BexNotes - Strong-Willed God - PART 1

My Will

I have a will.

Not the "legal document leaving one's possessions to certain, predetermined individuals in case of death" kind of will.

I have the "I want this; I don't want that" kind of will.

I make my own decisions.

I do my own thing.

I am my own man.

God's Will

Believe it or not, God is strong-willed. The God of the Universe has the "I want this; I don't want that" kind of will.

He makes His own decisions.

He does His own thing.

He is His own man.

But if you think that is scary, think again.

Trusting God

God's will is based on the impulses of His Spirit, and since the very essence of who God is can be summarized in the characteristics of His Spirit...

"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." --Galatians 5:22-23

...everything He wants (wills) flows out of that.

Every one of His desires, choices, and actions is totally rooted in one thing:  LOVE.

This LOVE impacted how He created us, it determines how He reacts to us, and it controls how He feels about us.

Did you catch that?

God, the eternal, perfect, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-all-the-time God, wants (wills)--with the most powerful will of all time--to LOVE us.

(Reread God's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. He loves you like that!)

The Choice

"God's will" is for us to know Him and be with Him forever. Therefore, every desire of God in our lives--whether to change our actions, or alter our attitudes, or deflate our anger, or mend relationships we don't want to fix--stems from His desire for us to be with Him, in His perfection, for eternity.

Think about it...

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification... For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness." --1 Thessalonians 4:3,7

"for [God is] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." --2 Peter 3:9

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." --Ephesians 1:4-6

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

He wants us to have perfect love.

Perfect joy.

Perfect peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

That can only happen when we choose His will over our will.  

 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" --Romans 8:28-32

BexNotes: Welcome Home - Part 2

True LOVE

 

As we approached/approach/are approaching a discussion on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we've been--and are being--distinctly drawn to the fact that our actions are worthless if we do not LOVE the people around us.

What is LOVE? 

(Baby, don't hurt me.)

If you read through 1 Corinthians 13 even once, you'll realize that true LOVE is an impossible task. It requires perfection in every relationship.

LOVE says to be patient when you are seriously frustrated with somebody.
LOVE says be kind to the one who mistreats you.
LOVE says to let go when you want to hate the people who have hurt you.
LOVE says to forgive, even if they don't ask for it and aren't sorry.
LOVE says to always hope, even when they show no indication of change.

 

LOVE goes against every natural tendency that we have. It requires that we sacrifice the things that are most important to us (including our self-image, pride, and safety nets) and give all that we have to people who don't deserve it.

But I can't do that.

At the core of who I am, I'm too prideful, selfish, and un-caring to truly LOVE anybody. If it's my responsibility to just go out and love everybody, I'll never accomplish it.

Here's the key:

God doesn't give us the instruction to LOVE others without giving us the power to LOVE others.

God doesn't just throw us into the world and say, "LOVE them, or else!" He is not sitting up in heaven waiting for us to fail, so He can brag about how good He is and how much we suck. He's not some sort of punk older brother who dares us to do things He knows we can't do, so we embarrass ourselves and make Him look good.

God wants us to LOVE others, so He gives us His LOVE.

He Loves US

 

God loves us, and not just the perfect, saved, working on things version.

"God demonstrates his own LOVE for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

God loves us in the very worst of who we are/have ever been/will ever be.


He LOVES the us we were before we got saved.
He LOVES the us we are every time we sin.
He LOVES the us that feels like we can't change.
He LOVES the us that makes mistakes.
He LOVES the us that we hate.

He does not enjoy our mistakes and shortcomings, but in the midst of them, His thoughts toward us are:

"Patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
- 1 Corinthians 13

 

He sacrificed the thing that was most important to Him (His son) to give all that He had to people who didn't deserve it (us).

In one remarkable move, God simultaneously releases us from all we've ever done AND gives us the ability to LOVE those around us.

And God's LOVE for us didn't end on the cross. Jesus' resurrection enabled us to have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. God empowers us to LOVE every day by literally putting His LOVE inside of us.

"God's LOVE has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:5

We don't have to make fumbling attempts to LOVE the people in our life; God will LOVE them through us and teach us how to LOVE them.

Relying on the Holy Spirit takes the pressure off of us and puts it back on God--who has a perfect track record.

BexNotes: Welcome Home - PART 1

Recap

READ 1 Corinthians 13

Last week, "T" had spoken in my absence. I inquired as to highlights from their conversation and the EVERYONE mentioned the characteristics/attributes of love (i.e., compassion). Also, it seems that the Holy Spirit has been reiterating this point in other churches. (We have the SAME Spirit.) The main themes are as follows:

1. God is love. If we are children of God, we are born into love.
2. The fullness of love is completely humbling, because love is perfect.
3. We are totally incapable of truly loving in our own power.

I reminded everyone that we grow up into love. Do not get disappointed that you can't love perfectly. Ask for forgiveness, and ask for growth. Along with sanctification, God makes us more into the likeness of His son, more perfectly loving, over time. Let God work love in your heart!

The Spirit Realm

READ 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

In talking about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit last week, "T" and "L" discussed the gift of discernment of spirits. I clarified the following details:

1. The Role of God. God is God. He is ultimate and supreme. He has all authority in every created place. His power is incomparable. Jesus stole the power of sin and death by dying and rising again. He stole the keys to hell by descending, and his Name became glorified in Heaven, on the Earth, and under the Earth by his ascension (Eph. 4:7-9). At the end of time, He shall come back for the saints, wage war against the antichrist and throw Satan and his minions into Hell.
2. The Role of Satan. Satan was the most beautiful angel, named Lucifer. He was created by God to lead heaven into worship--giving praise, glory, honor, and attributing worth to God. Seeing himself as a leader, he desired to be a god himself. He set himself up to be worshiped, whereupon God kicked him and his followers out of Heaven and into the Earth--where they remain till Jesus returns. Satan is not omnipresent. He cannot be everywhere all at once. He and his demons have no real power, only the power of influence via deception, lies, fear, etc. (1 Pet. 5:8-10).
3. The Role of Humans. God created man in His own image (Gen. 1:26-30). When Jesus died and rose again, He gave us the right to be called sons and daughters of God (John 1:12). This position is higher than any angel, because we are heirs to God's Kingdom (Rom. 8:17). Because of his pride and desire to be worshiped and have position and power, Satan detests us and the role that is given to us by God's grace. Thus, he attempts to distract us from finding God and feeds us lies about ourselves, so we never become Gods. A battle rages in the spiritual realm for our souls.
4. The Role of Angels. Angels are God's creatures, warriors, messengers, worshipers. Like the human race, different angels have different functions. For example, the angel of the Lord went before the armies of Israel in the Old Testament and won the battle for the Lord; also, the archangel Michael will eventually be the one who throws Satan into Hell. Angels exist in the spirit realm of the world, battling for our souls and protecting us from the schemes of the enemy as well as physical danger (Psalm 91).
5. The Role of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is set as a seal upon the hearts of the believer (Eph. 1:13). Just as a seal on a document can only be opened by the one bearing enough power to do so, likewise the Holy Spirit seals our hearts to be opened solely by God. He confirms that we are righteous and sons and heirs of God. His seal protects us. Therefore, it is impossible for believers to be possessed by demons.
6. The Role of Fear. Demons will often manifest themselves in the scariest form possible. Since God is love, and perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18-19), it is evident that demonic influence can be scary. They are also incredibly deceptive. They wield their influence to control humans, especially those who do not know the Lord.
7. The Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus is the Name above all names. At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth (Phil. 2:9-11). Demonic forces are subject to His authority, which He has given to us through the plan of God and by the Holy Spirit.

The spirit realm is very real, and it's good to be aware of what is going on--to always put on the full armour of God and to pray at all times. However, there is no need to be afraid, because Greater is He who lives in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." -- Eph. 6:10-18 ESV