Walking in God's ways

August 2, 2015

Devotions:

        “And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'" And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up." Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."”  ‭Mark‬ ‭10:18-21‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        Notice that Jesus felt love for the one who was trying to live right.  Under grace our salvation is not dependent on our actions but on what Jesus did.  In our salvation that started with the new birth, God changed our hearts and gave us a heart that wants to turn from evil and do good.  We have been made the righteousness of God in Christ and we are then to pursue our walk of faith in walking that our.  

        “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” ‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        When we received Jesus as our Savior we also were to receive Him as the Lord of our lives.  We were changing lordships from the lordship of satan, the cruel taskmaster and destroyer to Jesus the kind, tender hearted Shepherd.  

        Our joy and our delight is in doing the will of the Father because in the new birth God has written His laws on our hearts and on our innermost being.  God has recreated us so that it is a joy and delight to obey Him and to turn from evil, sin and wickedness.  The reason that Christians do not walk in this is because our minds are not renewed to His love for us yet.  As we spend time in the word of God and praying in tongues God, the Holy Spirit gives us revelation of the work of Christ for us and in us and creates the faith to walk in that newness of life.  

        Grace is not a "Carte Blanche" to live in sin but and empowering to turn from sin and live in His righteous, holy presence because we have been made righteous and holy.  

        “Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:4‬ ‭NASB‬‬