Lena's Discipleship Journalin' with 1 John 4 Today

There is warfare “out there” in the spirit realm; the warfare is for the allegiances of the sons and daughters of men. It takes a renewal of the mind to not see life through the world’s viewpoint, and to not listen to its opinionated view!
That really takes purposeful daily diligence. Without discipline, and a change of the programming of the mind and heart, one cannot be separated unto God. We must choose separation and holiness; we must choose His ways above whatever ways we’ve become accustomed to.
I hear so many people who follow Christ say that they have no time to participate in the things of God beyond a once or twice a week activity or commitment.
That is dangerous to our Christian faith-walk. There is no way anyone can grow up in the spirit and become aware of God’s will and plan for us to execute in the earth, if we do not engage as soldiers with a whole heart and replace who we were before with new life activity, new commitments, new thoughts and actions!
We cannot be joined to Christ and the world. It is impossible. In choosing, if we choose the world above God at all God steps back and lets us have it. He says to us, you’ve chosen and what you’ve chosen is not Me.
He is such the gentleman, He lets us choose our own way. He woos us, He draws us, but it is I who has to come by believing in who He really is. When I really believe it, I change my lifestyle, my commitments, my extracurricular activities - so to speak! Any other choice is based on deception and lies, for Jesus is THE WAY, the TRUTH, and The LIFE. No one can find the answers they need, or ever fulfill any purposes, without surrender to His ways, which are marvelous.
We’ll all surrender to Him one day, that day may as well be today, when we have time to live for Him as ambassadors and representatives in this world.
How and why do we do these things? Like make hard changes, become compliant, surrender to God and to one another, do it another way than our own way, and walk in another direction , etc?
It is a one word answer- LOVE!
Love is the motivator, the revelation, the hope, the action. It is love, for God is love. Why would I love anyone, everyone no matter their deserving factor? Why would I get close to those who’ve been known to hurt me? Why? Love gives, love extends itself at its own sake and willingly offers self sacrifice.
If we love God we love who He loves, no matter what they do or do not do, or how they do or do not act.
How do we show we have this great love of God in us? We extend, we sacrifice on purpose and with purpose, we learn, we teach, we’re bold, we act. We care about who God cares about.
Has anyone ever seen, Father- Son and Spirit all together at one time as One? There is a way to see God, in the image and likeness of Him, which resides in an unperfected people, who are becoming Him day to day. If and when we love, we’ll see Him there in that love, in that oneness and unity.
It takes a tremendous amount of trust to extend oneself and love someone who may turn and hurt you, or who will do it again and again and again not seeming to care for your feelings or needs. God loves us exactly that way. Those blows may as well have been given by us, for every time we do not heed His voice we are rejecting Him.
Our pastor quoting form Paul’s epistle says, I may have been through a few things and I may have been hurt, but you have not injured me at all. That sounds almost thick-skinned, but it really is softhearted and Open-hearted. It is saying that pain may be necessary to save a lost and dying world, but it can’t and won’t be able to take us or keep us from the love of God which we’ve found in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Remember the word “confession” actually means stick with like glue, as to not ever be unstuck…If we “confess” Jesus as the Son of God, God lives in us and we in God…
If we pay our “love dues” by living this way from day to day, ever growing up into the mature love of Christ we’ll have nothing to pay on judgment day, we’ll have satisfied our debt of gratitude to Our Lord, with a life of love-service to Christ! That day will just be another day totally in love with Him.
Love gives, love forgives (gives for others when they can’t or won’t give), love extends, love sacrifices, love acts, love is alive, fervent in spirit for the things of God.
Love God – Love people; the two greatest commands. If one loves all of the other commands will be fulfilled! When I love you I won’t steal from you or lie to you, or hurt you or harm you or those you love. I fulfill the law of God, because of the greatness of the love of God in operation in me.