Who Do You Have?

“The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.”
John 14:21 MSG

There is a big difference between knowing and keeping. With knowing, the emphasis is on gathering information about someone or something. You devote time and resources to this exercise, because there is something you want to do with the information you are gathering. Then, when you think you have obtained enough information, you act on the knowledge received. The acting on the knowledge received is the keeping part of today's extract.

Men have devoted time and years to studying about God, seeking to know him and to understand who he is. Unfortunately for most of these men, that is where the search ends. We seek out knowledge, because we want to boast in the quality and quantity of information we have, yet we do nothing with the search. We have a deep head knowledge of who God is, but lack any heart experience of who he really is. Obedience to his commands becomes hard work, we struggle with daily devotion to his  commands, we labour very hard just to give the outward impression that all is well.

For God, the measure of love for him is the keeping of his commands. I must take out time to know him, and as I discover who he is, I take delight in obeying him. O can never get to the full measure of knowledge, but as I seek him, his promise is that I will find him. As I knock, he promises to open the door to me. His love is full and free, but for all who will take delight in obeying him.

Where do I stand? Like the Psalmist, can I say with all boldness, that I have kept God's word in my heart, so that I may not sin. Do I take God's word as my most prized possession, or it is one of the numerous things that I must squeeze into my day? His time of favour is here.

Bearing Fruit!

But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. GALATIANS 5:22‭-‬23 AMP

Fruitfulness is a function of the roots. No tree, no matter how well placed or precious its seed is, will bear fruit until its roots have gone deep down into the resources of nourishment. When the roots have received nutrients, they send these to all parts of the tree, ensuring that the tree bears fruits after its kind. That is the law of sowing and reaping, established since the days of Noah.

Even in the spiritual, the same principle applies. Today's extract talks about the 'fruit of the Spirit' and part of the exposition is that this fruit is a result of God's presence in us. So, the fundamental question is: who lives inside me? The answer would determine what my life produces. Inflow determines outflow. If all I invest in are things of this world, when it is time to withdraw, I can only get out what I have put in.

Another fundamental part to this is that my inflow would determine my outflow to others. When God's spirit dwells in me, everything of God's nature also dwells in me. My life impacts others. The fruit here isn't so  much of what I get, but what I give. God is love, so when he dwells in me, my life will produce love for  others. His presence teaches patience, so when he dwells in me, I can relate to others in the same manner. Once God comes into a life, he comes with everything that he is.

Please note, the 9 attributes mentioned here are parts of one fruit. There are no multiple fruits, just many parts to a life already surrendered to God. I cannot pick and choose what is convenient; my life must produce everything, if indeed God dwells in me. No law on earth can make love an offence. No law on earth can legislate against self control. That is the advantage of a life totally controlled by the Holy Spirit.

I take stock today, and ask God to dwell in me, so his Life can reflect in my life. What about you? His time of favour is here.

The Choice!

There it was--the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. JOHN 1:9 AMP

Today's extract is the testimony of someone who has met and experienced the genuine article. S/he has encountered the true Light, which is the focus of today's piece. Why is this understanding so important?

The verses before this talks about someone who is the fundamental piece to all of creation. He is the One through whom the whole earth is created. He is the One who sustains it till now, holding all in place by the power of the same Word used to create it all. He is referred to as 'Word'; 'God'; 'Light'; 'Life' all through the few introductory verses. As I examine these  descriptions, I realise that he is all I need to successfully navigate through life. He has spoken into the earth all I will ever need in my life's journey. All he requires for me is to trust him and walk with him daily.

There are lights, and there is the True Light. There are pretenders, and there is the real deal. Some have come, claiming the throne, yet not able to stand the test of time. Some have come, made some noise, and disappeared without a trace. And then, there is the real deal, at work since creation, and still at work now, imparting his life into every life he creates. For all of us who are alive today, what holds us up isn't so much about our ability, but God's power and Life.

In this reality, a choice must be made. What would I focus on - my inabilities or God's power? His light has been made available to me, fully and freely. All I can do is allow him work in me all that he intends and purposes. That is the secret to a fulfilled life, not so much in physical possessions and connections, but in divine connection and approval. His time of favour is here.

Speak It!

Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind--permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. COLOSSIANS 3:16 AMP

The Life of the Word is in its application. It does not matter how much of the written Word you can commit to memory; it will definitely matter when it is time to make a demand on what you have stored up. Does the Word of God have a home in my heart? Have I given it permanent residence? What you give room to will eventually take over your life, so be careful about the choices you make today.

The admonition today is to give room to the Word to take over. The Word is to be the daily, regular food of my life, not an occasional event. The Word must be a daily investment, because it is the Word that upholds when everything else is falling to pieces, it is the Word that sustains when all other things are crumbling. The Word is the substance of my walk with God, as there is nothing I can do that will be accepted by God, if done outside of the Word.

Faith, the basic ingredient of walking with God, is founded on the Word of God. You cannot teach Truth outside of the One the Word refers to as 'the Truth'. You cannot have true joy without the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. Peace that passes all human understanding, even in the face of the most distressing circumstances, is made possible only in God. Grace is a fundamental message about God, and understanding where I stand is a function of the God I know. No man truly knows God or walks with God daily without a daily dose of the Word of God.

How else does a man know God, if s/he does not know, read, understand and apply the manual of life? Note that from today's extract, nothing is said about degrees, connections, ability, capacity and capabilities. None of these will matter in the grand scheme of things. All that you need is a home for God's Word in your life. The benefits of that relationship are eternal. His time of favour is here.

The Process!

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say--living lives that lead others away from sin], having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.
COLOSSIANS 2:6‭-‬7 AMP

There is a theme that runs through the entire message about Christ, and it is the fact that he is the central and fundamental person in the whole message about God. This is not about a religion or an accepted pattern: this is about Christ, the One God himself has introduced as the Lord. Life itself begins when I have surrendered my own life to him and taken up his own life. Life truly begins when I am in Him.

Check out today's extract: so much emphasis on 'IN HIM'. I must walk 'in Him' if my life will ever make impact the way it was designed to do. I must be deeply rooted 'In Him' if I am to grow and bear fruits the way I have been commissioned to do. I must also be built up 'In Him' if I am to stand the test of time and circumstances, and if my life will bring glory to Him, the way it has been commissioned to do.

Why is being 'In Him' so important? I accept him as Lord and Saviour, giving Him effective and total control. It doesn't stop there; I must keep walking with and in him, so I can keep in step with his plans and purposes. As I walk with him, he works on me, molding and fashioning me out to look like him. As he works on me, I become totally dependent on him. My roots are firmly secure in him, not on my degrees and connections, but on His finished work. Only when I am deeply rooted can I be set free to bear visible fruit. No tree bears lasting fruit without first been deeply rooted. With fruitfulness comes abundance and overflowing. It is a process that only makes sense when I am truly and properly connected.

Outside of Christ, there can be no basis for faith. Could it be that outside of Him, nothing truly works? Yes, men have found different ways to push things, we have devised means of forcing things to work, patching it up as we go, but when it comes to Him, the principles and procedures of the world do not apply. Is my life a beacon to the world? Do men find God in me, and can my life be a living, breathing testament to the power of Christ? His time of favour is here.

Inner Work

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2 KJV

Two key words in today's extract: 'conform' means to 'comply with rules, standards, or laws.' Or to "behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards." To follow convention, be conventional, follow tradition, follow custom, fit in, adapt, adjust, follow the crowd, run with the pack, swim with the stream". The other word is 'transform' which means "to make a marked change in the form, nature, or appearance of something or someone". These are dictionary definitions, but with a message for us today.

No matter what you think, you cannot be neutral. Both definitions require an adjustment. The world has a pattern, a way of doing things. For me to live by the world's standards, it takes nothing from me. I can fit in, adapt, adjust and follow the crowd. The sinful nature in me makes it even easier.

But when I seek transformation, the power for this is not the conventional and the usual. In fact, today's extract  states how the transformation can occur. It starts with my inner man, and reflects on the outer man. When my mind is renewed, it changes my thinking, my behaviour pattern, my attitude and my life. That power comes only from God; nothing else can supply that kind of power. It is a continuous process; if I stop feeding my spirit man with the right contents, I am giving my regular, sinful old man the power to take over again. As I feed the inner man, I discover God's purpose and can pursue it with all my heart.

So, the choice is clear: both the old man and the new man are in a battle for control. I can only discover what God desires for me when my mind is transformed by his power into what he can use, speak to and impact. If I am unteachable or already conformed to the world's standards, then I cannot fit into his plan. Eternity as always is at stake. His time of favour is here.

NOW!

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1‭-‬2 KJV

It does not matter what has gone before, as long as the issue of ownership and allegiance has been settled. As long as I cannot define my identity or clarify my location, I cannot claim the benefits of today's extract.

My location determines my allocation. Today's extract talks about being IN CHRIST, not around or about him. You have got to be in him. Men know so much about him, yet reject his dealings and teachings. We long for the miracle, yet reject the power behind the miracle. It does not work. The devil is smart; he gives us options and distractions, while the important and the eternal is ignored. Man can be celebrated by other men, yet be bound by the devil. It is all about who you know, not what you know.

There is always a law at work at all times in my life. My choices per time will determine the law at work in my life. Each law has eternal consequences and none of them has permanent death as its end. You will continue to live somewhere when this present mortal phase is over, either in eternal life or eternal damnation. Before the owner of life comes calling, you had better be sure that his own law is at work in your life. Be sure of your citizenship status, so that you can from now, know where you are going.

I am free, because I know the owner of life. Do you? His time of favour is here.