What to do, What to do...
Please read: Philippians 1:9-11, 2:13, 3:9-11
Would you believe me if I told you that when you are born-again you do not have to focus on your behavior? Ah, now I've got your attention! As crazy as this statement may seem it really is the truth. If you are truly born-again and you have surrendered yourself to Jesus, right doing will happen naturally as you draw closer to the Lord. Don't believe me? Let's see what the Bible says!
Philippians 1:11 refers to right doing and right believing as fruits of righteousness. I am not saying that we do not need to do the right thing. What I am saying is that when we focus on Jesus, and we learn to trust in Him, when we grow in His love for us, our actions will follow what we believe in our hearts. When we learn to trust in, rely on, and cling to the Lord--when He becomes our determined purpose --we will naturally produce Fruits of Righteousness.
"[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 the same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers]..."
Philippians 3:10
Simply doing the right thing does not make us righteous, receiving the righteousness of Christ does. We must focus on only one thing--Jesus. When we do this, His presence and power in our lives will bring transformation. Focusing on our behavior alone, will only leave us frustrated and feeling condemned (or prideful, if we think we have done it all right). Focus on Jesus and His love for you and you will walk in Fruits of righteousness!
Tell me what you think. Let's talk Grace! Does this thought pattern challenge you in anyway? Does it offend you? What are some behavior area's in your life that seem to have grabbed your attention away from Jesus?
Being loved by HIM, with you,
Daveda
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5 comments:
I absolutely agree...its about focusing on Jesus Christ. I catch myself from time to time trying to "fix" things in myself. It doesn't work, or at least not for long. Thanks for the reminder.
P.S. Daveda, you're writing is amazing. Not it wasn't always good, but it's become so much better. Can I say that I love your sentence structures or does that make me a giant dork?? Way to go...God has really given you a talent that is being perfected!
Jen,
No, that does not make you a dork, it make you a very special,friend! Thank you, your encouragement means a lot to me! Daveda
Amen again my sister! I remember at the church I grew up in when people would accept Christ, it seemed there was a group of people who would breathe a sigh of relief that they could FINALLY help that person do away with all of their "old"...I wish I could say that their motives and hearts were good, but it usually ended up being a lot of legalism and the heart of the new believer either had to play catch up or live in condemnation.
I believe that kind of mentality is what causes the church to get the "bad rap" that it has. People feel pressure to "live out their righteousness" before it is a heart issue to do so and they end up living one way when they are around the "church" crowd and then being who they really are on their own. We need to be pointing them to Christ and not a "to do" list.
Blessings!
So, I keep coming back to read this blog. I think I may have to print it out and put it on my fridge. I've been so cranky lately...I blame the hormones, but I keep "trying" not to be while focusing on the cranky feeling. It hit me as I reread this for the third time that my focus has been all wrong. I need to think about Jesus and His goodness, or just who He is and then the crankiness can subside, not because I made it, but because I drew near to God
What a different body we will all be when God brings the fullness of this revelation to us. When our obsession becomes Him and not how we behave, we will begin to experience His power to change the way we behave!!! WOO HOO!
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