Thursday, February 20, 2014

Godly Living

Doing it God's way.

Danny-Hahlbohm

As part of a family we have to learn to stick with the rules. Our parents will teach us how to do the chores, how to behave, to eat with knife and fork, to respect others, to share with our siblings etc. Once we have learned this we are expected to abide by it. Our parents know what is best for us. They will be pleased when we are obedient and when a need arises they are the first ones to help us, comfort us, strengthen us. Yes, they even battle for us.

But if we become stubborn in our disobedience we need to be corrected and perhaps we'll get some spanking. As we know, it is in our advantage when we act according to our parents wishes. Our parents will be happy and so will we. We will also get far more done from them. In the family of God are similar things happening, although our Heavenly Father is far more than our earthly father. (see Matthew 7:11)


2 Peter 3: 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of person ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.

2 Peter 3:14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless...

I have heard the saying: It does not matter what you do, but who you are in Jesus.
I tell you, it DOES matter what you do, because that makes you what you are. Who you are in Jesus will be seen by your behavior and actions. You can say, I'm a real good basketball player, but if you can't even catch a ball people will think differently. You may think when times are good, I trust the Lord, but when it gets rough and you get shaky and full of fear you prove to be the opposite.

Working in the barn does not make you a cow. Filling the pew does not make anyone a believer. But accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord is the beginning of your walk with God.

Be obedient to the word and be baptized by immersion.
Matt 3:11 Baptize for repentance.

Mark 16: 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved.

1 Peter 3:21 Baptism: the answer of a good conscience toward God.

Colossians 2:12 Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised in Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Philippians 2:12 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling.

1 Samuel 15:22 To obey is better than sacrifice.

Build up your faith... Daniel in the Lions' den had to show his faith in God, or he would have been supper for a bunch of lions. Right? Right! Through obedience and trusting in His Word we'll be building up our faith. We will grow strong and when temptations and troubles come at our doorstep we know how to handle them. We'll grab our Father's hand and let Him lead us and care for us, just as an obedient child can expect support from his earthly father.

Colossians 2: 6-7 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus, so walk in Him. Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (Jesus said: "Follow me" , that means: to crucify your sinful will)

Galatians 2:20 If we live our lives by the faith of the Son of God in us, then we are a new creation.

Therefore....Ephesians 5: 18b... but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13b-14 you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

2 Cor 1:22 who also has sealed us and given the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Cor. 5:5 Now He who prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (down payment, bill of sale, security against loss, voucher)

Ephesians 5: 17-18 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Comforter and Teacher, He guides us in all Truth, see John 14:26

Running a train outside it's tracks is very dangerous. A boat without a rudder will never reach the harbour. There are rules to each game. Rules are there to abide with. We cannot start kicking the ball in any direction while playing soccer. You just cannot empty the cookie jar and not leaving any for others either. Also, promises bring obligations.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Walking is action !!
When you are hot from being in the sun and you are near dying from thirst you better walk to the water tap for a cool drink. The water tap will not walk to you. So, if you stay where you are you will not get anything done. You can look at a delicious cherry pie, but if you don't cut a piece and put it in your mouth you'll never know how good it is. That is how it is with the Word of God, we have to read it, believe it, obey it and then we will profit by it.

Romans 8 :13-1 4For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
Allow the Holy Spirit to do the work in your life, whatever the cost.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.

Faith does not come at once. It is a development... a growth. It is a matter of trust. It starts with little things first. For example: a little girl jumps off the table in her father's arms, because he tells her to jump. She does not think: "I hope daddy does not let me fall flat on my face"... no... she jumps. Faith of a child.
Faith comes by hearing of the Word. Faith is active, it is not acquired by wishing, but through practice; by acting upon God's Word.

For example: a pianist has to practice to develop her skills, just looking at the piano does not do her any good.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Phil. 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in the spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Phil. 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Phil. 2:14-15 Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless , children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

When the Lord saved you for Himself He desired to have fellowship with you, thereby He has chosen you. You responded to His Love and now the only thing you have to do is keeping your will surrendered and your life committed to Him. By doing this, you automatically abide with the scriptures. 

Don't feel that you have to accomplish this and that, or don't allow yourself to be pushed by others. Do not be dissatisfied with what He is doing in your life as if you have to add something. Most of the time this is brought on by your own thinking of doing something visible in order to please the Lord. You do not have to do this, because it is your inward condition where the Lord is interested in. It must be "Him" working through you.

We are created for His pleasure and this is where we, as believers, have to focus upon.
ARE WE WELL PLEASING UNTO THE LORD? Whatever work needs to be done HE will guide you, NOT your own thinking. He will bring the people, He will show you places, He will provide the opportunities. You just need to be ready for His direction.

You must abide in Him, obey His word and walk by faith, not by sight. Exercise your faith and allow it to develop into maturity. Establish a deeper bond with the Lord, let holiness be your partner. Be in constant communication with Him and have your mind set on Him. Whatever you pray for, walk by faith in the direction of your prayer.

Be encouraged for a closer walk with Him, get saturated with the scriptures, dwell upon Him and discipline yourself to praise Him at ALL times. For the Lord dwells upon the praises of His children.

Ephesians 4: 1-3 Therefore, I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

James 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
verse 10 . . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.
verse 11 . . Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge .

James 5: 7-9 Therefore be patient, brethren until the coming of the Lord . See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and the latter rain.
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

1 Timothy 6:11b-12 and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Cor. 15:52 & 58 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Stand firm in the word of the Lord. BE CONSISTENT AND WALK IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE LORD.

Pray much in The Spirit and in tongues, speak out your mind in the wisdom of the Lord. Reflect on all you say and do. Meditate on the consequences of your behavior, as the Lord sees it. Be aware that suffering may be great if one continues to walk in his own ways.

The Lord may allow you to get in hard places, until you completely surrender your life to Him. This is because of His LOVE for you. His will shall be done in our lives and His name SHALL be glorified. Although He will not force Himself on our lives, He definitely will do anything in His power to bring us where He wants us to be; into His image.

If one, at some point, deserts Him completely, He will let go and give them the desires of their own heart, even if these desires may be negative and harmful to them. I hope you get the deeper meaning of what I am trying to explain.

Learn from life experiences, and don't allow these to be a bother, but rather a challenge. The sooner we learn, the better, so we can go on to higher ground in Him. Don't look back at past failures, pick yourself up, square your shoulders and march on as a true soldier of the cross.

To be an effective Christian in your own life and in that of others around you, you cannot afford to have the things and worries of this world control you. NOBODY MAY KNOW what we daily face, but the Lord knows.

Please, profess with me: If I suffer, if I come too short, if I burn, if I... (fill it in) I am in Your hands, and all things will be provided in due time. The three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach and Abebnego were facing to be burned, I will say with them: "If I get burned, so let it be, I am the Lord's responsibility."

BUT HALLELUJAH, you won't get burned . He always will rescue you.
I just want to encourage you to keep on keeping on. If the Lord returns in a few years, sooner or later He will, what has the worries brought us? It has only provided obstacles between Him and us and it has paralysed us to work in His Kingdom.

As His follower and as an example to others, we have to rid ourselves of the negative influences of our old nature in our daily living. Once we have learned this in small areas, it can be transferred to main areas of our lives. This may seem hard to do and it is, according to the flesh. But don't you ever think that the Lord does not notice your walk in this. He will not leave this unrewarded. He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

What He will provide in exchange for our denial of the flesh is unspeakable. I can't even start to explain. Many Christians don't understand this, or haven't walked this way yet. They hesitate and therefore don't see much result of Victory in their lives. They continue in the constant battle against themselves and sin. They never left the teeter-totter, they bounce up and down in the "nowhere". It may move them, but they don't get one step ahead. They are afraid of losing control. They haven't learned from believers described in God's word, neither from their own experience.

Please, don't be one of them, rather be STRONG in the Lord, your God. Be encouraged. If you abide in Him, He will do nothing less than abide in you.
HAVE FAITH IN GOD!

The Bible is very clear on "How we should walk", I do not have to add anything to it.
It seems to be quite a task to accomplish... and it is. But, Praise God, He walks beside us.
To do God's Will and to please Him we cannot do on our own. The Lord has provided the Holy Spirit as our Helper, He will do it in us as we allow Him to.

Our Father will never give us a task we cannot accomplish. Remember... He is more than our earthly father.


Copyright © Dr. Trudy Veerman, 1996-2014. All Rights Reserved.

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