Different.
That's what we discovered today around the lunch table. How organic milk is different from regular milk, I'm unsure, but it must be, because it tasted so.
Such a difference reminded me of the difference that is supposed to be seen in my life. If I'm living out of my intimate relationship with God through Christ, there should be a noticeable difference in me, just like there was a noticeable difference in my milk today.
And that difference should be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
I'll have to be more careful not to dilute myself with busy-ness and to do lists, but rather to sit and know God. I want to taste different too, and I can, by His power.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Ultimate
My last post was from March 2006, so to state the obvious, perhaps I'm not so great at blogging!
But this morning as I was studying to teach some middle school students what it means to have eternal life, I was overwhelmed at what God so kindly revealed to me, and I have to share it.
John 17:3 says, "This is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
The word "know" means "to associate oneself in an intimate relationship."
Knowing God doesn't mean knowing all about Him or even doing the things we think or know He would like us to do. Knowing God means being in an intimate, personal relationship with Him - pouring out our hearts to Him and living life with Him.
How do we get there?
God out of His kindness draws us to Himself through Christ Jesus and overcomes our natural desire to hate and deny Him. He removes blinders from our eyes to see Him as He really is, and when that happens, whether it's through His Word or a person, we are overwhelmed with how wonderful He is, and how much He loves us, and cannot help but desire to submit to His goodness.
Our motive for this eternal life is not to avoid Hell (which we hear is bad), or to get to enjoy certain pleasures. Our motive for eternal life is to enjoy God.
In eternal life (which begins the moment we believe God) we do receive blessing upon blessing - gifts and wonderful relationships with others. But the things those who know God and have eternal life love about those gifts and relationships is what we see of God in them.
How I pray He will open my eyes to His glory and goodness more and more and that I will know and therefore love Him above all else.
"Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:18
But this morning as I was studying to teach some middle school students what it means to have eternal life, I was overwhelmed at what God so kindly revealed to me, and I have to share it.
John 17:3 says, "This is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
The word "know" means "to associate oneself in an intimate relationship."
Knowing God doesn't mean knowing all about Him or even doing the things we think or know He would like us to do. Knowing God means being in an intimate, personal relationship with Him - pouring out our hearts to Him and living life with Him.
How do we get there?
God out of His kindness draws us to Himself through Christ Jesus and overcomes our natural desire to hate and deny Him. He removes blinders from our eyes to see Him as He really is, and when that happens, whether it's through His Word or a person, we are overwhelmed with how wonderful He is, and how much He loves us, and cannot help but desire to submit to His goodness.
Our motive for this eternal life is not to avoid Hell (which we hear is bad), or to get to enjoy certain pleasures. Our motive for eternal life is to enjoy God.
In eternal life (which begins the moment we believe God) we do receive blessing upon blessing - gifts and wonderful relationships with others. But the things those who know God and have eternal life love about those gifts and relationships is what we see of God in them.
How I pray He will open my eyes to His glory and goodness more and more and that I will know and therefore love Him above all else.
"Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:18
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