January 6, 2012
19"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." Deuteronomy 30:19-20
God is by nature a Savior! Cover to cover the Bible demonstrates God to be our only Savior! Even the angel revealed to Joseph in a dream that the baby inside Mary was to be named Jesus, because "He will save His people from their sin." However, in the mysterious and paradoxical relationship we have with our Creator, God calls us to pursue Him after He pursues and save us. All through the Bible we are called to seek God and 'hold fast to Him.' To "choose life" we must "love the Lord our God, obey His voice" and learn to 'hold fast to Him.'
As King David handed off the throne of Israel to his son Solomon he said the following, "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (1 Chronicles 28:9) Jeremiah speaking for God said, 12'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13'you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (29:12-13). Jesus said, 33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
As the branch must hold fast to the Vine (John 15:1-8) in order to be fruitful, we must hold fast to Jesus in order to experience fruitful lives. We hold fast to Jesus by consistently and transparently communicating with Him (prayer) and allowing Him to speak to us by His life giving Word. In Deuteronomy 32:47 Moses told Israel "For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life…" Do you see God's Word and spending time with Him in His Word as life? Do you cling to Him daily by hearing from Him? The devotionals and blogs available to us are many and some are very good but they will never replace your own personal discovery of the greatness of God by spending time with Him every day!
As we experience Him we'll want to help others experience Him by encouraging other believers and telling people about Him that don't know Him. To love God is to obey God by making disciples who make disciples who make disciples. It's not complex! As one dear friend put it 'read, pray, obey'! As Jesus put it love God and love people! The simplicity of the Christian life is amazing. It's also amazing how quickly we stray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus.
"Father we are so prone to wander from You the very source of life. Please capture us freshly by Your amazing grace and endless love. Captivate us in Your life giving Word and please never let us look to any other source of life. Give us a heart to know You and a heart to make You known. I beg You Father make us a people who have ears to hear Your voice, hearts to believe Your Word, and feet to obey all You command. Thank You for Your amazing patience with us and make us more like Jesus today! In His Name, in the Name of Jesus I pray! Amen!"
His Kingdom Come,
Skip
