The Hill of Obedience ~

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  James 1:22

After being away from this blog for a couple of months, I'll simply say that my explanation is on my regular blog, if you'd like to read it, that is:
http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com

This morning I want to continue with our metaphor of climbing hills, and this one is the Hill of Obedience. This is an important hill to climb because without it, climbing the hills of faith, love and hope is pointless. Ask yourself: What does God require of me?

And the answer is found in Matthew 5:21-23: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'!" We must learn to recognize the difference in saying and doing.

There are so many people today who claim to be Christians, but who don't reflect the characteristics most often applied to Christians by God's word. These are the same people who are offended if you so much as imply that their attitude or behavior is surprisingly the opposite. This group has grown bigger and louder over the last few decades.

But James 2:24 speaks the truth: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." SAYING you're a Christian and BEING a Christian can be two different ways of living your life. If you say you're a Christian, but you don't OBEY God rather than your own worldly thoughts, desires and ideas, you aren't pleasing to God. It isn't me saying this...it's God's word.

And now that we're seeing how necessary it is to obey God, let's see how our obedience brings salvation. Beginning in James 5:8-9, you can read:
 "...though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him...."
                                                                                                               
What did Christ suffer? He suffered the betrayal, pain, anguish, and sorrow of the cross for our sakes. How does the suffering of Christ compare to your suffering? Perhaps in our culture today we balk at a word like obey. And even if we don't balk at it, do we ignore it because we can? Who is going to say that you're being disobedient? And if a fellow church member, neighbor, or family member tells you that you're wrong, what is your response? It's important for us to understand the sincere and earnest nature of obedience whether we always maintain it or not.

Romans 8:16 gives us the assurance of salvation if we obey God:
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
                             
Does that mean doing our own thing? Does that mean deciding how we feel about a matter and ignoring the destruction we leave in our wake? Does that mean being unkind when we've decided the person before us is in the wrong? Are you the one suffering, or do you cause suffering in others? Do you create a more stable environment or a less stable one?

These are questions for you to ponder. Only you can know your heart and mind, therefore, only you can answer the questions. I have no doubt that those around you would be willing to put in their two cents, but that might throw you off balance. It is important for us to think about spiritual things as the world is coming unglued. God is showing us His power. Who controls the world and everything in it? We should give time to acknowledging the power of God and praying for His mercy. We should make sure that our obedience is full and complete. And we should take time to examine our hearts, so that we can know whether our lives are obedient. Do it for yourself! Do it for your loved ones! Do it for your country! Do it so that you may be pleasing to God!

I hope you've had a good week and will have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings...Mimi

    

   

10 Things You May Not Know About Jesus

Like me, you may suffer from a lack of complete understanding when it comes to some of the most revealing facts about Jesus. How can we grasp the fact that God sent His only Son to give us His salvation?
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I believe it takes contemplation over time to touch the meaning of Jesus' life...His life of teaching, His willingness to be crucified as the blood sacrifice for our sins, and His death and resurrection. So it's toward that valuable goal, I'm giving these 10 things for you to consider. Yes, they're short and unexplained, but as scripture, you may use them as a source for meditation and reflection, or as a beginning point for further study. The main idea is to study and understand more about Jesus and the gift of salvation. Each point is awesome!
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1)   Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

"But while he (Joseph) thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:20-2

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2)   Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit.

"Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil." Luke 4:1-2
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3)   Jesus is the Light of the World.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." John 8:12

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4)   Jesus is the Door.

Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:7-10
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5)   Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'." John 14:5-6

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6)   Jesus is the True Vine.

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me. and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." John 15:1-7

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7)   Jesus Is A Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

"For this Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated 'king of righteousness,' and then also king of Salem, meaning 'king of peace,' without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually." Hebrews 7:1-3

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8)   Jesus Christ Himself Is the Word of Life

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full." 1 John 1:1-4

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9)   Jesus is our Advocate with the Father.

"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2

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10)  Jesus is the Bread of Life.

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35

As I said, these descriptions of Jesus are awesome in their scope and power. I pray that many of you will be blessed by a new look at these attributes.

Blessings...Mimi

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