The best news I've heard all day today is, "We get to pursue God's character."
We get to.
When you signed up for this Jesus deal, it wasn't just because you wanted to escape hell, was it? I hope not. It was because you wanted the truly better life God offered, and you said: 'I want God. I get God. So I repent and I turn from all these other things because they're jack compared to the life I can live as a follower of Christ.'
I know that's what happened to you. So you get to change.
Or are you thinking to yourself: 'Oh. Really? I have to change?'
I have to stop drinking?
I have to stop going there?
I have to forgive her?
I have to stop watching that?
I have to look at different websites now?
I HAVE TO? Because I'm fairly sure God will let me into heaven even if I leave my husband? I mean, grace and love and no condemnation and all that stuff, right?
Even if I have no intention of giving up this addiction, right?
Even If I keep right on with these old lifestyle habits, right?
I still get in, right?
You're actually hoping you can keep a lot of those things and still get heaven? Is that your position?'
Because the way I understand the Holy Spirit coming in to us is that when He does, we get a new Master - we get a new heart that actually desires to be holy - we get a new nature - new motivations - a new mind - new behaviors. Everything becomes new.
That's my understanding of the Scriptures. That doesn't mean we don't occasionally veer off course and don't still have temptations. We're going to be fighting some of that until Jesus comes. But we have new desires that actually want to live righteously. So when you blow it now, you go: 'Arrggh! I didn't want to be that person right then,' - not: 'Eh! It's OK. Not really a problem.'
But you don't have to change if you don't want to. The truth is, you get to change.
And be blessed.
We get to.
When you signed up for this Jesus deal, it wasn't just because you wanted to escape hell, was it? I hope not. It was because you wanted the truly better life God offered, and you said: 'I want God. I get God. So I repent and I turn from all these other things because they're jack compared to the life I can live as a follower of Christ.'
I know that's what happened to you. So you get to change.
Or are you thinking to yourself: 'Oh. Really? I have to change?'
I have to stop drinking?
I have to stop going there?
I have to forgive her?
I have to stop watching that?
I have to look at different websites now?
'The truth is, you get to change.'
I HAVE TO? Because I'm fairly sure God will let me into heaven even if I leave my husband? I mean, grace and love and no condemnation and all that stuff, right?
Even if I have no intention of giving up this addiction, right?
Even If I keep right on with these old lifestyle habits, right?
I still get in, right?
You're actually hoping you can keep a lot of those things and still get heaven? Is that your position?'
Because the way I understand the Holy Spirit coming in to us is that when He does, we get a new Master - we get a new heart that actually desires to be holy - we get a new nature - new motivations - a new mind - new behaviors. Everything becomes new.
That's my understanding of the Scriptures. That doesn't mean we don't occasionally veer off course and don't still have temptations. We're going to be fighting some of that until Jesus comes. But we have new desires that actually want to live righteously. So when you blow it now, you go: 'Arrggh! I didn't want to be that person right then,' - not: 'Eh! It's OK. Not really a problem.'
But you don't have to change if you don't want to. The truth is, you get to change.
And be blessed.
1 comment:
God is so good to me and I WANT to please Him. It feels good to know that the things I do delight Him...that's what I want. Not because I HAVE to, but because it is my desire. Yes, I "get" to.
God really does provide. He gives me what I need...not wants...but needs. And at times, it is just a want that makes me smile. I love knowing He is there and I can count on Him to look after me. It's kind of cool to know that the Holy Spirit lives inside to help guide us.
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