Christ in Us, the Hope of Glory!
That our lives would cause others to praise God!
Allowing the Grace of God To Empower Us to Do what we cannot do on our own.
The world has its pursuit backward. You don’t get what you want by pursuing it directly; what will truly bring peace, purpose and joy is produced when we have proper priorities.
Let’s say you want milk, butter, and cheese; you don’t get it by killing the cow. You get it by care and daily drawing from the cow what it will give you with disciplined focus. The result?
The world is bent on the pursuit of happiness… and the world is a miserable mess. Generations have been fed a sweet drug of deception. Follow your heart. If it feels good, do it. Eat, drink and be merry…(They rarely really mention that following line.)
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 14:17
When we pursue righteousness, righteousness begets peace… and peace begets joy.
You don’t get the blessing of God simply by praying;
“GOD BLESS ME.”
God blesses our lives because of his love. 1st. He loves us.
However, to experience his best, we must recognize he blesses us according to his word.
His word is a catalog of sorts. We can choose what we want by doing what God loves. Repentance, mercy, forgiveness, prayer, diligence, faithfulness, virtue, humility, serving the good of others… there is a long list of opportunities given to us in the Word of God.
The promises of God are conditional. He will, if you will.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
The bottom line… when you LOVE GOD… you will seek to demonstrate that love toward him by seeing to please him.
That is, in essence, our allowing grace to have its perfect work.
Heeding, listening, following after the desire of God and his spirit.
The corresponding favor, blessing, and empowerment, even joy, follow these things.
That is the purpose of Grace… to help us be what he called us to be,
Not so we can sin and think Grace will be a get-out-of-jail card. Our Part of Righteousness is simply allowing grace and the spirit of God to work through us for His will. We are not saved by our works, however, grace and the Spirit of God desire to do the Work of God through us. Jesus is the light of the World. When Jesus indwells our being, we become to others what Jesus has been to us.
It is not simply my effort to be good, do good. It is my obedient, humble and sincere willingness to allow the spirit of God to do good through me.
This Is the Light< JESUS in us shines in us so that we are the light of the world.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16