Matthew 4:4 "But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"
Psalms 84:10 says "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."
But, even a second without Him is a second that I dread. I don't wanna go one day, let alone one second without being in His will.
Paul writes in Philippians 3:10-11, words that ring so true for me. This is from the Amplified version, and I love the way the text is enriched herein:
10 [For
my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively
become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and
recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly
and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the
power outflowing from His resurrection [which
it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to
be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His
death, [in the hope]
11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].
Life is incomplete without God. Before I was saved, I thought that I knew a lot. But then after I got saved, and gave my life to Christ, I realized how little I really know. I want to be closer to God, and continually grow daily in Him. There are so many things I still don't understand, but I pray that God will continue to draw me closer to Him, that I may come into a fuller understanding of the things of God.
James 4:8 says "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
I also know that it is the Father who draws us to the Son. The closer we get to God, the closer He will get to us.
Also note, the second part of this verse: "Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Picture God as a Light that shines in a darkened room. Darkness hides our sins. We cannot see in a pitch-black room. The brighter the Light shines within that room, the more apparent our sins will become.
Now, back to Philippians 3:10-11. The more we understand God, the more we will come to know the power of the resurrection of Christ. In that way, we may overcome our flesh, so that we may be more equipped in the Spirit. For we must do away with our flesh because our flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we must walk in the newness of life. We must walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-23
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
To be wholly submitted to God, living in the Spirit, we must rid ourselves of the flesh and it's desires. We have to walk in the likeness of Christ. The less we become of ourselves, the more we become in His likeness. We are to be slaves of God, and not to sin. For sin is separation from God, and the more we put our own wills above God's, the further we become from God. We have to keep our thoughts on Him, seeking His Presence daily, praying continually. We must seek to be with Him.. the more we lose focus on that.. the further we go astray from the things of God. However, God is a faithful God, and He will always leave the 99 sheep to go searching for that 1 lost sheep that went astray.
Life is incomplete without God. Before I was saved, I thought that I knew a lot. But then after I got saved, and gave my life to Christ, I realized how little I really know. I want to be closer to God, and continually grow daily in Him. There are so many things I still don't understand, but I pray that God will continue to draw me closer to Him, that I may come into a fuller understanding of the things of God.
James 4:8 says "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
I also know that it is the Father who draws us to the Son. The closer we get to God, the closer He will get to us.
Also note, the second part of this verse: "Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Picture God as a Light that shines in a darkened room. Darkness hides our sins. We cannot see in a pitch-black room. The brighter the Light shines within that room, the more apparent our sins will become.
Now, back to Philippians 3:10-11. The more we understand God, the more we will come to know the power of the resurrection of Christ. In that way, we may overcome our flesh, so that we may be more equipped in the Spirit. For we must do away with our flesh because our flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we must walk in the newness of life. We must walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-23
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
To be wholly submitted to God, living in the Spirit, we must rid ourselves of the flesh and it's desires. We have to walk in the likeness of Christ. The less we become of ourselves, the more we become in His likeness. We are to be slaves of God, and not to sin. For sin is separation from God, and the more we put our own wills above God's, the further we become from God. We have to keep our thoughts on Him, seeking His Presence daily, praying continually. We must seek to be with Him.. the more we lose focus on that.. the further we go astray from the things of God. However, God is a faithful God, and He will always leave the 99 sheep to go searching for that 1 lost sheep that went astray.
