spirit is or has taught us, we will not succeed.  We will yet still face the truth that our God is still the same.  

We cannot live for self and expect Jesus to bless our actions.  

We cannot pursue what all we want to do in life and make Jesus sit it out until we're done and expect Him to not care.

Our sin nature as well as Satan, want us to cultivate even a weed or two of selfishness in our lives.  Those weeds, those sinful thoughts and feelings, those sinful desires, so easily entangle.  

We may indeed, for a time, get what we think we wanted.  We may indeed think we have found peace and happiness.  

The Truth is God is still the same.

The Truth is Jesus, who's still the same. 

When we give up on something or someone that God brought together...that it's very evident that He found joy in that moment of unity in Christ...we will never find true happiness again until we turn back to Jesus and confess our sins in this.

Remember the Prodigal Son began his disobedience by living it up. Thinking that his life was much better away from family and the responsibilities under his father's roof.  He thought of all the joy he was having at doing whatever his will desired. He had what he wanted and no one was going to take it back.  

But then the bottom eventually fell out.

The money dried up. 

The people whom he spent his money on and with wanted nothing to do with him. 

He sank to rock bottom.  Only then was it dawning on him what his father had been trying to teach him and explain to him.  

Returning to his father and his father's authority was the only right thing to do. 

We will be tempted to quit on the plan of God for us because Satan does not want it to happen. 

It may be a news flash or not, but if God values it, if God is invested in it, Satan wants it or wants to destroy it.

If you are quitting on God's work in you...you will not find the happiness or the peace that only comes from a right relationship with Jesus.  

Giving up on Christian friendship or on a Biblical marriage is not what the Spirit ever wants of the children of God.  

The world is watching Believers.  The world is hoping to see Believers give up on God.  To believe that He's given up on those who claim to be Christians. To revel in the tarnishing of the name of Jesus. 

Has Jesus changed?

Are you facing something greater than Jesus can handle?

Are you attempting to walk away from someone or something that has the blessing of God on it?  

Are you abandoning the call of God for you in Christ Jesus because it's not what you want?

My Dear Reader...we are to value what God values. 

We are to want what Jesus wants. 

We are not to give up on God's will for us. 

We are not to entertain thoughts that lead us to think that anything blessed of God isn't worth fighting for. 

We who are saved in Christ Jesus were worth Jesus fighting for.  

Have you embraced self more than you have before?  Let go.  Give that up.

Have you been trying to build a life you want rather than what Jesus wants of you?  Let go. Give that up.

Have you decided that someone isn't worthy of the love of God? Oh my Friend, don't ever do that. 

Have you decided this or that in order to get what you want rather than to seek what He wants of you?  Stop and go back to Jesus. 

People so easily these days think that God's changed when He has not.  The Word of God cannot change.  It reads that He's the same, yesterday, today and forever.  Our God is still the same. 

Our God is still the same. 

When We've Already Decided

When We've Already Decided 

by David Brenneman 

People often blame bad relationships and bad situations on others. Having made up their minds that, through their reasoning, they've done nothing wrong.  Therefore it must be because of the other person or because of something hidden that we aren't aware of yet.

More often than not it's our own self-deception that creeps in.  We convince ourselves of things as being true that are not.  We've established things in our lives that we enjoy more than what we ought to because it's introduced our compromising the Word of God.

When then we keep choosing our way over the truth of God in Christ Jesus, we honestly hear His voice less and less.  We then only hear our sin nature and our ways always seem right in what we decide to do or think.  The wisdom we find residing in ourselves becomes the truths we hold onto.  We no longer seek the wisdom of God. 

It breaks my heart to hear or see people who are Believers, are Christians, give way to the wisdom of this world rather than to fight as the Lord Jesus Christ did to do and live as He did in His love for mankind.  They would rather not listen to the wisdom of God because it doesn't fit with their desires.  They've already decided to not to listen to His voice because they're already going to do what their desires are in their lives.  

People are sinful, fallen, creations of God. 

People will either seek to know the wisdom of God or they will be content with their own because there's less conviction, less struggle, less required of them. 

The Lord Jesus Christ said to deny yourself, take up your own cross and follow Him.   This means our not leaning on our own understanding. It means in all our ways to acknowledge Him. It means putting others above ourselves. It makes what matters to Him more important than what matters to us.  It means fulfilling our lives in Christ as He sees fit through the work of the Spirit of God in us.  

It's going to mean disappointing others. Jesus did that.

It's going to mean the world not understanding where we are coming from. Jesus lived with that. 

It's going to mean loving unlovable people. Jesus went out of His way to do that.

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  While we were dead in our trespasses and sins, He sought us out to take our place.  

We are not here to build a worldly career.

We are not here to build a social following.

We are not here to focus on health, wealth and prosperity. 

We are not here to put ourselves before others in our relationships.

We are to be living transformed lives that reflect the light of Jesus Christ to a world swept up in darkness and sins.

Are you putting yourself, your wants, your desires, your anything above your living for Jesus?  

Are you seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness?

Are you at all seeking out the wisdom of God in Christ Jesus? 

Living for Jesus, a life that is true,

Striving to please Him in all that I do;

Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,

This is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,

For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Do you at all ask God to lead your life or are you too busy doing that yourself?

Are you deciding what or who will be in your life or have you asked Him?

Do you at all listen for the voice of Jesus or are you constantly, really, telling Him you're ok. You got this. It isn't working but you've got it.  

My Dear Reader...stop putting what the world says ought to be important in your life above what God has said is important in your life.  Stop putting your wishes, your desires, your wants, above what the Spirit is trying to accomplish in your life.  If you are married, and you've put anything above the will of God for your unity in Christ with your spouse, you will fail in the eyes of God.  

We are to put whatever is important to Jesus as being important to us. 

What is first and foremost of importance to Jesus is the work He is accomplishing in us.  Our sanctification. 2 Thessalonians 4:3a.  When we put self first, we are setting the will of God aside.

"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,  being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB. 

Pray with the intent of listening first, not the intent of telling God what He already knows first.  Pray for your heart and the hearts of others to be sensitive to the things of the Spirit of God.  Pray for His will to be done in your life.  Pray, pray, pray to have ears that hear.

Jesus said of the Jewish Leaders of the time...that if they would have ears that hear, eyes that would see, that they would turn to Him and would be healed. 

Don't dig in with stubbornness. 

Let go, obey God. 

People Don't See

People Don't See 

by David Brenneman 

People are easily blinded by those whom are experts at deceiving others.  Many so-called churches have blind leaders leading the blind.  

These teach and promote ideas and ideologies that are not what the God of the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, teaches. 

Promoting health, wealth and prosperity is indeed only feeding a lost soul exactly what the sin nature desires.  

People who delve into such things do not see that they in fact are being robbed.

Personally, I would rather someone get mad at me while they still live and have the capacity to turn from sin to a new life in Christ Jesus, than to say nothing and then later have them rage because I said nothing after they have died.

Popular so-called preachers are misleading millions because they are part of the enterprise of Satan's business here on Earth. 

Atheists have a better shot at coming to Christ than these people who have been so mislead.  Following people who have redefined the intended words of God through Jesus's words of life. 

We're told to test the words of supposed Godly people to see if they stack up to the true Word of God.  These millions of people behind these ill-gotten so-called churches are going to have a very very rude awakening when they face Jesus. 

Focusing on health, wealth and prosperity is not what the Spirit teaches us. 

Focusing on even spiritual gifts is not what the Spirit teaches.

Focusing on creating our own slice of Heaven here on Earth is not what the Spirit teaches.

Focusing on self is not what the Spirit teaches.

"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." Galatians 1:6-10 NASB95 

What ought to be preached?

"I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.  The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—  you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.  And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”" Acts 10:34-43 NASB95 

If Christ's death, burial and resurrection isn't preached...

If eternal life through the finished work of Jesus isn't presented...

Get out of whatever so-called church you may be in.

If a right relationship with Jesus isn't being presented, taught and lived out...get away from those blind guides to the blind.

As Paul said, so say I, let those blind leaders be accused. 

Jesus said He came to give life. Life as defined by a right relationship with Him. A life that is His workmanship, not ours. A life that is lived in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.  A life that says "God loved you enough to die for you. He wants a relationship with you.  Come and see!"

Oh the unspoken horrors of deceived people waking up in Hell.   I used to consider that Hell is the absence of God's grace and mercy, but even there, it's there. The absence of any relationship with Jesus is present in Hell to these who wake up there, having been deceived by the god of this world.  Grace and mercy are still yet present because the alternative would be complete annihilation of a soul and spirit, both of which were precious enough for Jesus to step down out of Heaven to die for.

My Dear Reader...be sure of your salvation in Christ Jesus.  If you are not, you just read the words of Peter.  You can be sure today, right now.

Don't run after what the world offers, it only leads to an eternal life separated from God. 

As the children's song goes "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so."

If all those whom you are following are doing is pointing you to health, wealth and prosperity, then they are not showing you the love of Christ Jesus. They are not showing you the truth in Christ.  

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 16:25-34 NASB 

People don't see what they ought to at times.  They see what they want because it's what they desire.  Being taught by the Spirit is to learn what we need for life, not what we desire for life.  

Reading the Rest

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. 

By No Means

By No Means 

by David Brenneman 

Was reading in the book of Acts, of the very first Gentiles to receive the Spirit of God.  The verse that came to mind was "Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out." John 6:37 NASB95.

Cornelius called for Peter to come to talk to them at the direction of the Lord Jesus.  So on the heels of his own divine revelation about not calling anything unclean that the Lord Jesus has declared clean, he went.  Peter's understanding was solidified by his obedience.  He said that he now for certain understood.  

We may not get the whole picture or even a sizable chunk, until we take the steps required in obedience.

By no means should we state what we will or won't do based on what we see, feel, or understand at the onset of things in life. 

We should never state what we will or won't do either.  God has a way, through the Spirit, to cause us to take paths that we really don't want to go through, in order to achieve our sanctification. 

Our lives are meant to be in a full on relationship with Jesus Christ.  They are not meant to be full of what we desire in prosperity, wealth, health or any other things.  

You who are desiring a right relationship with Jesus, are you also in disobedience because you refuse the path set before you?  

You who are desiring to have a full life in Christ, are you still trying to keep parts of your life locked away from God?

By no means are we to give anything less than full obedience. 

By no means are we to give anything less than our all on the altar. 

By no means are we to do anything less than to honor all that Jesus has done for us.

Our possessions can be removed in an instant.  Truthfully, would you thank God or get mad at Him? 

Our health can be disrupted in a single visit to a doctor. Truthfully, would you thank God or get mad at Him?

Our stubbornness can be derailed by the Spirit, and more often than not it is, do you try to be more stubborn or do you submit to what He's telling you to do?

Do you quit when the Spirit is just getting started?  Oh that's a significant one. 

Our timing isn't God's timing.  Just because any aspect of out life isn't fitting our timetable, it doesn't mean that God is being slow in delivering.  Our less than 1 percent of understanding in the Universal plan of God isn't remotely enough to justify our stubbornness or our disobedience or our decision to go it alone. 

By no means are we to live lives based on our understanding.  In Touch Ministries, the late Dr. Charles Stanley, has videos and the entire Life Principles that he wrote.  Number 13 has to do with listening to God. 

Way too many Christians, let alone the as yet unbelieving, put a hand up to Jesus to say its ok, I got this. I know enough, I will handle it.  Your not doing enough so I will do it myself.  The relationship that you brought me into with so-and-so isn't working out, so I will make whatever changes I have to in order to find my happiness.  This situation that I am in, you aren't obviously doing anything about so I will do something myself.  My health is my problem since you're not healing me so I will do whatever I have to myself. 

Just as there are no "little white lies", a lie is a lie is a lie, so it is with disobedience, arrogance and pride.  There's no such thing as a little bit.  In sinful practices a little goes a very long way.

Just as the Old Testament understanding of a little leaven affects the whole loaf.  Once we allow it to begin in us, it's going to take a lot from the Spirit of God to remove it.  

You see, you WILL put yourself in a serious situation with the Spirit of God.  You WILL find that rebuke will be forthcoming. 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 

We read in God's Word also that we should not take it wrong when the Spirit disciplines us. Discipline is for our benefit.  By no means are we to get upset at God because we don't understand why the discipline is happening. Ask and LISTEN, for instruction and understanding.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  He will direct your paths.  He will lead you through those valley's of the shadow of death.  He will bring you safely to Himself. 

By no means are we to dismiss His plans for us.  Yet so many people do.  It's not what they want so they refuse.  They see no point, they see no immediate "sign" from God not to go and obey so they don't.  Then realize too little too late that their way wasn't better. It was filled with problems and situations that were all avoidable. 

Praying isn't just our litany of our giving Jesus a list of wants and desires. 

Praying is also listening for what it is we are to be doing for Him. 

By no means don't start praying and keep interrupting Jesus when He's talking. 

Look at your life. Does it reflect a life spent in obedience or is it about what you are trying to craft it into being that satisfies you?